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Interview with Marga van der Vet, a Dutch Model and Seamstress





by Elena Tran
January 23, 2021

Marga van der Vet, a beautiful 50+ model from the Netherlands, is one of the extraordinary women of our times. She has contagious zest for life, unique business acumen, great intelligence and very warm and genuine personality. In addition to managing her professional portfolio, this bright and energetic model also has the website for aspiring dressmakers https://www.sewingchanelstyle.com/ in Dutch and in English where she shares how to make Chanel-style jackets and all about the Chanel brand. She also has two other blogs: book reviews and a niche website for horse riding enthusiasts and she doesn’t plan on slowing down any time soon.

I recently sat down with Marga (virtually, of course) to talk about her extraordinary life, her mistakes and triumphs, her challenges during the pandemic, multiple projects and her life lessons.

When did you get interested in sewing? Tell us how it all began.
Marga: I started sewing when I was twelve years old. I was just trying to make clothes for our guinea pigs. They were very happy when I started to make skirts for my sister and me (laugh).

Are you self-taught or did you take sewing/design courses?
Marga: I am self-taught, but when I was 15 years old, my mother and I went to sewing classes for two years. I did not like it as I was a stubborn child, and I did not want to do everything in small little steps. But looking back on it, these classes were wonderful. I cannot thank my mother and the teacher anymore. So, thanks!

What do you love about sewing/dressmaking?
Marga: I am very busy with my hands, I just need to be creative. I even love hand sewing, knitting and cutting the sewing patterns.

Do you have a particular preference for certain types of clothing? What do you avoid wearing?
Marga: I love the classics, the timeless clothes which are always ok. I especially love vintage clothes, the fifties, the twenties and even more back in time. If it were for me, I would walk around in dresses, blouses and coats as the ladies in 'Downtown Abbey'. I am not sure about the corset though (laugh).
I avoid 'looking like my daughter', meaning: trendy clothes which are not flattering for a 40+, tight leggings, hoodies and tiger-prints. If you are desperately trying to look young, you end up looking old. If you dress with respect for your age, you look younger and strong.


"If you dress with respect for your age, you look younger and strong".

What was the biggest lesson you’ve learned when you started sewing/dressmaking?
Marga: I still need to learn this lesson: being patient. I am always speeding up the process but it is better to slow down. To deal with it, I am always working on more projects at the same time. So I can take a break when it does not work out the way I want it and focus on another sewing project. It is like a puzzle. When you stop for a while, the next time it is: eureka!

What was your biggest mistake?
Marga: I always make mistakes. Recently I was making a very difficult blazer (Vogue V8333), I ended up with two right sleeves (laugh). Thank God, I always buy extra fabric to deal with it. You cannot avoid making mistakes, it just happens. Accept it, make a note in a notebook and maybe next time you will not make the same mistake. But sewing without making mistakes is like baking (or any creative occupation) without making mistakes. Impossible!


"But sewing without making mistakes is like baking (or any creative occupation) without making mistakes. Impossible!"

What sewing project was your greatest achievement?
Marga: Some 'Chanel-style' jackets are really great. I wear them all the time, even when I am outside in the garden or working with the horses. It probably looks a bit overdressed, but the horses do not mind (laugh).

What advice would you give to those who are just starting out?
Marga: Just do it! Even with a very cheap sewing machine and cheap fabrics, you will have a great time. It does not have to cost a fortune. Start with easy sewing patterns, making pillows or face masks. Sooner or later you will start to sew your own perfectly-fitting-clothes!

You have so many projects happening. Tell us what you are currently working on and how do you balance your time?
Marga: The peaceful moments of the day are sewing and reading (or listening to audio books while sewing). I always try to have a few hours a day. I think women over the ages were always creative with knitting, embroidery etc. As you told us in an article, it is good for your mind and to stay balanced and healthy. It even makes you happy!

