[kimberwyn]

Quote:

In addition, a lot of them think that stylists are expendable ... they think that they can style the shoots themselves.

This is so very, very true; stylists are underappreciated. People dont tend to realize that the clothes really set the mood for most pictures.

Another issue Ive run into since I started testing is credits -- people will always credit the model and the photographer, sometimes the MUA and hair stylist, but almost never the stylist :/


@xPedro Is styling the only thing you want to do in fashion? If you go to school, at least you will be able to work in different avenues of fashion if styling doesnt work out -- or you might make a lot of connections through one job which could lead to styling. That's kind of what Ive done -- I majored in fashion product dev, and I own my own boutique and edit 2 magazines, and I started styling tests for local photogs on the side.

But I'm with you, I'd rather have a "fun" job that pays less, than a boring one that pays well My friend is training to be a court reporter and always tries to persuade me into going into the field because they make "$70k per year!!". Honestly, I'd rather do something like styling and make $20k lol.

[RocknNeedle]

definetely networking. A lot of unpaid internships, putting yourself out there, also worth joining TV/Film/Acting sites or emailing agencies (I know a freelance stylist who got a job styling a tv show for 8 weeks), your own website, facebook fan page. Being confident, attending the right events/clubs. Always giving out business cards. Making sure you emphasise that your skills are second to none.

[svsk_sk2]

a lot of my assistants (placements) did styling as a course as well and most of the time they realised what they learnt is not the case in reality...

for example their position as an assistant a lot of them think what ever they assist me on they can use it on portfolio but no that's not the way... (this is one thing i tell all my assistant first day work for me remember your position, you're a stylist assistant NOT the stylist, and i fired assistants before because of that)...

also stuff like they have a whole term to plan a shoot but in reality that's never the case... i would be lucky if my clients give me 3 or 4 days to prepare...

but these are just examples...

also money wise depends on what kind of level and clients you got... Katie Grand (stylist for Louis Vuitton) got paid half million (£) for 24 hours of work for LV's fashion show... but rather she worths that much or not depends on the client... i have a daily rate and so i just follow that... and i have no idea how much i actually earn per year!! :-P

[lessavyfav]

I'm hoping someone can help me..I am a stylist/writer in Australia, I earn a decent amount because I've been doing it for more than 5 years and I work freelance.

I am moving to London soon, hoping to get a job as a stylist or fashion editor or similar at a magazine or somewhere like asos.com or net-a-porter. I've noticed that many job applications require you to list your salary expectations, but I have no idea what to expect since I'll be new to the country and wages are quite different.

Anyone able to help me with a range? For a fashion assistant, fashion stylist and fashion editor?

[kimberwyn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RocknNeedle definetely networking. A lot of unpaid internships, putting yourself out there, also worth joining TV/Film/Acting sites or emailing agencies (I know a freelance stylist who got a job styling a tv show for 8 weeks), your own website, facebook fan page. Being confident, attending the right events/clubs. Always giving out business cards. Making sure you emphasise that your skills are second to none.

When you say "joining TV/Film/Acting sites", do you mean casting sites like lacasting?

[MadenaSharef3]

Hey everyone!
My name is Madena and I am a junior in high school. I want to be a fashion stylist, but I am completely lost when researching fashion schools!

I want to get a good education with fashion styling before going off and becoming one. Hence why I want to go to fashion school. I plan on going to fashion school right after senior year.

I am fluent in English, and have been studying French for a few years now.

I have been considering Istituto Marangoni in London. Or IED in Milan. I really wanted to do IED for fashion styling in Barcelona, but they don't teach it in English there.

Any recommendations? Any of you gone to IM? Suggestions?


Thank you!

[BetteT]

Welcome to the Fashion Spot!

Merging this with the ongoing thread about becoming a stylist.

I know that there are styling courses at MUDD (Makeup Designory) in Burbank (Los Angeles) and at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) in New York. They are short certifiaction courses. But you need to know that being "certified" does not get you gigs. In fact, you would never approach a prospective client and show them that. You only show them your developed portfolio and tell them about your previous gigs and clients and let them check your references ... that is all they ever want to know.

