--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I started modeling when I was - not…" description: "\"I started modeling when I was - not older, but not 12. I have a mom who's a feminist - she's an English professor, an intellectual. She really gave me ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/emily-ratajkowski-3000_attitude_i-started-modeling-when-i-was-not-older_2628076.jpg" --- # I started modeling when I was - not older, but not 12. I… ![“I started modeling when I was - not older, but not 12. I have a mom who's a feminist - she's an English professor, an intellectual. She really gave me the equipment to understand that you can celebrate yourself without putting yourself down or needing to apologize for the way you look. I think…” quote by Emily Ratajkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/emily-ratajkowski-3000_attitude_i-started-modeling-when-i-was-not-older_2628076.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/emily-ratajkowski-3000_attitude_i-started-modeling-when-i-was-not-older_2628076.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/emily-ratajkowski-3000_attitude_i-started-modeling-when-i-was-not-older_2628076.jpg) > “I started modeling when I was - not older, but not 12. I have a mom who's a feminist - she's an English professor, an intellectual. She really gave me the equipment to understand that you can celebrate yourself without putting yourself down or needing to apologize for the way you look. I think that attitude is really crucial for a model.” [Emily Ratajkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-ratajkowski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She credits her mother’s feminist, intellectual influence for teaching self‑celebration without self‑deprecation. **In simple terms:** Mom taught self‑celebration without apology. Key Takeaway Embrace confidence, reject self‑criticism. Themes self‑esteem feminism modeling confidence Mood proud reflective Type inspirational personal When to use this quote - fashion shoots - social media posts - public speaking - personal branding Key Concepts identity empowerment media representation Questions to Reflect On - How does your upbringing shape your professional confidence? - What risks arise when celebrating self publicly? A Different Perspective Self‑celebration can be misread as arrogance in competitive fields. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) [Celebrate Yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/celebrate-yourself/) [Feminist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminist/) [Intellectual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual/) [Mom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mom/) ## Related quotes > [When the cinematography school told me I would have no chance to get a job, I said, "It's irrelevant." My mom was a feminist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babette-mangolte/when-the-cinematography-school-told-me-i-would-have-no-chance-to-get/) [Babette Mangolte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babette-mangolte/) > [I believe I was raised with feminist values, but I don't think I ever heard my Mom call herself a feminist. Before I identified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-zeilinger/i-believe-i-was-raised-with-feminist-values-but-i-don-t-think-i-ever/) [Julie Zeilinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-zeilinger/) > [“If you are worried that no one has sent you nice notes, given you credit, or offered a compliment that you can put in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/if-you-are-worried-that-no-one-has-sent-you-nice-notes-given-you/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Just because you are alone doesn't mean you aren't special. You're beautiful. Celebrate yourself. You deserve it !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tinku-razoria/just-because-you-are-alone-doesn-t-mean-you-aren-t-special-you-re/) [Tinku Razoria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tinku-razoria/) > [In this life, if you don't celebrate yourself, nobody will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-smith/in-this-life-if-you-don-t-celebrate-yourself-nobody-will/) [Kevin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-smith/) > [Celebrate yourself. Follow your passions and eccentricities, because they are yours alone. You are unique! If everyone did that, I'm pretty sure there would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kandyse-mcclure/celebrate-yourself-follow-your-passions-and-eccentricities-because/) [Kandyse McClure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kandyse-mcclure/) > [“What will you do? Celebrate yourself, find pastimes that make your heart light and your spirit sing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ban-breathnach/what-will-you-do-celebrate-yourself-find-pastimes-that-make-your/) [Sarah Ban Breathnach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ban-breathnach/) > [Each time I turn on my own television screen and see reflections of myself in other courageous young LGBTQ-identifying actors and artists, I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-bowyer-chapman/each-time-i-turn-on-my-own-television-screen-and-see-reflections-of/) [Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-bowyer-chapman/) > [When nobody else celebrates you, learn to celebrate yourself. when nobody else compliments you,the compliment yourself. its noy up to other people to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/when-nobody-else-celebrates-you-learn-to-celebrate-yourself-when-2/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [I don't think it's good to focus on being celebrated but to celebrate yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-harlow/i-don-t-think-it-s-good-to-focus-on-being-celebrated-but-to-celebrate/) [Winnie Harlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-harlow/) > [You don't get to celebrate yourself unless you risk being mocked or rejected. As an artist, you cannot play it safe. You just can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-night-shyamalan/you-don-t-get-to-celebrate-yourself-unless-you-risk-being-mocked-or/) [M. Night Shyamalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-night-shyamalan/) > [“It’s okay to celebrate yourself… It’s okay to see the best in yourself… It’s okay to be proud of yourself… It’s okay to think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-lahart/it-s-okay-to-celebrate-yourself-it-s-okay-to-see-the-best-in-yourself/) [Stephanie Lahart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-lahart/) > [When nobody else celebrates you, learn to celebrate yourself. When nobody else compliments you, then compliment yourself. It's not up to other people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/when-nobody-else-celebrates-you-learn-to-celebrate-yourself-when/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Celebrate yourself... and stay positive!