i really don't know anything about styling real people...i don't think very many real people use professional styling services...Those women who could afford it would usually come from money and probably not work full-time...so they have the time to shop for themselves...and they enjoy it...(what else have they got to do between tanning appts and hair appts and nail appts and waxing appts and surgery appts... )...and it seems that those women travel in packs...so the way to get in with them is to be one of them...find yourself an extremely wealthy husband who can get you invited to all the right places where you will meet these women and they will see your incredible fashion sense and beg you to help them shop...hahaha.. :P
seriously though...i think there are a few women who use a stylist...anyway, it's not very fun to style people unless they have EXACTLY the same taste as you...which is very rare...otherwise...imagine if your client dressed like donatella versace but you liked audrey hepburn's style...that would be a nightmare...and they probably wouldn't be your client for very long...you know...most people think they have amazing taste...even when they look hideous...you really can't tell a client that they have bad taste...so eventually you'll just go different ways
to be a personal shopper in a dept store...you would just go and apply to human resources...find a store you like and go for it...i think you have to have a background in retail sales and a vast knowledge of the merchandise the store carries...a list of your own clients helps as well...clients you could bring to the store with you...very often a client will feel so comfortable with a salesperson that they will switch stores with them ...similar to how a client will follow a hairdresser to a new salon...
i'm ordering my portfolio from brewer-cantelmo and i'm trying to decide on thickness/how many images i want to be able to hold in my book. in an ideal book, what should i have, about 10 double sided pages/20 images? more? less?
and also, i was thinking..not many people in ny have cars..so how do stylists lug all their stuff around?? taxis?
10-15 pages sounds like a good start...just remember...quality over quanitity...
what you want to focus on is stories...you want 4-6 pages that go together to tell a story...a red story... a coat story...so work on your story ideas...
yes...we have to schlep everything around by taxi or subway...it's exhausting physical labour...my wrists are permanently messed up from carrying around too many heavy shopping bags and garment bags...not very glamorous... ...hope you're ready for it...because you will most likely be assisting for a while at first...and the assistants have it the worst...
you won't need a portfolio for that...just a good work ethic , a positive attitude and a working knowledge of the city and stores and showrooms and fashion in general...designers...etc...also ironing and steaming and being able to do minor alterations are a must...ie-hems, sleeves...etc...
I had no previous experience styling
NEver attended fashion school
Never even assisted a stylist
One day I just decided to reply to an ad posted by a photog who was looking for a stylist. Having no experience did not stop me.
From that point on I tested for months with different photogs. I finally found a great crew and stuck with them, and here I am a year and a half later with tearsheets in 7 different fashion magazines, check it out at www.abe3d.com/gc
What it takes? Talent, diligence and tenacity. Its not about luck, its about what you make of your opportunities. If you want it bad enough and work hard enough, you will get to where you want to be, guaranteed.
For a beginner stylist, standard rate is $250-300 per job. Once enstablished and signed with an agency, a stylist stands to make between $1,000-$5,000 a day for editorial work, campaigns, celeb styling, etc.
Hope this helps any of the readers thinkin about a career in styling..
Originally posted by ingenue@May 28th, 2004 - 11:06 am our magazine usually pays $250 per project. (depending on the fame of the stylist) KINDA cheap huh?
many magazines don't pay at all...especially the more independant ones...
ok, and a most critical question. what is the easiest way to go about asking stores to start a borrowing relationship with you? how do you handle a department store versus a boutique? should i bring my portfolio and/or business cards, maybe a stylists letter from the agency? up until now i've been doing the buy/return..buy/return thing. man is that a hassle. but with this agency job i will be need to be pulling a lot more clothes a lot more often..
Originally posted by smashinfashion@May 28th, 2004 - 4:54 pm ok, and a most critical question. what is the easiest way to go about asking stores to start a borrowing relationship with you? how do you handle a department store versus a boutique? should i bring my portfolio and/or business cards, maybe a stylists letter from the agency? up until now i've been doing the buy/return..buy/return thing. man is that a hassle. but with this agency job i will be need to be pulling a lot more clothes a lot more often..
we really don't borrow from boutiques in ny...it's more of a rental situaton or if it's for an ad you shop...for tests it's usually buy and return...or using your own stuff...or you'd try to start a relationship with a showroom and see if they'll lend you stuff...
if you're talking about doing it now...where you are...i think you need a business card ...if possible...but not entirely necessary ...a letter from the agency wouldn't hurt...and probably a credit card to use as security in case the clothes get lost or damaged...i don't really know how it works over there though...
First part was easy, deciding with the photographer and the make-up artist what the angle was; then collecting the stuff... That may, or may not be, difficult depending on the story. In my case it was pretty tough considering we were shooting a "gypsy" fashion shoot years and years ago... It wasn't really a commercial shoot, more like an inspirational "good for the book" shoot. For models and photographer.
And you know, when you shoot shoes you tape them underneath so the soles won't show wear-scratches showing; a couple of the pairs I returned were totally devoid of their previous surfaces! The tape removed them...
About the location, we all rode for 2 hours into the country side; beautiful! But how do you pack up the clothes, iron and so on? It can be tough, especially without electricity!
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What a strange power there is in clothing. Isaac Bashevis Singer
Originally posted by tott@May 28th, 2004 - 6:04 pm I've only styled one shoot, and it was HARD work.
First part was easy, deciding with the photographer and the make-up artist what the angle was; then collecting the stuff... That may, or may not be, difficult depending on the story. In my case it was pretty tough considering we were shooting a "gypsy" fashion shoot years and years ago... It wasn't really a commercial shoot, more like an inspirational "good for the book" shoot. For models and photographer.
And you know, when you shoot shoes you tape them underneath so the soles won't show wear-scratches showing; a couple of the pairs I returned were totally devoid of their previous surfaces! The tape removed them...
About the location, we all rode for 2 hours into the country side; beautiful! But how do you pack up the clothes, iron and so on? It can be tough, especially without electricity!
you're right, it is hard work! but i enjoy it. i use black gaffers tape on the shoes, it doesnt leave any residue when you pull it off. i bring a collapsable rack and throw everything on hangers flat in my trunk, all the shoes/accessories in a luggage bag, and i usually bring a steamer too. i've been wondering if there are any good handheld steamers out there?
)...and it seems that those women travel in packs...so the way to get in with them is to be one of them...find yourself an extremely wealthy husband who can get you invited to all the right places where you will meet these women and they will see your incredible fashion sense and beg you to help them shop...hahaha.. :P 
but with this agency job i will be need to be pulling a lot more clothes a lot more often..
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