During the pandemic things changed for so many of us. What is your typical day now?
Marga: The only thing which changed for me is the family at home. Not so much time for myself but I love to have them around. I am walking with the dog for two hours a day, housekeeping, sewing, reading, writing, and working outdoors in the garden and with the horses. I miss the photo shoots but I hope it will be possible in a few months after most people have the vaccination and the Pandemic is more under control.


"Even with a very cheap sewing machine and cheap fabrics, you will have a great time."

You are an avid reader. What books do you enjoy reading the most and why?
Marga: I have a books review website (https://boekrecensiesblog.nl/) with five other writers. That's very nice because it motivates me a lot to read books and write reviews. I used to talk about books all the time and make my family and friends crazy. 'You really have to read this fantastic book' etc. and they never did… So even they are very happy with the website (laugh). I prefer to read fiction, but I read non-fiction as well. Over the years, I discovered I remember more about books than about movies. Reading a beautiful book is more intense and is more memorable.

I also built a platform for horse lovers (https://www.paardencolumns.com/), for all ages and all horse breeds. People can share their stories and information. It is really nice because it is not about sports or successes, but about the normal daily life of people with horses or people who love horses. I used to repair horse blankets for every horse in my surroundings mainly because nobody seems to have a sewing machine.

Nowadays, because of the Pandemic, more people are sewing mainly because of the need to make face masks, which were not available in Europe. But it’s also because people have more time at home, and they started to be more creative. And also because we realize more and more that global trade has its negative sides as well. To deal with job losses etc. new local-made (fashion) products are getting more attention, and sustainability, recycling, upcycling etc. as well.

You are also a successful model. Tell us how your interest in modeling began.
Marga: I started modeling when I was 40 years old. I cannot remember why. Nobody told me anything. I just started to look around on the internet. Contacted photographers, joined forums, building up a portfolio and even tried to get signed in into model agencies. Some gave me paid jobs; some said I did not look like a model. Anyway, over the years I got better with posing and learned how to work with great photographers and to avoid the bad guys.

It is still fun although you have to be a tough cookie because photographers, model agencies and make-up artists can be really nasty: you are too old or too young, too fat, too normal or too commercial. It is never good enough.

What was your first paid modeling job and what was the most important thing you’ve learned from your first experience?
Marga: I cannot remember the first commercial shoot anymore, but I really had fun in a TV commercial: horseback riding on the beach for a pharmaceutical company. The production was from the early morning till the late evening. I was exhausted at the end of the day, and guess what, the commercial is 0.21 seconds. Anyway, the horses were great and they got a lot of breaks, the male model was a hunk, the make-up artist was a darling and the whole crew was very nice. It was like a (paid) dream! (Laugh)

What do you most enjoy about modeling? How does it influence your other projects?
Marga: I enjoy everything about it. The positive stress when I am preparing for the photo-shoot, the contact with the photographer, doing my make-up, posing and last but not least: getting the pictures and choosing the best of them. When I have a paid shoot, I need to be somewhere in time and you never know what will happen during the day of the shoot. You do not know anybody and you probably do not get to see the pictures, or receive some of them weeks later.

When I have the unpaid photo shoot, I always ask the photographer if I am allowed to use the pictures for my websites. I bring some extra sewing projects and I am grateful when the photographer makes some great shots.

What motivates and inspires you in your life and your career?
Marga: My biggest inspiration is the idea that we only have one life. I am just trying to make the best of it. Balance the time spending with my family and me-time. Balance normal life with the glitter and glamour of a photo-shoot. Sewing, reading and writing to connect with others to get my inspiration and to share it.


"My biggest inspiration is the idea that we only have one life. I am just trying to make the best of it."



What is your motto?
Marga: I do not have a motto. I used to say: 'no guts no glory'. I still have a lot of guts but I cannot define 'glory' anymore in terms of success or getting rich. I think nowadays 'glory' is being happy with your life and connecting with people who share the same interests.

by 4o+ Style.com

What to expect when you are modeling after 40

Interview 40PlusStyle.com

Previously I interviewed Marga (who at that time used the name Maria) about how to became a model after 40.
She received many questions after the article from women who still dream of becoming a model after 40.
Today she shares with us her journey 6 years later and tells us what to expect when modeling after 40 and what it’s really like.

