Yesterday I attended a photo shoot at Fashion Studios. I'd booked it at 1600 and rushed there after work. I was in Bateman Street and I felt like a sweaty bedraggled mess. I couldn't remember the number the studio was at and was scrolling through my phone. At that point a really helpful guy saw my suitcase and enquired whether I was looking for the studio. In my horrible state, I explained that I was and he showed me the entrance. It turned out that he was the model assessor. He was such a normal guy. No pretensions. Definitely not judgemental and his conversation just made me feel at ease. I went downstairs to the studio. It was a like an underground Palace. My favourite 80s music was playing in the background. I was welcomed and a woman in her 20s said she'd pick out some combinations of my clothes for the shoot. At that point I felt super nervous and apologised for my midlife crisis that was packed in to a suitcase. To my shock, she told me I had style. It felt sincere and I was so reassured. Following this make up was applied to cover my dry skin and blotches that had come up the night before. Nobody mentioned them. The make up guy was really handsome and made me feel better by doing the job without comment, unlike my experiences at the local barber! Now I was feeling a bit less sweaty, less manic, relaxed. The studio suddenly seemed like a place I could belong in. The last part was the best bit - the photographs. The photographer was so funny. When we were doing the outdoor pieces, I was relaxed, laughing, and trying to do poses she suggested. Let's just say sometimes what she asked me to do and what I actually managed to do, weren't quite the same. But it didn't matter. She was just trying out lots of things to get my best looks. I felt like I was a kid revelling in the attention of my own birthday party. The rest of it is a bit of a blur as I was told that they liked me qnd I had a good look. I'm actually getting giddy again writing this! Just to say if anyone wants to try this, it is completely not what you'd expect. Nobody looks down at you, in fact uts the opposite, they find the positives wnd give you compliments that you can believe in. I really can't wait to find out what happens next. I've met the team once wnd I love them already. My daytime job is as a CBT Therapist and it feels wien for me to gush like this or write such a long review. But I've never felt this special in such a long while Thank you all again for making me feel like this!