Model Diary: A Day in the Life of a Gainesville Fashion Week Model

Last night, local model Meghan van Joosten let us tag along to give us a glimpse into the world of the models of the Gainesville Fashion Week runway. (Keep an eye out for some insider beauty tips!)


First, the stats: Age: 22 Height: 5’8”
Hometown: Gainesville
Day job: UF public relations senior
Number of years modeling: 9
Best gig yet: Photoshoot for hair stylist Mario Tricoci
Favorite Designer: Michael Kors
Personal Style: I like really hot dresses with a kick-ass shoe.

4:41pm Meghan arrives at Sixth Street Station for hair and makeup. The waiting room is relaxed, and the models talk quietly about everything from how to avoid split ends at the end of the night to the latest TV shows. Meghan passes time with a book, Fear Nothing by Dean Koontz. And yes, the girls do eat!

5:35pm Time for hair. Hair stylist Christina goes with an avante garde look that involves a lot of teasing and volumizing to offset Meghan’s small frame. Christina’s weapons of choice: a teasing comb, bobby pins and Big Sexy Hair hairspray.

5:51pm Hair finished. Back to the waiting room before makeup with Sephora.

6:07pm Makeup artist Olga uses Make Up For Ever HD on Meghan. It caters to an on-camera look but is perfect for everyday wear. For fuller lashes, she advises coating the lashes on both sides from top down and bottom up.

6:29pm Voila! Meghan’s look is complete, but there’s still a lot of work ahead until showtime …

6:36pm Meghan heads to Calzatura to meet with owner Robert Betancourt to discuss last-minute accessory choices and outfit changes. While there, Meghan spots a new dress, and it’s love at first sight. After spending a half hour parading in it, the finale piece is set.

7:14pm Time to grab dinner before the show. Meghan likes to eat a light protein or pasta beforehand. She avoids fatty foods, which she says can cause oily skin and too much water retention.

8:45pm When Meghan makes it backstage, she’s plays the role of model and stylist. She decides the final order of looks for the Calzatura show and completes a quick run-through with the models.

11:04pm The Calzatura show begins. “The one blonde girl worked it out,” attendee Kelly Liepshutz says.

11:28pm It’s hectic again backstage as everyone hurries to get ready for the Wolfgang show. Some fresh makeup and an outfit change, and Meghan’s ready to walk again.

After the show, before Meghan raced home to get to bed before an early morning class, we asked her how she thought it went. "It went really well," she said. "The Wolfgang
show was a lot of fun." And it’s only Day 1 of Fashion Week!

—Lauren Peterson
Photos: Sarah Hsu and Lauren Peterson