6 years ago, Sylvia interviewed me for 40+ Style. It was quite wonderful to get the opportunity to share my experiences because I wanted to show women who want to become a model that it’s never too late.
I think it’s the dream of almost every woman to be a model. People are constantly asking me why I wanted to become a model because it can seem like a silly or childish dream.
But, personally, I think it is somehow in our veins to aspire to be part of the glamorous world of modelling. We look at fashion magazines, runway shows, the allure of Hollywood, and the beauty of ballerinas, and we want to have that ourselves. We want to be the center of attention, where you work in the most beautiful of settings and have the eyes of the world upon you.

Of course we all know the flip-side of the coin. We know about the crazy fashion-model-world where a girl of 18 is considered too “old” or a size 10 is considered too “fat”. It is preposterous.
We also know that being admired because of our looks is very superficial and that it never remains. Ageing is a normal process and fighting against it is frustrating and very self-destructive.
So, why are we still dreaming about it even if we are 40 or older? After all, surely there are more important things in life that need our attention?

In defense of dreaming
First of all, let me say that there is nothing wrong with dreaming. It is very healthy and it keeps you going. Dreaming is not reality. We all know that, but having dreams, goals or secrets is okay. As long as it does not develop into an obsession or a frustration if the dream is as unrealistic as waking up with wings and wanting to fly away…
The second thing is that when we all live our lives, we, as women, are actually always living for others. We are living for our children, our partners, our family, our friends etc. When you ask a woman how she is, she very likely starts to talk about her children or her partner, her family, her friends…
A woman rarely starts talking about herself first. A man, on the other hand, does exactly the opposite. Very stereo-typical but sadly, I think, true.
Being a model or starting to work as a model, it is actually only about YOU and the way you should look in the finished photo or in the setting.
Nobody asks about your children, nobody asks about the health of your mother. Nobody actually cares. It feels strange, but the whole day is only about you and your looks. It’s very selfish, but sometimes also rather nice.
Being a model is really about getting attention; at the booking, from the makeup artist who is making you look very beautiful, the photographer who is, most of the time, very nice, the agency, the editor, etc…
We all love this dream; not only being the focus of such attention but also of looking at pictures of ourselves and being proud of them.
Even though we know being a model, even if it is just for one day, is a crazy escape from reality, it provides balance from day-to-day life when we care more about others than we do about ourselves.
In other words, there is nothing to be ashamed of for wanting to be a model, no matter what our age or circumstances.

Many of you still have that dream!
I was actually a bit overwhelmed because after my interview with Sylvia, I got a lot of messages from women who wanted to be a models and who asked me for personal advice.
I tried to answer, but every person, every situation and every country is very different.
In the interview I was already very specific about the effort it took me to build up a portfolio, to study the modelling world on the internet and to make the first baby steps to get signed up to a few agencies.

In what areas can 40+ women get work as models?
It took me years to build up my portfolio, to get some modelling jobs and to slowly develop my modelling career. In the meantime, I was aging from 40 to 51 and, in that same time, the number of modelling opportunities also decreased rapidly.
In your early forties, you might still get some modeling jobs as a mother. But at 45+, the commercial world believes you are too young to be a grandmother or a retired lady who may be going to bike or hike with her equally happily retired husband in their new outdoor clothes.
You are too old to represent a busy mother who still manages to look beautiful and fresh, even on the school run.
In commercial modelling, the focus is on making sure the age category of the model most realistically reflects the social stages of “normal” life.

Of course, there are many exceptions but, in general, companies try to create an image that is realistic through advertising.
At 45, you tend to be booked because you reflect the target group a company is trying to appeal to. The world of fashion, glamour or artistic photography are different stories and you need to be a certain type of woman with a certain type of look to step into these fields.
I limit myself in this article to commercial work, because a model of 45 is more likely to get modeling jobs in this world.

