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A couple of months ago, LittleMissMatched approached me with a really awesome opportunity. They wanted to see if Mazzy was interested in picking her favorite items from their new collection and then modeling them for their spring campaign!

I wasn’t sure Mazzy was even familiar with the word “model” so I didn’t use that term when I asked her if she wanted to do it.

“Mazzy, would you be interested in going to the LittleMissMatched show room, picking your favorite items and then taking some pictures wearing the clothes in a photo shoot?”

“What does the stuff look like?”

I pulled up LittleMissMatched online and showed her all the fun mismatched socks, the brightly colored flip flops, the playful best friend necklaces and the doughnut shaped pillows. Everything they sell is bold and happy and puts a smile on your face.

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“YES!!!!”

That was easy. She was totally on board.

A few days later, we went to the show room so Mazzy could see the new line and make her picks. She walked around, eyes wide, touching the dresses and leggings, and enthusiastically pulling down pieces that interested her.

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“Can I pick this one???” she asked about a bright pink dress with a heart cut-out in the back. “Sure,” they told her.

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Then I would suggest something that I thought was cute and she would totally shoot me down, like she’d made a mood board the night before of exactly what she was looking for and purposefully forgot to give me a copy.

But that experience was nothing compared to the actual shoot a few weeks later.

It was in a photo studio in the Meatpacking District and before we even opened the door, I could sense what was waiting for us on the other side. This was the REAL DEAL. I’m not sure what I was expecting but the set-up was exactly like you’d imagine a studio shoot with real models.

It was in a huge dark room with a white backdrop and lights all directed at one person. There were make-up and hair people, stylists, creative directors, brand managers, etc. all dressed in NYC black scattered around the room amongst racks of clothes and craft services. There were lookbook pages taped to the walls and a big mirror with lightbulbs around it in the back.

When we arrived, two other models about ten years-old were finishing up their shoot, as the photographer yelled out instructions for them to follow. “Turn! Smile! Jump!” The girls were tall and beautiful and even at the age of ten, totally intimidating.

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The brand manager and the stylists came over, excited to see us, but Mazzy looked a little shell shocked.

“Mazzy, do you want to just sit over there and watch them for a little?” I asked gently.

Mazzy nodded silently, never taking her eyes off the two girls.

The two of us went up to the front so we could see them up close and sat off to the side, on the floor, huddled together, her hand clutching mine, my arm wrapped around her shoulder. I didn’t know what she was thinking exactly so I played out the different scenarios in my head. Bottom line— I was not about to make Mazzy do something if she didn’t feel comfortable.

After a good ten minutes of watching, she leaned over to me and said quietly, “Mom, I don’t want to do it.”

“Okay,” I said. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. But if you pay attention, the girls aren’t doing anything that hard. All they are doing is following instructions from the photographer.”

We watched together a little longer. I thought about how I would explain to LittleMissMatched that we would be going home.

Then the stylist came up to us and asked if Mazzy was ready to try on her first outfit and get started.

Mazzy looked up at her and nodded.

“Are you sure, Mazzy?” I asked.

She nodded a little more vigorously this time. “Yes, I’m sure.”

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Mazzy followed the stylist to the dressing area to get changed and get her hair done. Her mood flipped as she looked through the items she had picked out and the accessories the stylists had chosen to go with them— flower hair barrettes, beachy flip flops and bracelets.

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Then we waited for the photographer to call her up for the shoot.

“Are you ready, Mazzy?”

“Yes. I’m ready.”

Mazzy stepped in front of the camera and I swear, she just turned on a switch.

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It was like she had really paid attention to what the girls before her were doing and used everything she had just witnessed to her advantage. Smiling, twirling, jumping and really listening to what she was being asked.

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You could feel the whole room get excited instantly, because obviously, nobody had any idea what Mazzy would do when she was put in front of the camera. But honestly, once she was out there, she looked like she was born to do it.

 

 

More than anything else, and the part that made me the most happy— you could tell she was really enjoying herself.

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Mazzy changed from one outfit to the next, with new hair styles and accessories to match, and got back out there, owning every moment.

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I was half proud and half terrified!

Everyone kept coming up to me to comment on how well she was handling herself. Yes, she looked beautiful. Mazzy always looks beautiful. But it was her confidence that really floored everyone in that room. I was floored.

I wish I had half that confidence.

After it was over, Mazzy told me that this was her “favorite day ever” and asked if she could take everything home.

“Well, sweetie. These are all samples but once the line comes out, we can probably get some of the stuff.”

Later on, in the elevator up to our apartment, after Mazzy had time to reflect on the experience, she asked me a big question.

“Mom? Was I a model today?”

“Ummm…yes, today you were a model. But days like today do not come around often!”

I’m 5.4″ and Mike is 5.10″. A modeling career is probably not in my daughter’s future. Although, I must say, if there is anyone that can turn that standard on it’s head, it’s Mazzy.

Wanna see the pics???

Here are my favorites:

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You can go to LittleMissMatched to see Mazzy on their homepage. And you can shop all of Mazzy’s personally selected items here.

Giveaway:

I’m giving away one $100 Little MissMatched gift card today! Just leave a comment below telling me your favorite piece in Mazzy’s picks.

GIVEAWAY UPDATE:

Congrats to Lauren, whose five-year old loves the heart cut-out dress, just like Mazzy. Please email abby@mommyshorts.com to claim your prize!

Special Offer:

To get 25% off of all items on LittleMissMatched, use the code MOMMYSHORTS.