What size do you need to be to make it in the modelling industry?

There is a lot said about what you need to be a model- particularly, what size you must be. The debate about size zero and whether or not it's a healthy weight for a woman, and particularly whether it's a good idea to make it something girls (and the rest of society) looks on as a positive thing rages on in the papers and on television, and of course online.

The how thin is too thin argument isn't likely to be resolved any time soon. And even if it is, there is nothing stopping the modelling industry choosing models as skinny as they like. There is no denying that a lot of catwalk super models are shockingly thin, and that eating disorders are a serious problem in today's society, but it's also true that the vast bulk of working models are nowhere near size zero.

Catwalk fashion shows are a tiny part of modelling, and most models never get anywhere near one. The majority of models will work directly in advertising, either photographically or on television. When you first start out, chances are overwhelmingly high that's where you'll be working.

While a lot of the women on television or in the fashion mags are thinner than the national average- which is size 14- the idea that your measurements need to be exactly 34-24-34 to get into modelling couldn't be more false. It might have been true decades ago but times have changed. There are no ideal measurements.

What modelling agencies need is variety. If hundreds of modelling hopefuls all submit a portfolio of photos that look exactly the same, nobody is going to impress, not even if they're size zero and bang on 5'9". Even if your portfolio is professionally done and your clothes and makeup perfectly in vogue, you need to make a statement. The best way into modelling is to have a fresh, bold look and a distinctive style that will grab the attention of modelling agencies and advertising companies alike.