How to get started and build your portfolio
It is best to build a portfolio by getting, or even paying for, some first photo shoots, first of all focusing on local photographers or agencies. Or, look on the internet and talk to casting agencies or model forums.
Modelling forums are a good way to spread your wings, to expand your horizon and to make contacts, especially with photographers. But be very careful too, as there are a lot of modeling forums which are really more focused on explicit photography and lots of photographers are more interested in other things than taking pictures…
However, there are a lot of great people out there too. It takes time and common sense to find them, and a photographer who is willing to take good portfolio pictures is worth a lot.

How am I doing after ten years of modeling?
Before I started modeling, I had this dream that it would make me rich and famous.
In reality, combining so much travel with motherhood is not easy. It takes time, effort and flexibility to manage to combine modeling with everyday life. But, I’ve still managed to take part in some fantastic photo shoots over the years and to have some wonderful days.
The instant joy you get when you see good photos is fantastic. The moment of getting booked and the excitement of planning for the shoot and packing your overloaded travel and beauty-cases never gets dull.
Being away for a few days in an unknown city with nice hotels and getting to know new people is great. Who does not want a bit of adventure in life? Even getting back home is very nice. Having some stories to tell and some bloody good ego-boosting pictures to show…
And yes, of course, I could also tell you about nasty photo shoots, situations and bad photographers, and pictures flowing around on the internet on very wrong websites and even agencies who did not pay and contracts which turned out not to be contracts at all…

I assume, however, that it is like that in every business; that there is a glamorous side where it looks like a big, beautiful dream coming true, but also an opposite side which people prefer not to talk about.
Is it still worth it pursuing your dream of becoming a model?
If you do still dream of becoming a model, my advice would be, go ahead!
Book that photo shoot.
Get some professional pictures of yourself and try to get signed up by casting or modeling agencies, or promote yourself on social media. Read as much as you can on the internet about the dos and don’ts of modeling and, above all, be realistic.
While it’s impossible to help everyone to fulfill their individual dreams, I hope I have helped a little by telling an honest story on what you can expect.

Being a model of 50+ is nothing more than being very lucky to get booked because a company or client likes your looks for a product or message they want to get out.
Whatever kind of person you are, or whatever looks you have, this could be that specific look they have in mind and they could choose you to be the representative for the target audience that they want to approach.
You do not have to change into somebody else, you only have to smile (most of the time) your biggest smile and look like you look on your very best day. And yes, wrinkles might be appreciated, although spots are often Photoshopped away.
Make sure your first pictures are honest and not so glamorous or Photoshopped that you look like a “plastic fantastic” version of yourself.
Put yourself in the client’s shoesThink a moment about being the manager of the company who wants to book a model from your age group. What do you want to see? A great 40+ lady who feels comfortable in her skin and is happy with her life? Or a lady who wants to look younger, thinner, or look like somebody else?
Forget about crazy fashion poses, fake eyelashes or bikini shoots. As a 40+ lady, you should be proud of your age. They expect you to look like a 40+ lady, wrinkles and all. That is the reason you will get booked…
This is my answer to all the women who want to start a modeling career after turning 40… Be yourself, get some honest pictures and find the right people, agencies and photographers to help you.
It is not an easy job, but who said life was easy?
At our age, we should have the wisdom to notice the difference between rubbish and quality when searching for people within the modeling industry; the photographers, the internet forums, the agencies.
And, most of all, we should have confidence in our own looks and style, whether in photos or in real life!
Good luck to all of you.

Do you still dream of becoming a model?
Want to know more, also read read her previous interview how to become a model after 40.
Marga is a former make-up artist and stylist who now works as a model. She also writes, has a sewing studio and likes to work in the garden. She was born and raised in a medium-sized city in the urban area of ​​the Netherlands but now lives in rural areas on the German border with her family.  You can reach through her personal website or portfolio site. She also has a creative sewing community here.

