Nostalgia is a sentimentality for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations.
Model: Sola
When I was a college student, I would go on commercial castings in my spare time. I was signed to 4 modeling agencies and 1 acting agency. I was over worked and overwhelmed. During that period I was approached twice by American Playboy and once by Playboy Latino to be in their magazines (as an unknown of course). As a person of color, I was pleasantly surprised by their offer. I was thought of as beautiful enough to be included in this iconic magazine. I obviously didn’t have the all American girl next door look. My look as they say, is more exotic (Foreign origin or character; not native; introduced from abroad. Something so unusual that it must be from some unfamiliar place is exotic.Very different, strange, or unusual). In American Playboy or Playboy Latino in general you rarely see images of my likeness. For example: If you watch Telenovelas, (that’s Latin Soap operas) you rarely see blacks, brown, Indians, mixed raced, caramel complexion women on the screen. It’s almost as if were intentionally made invisible with the assumption that our beauty is not considered beautiful by the masses.
In my decision making, I had to factor in all these things: My father is still alive, my brother is in the military, and my mother would have a fit! I was also wondering about what if; meeting my future husband’s family, the possibility of having children and the fear that this may haunt my child down the line. Needless to say I was over thinking it but nevertheless, I had to say NO.
I must admit, this was a confidence booster!
I hope this post helps other girls and women who have a different kind of beauty. You don’t always have to fit in…