The “off duty model” look has had something of a zeitgeist in big cities around the world – as magazines, street style photographers, and freelance photogs rush about to snap models in their spare time dressed meticulously yet comfortably. The pages of fashion magazines aren’t without their street style sections, showing models on the move, or in a candid moment wearing their favorite looks.
For one former professional fashion model, the model occupation never quite escapes her. Mischaela Advani, Editor of Big City Blonde, is regularly photographed about town attending launches and charity events, the invitations to which she has received as a result of her massive success as a model, street style star, and fashion blogger.
The tall, willowy, Nordic looking natural blonde has been photographed by everyone from the king of street style photography Scott Schuman of The Sartorialist to publications as far away as South Korea’s cult favorite street style magazine “Cracker Your Wardrobe”. In 2013, she was featured on VanityFair.com with an honorable mention in their International Best Dressed List. Even while venturing down the side walk to shop, the style blogger snaps into model mode for street style photographers seeking to capture her personal style in a casual environment.
Her blog’s success is owed to her regular cascade of “daily look” photos. Her posture and expressions are undeniably calculated, many of them appearing like ZARA ads or model test shoots. With a bevy of fashion bloggers showcasing their daily looks or #ootd on social media sites and on their blogs, Ms. Advani has a clear advantage; her height, experience as a model, and willowy frame translate perfectly on film. A high fashion editorial sheen is given to her photos, even the silly outtakes look like a Vogue editorial gone right.
Mischaela says, “you never really forget how to hold an expression, find the light, or tilt your chin up to get a long swanlike frame. “ Her experience as a fashion model, both in print and on the runway has taught her an awareness for how her body moves or how a pose is going to look on film. “I’m very aware of exactly how a picture will likely turn out as its being taken. The one thing I want to work on is to be more casual and relaxed; many of my photos look like advertisements. I want to showcase a handbag as part of my outfit, but it ends up looking like I’m in an ad for it. However, if that is what my readers enjoy most about my blog, I would hate to change it up and lose their interest.”
Whether she is posing for an advertisement, walking a runway, collaborating with a brand, posing for a candid street style shot, or shooting her daily looks for her fashion blog, Mischaela Advani is never an off duty model, it would seem that although she’s moved on from professional modeling as her only career in favor of entrepreneurship…she’s never stopped modeling. To some, it comes that naturally.
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