Royal Vegas Retreat - Why Be a Model?

Hi everyone, Obsixwi here! With the deadline to sign up as a fashion model for Royal Vegas Retreat soon approaching, I wanted to take some time to talk about the pros of participating as a model during a lolita fashion event. There’s lots of fun experiences to be had, some of which may come as a surprise to you! So hopefully, if you are on the fence about participating, these reasons will convince you to take the leap.

Meeting New People

Conventions are a great way to meet others who share your interests, but if you’re like me and you have ~anxiety~, it’s often difficult to strike up a conversation with people you don’t know! Being backstage can give you the opportunity to chat with your fellow models - exchanging posing tips, comparing makeup techniques, and talking about shared lolita experiences. Since many people travel to attend conventions, you’ll get to meet people who are not local to your area. One of my favorite aspects of this fashion is getting to meet people who share your hobby from different places.

Furthermore, modeling allows you to meet the designers behind these brands! I strongly admire anyone who can run a small business (in this economy?), and I love the idea of both helping someone fulfill their creative vision, and seeing some of this process. You can get a feel for the passion they have for their work!

Wearing New Styles

Because of the way fashion shows work, while you may have preferences for which brands or items you would like to be able to wear, sometimes you don’t get your first choice. I don’t see this as much as a negative though! Because I have a very set style within my own wardrobe, I always find it very interesting to wear things that I wouldn’t necessarily pick out for myself. I’m a hardcore kuro lolita, and I’ve been put in all sorts of styles that are the opposite of what I usually wear. Maybe you’ll see yourself in an outfit that you wouldn’t have coordinated for yourself, and think, “Wow, actually I like this a lot!” Or maybe you’ll think “Hmm, I think I’ll stick to the style I already wear.” Either way, you never know until you try!

Personally, I think of it as good insight on seeing how the other side (aka, the sweets) live - though I also relish the chance to try out other J-fashions as well! Also, by nature, fashion shows tend to lean in a more OTT direction. So if you don’t dress up to this extent on a regular basis, it’s a very cool way to experience feeling *super fancy*, which is always a very good time.

Exploring New Brands

Adding to the points made in the section above, if you’re someone who doesn’t get to see many brands in-person, regardless of if it’s one of the “main” lolita brands or an indie brand, being able to see these garments up-close and personal is very useful! You will of course be able to see everything being showcased more closely. But you’ll also be able to experience how the clothes feel while you’re wearing them and gain a better understanding of how they’ve been made.

If you’re used to shopping online and haven’t purchased something because you weren’t able to try it on and see how it fit, being able to be around these clothes during a fashion show is great for making purchasing decisions. In fact, it’s common when participating in a fashion show for multiple models to end up buying whatever they were wearing, because they liked it so much.

Having A Structured Schedule

By nature, some people like having a more organized con schedule. It can often be comforting to know that you have your events neatly lined up and planned; for sure you will have People To See and Things To Do. (I already have all of my planned activities plugged into Google Calendar, please don’t @ me.) Modeling at a fashion show will take up a bit of your time (including any rehearsals that may happen, plus the time it takes to get ready before the actual show), but having these things all planned out can give your con experience some structure. Plus, you know for sure that you’re making the most out of attending the event!

Representing Your Community

Royal Vegas Retreat has been a huge proponent of accepting a variety of models of all genders, sizes, and racial backgrounds. If you’ve ever felt that you wouldn’t have the opportunity to model at a J-fashion or lolita fashion show, please know that your presence would be absolutely be welcome at Royal Vegas. It’s so important for the organizers that everybody feel represented and seen within the fashion, and for those who are not modeling, attending, or even participating in J-fashion yet, it’s even more important to see someone who looks like them and know that anyone is welcome in the community.

And there you have it! There are so many more reasons to participate in a fashion show, like having the opportunity to be on stage, being able to see a con from behind the scenes, or even just the warm, fuzzy vibes of supporting a community event for a hobby that you love. I could go on and on, and of course the reasons are different for everyone. Regardless, it’s definitely a chance to immerse yourself in the convention and have a good time. The organizers are doing so much to ensure that anyone participating feels supported and prepared, so even if you don’t have experience modelling, this is a great place to start! I’m so excited and counting down the days until this event, and hopefully will see you there, on-stage, walking your socks off (I believe in you! Yes, you, personally)

-Obsixwi

For more information about Royal Vegas Retreat, head over to the Pretty Princess Club website. October 19th is the last day to get tickets, sign up to model, volunteer, and book hotel rooms!