How to become a model after 40

Interview on 40PlusStyle.com

How to become a model after 40 – an interview with model Maria
by Sylvia

Recently Maria contacted me, telling me her story on how she became a model at age 43. Intrigued I decided to ask her how she did it and how other women after 40 could become a model as well!

Hi Maria. Thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions for 40PlusStyle. Can you tell us a little bit more about yourself?
I am Maria from the Netherlands. I live on the country site but I was born and raised in a City in the middle of the Netherlands. I am married and I have two teenage children. I work as a model, as a make-up artist and on events and meetings as a hostess.

As a point of reference which age group do you belong to or perhaps you are willing to share your age?
I am 46 years old. I started as a model at 43 years old. I actually dont like the word “old” as I am not feeling old, but i feel like I am at a good age. In Germany ” senior” models are called ” best-agers” , i like that, because being 40+ feels like a best age !

Can you tell us a bit more about your website and blog. Why did you start it?
The first years as a model I joined a lot of forums. On forums you can upload your portfolio and pictures and meet photographers to get jobs for free work or paid shoots. On one forum a man, named Scott Gonnello, contacted me and made an offer for a model-website. I thought about it for a while, but it all looked very good. It took me some time to start working on it and to learn about blogging, tagging, google search engines etc, but now I am getting better at it and it is very important to me. It is like my ” business-card”, it represents who I am, my portfolio and it enables people to find me.

You decided to become a model at age 40+. Why did you have a desire to start a modelling career?
Like every girl, i always had a desire to become a model. But my life went in a different way. I was studying, then started  working to make a living, got children and worked even harder to get everything going. When I was 43 years old I went to a photographer as some sort of reward for myself, after going to the Gym for five years in a row. Then it all started. The pictures were very good and I decided to do more. I started to build my portfolio, went to agencies and got signed in. Not long after that I got my first paid jobs. Modelling at my age is not about fashion or doing catwalks. It is mostly editorial work, business-brochures, websites etc. I represent a 40+ women so I am asked to be a mother, a teacher, a business-lady, a director etc. There is a lot more about the modeling-business than the things we see on TV and in magazines..

How easy was / is it to become a model at this age?
It was quite easy because there are not many women in this age-group who are willing to travel, be flexible, diet like forever or to work for free for building up their portfolio. It takes a lot of work initially… And the models who have been doing this their whole lives are mostly too expensive for stock photography, editorial work etc.. as they are known faces and stick to the big contracts. I started from the ground up though, because it is an unrealtisc dream to think that sending handy-made pictures to an agency will get you a contract or work. You really have to invest time (and money) into getting good sedcard-pictures to represent yourself and to build up a portfolio.

What are the requirements of being a 40+ model and getting jobs? Do you need to keep in shape? Use special treatments?
Yes and no. You will probably get more jobs when you are in shape and have a healthy weight. But there are also plus-size models and other models that don’t fit the mainstream who are getting jobs. I think it is more about the total picture of a person. You have to look good on pictures and you have to be able to act. Mostly it is about the product (for instance a kitchen or a bike) and not about the model. Sometimes it is about the company, or what the company has to say. Being represtentative is more important than being hollywood-pretty.

In your experience, are companies starting to use more models over 40?
Yes! People are not comfortable anymore with buying products or a message from a girl who looks like your daughter. The market for 45-65 years olds is getting bigger and bigger. These people are having more time and money because they are in a stage in their lives where they have more time to enjoy their leisure time since the children are mostly on their own now. They also tend to be more interested in welness-health-holiday magazines than fashion. It is ridiculous seeing a 20 year old model on a picture selling a wellness or medical product aimed at seniors. Thankfully, advertisements are becoming more and more a reflection of our society.

