All About Becoming a Fashion / Wardrobe Stylist

[taj76]

Hi Bette,

Thank you for the advice, it was extremely helpful. I am an employee at the magazine, who is currently building the fashion section, so the contacts I have made are definitely new, is this still their property or am I able to provide them limited contact info since these are the contacts I have brought to the magazine?

 

[BetteT]

It depends on your employment contract, if you signed one. And if you did sign one, there could also be the issue that you might not be able to use those contacts later when your are out freelancing, since you obtained them as a result of your employment with them. Really, really hard for them to stop you, but you need to know what you signed. So I'd look that over really carefully.

If there is no employment contract that you signed, you might see if they have an employee handbook that covers the issue. If nothing is stated specifically about intelectual properties or contacts etc. you are probably OK keeping that info for use elsewhere at a later date.

But ... I would think that you do have an obligation to povide your employer with anything that she asks for as part of your job. So ... yeah ... you probably do have to give her copies of your communications. You are her employee ... she gets to call the shots or she can fire you for non compliance with her instructions. It's a real job ... not a freelance contract ... which is totally different.

 

[maganda_x3]

What do you think of the FIT Styling Certificate?

 

[shirleebee]

or Parsons AAS programs? (as a backup?)

You can't really teach styling, though. Argh.

 

[taj76]

Thank you for the advice Bette T

 

[BetteT]

A certificate means nothing, actually. A prospective client will never ask about your education if you are a styist. If you show your certifiate, it will signal that you are really inexperienced ... so hide it, if you have one. They will ask to see your portfolio, maybe a resume and if that impresses them, they will probably talk to you about the project at hand to see if they like you, your knowlege and ideas and your work ethic. They also will look for stylists who are recommended to them ...probably more than anything ... so reputation is the number one factor in getting gigs.

But ... it's a beginning ... but only that. You are not even close to being prepared to work as a stylist. It takes a couple years minimum, out there testing and building your network and portfolio, before you will probably ever see a dime profit. You should assist for a while and really learn the business from a working pro. Within 6 months after the course, you will understand that they did not really get you started ... only gave you a tiny smattering of information and sent you off in the direction of starting to actually learn the business ... the rest is up to you. You must find a way to begin to build a client list.

And no ... you can't teach styling ... a person has to have the eye for it (for proportion, fit, texture, color, etc.). But they can teach you a bit about how to build your business ... but infortumately most courses only spend a few hours on that. And without that information, and the guts and fortitude to do what it takes, you are probably not going to make it. The business end of it is as or even more important that the "creative" part of it if you expect to actully get paid, eventually.

 

[merry anne]

if you're working on a styling shoot, what happens if an item gets lost?

 

[BetteT]

Sombody has to pay for it ... usually the stylist, unless it's an editorial where the magazine has agreed to pay in the pull letter.

 

[delerith]

Are there any difficulty in styling dresses with prints? Once I did it and the girl on photo looked fat What's the trick? I see a lot of models in print dresses and they look ok...

 

[BetteT]

We can't say "fat" ... because of the "no weight talk" rule, but I'll let it go this time ... not such a big deal since you are actually talking about garments.

Prints can work either way.. flatter a figure or not so much. It's really hard to explain, but that is where you have to use your practiced stylist's eye.

But, here are some things I've learned, working with prints:

1. To get a good idea how she will look in the print in a photo, I like to look at her in a mirror ... stand behind her. This gives me a 2 dimensional look at it ... which is how the photo will look ... and that helps me visualize it better.

2. If a print is big, and it has big round patterns on it ... like swirls, or big flowers, etc. ... and one of them falls right on a bust, a hip or a tummy, it can make that area look larger and rounder, so watch out for those types of prints. If you have a choice of several different garments with tha same print on it, try several of them on untill you find one where the print falls on the right areas.

3. Small prints can look dowdy and boring ... and sometimes like what an old lady would wear ... so I usually prefer a bolder print.

4. I find that prints that tend to have more of a vertical allignment, taller patterns than they are wide, seem to be more flattering in many cases.

5. You must have a fitting and look it over carefully ... you cannot guess. A print can look great on one model, and not so good on another.

 

[glamorousenvy]

There is nothing I would love more than to be a stylist. Unfortunately, I tend to be a tad pessimistic when it comes to these sorts of things, especially considering the fact that the chances of being successful are about 50%, if that. How much effort, do you think, should I actually put into styling? My backup plan is going into fashion journalism, but I don't know which one I should truly focus on?

 

[Fabulyss]

I feel the same way, only I've just graduated college and have no job to show for it

I've been assisting one of the greatest stylist's in the city but only for a handful of jobs. I've yet to do work on my own but even he is telling me 'there's nothing in this city'. It's so frustrating. In addition, my boyfriend just graduated with his masters and will most likely score a job elsewhere (possibly in Europe) so I will have to move in a few months anyway.