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khoudia-diop/celebrate-yourself-and-stay-positive/) [Khoudia Diop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khoudia-diop/) > [I started modeling at 14. It's simple. You respond to what the photographer wants and wear other people's ideas. I got bored with it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-cole/i-started-modeling-at-14-it-s-simple-you-respond-to-what-the/) [Lily Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-cole/) ## More by Emily Ratajkowski > [I'm a big fan of the Irish accent. After a couple of drinks, I start to get a bit of an Irish lilt, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ratajkowski/i-m-a-big-fan-of-the-irish-accent-after-a-couple-of-drinks-i-start-to/) [Emily Ratajkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-ratajkowski/) > [What's so dumb is that women are 50 per cent of the population, and they want to spend money to see movies where they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ratajkowski/what-s-so-dumb-is-that-women-are-50-per-cent-of-the-population-and/) [Emily Ratajkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-ratajkowski/) > [I'm a complete foodie, but I'm a terrible cook. If a guy can get me in the kitchen and we actually have fun cooking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ratajkowski/i-m-a-complete-foodie-but-i-m-a-terrible-cook-if-a-guy-can-get-me-in/) [Emily Ratajkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-ratajkowski/) > [Don't buy anything online that you'd laugh at buying in real life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ratajkowski/don-t-buy-anything-online-that-you-d-laugh-at-buying-in-real-life/) [Emily Ratajkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-ratajkowski/) > [I love men's butts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ratajkowski/i-love-men-s-butts/) [Emily Ratajkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-ratajkowski/) > [Lunch is usually a salad or a sandwich. If I'm on set, I'll have catering, but I'm well behaved with that stuff. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ratajkowski/lunch-is-usually-a-salad-or-a-sandwich-if-i-m-on-set-i-ll-have/) [Emily Ratajkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-ratajkowski/) > [I think I had really good parents. I got really lucky. They said, 'You're a woman; enjoy yourself and believe that you can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ratajkowski/i-think-i-had-really-good-parents-i-got-really-lucky-they-said-you-re/) [Emily Ratajkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-ratajkowski/) > [Being part of a patriarchal society, it kind of helped me figure out what I was all about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ratajkowski/being-part-of-a-patriarchal-society-it-kind-of-helped-me-figure-out/) [Emily Ratajkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-ratajkowski/) > [I think that the stigmas against model-actresses - and even just, like, entertainer, celebrity chef, and musician - those kinds of walls have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ratajkowski/i-think-that-the-stigmas-against-model-actresses-and-even-just-like/) [Emily Ratajkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-ratajkowski/) > [There are some people who fit into categories very well. But then there are a lot who don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ratajkowski/there-are-some-people-who-fit-into-categories-very-well-but-then/) [Emily Ratajkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-ratajkowski/) > [I was born in London and lived there until I was five. We traveled a lot. But really San Diego is my hometown. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ratajkowski/i-was-born-in-london-and-lived-there-until-i-was-five-we-traveled-a/) [Emily Ratajkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-ratajkowski/) > [I drive a Nissan Versa and would never spend real money on a car because I destroy things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ratajkowski/i-drive-a-nissan-versa-and-would-never-spend-real-money-on-a-car/) [Emily Ratajkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-ratajkowski/) > [The female body is a beautiful thing, and it should be embraced and celebrated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ratajkowski/the-female-body-is-a-beautiful-thing-and-it-should-be-embraced-and/) [Emily Ratajkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-ratajkowski/) > [On whether Blurred Lines' video is sexist: I don't. I really appreciate the people who watch out for that stuff, and I'm sensitive to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ratajkowski/on-whether-blurred-lines-video-is-sexist-i-don-t-i-really-appreciate/) [Emily Ratajkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-ratajkowski/) > [You can go super American and get barbecue and beer and be like, 'Whatever, I'm watching a football game.' That's exactly what I'm going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ratajkowski/you-can-go-super-american-and-get-barbecue-and-beer-and-be-like/) [Emily Ratajkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-ratajkowski/) [Explore all 143 Emily Ratajkowski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-ratajkowski/) ## More Attitude quotes > [“WE CAN'T ALWAYS CONTROL OUR CIRCUMSTANCES BUT WE CAN CONTROL OUR ATTITUDE. WE MUST BE MORE CONCERNED WITH WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/we-can-t-always-control-our-circumstances-but-we-can-control-our/) [MARVIN J. ASHTON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [It's not the method, it's the mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gilbert/it-s-not-the-method-it-s-the-mindset/) [Andy Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gilbert/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [Vow to be valiant. Resolve to be radiant. Determine to be dynamic. Strive to be sincere. Aspire to be attuned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/vow-to-be-valiant-resolve-to-be-radiant-determine-to-be-dynamic/) [William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/) > [Don't judge me because I'm stupid. Don't judge me because I'm, mean. Don't judge me because I'm weird. Don't judge me for mistakes. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-harden-me/don-t-judge-me-because-i-m-stupid-don-t-judge-me-because-i-m-mean-don/) Isaiah Harden (Me > [Your feelings (mood) dictate your thought, your thought determines your attitude (reactions) and your attitude describes your lifestyle, so: be careful how you feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheye-hassan/your-feelings-mood-dictate-your-thought-your-thought-determines-your/) Sheye Hassan > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [“Good Seeds! Gratitude is the Greatest Attitude that has no Substitute.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-kelvin-clive/good-seeds-gratitude-is-the-greatest-attitude-that-has-no-substitute/) [Bernard Kelvin Clive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-kelvin-clive/) > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [One genuine reason to feel jealous of my parents:-) I will never ever have a kid as awesome as their's...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-genuine-reason-to-feel-jealous-of-my-parents-i-will-never-ever/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm optimistic Hong Kong will achieve universal suffrage - no matter the attitude of Beijing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-m-optimistic-hong-kong-will-achieve-universal-suffrage-no-matter/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [My attitude it that you don't give in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-taylor/my-attitude-it-that-you-don-t-give-in/) [Phil Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-taylor/) > [Transparency pertains to impartial behavior, implies openness, communication, and accountability. Inculcate transparency in attitude and experience a life free of controversy and blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/transparency-pertains-to-impartial-behavior-implies-openness/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) [Browse all 9,543 Attitude quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I started modeling when I was - not older, but not 12. I have a mom who's a feminist - she's an English professor, an intellectual. 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