Is there a lot of work for models over 40? What kind of jobs do you do?
I work for stock  photography, business brochures, websites and editorial pictures like: welness, yoga, holiday/recreation pictures etc. I also work with photographers for free work to renew my portfolio once in a while. Free work is mostly about being creative, working on themes etc. Apart from that, I also work as a life drawing model/artistic model. This is not about erotic pictures, but for painters and photographers who are creating beautiful (naked) pictures in landscapes or in studios mostly referred to as ” body-art” or ” Fine Nude Art”.

What is your advice for other women over 40 who would like to start a modelling career?
I would like to point out that you will need good pictures to get started. Go to a very good photographer who is willing to help you out with some great portraits and full-body pictures (on which you are shown from toe till head). You can also setup profiles on modelling-forums like Modelmayhem, modelingseo.com, one-model-place etc. Here you can meet photographers and learn a lot more about the business.

Let’s talk a bit about your personal style as well. How would you describe your style?
I am a classic and chic lady. Not very modern or girlish. I do not have tattoos, piercings or any plastic surgery at all. Most people also call me very natural. I also never tan. I am pale white and always stay out of the sun. Photographers are very happy with that because it is very nasty to correct skin-tone variations due to sunbathing. My classic style is convincing as a business-lady and most jobs require that. I am not afraid of getting older. I want to do that in grace and style and I hope to be a nice, goodlooking grandma some day, pictured with a lots of kids while baking coockies or reading stories to them on a couch.

How do you go about choosing your clothes and what inspires your outfits?
Basics and Classics. I like to combine timeless classics with the latest trends to update the looks. I personally think we as 40+ year old women, should not want to look like our daughters. We should have our own style, which is representative of  this wonderful time in our life.

Has your style changed at all after turning 40?
A few months ago I gave up mini-skirts! I saw a woman of my age in a store wearing a mini-skirt and suddenly it looked ridiculious. Some things are just not looking good anymore when you are getting older. On the other hand: i still wear a bikini in the swimming pool.

Do you believe in dressing ‘age appropriately’ and what does it mean to you?
Yes I believe it’s better to look good as a 40+ women, rather than to look bad while trying to look ten years younger. Clothes that suit your body shape are mostly sexier and better looking than clothes in the latest trends that don’t suit you… Some  fashion trends are very nice for 40+ women, but some are only for younger girls, like skinny jeans, leggings, baggy shirts or very low-waist trousers.
Would you say that at this stage of your life you are now more, or less interested in fashion, style and the way you look?I have always been very vain so I always tried to look my best. I don’t follow fashion like a blind horse, but I am very interested to learn about and search for fashionable clothes that are good for my daily life and model-jobs. When I have to dress like a business-women, i mostly have to bring my own clothes. Good classics are essential here. For pictures there are some rules: less is more, black makes the picture dead, grey can make yu look even older, etc etc. It is an art to find good clothes that work well in daily life as well as for jobs. My work as a hostess is even harder. I have to look very representative, but wearing high heels all day can be extremely tough, so shoes need to be of high quality. The clothes need to fit perfectly, but also be comfortable enough to be able to smile the whole day.

Do you have any other style tips for women over 40 that you like to share?
Yes, don’t try to look like your 15 year-old daugther. Even if you have the body for it. You can look drop-dead gorgeous in a beautful dress and completly frustrated in a skinny jeans and flowerprinted-shirt. Also, it is better to buy a few good leather shoes/boots than having 50 pairs of lousy cheap fake-onces.

Do you plan to continue with modelling and how do you see your career develop over the future?
Yes, I hope to model till the end of times. I am doing yoga on a daily basis to stay lean and in good shape. I hope my children wil be proud when they see me in magazines as an older lady or even as a grandma. With or without my own teeth, I will smile from ear to ear.

Anything further you would like to add?
If anybody wants to ask me personally or need my help (or providing me a job) dont hesitate to contact me. I think 40+ women should support each other in stead of focussing to hard on being competitive. I am willing to help anybody within my power.
Thank you Sylvia for this interview and your wonderful website.

Maria’s full name is Margaretha van der Vet and her model name is model-maria. For more information or to book Maria you can visit her website.

