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| Fashion Stylist Careers Can Mean Tons of Freebies and Hangin' With Jessica Simpson |
| by Dawn Papandrea |
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Who doesn't like to get free stuff? Especially when those freebies are designer clothes, accessories, and gear. For those in Fashion Stylist careers, accepting such freebies are all in a day's work.
Of course, fashion stylist careers involve a lot more than getting to keep designer samples, although that is a cool perk. In fact, says Erin Stafford, founder of Wink Worthy Styling, a styling and image consulting business in Orange County, California, "there is no typical day" for fashion stylist careers.
"Everything depends on what I'm working on that week. I call designers/jewelers/shoe designers, etc, and have them send me things for a specific person/event. I also pull clothes from LA boutiques, deal with paperwork and billing, run random errands, make appointments, attend fittings, help backstage at events, etc. etc. It's crazy, but never boring," she assures.
How can those in fashion stylist careers feel bored when working with such interesting, high profile clients? Among those Erin has offered fashion stylist services for include Jessica Simpson, Heather Locklear, Avril Lavigne, and Marcia Cross.
Not bad for a 26-year-old whose degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara was actually in the unrelated field of political science. While she didn't have formal training through a fashion stylist program, her experience "paying her dues" in the field, as well as membership in affiliations like the Association of Image Consultants International, have helped her make valuable contacts and keep moving ahead.
Of course, should you be interested in fashion stylist careers, there are many programs available to teach the fundamentals of the field. Even better, many fashion stylist schools also offer career services that help match you with hands-on learning opportunities. At schools like the International Academy of Design and Technology (IADT), course instructors are also working professionals who can share their success secrets, insights, and industry connections.
And connections are certainly the name of the game, says Erin. "There are so many people looking for unpaid stylists to help them with a photo shoot or video. The unpaid work is tiring and grueling, but it helps you build your portfolio and start meeting people in the industry," she assures. For Erin, an ad on Craig's List landed her an assistant gig to Jessica Paster, one of LA's top celebrity stylist. "I really lucked out because within a day, I went from styling for free for no name photographers, to working with A-list celebrities."
Of course, it's not all about luck - persistence plays a big role as well when pursuing a fashion career. "You need to have an amazing work ethic, the ability to work endless hours and days to get everything done, and a cool head when everything seems to be going wrong right before a big event," warns Erin. Add to that a strong attention to detail, people skills, great personal style, and a true love of fashion, and Erin says you're just about ready to break into fashion stylist careers.
Her last piece of advice is to learn as much as you can about fashion in general, whether its through courses at fashion stylist schools or simply staying up to date with trends by reading magazines and books.
"Study fashion," advises Erin, "and get to know boutique owners and sales people at the high end stores in your area. They have stylists come in every day and will be constantly informed of who is looking for a new assistant." In other words, network away.
Oh, and about those freebies... enjoy them, because you'll earn them. "When you are a celebrity stylist in Hollywood you work around the clock. It really is a grueling job, but so much fun at the same time."
Want to learn more about fashion stylist careers and the world of fashion? Sign up for Erin's weekly insiders fashion tips by visiting www.erinstafford.com or e-mailing her on erin@erinstafford.com.
About the author:
http://www.collegesurfing.com/blog
Dawn Papandrea is the Managing Editor of The CollegeBound Network. Learn more about finding a school that's right for you.
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| QUICK FACTS |
| More than half of all photographers are self-employed, a much higher proportion than for most occupations. |
| Freelance and portrait photographers need technical proficiency, gained through either a degree program, vocational training, or extensive photography experience. |
| Growth of Internet versions of magazines, journals, and newspapers will require increasing numbers of commercial photographers to provide digital images. |
| (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-07 Edition, Photographers) |
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| Find out more about the International Academy of Design & Technology today! |
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