Fashion Journalism

[girl?]

Wow... I just typed a post that got deleted.

Anyway, I'm kicking off the writing sharing. I wrote this a few months ago when I was in a piss with Girlfriend magazine for various reasons. Reading back over it, it's very short and bad, but I'd love some opinions etc.



Don't be too harsh, I'm just a little kid!

-G.

Hi

OK so I find that the first paragraph has too many questions. I can see what you're getting at but it just doesn't work for me.

Also, there are grammatical errors.

Personally I agree with what you are saying but I don't find the article particularly original. And to answer your question; go to a big newsagency and check out alternative magazines. When I lived in Sydney I liked RUSSH and Zen, I dunno if they're available in NZ!

Sorry I don't want to seem harsh but with stuff like this, I reckon being honest is best. Good luck!!

 

[MissDIOR]

Does anyone know a good uni were you can study fashion journalism???

Thanx

 

[Stargirl52]

Also, there are grammatical errors.

Ooh, where are they? I just found the 'to' instead of 'too', but that's a typo. I'm a grammar wh*re, so it's not like me to have errors.

Thanks for the advice

-G.

 

[Sunkist]

Try to get some solid internship experience.

 

[girl?]

Ooh, where are they? I just found the 'to' instead of 'too', but that's a typo. I'm a grammar wh*re, so it's not like me to have errors.

Thanks for the advice

-G.

I should've said error sans s cause I only found 'to' and also its Hermès not Hermés, but I only know cause I was writing it the other day and wasn't sure and looked it up

I used to be such a grammar nazi, I loved spelling...but now as I'm aging (lol I'm 16) I find myself making more and more mistakes

 

[jennifer716]

it's okay, there are sub-editors who will edit it all for you and make it sound better. you develop writing through practice, just write write write and try get an internship.

i'm doing an internship now and i suck as a writer... i mean i'm not bad compared to normal people, but put me next to the contributing editor, and i am COMPLETE rubbish. i have zero journalism bg, but i'm working on it and practice is the key. just have plenty of ideas.

 

[green.tea]

stargirl, I really liked the ideas you presented in your piece, but as previously said there were too many questions within the first paragraph, and it would help immensely if you tried creating longer and complex sentences....but other than that, great writing, especially for 13!

 

[prosperk]

Some sound advice here. Most working editors really don't care if you have degrees or diplomas. They want to know that you can motivate yourself to get out there and do the job. If you have a degree in journalism or media studies, keep as quiet as you can about it because many editors and journalists do not have degrees of any kind at all.

Journalism remains an occupation in which you can either do it or you can't. Bounce into a busy office waving a BA in journalism and you'll probably be laughed out into the street. Go in there waving some articles and interviews that you've done for any kind of media - and we are not short of cashstrapped media looking for free contributions! - and you might get a hearing. If your stuff is any good, you might even be sent out on a try.

Good beginner level articles for fashion mags include Front-of-Book newspieces about exhibitions, book and film reviews, bar and club reviews (not restaurants because that's different territory) and the like: 100 - 250 words a pop. Editors don't have time to read longer pieces from total strangers...unless you happen to have tracked Elvis down, in which case they will be inclined to read your 2000 word interview.

Joking aside, if you can blagg an interview with someone who is difficult or even impossible to interview, that's always a good entrée. Try getting half-an-hour with Martin Margiela. If you can get a photo of him, your career is assured.

PK

 

[jennifer716]

Ohh I may not officially be a fashion journalist yet but I just got sent my very first lookbooks from Prada PR! Yay!!! The entire S/S 06 men and womens line in a flash little hardbound black ring book

i'm a bit excited.

 

[jackieonassis]

How did you manage to get those? Is there any way that I can acquire a copy?

 

[jennifer716]

How did you manage to get those? Is there any way that I can acquire a copy?

Not sure but I think they're reserved for press mainly... they won't just deliver them to anybody. But I work at a fashion magazine and got friendly with the Public Relations for Prada here and they just them me over in case I wanted to feature anything Prada in a spread in the future.

The fashion editors and the long time fashion jounralists all getthem automatically delivered from all the design houses every season without a word though.... but they have to know who you are... or you have to work for some place major.

 

[jackieonassis]

Not sure but I think they're reserved for press mainly... they won't just deliver them to anybody. But I work at a fashion magazine and got friendly with the Public Relations for Prada here and they just them me over in case I wanted to feature anything Prada in a spread in the future.

The fashion editors and the long time fashion jounralists all getthem automatically delivered from all the design houses every season without a word though.... but they have to know who you are... or you have to work for some place major.

Ok...thanks. I know some people in that industry so I will see what I can do.

