Here’s the secret of how to become a bikini model:
Work hard, get hired by the right agency, market yourself properly, and be in the right place at the right time.
But that’s just scratching the surface when it comes to building your career as a bikini model—and it doesn’t mean you won’t face setbacks along the way.
To help you prepare, here are 10 more tips that will help launch your career in no time!
In case you’re not already aware, a bikini model is an individual who’s involved in modeling women’s swimwear.
There are several ways to work as a bikini model.
In some cases, you may simply wear bikinis during events or promotions (such as at car shows or fashion shows), while others require that you pose for photographs or shoot promotional material such as commercials and ads.
Unlike other forms of modeling, however, many employers will hire people without prior experience in order to fill their requirements.
Regardless of your situation, though, it can be tough to find work as a bikini model without some direction—which is why we’ve provided our 10 tips below!
Bikini models can fall into one of three categories: amateur, professional, or fashion.
Amateur models often compete in local contests and less-frequent national events.
Professional models are hired by companies to model products.
Fashion models go through castings and compete for jobs with other professional models.
Bikini modeling isn’t limited to these categories, however; there is a lot of overlap between them as well as competition from women who aren’t necessarily classed under any specific heading.
If you want to be a successful bikini model, you have to make yourself stand out from the crowd somehow, whether it’s your body type or your natural style.
There are also a few other things you should know about before trying to make money from bikini modeling
There are a lot of requirements for being a successful bikini model.
You don’t need to be at peak fitness levels all year round, but it is an advantage as your body will be on show for thousands to see in bikinis and swimsuits.
There are two main categories when it comes to working as a bikini model; editorial and commercial.
Editorial photography is more like ‘artistic’ photos, with poses similar to what you might find in fashion magazines such as Elle or Vogue.
Commercial photography includes more standardized photos for clients selling clothing, gym memberships or health products, etc – think of something more like fitness magazine covers.
In fashion modeling, designers showcase their clothing lines on models who fit a certain look.
Fashion models aren’t necessarily expected to be in shape but they do need to be tall enough and thin enough.
Bikini models are more than just pretty faces. In fact, beauty is only one of three things that make a good bikini model.
While most fashion models don’t do anything but walk a runway, and others do nothing but pose for photos, many bikini models are athletes—trainers as well as bodybuilders.
Competition is fierce, which is why all these women push themselves so hard.
They know how to work it and work it hard!
The moment you’ve all been waiting for! The 10 best things for you to do to start your bikini model career!
Before you begin pursuing a career as a bikini model, it’s important to familiarize yourself with what can be an intense and competitive industry.
Despite the perception that all models are thin and sexy, in reality, very few make it to the top, and even fewer become household names.
The path is hard—very hard—but if you love modeling, or perhaps want to break into another field of modeling such as commercial work or magazine editorial, then don’t be afraid to go for it!
Before you submit your application to any modeling agency, make sure you take professional modeling classes in your local area.
These courses will prepare you for what it takes to become a professional model.
Most of these classes are hands-on, which means you’ll have an opportunity to try on clothes and walk around as models do.
This experience can help you with getting into character and give you more confidence when talking to potential agents about working with them.
Agency websites are a great way to find out what companies you should be submitting your portfolio to.
This is also a good place to start looking for modeling jobs (there are always open casting calls listed).
If they aren’t posted on job boards, contact them directly and let them know you’re interested in being represented.
Agencies typically ask for current headshots/professional photos and an updated resume/CV.
You can keep these things on hand so that as soon as an agency requests them you can quickly send them over.
Don’t fall into one of these common modeling scams!
The industry is not as competitive as people make it seem, but it is competitive, so prepare yourself accordingly by practicing and researching agencies thoroughly before you try getting signed.
Before you can start applying to model agencies and for modeling jobs, you’ll need to build a portfolio.
To do that, compile several professional headshots of yourself, which will eventually be used in job applications.
Once your photos are taken (either by you or an agency), have them edited and printed as high-quality 8x10s.
This is an important part of building your portfolio, as many potential employers will ask to see examples of your work before hiring you for a job.
Don’t feel like it has to be all professional shots—including casual photos of yourself at parties or events as well!
Most agencies have a submission form on their website and they’re looking for fresh faces all of the time.
If you’re comfortable with sharing your photos, then start by sending them off to a few agencies.
However, be sure to personalize each message before hitting send; we recommend writing out each message by hand and saving it as a template in your email or word processor.
Agency submission forms aren’t always intuitive, so having your pitch prepped will help you make a good first impression when contacting an agency.
Good posture is important in any industry, and it certainly won’t hurt your chances of becoming a bikini model.
Look at photos of successful models (or search Google Images) and you’ll find that they are all extremely confident while posing; they never slouch or slump over.
This may sound like a no-brainer, but take a moment to think about how many times you’ve seen people slouching on a webcam or at their desks at work.
What these people don’t realize is that poor posture leads to self-consciousness, which hinders confidence—two things that can potentially make or break your modeling career.
To stay confident during casting calls and photo shoots, practice standing with good posture. Find out the best spine straightening exercises here.
It’s crucial to build a solid social media presence.
This is something you’ll want to start working on early as it takes time to develop a following.
No matter what industry you’re looking to work in, it’s important that your audience can find you and connect with you easily on different social platforms.
Being easy to reach makes casting directors more comfortable, which will ultimately give you a better chance of getting hired!
One important thing to remember when becoming a bikini model is to flaunt your assets, rather than trying to hide them.
Although it’s tempting, avoid wearing clothes that cover every inch of your body and expose nothing.
In swimwear modeling, you’re most likely going to be photographed in wet or tight clothing – so there’s no point in hiding what you have!
You want to look sexy and confident, which means being willing to show off your body.
When it comes time for you to shoot, take advantage of your self-assurance, and don’t forget about one simple trick:
Smile big!
If you look happy (and why wouldn’t you?) people will enjoy looking at your photos even more.
An aspiring model has to look after their body like an athlete, exercising and keeping fit.
It is important to get your body in shape for any modeling job, regardless of whether you are hired or not.
In addition to a healthy diet, set aside time every day to practice poses and exercises – don’t forget to take a photo so you can review your progress!
Getting fit is one of the most important factors in becoming a successful model.
If you have any doubts about your own fitness level, attend some exercise classes or contact a personal trainer to help you achieve success.
You’ll notice that at almost every fashion show there are female models walking around who are carrying their own hand weights; if they’re doing it, then you should too!
Don’t think that becoming a bikini model is something that you can easily achieve.
It takes hard work and dedication.
No matter how genetically blessed you are, there is no getting around it—you have to work to look like a supermodel!
This means constant dieting and exercise on your part.
So if you really want to be a supermodel, then you will need to dedicate yourself fully and put in all of your efforts.
There are no shortcuts when it comes to working out or staying fit; you just have to give it everything you’ve got!
Working hard isn’t just about exercising as much as possible, though; it also involves having great inner motivation for what you want.
