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A CHAT WITH JENNIFER BOLLINGER
“If you can’t be inspired, then inspire those around you.” - Jennifer Bollinger.
When I saw Jennifer Bollinger’s photo on the cover of Bella Petite magazine I thought: ‘wow, petite and talented!’ So, I did a bit of research on her, as you do, and when her motto and the extent of her experience I knew I wanted to write a feature about her on here. I had the pleasure to interview her over the phone last week, and, when I hung up the phone, I was filled with hope and admiration.
At 5’3 and almost 45 years of age, Jennifer is far from meeting any of the industry’s requirements. Has that kept her from having and pursuing her modeling career? I think you’ve guessed the answer: NO! She is a professional and published model represented by two agencies in America: Ford Models and Talent Agency. With being a model for 24 years, I think it’s fair to say that her list of shoots is endless, but her height meant it wasn’t a smooth ride… ‘It was impossible to get feedback before the days of the internet in order to get more jobs. Unless people hired you independently, which would sometimes happen for me. But if you wanted to get work, you had to have agency representation. To get that you have to go into an agency with a book. But most of the time I didn’t even make it through the front door because I was under 5’7. They didn’t even care how I looked or what my pictures looked like.’
Discrimination or what?
So we got talking about how difficult it is for a petite model to make it in this industry. I soon found out that giving up wasn’t in Jennifer’s books. When I asked her if she thought her height was a handicap to her modeling she laughed and told me that she appreciated the question but that it was a bad one. Oh! Yeah that was pretty silly… I’m sure of it now: I’m definitely not the only one who thinks it’s obvious that petites can shoot just as well as sky high dolls! ‘Well, of course you know, clothes look good on tall thin women, they hang well. So I can understand why the industry uses them because they’re long and they have good lines because they’re tall! But, there’s nothing I can’t do in my body. I mean, I’m a professional dancer also, I think that’s an added plus because I know my lines and they are very important in modeling!’ LINES! No one had ever told me about those before but it makes so much sense. Do I know mine? I don’t think so… maybe I should sign up to some dance classes!
Anyway, at this point, I was getting really excited because the conversation was going exactly where I wanted it to. I’m always going on about trying to find this edge, this je ne sais quoi when modeling because I think petite models need to stand out if we want to have a chance in this business. Well, so does Jennifer! ‘I think that’s just in general with being an artist, I think you should have something more to you and some layers to yourself as opposed to relying on your looks. Every artist should have an angle and something that sets them apart. And that makes them more interesting too as a person.’ Hmmm… I’d never really thought of Models as Artists, but it’s true, I think they really are. If all the fashion spreads in our magazines were of a blank face starring into the camera would we feel as excited by the clothes featured? Probably not every time! Jennifer made me realize this: modeling is an art form. I’m thinking: why would only a certain type of people (sky high dolls) be allowed to expose their art while others (petites) are ignored?
Am I getting slightly carried away? Sorry! Let’s rewind a tad: Yes! Petite Models need an edge. I was dying to know what Jennifer’s edge was to see if it was something I too could use when modeling. ‘I’m my own person, I do my own thing. I don’t just follow the industry standard! I trust in my personality and in my intelligence. There’s these other things about me which I bring to a shoot or bring to a situation besides just relying on the fact that I have these looks. Because that’s such a small percentage! I mean, it’s wonderful to be beautiful but you know… So what?’ How empowering is that right?
But there was another thing I wanted to know, how do you become a successful petite model when the industry is SO strict? ‘I think that at the end of the day, you can’t be discouraged. I’m not saying I never had bad days, that I’ve never been discouraged believe me, life can test you and its tested me many times. But underneath it all I believe in myself, I believe that I can make great images, that I can carry clothes well and that I can do this! So I would just continue to seek opportunities. For some models beginning in this business, if they receive discouragement, they just give up so quickly. Being a Model can make you feel not so great about yourself, because you’re always being judged on your physical appearance and that can make you feel very insecure to be perfectly honest! So you have to go a step beyond all of that and dig deeper in yourself and believe that you have something to offer and if you believe in that then eventually you’re going to make your way.’ I don’t think I could have hoped for a better answer! I was in complete awe of her confidence, truthfulness and encouragement. It’s safe to say that she is a true inspirational petite model. I think it explains why the favorite shoot she ever did was for Bella Petite Magazine, the most inspirational platform for all Petites!
I was so happy with our conversation, I thought it was time to end it. So, to conclude, I asked her where she wanted to take her career: ‘Well, I just want to keep expending as an artist, expending as a model and inspiring women. I want my modeling career to continue as more of a role model. I’m the oldest cover girl on Bella Petite because I’m going to be 45 in a couple of weeks and I don’t fit industry standards because I’m short. So, right there, I defy two of the industry requirements: I’m too short and I’m too old. That’s what they would want to tell me. But I just need to fight against both of those standards. So I want my modeling career to continue to go places. But I want to continue it in a way that tells other women that they can also do this.’
What a high note to finish on! I think that Jennifer Bollinger is a role model for all women with an aspiration worth fighting for. This interview has made me feel even more motivated and determined to show and keep spreading the word that petite models are just as good as sky high dolls!
Photography credits: Tom Lane, Dave Burdick, Shterion/OutVision.