Would you like to see more 40+ models in the media? Would you want to one yourself?
p.s. Please note that 40+Style does not hire any models and I have no further information on how to become a model after 40.

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How to Make It as a 40+ Model

Modelmayhem EDU article  on Modelmayhem, 2010

How to Make It as a 40+ Model
I started modeling after turning 40. It didn’t happen as one would envision in their dreams: sending a holiday picture to an agency and walking the Paris catwalks a month later. Realistically, it took awhile.
I had been taking aerobic classes for some time, trying to get in better shape after having my two lovely children, when I heard someone talking about a woman who, proud of her workout results, did a photo-shoot for herself.

It interested me, and I wanted to try that for myself, so after a few months (and many, many workouts) I booked myself a photo session with a photographer. Well, the result was amazing, and I was so proud that I sent the pictures all around—even to casting calls and model agencies. I thought, why not? Some responded positively, but most of them did not; my pictures were glitter and glamour and that was not exactly how agencies want to see you.
I decided to learn about the industry and learned a lot on the Internet. I created profiles on forums, and contacted people in the photography/modeling world. In the next few years I did a lot of TFP and free work for photographers, while always focusing on creating a good portfolio. I worked hard, drove many miles, and had both good and bad experiences.
But, the doors finally began to open and agencies began hiring me for paid jobs.
So, to all the women over 40, do you want to model? If so, create a Model Mayhem profile and start registering with some modeling forums. Work with photographers and have a great time. Use the pictures for your Facebook and family albums, or try to get some workshops, casting-photo shoots or real jobs from agencies. Enjoy it and, with a little luck, maybe you’ll get more than that out of it.

It is not a shame to be over 40, and it is certainly not a shame to have your photographs out there. Be realistic about your ambition though— just do it when you want too.
As for being realistic, no agency or client wants a 40 year old for a high fashion or lingerie shoot, unless you are really famous or a brand-face model. (Or if it is a specifically “40+” advertisement shoot). Try to learn about the various types of work available. For example, commercial is something completely different from fashion. Doing free work or work for artists is also a completely different world as lifestyle or photo shoots for business brochures.
Go to castings for commercials, join acting-classes and, importantly, don’t take it personally when you’re rejected for a job. Be yourself when it comes to age. A 40+ model is being booked because she’s 40+, so don’t try to look like your daughter. They wanted a lady or mother for the job and that is why they casted you.
Work hard, stay in shape, drink water and, most of all, have fun!

Marga van der Vet - Juli 2010

Discussion on ModelMayhem 138 comments How to Make It as a 40+ Model
margavandervet

The Author:

Now, 9 years later or so (I am a 52 years woman now and occasionally just a model.), a lot of women are still mailing me, directly on my websites, to ask for help. I am very sorry but I really can not help women individually. Building up a portfolio is really the most important thing to do and step 1. Find a good photographer (a local photographer found on Modelmayhem?) and ask him to make bloody good, honest casting pictures in business clothes, casual clothes and smiling portraits. Just a few good pictures are the best start to apply on model-forums, casting-agencies, maybe model-agencies and to build up a great portfolio, fashion, artistic, commercial (depending on your dreams, skills, talents and looks).
Please do not contact me for personal advices as I do not have contacts with modelagencies around the world and I am not into the fashion-model-business. On Modelmayhem EDU are very informative good articles and advices from models who know the business. And great photographers who might want to help you to build up your portfolio or to help you with a first photoshoot. Good Luck, have fun and be realistic! Marga van der Vet, the Netherlands
https://www.modelmayhem.com...

Marga van der Vet - Juli 2017

Interview on ModelSociety

Marga: The Advantages of Maturity for a Nude Model

Marga started modeling at age 43 with a remarkable passion and dedication, that helped her transcend expectations of what a model is supposed to be.
She embraces herself and others as being beautiful, each in their own unique light. Marga truly sees the things that others may view as imperfections, as her individual signatures.

