Can Unique Features Be the Ticket to Modeling Success? (2024)

Models with successful careers all have a few things in common: a great work ethic, the help of a modeling agency, being healthy, and being professional. With that in mind, some models still stand out more than others and seem to have that “something” you can’t quite put your finger on, but that makes them seem extra special.

So, what is that “something” that makes some models stand out more than others, and is it inherent or the luck of the draw? And, are you taking advantage of the features that make you unique and stand out from the crowd?

Iconic Models

Think of some of the most iconic models throughout history. Let’s take Lauren Hutton, Iman, Cara Delevinge, Cindy Crawford, and Tyra Banks. Each of them has found massive success in the modeling industry (and in business, movies, television, fashion design, and cosmetics) They are well-known for their modeling careers, but they each have a specific feature that makes them instantly recognizable. Aside from success, they each have something else in common: a unique characteristic that others may try to minimize or reduce, but one that each of them chose to embrace!

Unique Modeling Features

Lauren Hutton was one of the first models to embrace the gap in her front teeth and refused to have it filled. Georgia May Jagger and Laura Stone continue that trend today with their wonderful gap-toothed smiles. Iman has a lovely long neck that she emphasizes in photos, rather than trying to make it look shorter. Cara Delevingne has fantastic, thick, and often unruly eyebrows that people all over the world try to copy. Cindy Crawford has a mole above her lip that she was often encouraged to have removed or covered up (although people have been known to draw an identical one on themselves to look like her!), and Tyra Banks often pokes fun at her forehead for being too big and refers to it as her "fivehead."

Don't Hide!

Instead of hiding, reducing, covering up, or shying away from these aspects of their appearances, these models chose to use what makes them different to their advantage, rather than trying to be like everyone else. It turns out, celebrating and emphasizing what makes you different or unique as a model is what will make you stand out and be memorable! It’s hard to say if these models would have had the same career path and success if they didn’t embrace their differences, but it certainly hasn’t hurt their careers!

If you’re an aspiring model, and you aren’t sure what makes you “unique,” it won’t take long to find out! Is there a specific feature people always point out or compliment you on? Maybe people always point out your long fingers. Why not use your hands in more photos to frame your face, or even consider becoming a parts model and modeling your hands? Perhaps you have freckles that you always try to cover up with makeup when in truth, that could be just the thing a client is looking for in a model! If you have super-expressive eyes, they can be a great tool for modeling, as they will really make your photos come alive. Next time you think of hiding or covering up your unique features before an audition or casting call, try emphasizing them instead and it might lead to your big break into the modeling world!