A professional is always prepared, and modeling is no different. Regardless of how long you’ve been in the field, know that your preparation comes in the form of a bag and its contents.

Your Updated Book

Also referred to as your portfolio, you should never, ever leave home without it. It should be clean and only contain photos and modeling comp cards. That’s it. If you still feel the need to bring contact sheets, notes, or other pieces of paper, keep those in a separate folder.

Makeup

Never forget your makeup. You’ll need to do touchups. You’ll need to alter your look. Male or female, makeup is necessary for maintaining your look.

Haircare

Like makeup, hair can get messed up on a trip over to the audition space. Never leave things you can control to chance. Bring extra bobby pins. Tuck away that hair spray. Anything you need to maintain a well-crafted coif, bring to the audition.

Underwear

A surprise for many newcomers, modeling will sometimes ask you to put on an outfit and show it off. Imagine being given something white and you are without your nude undergarments. Suddenly your audition becomes a lot less appealing. The wider the array of support, the more you can confidently display.

Clothes Kits

Sewing kits, stain removers, and anything that can help thwart a wardrobe disaster should make the journey with you. While clothing conundrums tend to be rarer than makeup mistakes, they still can happen and, often, happen in a much bigger way than smudged eye shadow.

Two Shoes

At the very least, you’ll need a set of flats and a set of heels, preferably nude. This collection can and should grow as you gain more experience, but when you’re just starting out and probably lack the funds to afford so many soles, this minimum will get you through most auditions.