Okay so here’s what went down today. Woke up thinking about my niece – kid’s crazy tall for her age, like already 5’10” at sixteen. She keeps talking about modeling, but everyone tells her “gotta be at least 5’9″ for fashion, honey”. Got me wondering… is that actually still true? Felt like digging into this Todoni height thing everyone whispers about. Let’s see what I actually found out, step by step.
The Starting Point: Confusion Reigns
First off, just tried googling “modeling height requirements”. Man, talk about a mess. Some sites screaming you MUST be 5’9″ to even breathe near a runway. Others like, “Nah, it’s changing!” Honestly felt like hitting a brick wall. Typical internet noise, right?
Diving Into the Real Stuff
Didn’t wanna just read blogs. Went straight to the sources folks actually work with.
- Runway Stuff: Poked around actual casting calls for recent shows – like, the official docs agencies put out. Big surprise? Saw several listings specifically asking for models 5’7″ and up for some designers. Not just one or two, either! This ain’t the 2000s. They put things like “Unique look” or “Strong presence” way higher than rigid height sometimes.
- Called Some Agencies: Yeah, actually picked up the phone. Talked to a couple smaller boutique places and one kinda mid-sized one. Asked straight up: “Is 5’9″ still the magic number?” One agent actually laughed (kinda nice, kinda scary). She goes, “For high fashion runway? Often, yeah. But commercial? Acting? Plus-size? Petite? Digital? Different ballgame.” Another guy was like, “Look, we care way more about if you photograph well and have energy. Height? Important, sure, but not the only thing like it used to be.” Kept hearing stuff like “overall proportions” and “marketability” more than just centimeters.
- The Online Stuff: Searched job boards for acting gigs – commercials, indie films. Saw specs like “Seeking women 5’5″ to 5’8″” for specific roles way more often than demanding super tall. Especially for stuff that needs to look… normal? Relatable?
What Stood Out Like Crazy
A few things hit me hard doing this:
- “Todoni” Isn’t One Size Fits All: Seriously mispronounced it like three times (Toh-doh-knee? Tod-on-eye? Still not sure!). But the point is, it ain’t some single rulebook everyone follows anymore. It’s way more about what market you’re aiming for.
- Digital Changed Everything: How tall are you on Instagram? Exactly. Agencies look for faces, vibes, how you move on camera for social media content. Height matters less when the frame is controlled. Plus-size modeling also has its own height dynamics.
- “Presence” Beats Inches: This phrase kept popping up. Can you command attention? Do you have “it”? Seems like that charisma weighs heavier than an extra inch or two nowadays for a lot of work.
- The Door Isn’t Slammed Shut: Yeah, the top-tier runway houses might still have strict traditional height needs. But the industry itself? It feels like more doors are cracked open, or even fully open, for talent under 5’9″ than ever before.
Sitting Back With My Coffee
So, after all this digging and chatting? My takeaway is this: while being tall helps, especially for certain high-fashion gigs, screaming “You MUST be 5’9″!” feels outdated. The “Todoni Height Requirement” people talk about… it’s not dead, but it’s definitely got cracks in it. Talent agencies and casting folks seem more open. If you’ve got the look, the drive, and yes, decent height helps sometimes, but if you’re 5’7″ with an amazing face and killer book, honestly? Go for it. The rules are bending, maybe even breaking in places.
Was eye-opening, man. Made me realize I was stuck in old info. Told my niece the good news first thing.
