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Life and Work with Sydney Garde

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sydney Garde.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Sydney. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
When I was four years old, I changed my clothes up to five times a day because I loved putting different outfits together. During that same year, I started wearing a sweatband on each wrist almost religiously, and I started a trend among the other kids in my class. Those are my earliest memories of falling in love with the world of fashion. When I was seven years old, I went to the mall with my mom and as we passed by Victoria’s Secret, I stared at the Angels in awe and I said to my mom, “That is what I want to do.” That truly was the definitive moment when I realized that I wanted to become a model. Eleven years later, I am signed to an agency and am currently working to develop my career as a petite model. I look back at that moment with my mother in the mall and I know now that I never looked up to the Angels simply because they were beautiful; I envied their radiant confidence. My journey in modeling has been full of negative and positive experiences, but I am truly thankful for every single obstacle I have encountered. I have grown to love myself wholeheartedly and I have learned to believe in myself no matter how many others do not.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Life is absolutely never a smooth road. It is always full of potholes, detours, and wrong turns; but no matter what obstacles you may face, you must do so confidently. I have found that loving myself wholeheartedly is the single greatest key to success. Never give up because you feel that you are different from the others that you have seen succeed. Comparing yourself to others is an absolute trap that will only lead to doubt, you have to concentrate on being the best possible version of yourself.

Please tell us about your work.
When I began modeling, it was just something fun to do in my free time, but as time progressed, I quickly began to strive for goals of much greater importance. My biggest hope in modeling is to influence the growing change of what a standard model looks like in the fashion industry. We have seen the industry grow exceedingly in terms of body acceptance, yet there is still an under-coverage when it comes to displaying a range of height. Beauty is not confined to any size, nor height. The average woman in the United States is 5’4″, which is why I am baffled that I am often turned away from jobs and agencies because of the sole fact that I am also 5’4.” I know that I am capable of great things and my height shouldn’t ever be something that hinders my opportunities.

Who have you been inspired by?
Between my friends and family, I have so many strong women in my life who are constantly reminding me that I don’t always have to put on a brave face and be so independent. Learning that it’s okay to ask for help and that being vulnerable doesn’t make you weak, have been some of the most important lessons I have learned. I am endlessly grateful for the wonderful women in my life that allow me to lean on them when I need to.

Contact Info:

Image Credit:
Chrisean Rose, Rob Rainbow, 850 Fashion Photo, Stu Halu, New Life Photography

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