Seeking a current model/celebrity name for inspiration.

[Five_Inch_Heels]

I'll admit, I'm out of touch in this area and don't want to be insensitive. Searches aren't finding a name I can use as an example in a story ... 'she looked like ...'.


Who would be today's Beverly Johnson, Tyra Banks, Iman, Grace Jones, Barbara McNair, Jayne Kennedy, etc?

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Pick a Kardashian, any Kardashian.

 

[PrimalDual]

Betty Grable. Yowza.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Focus people, focus.


What do the ladies I listed have in common?

 

[ElectricBlue]

Focus people, focus.

What do the ladies I listed have in common?

Nobody knows who they are next year?

 

[MelissaBaby]

Focus people, focus.


What do the ladies I listed have in common?

Ooh! I know!

The best answer is probably Anok Yai, but I don't think she's well known enough that most readers would know who she is.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

They're all ancient?

 

[MelissaBaby]

Nobody knows who they are next year?

Dude, you don't know who they are now.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Dude, you don't know who they are now.

Actually, I know most of those names, but can do without the Kardashians. I never ever understood their tedious existence.

 

[Nynah]

I'll admit, I'm out of touch in this area and don't want to be insensitive. Searches aren't finding a name I can use as an example in a story ... 'she looked like ...'.


Who would be today's Beverly Johnson, Tyra Banks, Iman, Grace Jones, Barbara McNair, Jayne Kennedy, etc?

Judging from the names you've mentioned here, I'm guessing you're looking for a black actress or model renowned for their beauty. If that's the case, I agree with Melissa's suggestion of Anok Yai; she's an absolutely gorgeous fashion model of South-Sudanese descent. She's likely not as well known as Tyra Banks or Iman, however... unfortunately I do not know if there is currently a contemporary counterpart to either of them.

Since a few of those names are also actresses, that widens the net a little bit and I can suggest a few more names as these women are a bit more well-known due to being in quite a few popular media franchises:

- Lupita Nyong'o
- Tessa Thompson
- Thandiwe Newton
- Amandla Stenberg
- Danai Gurira
- Ayo Edebiri
- Zazie Beetz

Hope this helps!

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Ooh! I know!

The best answer is probably Anok Yai, but I don't think she's well known enough that most readers would know who she is.


View attachment 2545835

Oh yeah. How tall?

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Judging from the names you've mentioned here, I'm guessing you're looking for a black actress or model renowned for their beauty. If that's the case, I agree with Melissa's suggestion of Anok Yai; she's an absolutely gorgeous fashion model of South-Sudanese descent. She's likely not as well known as Tyra Banks or Iman, however... unfortunately I do not know if there is currently a contemporary counterpart to either of them.

Since a few of those names are also actresses, that widens the net a little bit and I can suggest a few more names as these women are a bit more well-known due to being in quite a few popular media franchises:

- Lupita Nyong'o
- Tessa Thompson
- Thandiwe Newton
- Amandla Stenberg
- Danai Gurira
- Ayo Edebiri
- Zazie Beetz

Hope this helps!

Lupita is the only name I've ever seen. No common name recognition like the big names of the 90s.

 

[Cagivagurl]

OK...
One of my pet hates in story telling... (Character looks like / reminds me of/ reincarnation of somebody)
I detest it...
Reading a story is letting yourself fall into a story, immersing yourself in it's characters, places, and plot...
To immerse yourself into a story, you have to create yourself, their voice, appearance, and in some cases persona...
Personally, I love that... Reading and creating as I read... it's the reason I read...

Authors stealing that from me turns me off. The moment I see that sentence... Looks like. I hit the back button.... My interest completely lost...

I realise you didn't ask for this opinion, but... Hey, I think it's relevant.

Create your characters in your head and let the readers do the same.... Don't remove part of the process...

Cagivagurl

 

[Nynah]

Lupita is the only name I've ever seen. No common name recognition like the big names of the 90s.