 

[DP_woman]

Is writing at a newspaper a good way to get into magazines? Becuase it seems like newspaper reporter jobs are easy to come by. I live in a major city and the biggest paper here is always hiring, if you have some prior experience and are motivated to succeed.

btw Stargirl, that was an interesting article and well written, Im sure you have a bright future ahead. I agree with the artilce too, teen mags are so corny nowadays. Seventeen used to be good when I was a kids, I especially liked the "embarrassing moments" section, haha....and they had stories about lots of REAL people. But now, its all about corny trends and celebs.

 

[yangyang]

hi

Wow... I just typed a post that got deleted.

Anyway, I'm kicking off the writing sharing. I wrote this a few months ago when I was in a piss with Girlfriend magazine for various reasons. Reading back over it, it's very short and bad, but I'd love some opinions etc.



Don't be too harsh, I'm just a little kid!

-G.

i love you work, but i think there are too many questions in the first paragraph.
i love this thread, i am so late to be here. i hope all the fashion journalists can keep up this thread to help newbies like me....hehhe

 

[yangyang]

hello

where are all the fashion journalists? like to share your experience?

 

[jennifer716]

where are all the fashion journalists? like to share your experience?

hereeee!! what would you like to know?

 

[yangyang]

know how to be one loh? i mean how to become a fashion journalist my dream you know.....:-p

 

[verb]

where are all the fashion journalists? like to share your experience?

I apologize if my qualifications aren't 100% on the mark but I've been writing for about six years now as a journalist with non-fashion mags and can offer some advice (although the previous posters have said most everything!).

Many of you are asking how to 'get started,' but I must stress that that is not the proper question. If you're passionate about your writing and fashion, you should already be started! Find some pictures, online or in magazines, and start WRITING. Whether it be for a blog, a website, or a little fashion zine you pass out to your friends, the first thing that I look for as an Editor In Chief is the ambition and motivation that demonstrates your love of the topic at hand. For example, we just hired two writers who have little to no professional experience but went around and flew themselves to a few events per year and constantly wrote about it in their blogs. If you have the will to go out and put together solid work without any pay, you WILL get noticed.

As for backgrounds and preparation, I personally took the path of Creative Writing in college. My actual English grades were mediocre and I didn't display much interest in pursuing it out of highschool but eventually I fell into the major and noticed that the concepts taught in these classes apply almost equally well for journalists! Writing poetry, prose, and a variety of other mediums forces you to work outside of the box with your subject and your vocabulary and writing style will develop magnificently.

With that said, however, I have to admit that the path to becoming a journalist seems very random from my perspective. People who work extremely hard in school and go through the usual steps (technical writing or journalism major, work at the school newspaper, yadda yadda) don't have a surefire entry-point into the field and neither do those who pursued the same path as me. In the end, it comes down to knowing the right people, being in the right place at the right time, and above all loving what you do. If you spend five years writing about fashion and constantly working to improve your style and flow, I guarantee that you'll find a company that inspires you, which will lead to bigger and better things!

 

[yangyang]

hello,

hereeee!! what would you like to know?

hey, thanks for replying first. i just want to know how you get the job in a magazine? and usually how you cover all your fashion stories? will you atten fashion show to get news? will you get the chance to interview models?

and here is some questions bout you? are you hkness or are u living and working in hk? i am from guangzhou.

 

[yangyang]

I apologize if my qualifications aren't 100% on the mark but I've been writing for about six years now as a journalist with non-fashion mags and can offer some advice (although the previous posters have said most everything!).

Many of you are asking how to 'get started,' but I must stress that that is not the proper question. If you're passionate about your writing and fashion, you should already be started! Find some pictures, online or in magazines, and start WRITING. Whether it be for a blog, a website, or a little fashion zine you pass out to your friends, the first thing that I look for as an Editor In Chief is the ambition and motivation that demonstrates your love of the topic at hand. For example, we just hired two writers who have little to no professional experience but went around and flew themselves to a few events per year and constantly wrote about it in their blogs. If you have the will to go out and put together solid work without any pay, you WILL get noticed.

As for backgrounds and preparation, I personally took the path of Creative Writing in college. My actual English grades were mediocre and I didn't display much interest in pursuing it out of highschool but eventually I fell into the major and noticed that the concepts taught in these classes apply almost equally well for journalists! Writing poetry, prose, and a variety of other mediums forces you to work outside of the box with your subject and your vocabulary and writing style will develop magnificently.

With that said, however, I have to admit that the path to becoming a journalist seems very random from my perspective. People who work extremely hard in school and go through the usual steps (technical writing or journalism major, work at the school newspaper, yadda yadda) don't have a surefire entry-point into the field and neither do those who pursued the same path as me. In the end, it comes down to knowing the right people, being in the right place at the right time, and above all loving what you do. If you spend five years writing about fashion and constantly working to improve your style and flow, I guarantee that you'll find a company that inspires you, which will lead to bigger and better things!

i just really appreciate this. have fun