Want to Be a JET Magazine Beauty of the Week?

JET Magazine is one of the most well known and well read publications targeted towards the African-American community. One of the magazine’s most popular features—if not “the” most popular—is the “Beauty of the Week.” The opportunity to be published and have millions of readers looking at your photo can be quite an accomplishment and is great exposure. If this is something you want to give a shot, keep reading.

Here is the submission information, which has been taken right from JET Magazine’s website so it’s all you’ll need to know in order to have your shot at becoming Beauty of the Week (BOTW):

Submit two current photographs of yourself, preferably in a two-piece bathing suit, taken against a plain background with few distractions. Please make sure all photos indicate the name and address on the back.

Forward to the attention of:
JET Beauty of the Week
820 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60605

In order to be considered you must be at least 18 years of age. Acceptance of the photographs submitted is based on the decision of the Editorial Review Board. You will be contacted, by mail, as to the board's decision. JET reserves the right to retain all photographs. Thanks for your interest and good luck.

In the past, JET Magazine mainly accepted photo submissions for BOTW from professional photographers that test shoot with models they felt had potential. Now the rules have changed, allowing for non-models and models to send in their photos. They don’t ask for professional pictures but if you want to make sure your image catches their eye, it doesn’t hurt to arrange a test shoot with a professional photographer in your area. Be sure he/she has experience shooting swimwear.

JET Magazine is published weekly, so there are plenty of chances to be chosen. However, now that virtually anyone can submit pictures for BOTW, the magazine is undoubtedly bombarded with more mail than before (snail mail only, no email submissions so far). This often slows down the selection process so expect to wait for a few months. If you make the cut, you’ll be notified and will receive payment, a letter of congratulations, and a free copy of the issue with your photo in it (this is what I received when I was a BOTW back in 2004. At that time I was paid $100. This may or may not have changed since then so make note of that).

Although it isn’t explicitly stated, BOTW candidates are almost always African-American or mixed with African-American. There are so many BOTW, since the publication is a weekly one, so I am not sure if there has ever been a non African-American BOTW…I believe there have been girls of Hispanic origin. Asian…I’m not sure but African-American and Asian mixes have definitely been chosen. Another cool thing about this opportunity is that you do not even need to be a model to submit. Many of the women that make it are not working models, so if you’re photogenic and proud of your body, give it a try!