As you have admitted yourself, you are "out of touch" in this area so just because you don't recognize them doesn't mean the current generation doesn't recognize them.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Tessa doesn't fit the image I have in mind. Nor does Amandia or Ayo

Thandiwe looks like she might be older.

Danai is interesting. Some pics even sort of mimic Grace.

Not sure yet about Zazie.

Another example might me Stacey Dash ... if she wasn't nuts.


But again, no name of any of them recognition if dropped casually in a story to compare a character to.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Oh yeah. How tall?

Wiki says 5'10" (1.79m)

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Ooh! I know!

The best answer is probably Anok Yai, but I don't think she's well known enough that most readers would know who she is.

This picture set of Anok is pretty damn close to the image I was thinking of.


https://www.hawtcelebs.com/anok-yai...s-viewing-party-in-west-hollywood-03-27-2022/



And 5'10" is perfect.



Seeking to create a group of girls of similar height and figures that love to show off. Blondes, brunettes and Hispanics are easy. Finding an Asian girl that tall is another task.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

OK...
One of my pet hates in story telling... (Character looks like / reminds me of/ reincarnation of somebody)
I detest it...
Reading a story is letting yourself fall into a story, immersing yourself in it's characters, places, and plot...
To immerse yourself into a story, you have to create yourself, their voice, appearance, and in some cases persona...
Personally, I love that... Reading and creating as I read... it's the reason I read...

Authors stealing that from me turns me off. The moment I see that sentence... Looks like. I hit the back button.... My interest completely lost...

I realise you didn't ask for this opinion, but... Hey, I think it's relevant.

Create your characters in your head and let the readers do the same.... Don't remove part of the process...

Cagivagurl

Not really looking to do a direct comparison like that. More like the characters talking to each other and mentioning a famous name.

But I needed names to form the image in my head as to how to relate their appearances.

 

[Baztrachian]

Okay, I'm going with the first black woman to win an Oscar, Hattie McDaniel.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

^^^ Would she be in her twenties today? Would she be comparable to a high fashion model like Beverly, Tyra, Grace or Iman?

If not, then ....

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Scanning a few dozen more images, Anok pushes all the buttons.

I'm also impressed to see someone like her make it coming out of an absolute hellhole.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

I agree with Melissa's suggestion of Anok Yai; she's an absolutely gorgeous fashion model of South-Sudanese descent. She's likely not as well known as Tyra Banks or Iman, however... unfortunately I do not know if there is currently a contemporary counterpart to either of them.

Yet. But damn, she should be.

Hopefully she'll make those ranks.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Reading a story is letting yourself fall into a story, immersing yourself in it's characters, places, and plot...
To immerse yourself into a story, you have to create yourself, their voice, appearance, and in some cases persona...
Personally, I love that... Reading and creating as I read... it's the reason I read...

Maybe a girl's night of being at home, playing games, listening to music and watching TV or scanning magazines.

A picture of Anok comes up and one of them says "Kayla, I didn't know you modeled for this brand!"

"Oh stop, that's Anok Yai!"

 

[NotWise]

I often use photographs of women to inspire my characters, but I rarely describe a character in much detail. Most recently, I stumbled across this photo that was exactly the image I already had in mind:



I like it best when I can respect what the woman does. In this case, Esther Abrami is a classical violinist, among other things. While I had the character in mind before I found this image, I did use those shoes in the story.

 

[Cagivagurl]

Maybe a girl's night of being at home, playing games, listening to music and watching TV or scanning magazines.

A picture of Anok comes up and one of them says "Kayla, I didn't know you modeled for this brand!"

"Oh stop, that's Anok Yai!"

I understand... I still think it pushes the image into the readers head...
If that appears later after they have met, and you have described her already. It may change the readers already created mental image...
My comment was selfish, because it describes my reading practice. Others may feel differently...
Merely offering my perspective...
You must write in your voice, your style... Not trying to influence...

Cagivagurl