So, stylists really don't become stylists because the "studied" it. It's way more complex than that and school is actually not necessary. I don't think that I have ever seen any working stylist who has actually taken it in school. It's more about being in the right place at the right time ... and having the right connections and networking in addition to having a fully developed portfolio. And you need to have a good business head, for bookeeping, marketing your serivices, etc. which is probably even more important than the "talent". So ... please don't think that school will prepare you for paid work. It won't ... in fact, you can skip this step altogether if you don't have excess money and save it to support yourself while you are starting your business.

You just have to get out there and style ... for free in test shoots and start building your portfolio and making connections. This takes at least 2 years before you can expect to get a paid gig and several years after that to build enough clientelle to make a living. Most stylist take other part time work that is flexible so they can leave when they get a styling gig.

If you are serious about this ... you should read both parts of this thread as homework. It's thousands of posts ... but you will see all the advice that many of us who are stylists have given out and will learn what it really takes. Also ... there are about 10 other threads that have information you need to know. Doing an advanced search of this forum (Careers) with the keyword stylists will yeild those threads about testing and building your portfolio, marketing yourself, working with photographers, tips of the trade, etc.

Also, you need to know that a freelance stylist does basically the same thing as a fashion editor at a magazine ... but they are not on salary. Stylists own their own businesses ... and it's a long hard struggle to make it. Becoming a fashion editor at a magazine is a different career path ... and you often start as some sort of assistant. Many people get into magazines via internships at a magazine when they are in college ... and they have studied various things, including fashion design. To learn more about working for a magazine, search with keywords; magazine, magazines, publishing. You might opt to take this path, instead.

[crocetti]

Academy of Art University in San Francisco has a Fashion Styling course, I believe. You'd have to check, though.

[lessavyfav]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lessavyfav I'm hoping someone can help me..I am a stylist/writer in Australia, I earn a decent amount because I've been doing it for more than 5 years and I work freelance. I am moving to London soon, hoping to get a job as a stylist or fashion editor or similar at a magazine or somewhere like asos.com or net-a-porter. I've noticed that many job applications require you to list your salary expectations, but I have no idea what to expect since I'll be new to the country and wages are quite different. Anyone able to help me with a range? For a fashion assistant, fashion stylist and fashion editor?

Sorry, just wanted to bump this up..anyone?

[Fashionmonkey]

Hello!,

Hope everyone had a good new year! I just got my first paying job as stylist. I'm due to submit an invoice to the magazine but I'm not quite sure what to put down for description or how to categorize it. Does anyone have advice or links that would show me what a proper stylist invoice looks like.

Thank you kindly!

[BetteT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mteb123 I just found invoice templates on Microsoft website, which is great!!

But this is not geared to stylists, I would think. But take those and adjust them to something that lists the job name, quotes your day rate, dates worked (both on the shoot and pull and return days, if applicable), assistant (if agreed), overtime hours, and total expendables. Then you need to itemize your expendables to which you attach receipts ... for those things that the magazine is reimbursing you, if any.

Too late now, but you should consider getting Chrystal Wright's book for freelancing stylists (makeup, hair, wardrobe ... the business end is basically the same) ... which has lots of valid business advice and how to build your business .... and forms for each type of gig. http://www.crystalwrightlive.com/books-a-dvds.html It's the only resource I have found that teaches you how to start out, how to build your portfolio and how to conduct and build your business.

[Fashionmonkey]

This is great! Thank you BetteT, and I'm buying this book right now!!!

[Marienbad]

I styled a test and the photographer wants to submit it to a magazine. He wants my credits, but my credits are very simple and some items didn't even have labels (I couldn't pull from designers that time, had to get really creative...) any tips for jazzing up credits? Or is it okay to keep it simple?

[BetteT]

Here's what I suggest ... for those items that have labels, just use the label name ... because it's the truth. And for those items that don't have a label ... say either "stylist's own" if it was yours ... or "model's own" if it was hers. You actually will see that from time to time, even in a high end fashion magazine.

[Miss-V]

styling is basically about being pot lucky and have the right contacts. going to school will only be a small stone, becoming katie grand will be another.