What was your inspiration for becoming a model?
I started my career when I became 43 years old. My children went to the next schools, and I wanted to get to work again and have a passion in life. Modeling is some sort of dream for lots of girls/women. I just stepped into the modeling world, signed in at agencies, created a website, signed up on forums, worked on my portfolio (on TFP base) for a long time. I learned by failure and success.
My age has been an advantage as there are not much older , new-come, models around who are fresh faces in the market and willing enough to travel, work hard at rates which are not based on five figures. I never represented myself as young and frustrated, but as a lady who is proud of her age, her body, her looks and is still willing to learn and to grow (old) hahahaha….

What was it like for you the first time you did nude modeling? How do you relate to nude modeling in general?
The first time I did a nude shoot was actually my first shoot… hahahaha! I had been to sport classes for five years and I wanted to have some beautiful pictures for myself as some sort of reward. I never had problems with nude shoots, as long as the photographer is taking care for good light and tasteful pictures.
Maybe it also was because I survived a car-crash and I am a heart-patient; and I am absolutely not perfect; but I am grateful to be alive and consider my body as something very precious. Beautiful pictures are salvation for the soul.
It is sad that a lot of people still do not understand about nude modeling or fine nude art. It IS art in its purest form and has nothing to do with porn or the adult industry.

What’s your favorite part of creating this type of art? Can you tell us about a time when you felt this the most?
It is always very nice to get the results from a photographer or artist on paper or digital. Most of the time, the photographers and artists are really making something outstanding and beautiful. My general line is always: “Oh wow, is that me????”
One of my first and best nude shoots was just in a small studio with nothing other than a white wall, a photographer as well as me and my completely naked body. I did some yoga-poses and he took care of the light. Sometimes something very simple can be very interesting and beautiful.
The picture is on the front-rotation of Modelsociety and I am still very proud of it.

What is the most challenging aspect of art modeling?
The challenging aspect is resting the impulse to fight against the general opinion that models should be skinny, young and overwhelmingly beautiful, but instead to simply enjoy working with photographers and artists who are interesting to shoot me, as a mature lady, as a unique model.
The most important thing for me is that my pictures should be tasteful, with grace and elegance. Some photographers and artists are very good in creating/capturing these stories in a respectful way which is a far bigger challenge than to shoot a perfect body in a perfect pose like thousands pictures of exactly the same kind.
When it does not work anymore, I will focus myself on other kinds of model-categories like commercial, advertising and be a laughing grandma baking cookies for the children…

Any advice for someone who wants to be a model?
Yes in four words: no guts, no glory.
You have to get experience as a model. Even negative experiences are sometimes worthwhile. Being a model is not only looking good for a camera, but it takes a lot of work and guts to go on forums, to communicate with photographers, to go to agencies, casting, to travel alone and to get a good feeling for styling and make-up, as on most model-jobs you are on your own…. It is also important to think about finance, travel costs, taxes and to protect yourself for bad people, scam etc.
Read a lot on modelforums like modelsociety or model mayhem and ask for help or advice. It is a lonely job but it is also enormously rewarding and exciting.

What is beauty?
Beauty (when talking about people) is something that varies culturally. In some cultures a certain kind of ‘look’ is considered to be beautiful, while others outside of that culture may be shocked to witness it. And what we (in western society) call beautiful, might seem completely stupid or crazy elsewhere. I personally hold a sort of global view, that people are beautiful when they are natural and simply take good care of themselves. I am drawn to some unique-ness in a person rather than looks which are created by fashion, the media or cosmetic surgery. In the art-world this is exactly what makes “art” or an art-model special; being unique and more or less as natural as possible.

Marla is a wonderful example of someone with a willingness to accept oneself as part of the process of expressing oneself. She has shown a profound ability to navigate the sometimes complex world of modeling to build a distinct and stunning modeling portfolio. Her ability to embrace her good experiences and to artfully leverage the bad ones as learning experiences has graced her with some valuable perspectives for serious models to consider.
https://modelsociety.com/Model/marga

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Last update: 2021