By Staff
KICKING HER HEELS UP – Anne Crowson Britt, a Meridian native, is a shoe model and travels to Las Vegas several times a year to participate in shows. Britt first started as a model several years ago when she was in New York attending college. Photo by Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star
By Penny Randall / staff writer
Aug. 16, 2002
When Anne Crowson Britt puts her foot down, people stop and look. And it's usually shoe buyers who do the looking because the petite, 25-year-old Meridian native, who teaches the fourth grade in Clinton public schools has a second job. She's a shoe model.
Britt's unusual career as a shoe model began in 1998 when she was a music theater student at New York University. A family friend suggested Britt consider shoe modeling.
Britt was hired immediately by the JIMLAR Corp. to model shoes for its American Eagle division, a brand of footwear for teen-age girls and young women. After two shows, Britt had her first setback.
Meridian roots
Britt, the daughter of Judy Crowson and Dr. Tom Crowson, is a 1995 Meridian High School graduate. She credits her confidence to her mother and the Meridian Little Theatre, where she had roles in "Little Shop of Horrors" and "Grease."
That kind of spunk played to Britt's advantage.
Her shoe career remained on track until she returned home to Meridian in 1999. She left her shoe modeling experience and career in New York or at least that's what she thought.
For the next year, Britt attended Mississippi State University-Meridian Campus. Then, in December 2000, she e-mailed a friend at JIMLAR to say hello and catch up. Instead, she got an offer.
Today, Britt lives in Jackson with her husband of two months, Lee, who is in medical school.
Britt travels to Las Vegas twice a year to attend five-day shoe conventions, which she said are more like vacations away from her job as a language arts teacher.
Modeling benefits
Britt said few people know about her second career; her husband hasn't even been to a show. When people find out about the modeling, she said, they want to know if she gets free shoes.
While at the shoe conventions, Britt will model close to 100 shoes for the upcoming fashion season.
Besides an all-expense-paid trip twice a year, Britt also sees new trends before anyone else.
Britt lands spot on TV game show
By Penny Randall / staff writer
Shoe modeling isn't the only thing that keeps Anne Crowson Britt busy.
The Meridian native, who teaches fourth grade in Clinton, will appear next month on the hit television game show "The Weakest Link."
Britt and her husband auditioned for the game in Jackson a few months ago. Out of 75 people, Britt and her husband both made the semi-finals.
But only Britt was called back to participate in a trial run in front of the camera.
The phone rang late at night in early August.
So, after a recent shoe convention, Britt flew to Los Angeles instead of back to Mississippi and taped the show.