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The Story of the Aging Beauty.

Background

**In the world of modeling, many get discovered, some make it big, some become supermodels. The supermodels have their time in the limelight, they age, and they fade away. Some can stand the test of time and move on to design, endorsements, or acting. Others are scarred by the intense scrutiny and are burned out by an early age. Some just fade into obscurity. For a few, even worse. Find here, a fictional account of one such super model named Angelica, who makes it big in the early '70's as a natural beauty, famous for her long black hair and her ability to look great in a short, tight skirt. As she aged, and as times and styles changed, she refused to use artificial coloring on her hair, or cut it. She refused to have cosmetic surgery or give up her short skirts. So, in time, she faded away to a secluded area in the south. She works for a while as a designer, and even tries to run her own company. At age 40, she is burned out on life, and a 40th birthday surprise saves her from a terrible demise.  I will post this story in three chapters.**

The Story of the Aging Beauty

"The End of an Era"

     The summer of '72 was a hot one, but everyone involved in this photo shoot was outside at the request of Angel, the supermodel who owned the estate. She was at the height of her career, able to dictate the details in all her photo ops. It was good to have this natural beauty back in front of the camera again after almost a year absence, having a baby girl by her on-off boyfriend and agent, James. She was a former teen beauty queen from Louisiana and runner up for the Miss Teen USA crown. Her cole black hair and fair skin were an attractive combination. Her legs were in fantastic shape, showing well with the short, tight skirts popular with the young crowd of the time. She always insisted on natural backgrounds and determined the accessories she would wear with each outfit after she became a very desired model. 

    This morning, Angel was modeling a new line of short, clingy, empire waist dresses for Keystone Clothes. The last dress was a very short, somewhat tight, hot pink, empire waist dress and Angel had her long, black hair draped over her shoulder with a scarf and a pair of matching knee socks to go with it. As the equipment was disassembled, Mary Jo, the VP from Keystone, wanted a word with Angel. Mary Jo said to Angel, "Dearie, I'd shed a little more of this before we shoot again. This extra weight will show with the tight styles we're trying to sell!" pinching Angel's stomach. "I'll take care of it. It's only been a month since I had Christi.", returned Angel, smiling. "Tell me, this new line of dresses seems awfully short, even by today's standards.", Angel said. "Don't worry yourself over this little detail. The dresses we ship will fall about 18 inches, but this 13 inch length looks so good on you. And this hair, get it trimmed back to your waistline. It takes away from the dresses we are trying to show.", said Mary Jo. Angelica had let her hair grow during the pregnancy, and it reached to her thighs. "Those earrings were a nice touch, whose idea was that? They look very mod, but this idea of the knee socks that you wore as a teenager are quite out now. I'd rather not see that again.", demanded Mary Jo. "The earrings are mine.", said Angel, smiling. "The scarf and bracelets came from your collection.", she added. Mary Jo set another appointment with James for Angel to model a fall eveningwear collection at Wolfbrook Country Club in one month.

     The month came and Angel had lost the weight but didn't cut her hair. This was the longest it had ever been, and she liked it longer. So she decided to hide the length by wearing it up in a French twist type style. After all, it was an eveningwear collection. She looked stunning in front of the camera again, showing off her natural beauty in long, strapless, very tight evening gowns. But, when the shoot was finished, Angel looked depressed. Mary Jo came over and said, "Excellent shoot. We'll get in touch with your agent about our summer collection. By the way, I see a little grey starting up here. Is that new baby stressing you? We can touch up the Grey if it shows in the photos, but I'd take care of it if I were you. I don't know why you went through that pregnancy. If you turn up pregnant again, this business relationship is over. Got it?" Angel shook her head in agreement. She knew this was probably the beginning of the end for her modeling career, at least with Keystone.

     The time came for the summer collection to be launched. Angel was back to her original weight and James talked her into cutting seven inches off her hair. It wasn't as short as Mary Jo wanted, it was midway on her bottom. The models walked down the runway, cameras flashing. Angel was last, with a halter style short dress. Mary Jo stared at Angel with dagger eyes because the length of her hair. She was aware of the fashion magazines making notice of her hair and didn't like it. She wanted the attention on the clothes, not on Angel. This time Mary Jo called James and told him she had to cut and color her hair in order to keep modeling for Keystone. James said he would take care of it.

     Angel was not happy to hear the news from James. She cut seven inches off, now Mary Jo wanted another seven. And color it, no way she screamed. "I have made it by being natural. Now I get a little older and they want me to be a fake. Tell that witch to take me as I am, or shove it!" yelled Angel at James. He reminded her that Keystone was her only work since the pregnancy. "I'll find other work.", she said. James had fourteen other clients, so he was able to fill the Keystone position.

     Time passed. News about Angelica and her defiance had spread in the fashion world. In time, she became considered to old and expensive. There were plenty of eager young models working for less pay, and would do anything the designers wanted. The short, tight dresses that made her look so great were out of style, falling to long, loose, disco dresses.

    Angel broke things off with James and fired him as her agent, deciding to take time off to be with Christi at her estate, and live off savings for a while. During Christi's naps, Angel could be found by her flowers, which she loved to grow. No more stressful modeling. Little did she know, secluded at her estate, that James filed for custody of Christi. Over a period, James called in favors and pulled strings, surprising her with an order to appear in court. He beat Angel, who had no time to prepare for a court battle and no one to help her, and won custody of young  Christi. Angel went into deeper seclusion on her estate after losing Christi, spied on by tabloid photographers. She spent her time caring for her gardens and trying to avoid the tabloid cameras. As more time passed, even the tabloids tired of her and left her alone. Visits by well meaning friends became infrequent.

    As she approached thirty, the fashion world had almost completely forgot about her. She never cut her hair during this time, and it was halfway down her thighs and the cole black color was turning grey. She didn't bother with the new disco trends of the lateer 70's and continued wearing the short, tight skirts she modeled in her early 70's prime when she went into town. James took Christi and moved to Europe, driving Angel further into depression. Nothing mattered anymore, because Christi was gone. She became known as the reclusive lady with the long grey hair on the hill.

     In time, Angel had to make a decision. She was starting to run out of money and had to sell assets. However, since she exercised regularly and kept herself in shape, she probably could still model. She always protected her fair skin from the sun, even when out in her field of flowers, now one of the best in the state.

     But, the time came that she would have to swallow her pride and find work somewhere in the fashion industry. Otherwise, she would be forced to sell her estate.

To Next Chapter to see how Angel fares with the changed fashion industry.