Is it a nearly impossible transition for a stylist to move to a new city - since most of the job is about contacts with stores/photographers/etc??

 

[BetteT]

It is all about contacts ... so you will start from square one in a new city. But maybe some of your contacts here, can help you with introductions there ... if they like you. Something you should work on ... trying to make connections before you get there.

Styling takes years of struggling to make it. Once in a rare while, a person with the right connections get's lucky ... like Rachel Zoe who was well monied and very well connected because of that money, when she started celebrity styling. But she's one in probably a thousand. The rest of us build a business slowly ... one thing leads to another and we must always network with everyone we have ever worked with.

 

[Fabulyss]

^Thank you for the advice, as disheartening as it may be I wish it wasn't all about connections as that filters out a lot of great talent (myself, of course)!

 

[SnejanaIsMyMuse]

Just a question ,how hard is it to be a stylist and a photographer at the same time? As in you are your own stylist, and can do both proficiently?

I sort of narrowed my career goals into one of those two categories, with fashion journalism as another possibility.I'm going into college in the fall and I'm going to be taking courses that can easily transfer, hence I am going in undeclared so my choices will be more open.Once I get specific courses done I'm going to get into working for the school newspaper and getting more into journalism and art.Then once I can transfer, I really want to either go to Chicago or NYC depending on what ends up becoming a better option for me.Interning is the probable next step after that.

 

[BetteT]

A good photographer needs another pair of eyes on the clothing and accessories during shooting, while he is busy testing his lighting and settings. Plus he will be involved in building rapport and directing the model.

How effective do you think the tog will be, if he's fiddling with the clothes all the time and running back and forth to change things out? What about helping the model get dressed, accessorizing her ... who's going to work on the lighting set up?

For that matter ... maybe he could do the hair and makeup too and keep those in order while he's shooting, too ... just kidding.

The answer would be ... it's not effective and it's just not the way things are done on set. You won't be very good at either if you don't focus on just one speciality. They are each different jobs and each requires planning, setting up, executing, break down and post production stuff and they must be done at the same time.

So pick one and see where it takes you. Then if you find it does not work for you, then move on to the next. Having knowledge of what the other person does is good so it won't be wasted because it will help you understand the whole process of a fashion photo shoot.

 

[SnejanaIsMyMuse]

Thank you ,I actually do love photography but see myself as more of a journalistic and documentary photographer.Photography will always be an interest to me.

Styling is probably what I will go into, and maybe occasionally try and do backstage/runway photography.

 

[Fabulyss]

Because I don't have any connection in any other cities, I've been emailing various agencies (even the prestigious ones) asking if their stylists need assistance and if so I would be willing to relocate to do so. Do you think this will prove effective?


In my emails I've been stating that if any of the stylists need help I would be willing to assist, but should I be more specific and say, 'If _______ needs help I would love to assist??' or is being general more effective??

thanks in advance

 

[BetteT]

I don't think that the agencies will put you in touch with their stylists nor offer you as a full time assistant, if that is whay you are talking about. I could be wrong ... I don't really know ... but I know there's nothing in it for the agency so it's not likely that they will help you. I do know that they won't give out direct contact info.

But there's other ways to get to know stylists as an assistant ... freelancing and having your name on the agency's list. It takes time but I've had several people tell me that it worked for them.

Here's what I've heard ... that you need to call the artists' agencies and ask what you need to do to get on their "assistants list" ... most of them have a list of local, available freelance assistants. They are called upon whenever the stylist may not be able to get her usual assistant (booking conflicts).

The agency will usually will have you come in to meet them and show them your book. If they think that you are of the caliber to assist, they will then add you to the list. And that sometimes doubles as a good critique for your work ... sometimes the agent will actually discuss your book and your career directions with you. What a bonus ... if that happens!

None of that will give you permanent work ... it will just be now and then, so you need to have you name in a as many agencies in your city as possible. It doesn't make sense to relocate for assisting jobs ... unless you are moving to that city anyway. They are freelance and the work ebbs and flows and you need to be available, sometimes within about an hour's notice ... since it's like temp work ... you are filling in when there's a problem.

But this can lead to a good relationship with the agency and some of their stylists and can lead to more work ... and perhaps, if you are good enough and are building your own business at the same time ... to eventually get an agent for yourself.

 

[Fabulyss]

^Thank you so much BetteT; you've been the biggest help!

I don't mean to whine but it honestly feels like this is the hardest industry to crack into. I will be moving eventually (my boyfriend is in charge of this, he's putting out applications everywhere in Europe and I'll go where he goes). So I'm in a tricky place as I have no idea where I will be in a month or two. I'll keep doing the best I can assisting here in Chicago in the meantime I guess.

One more question, I just scored a temporary position at the Chanel boutique here, does that give me any advantage on my resume as a stylist or not really?

Thanks again