What happens when Stylist Brad Goreski, Designer Whitney Port, Style Expert Louise Roe, Editor Melissa Magsaysay, and Blogger Aimee Song get in the same room? Every stylist, editor, blogger and publicist follow!!
Saturday, at the Simply Stylist panel we learned how they all got started, some of their personal style secrets, trend forcasts, and got a few pearls of wisdom (and some costume ones too in the gift bag... not complaining).
HOW THEY STARTED
& A TIP ON HOW TO STAY GOOD AT IT:
Louise:
Louise’s father was a travel writer and after watching him as a journalist she then got her degree in English Literature. After interning and working her way up in fashion publishing in England she was introduced to fashion segments and commentary. She is now working in national Television.
Tip: Always keep up with all the editors you meet and follow up with all your contacts you meet along the way. Keep your resume fresh and updated. Always be positive.
Whitney:
Fashion is deep in the family- her father was a manufacturer and grew up around apparel her entire life. She decided to intern with (see below) fashion editor Melissa Magsaysay at WWD and then moved onto Teen Vogue where MTV asked her if she took this internship she would be taped for a reality TV show. After giving it thought she accepted and later learned that she was the counterpart to Lauren Conrad on the Hills. After learning so much while filming at Teen Vogue she realized she didn’t want to write and wanted to work closer with the fashion brands so she took a job with Kelly Catrone at People’s Revolution. Thereafter she realized she wanted to move to NYC. After an MTV producer approached her about her own show. Not long after Whitney started her own clothing line called “Whitney Eve” with her family.
Tip: Stick to something that you are good at and what makes you happy. She recommends taking internships and to be patient and work your way up. Whitney also recommends that if you love to design, go to fashion school to learn the technical aspect. It is important and she wishes she had gone to fashion school. She still plans on going.
Brad:
Since he was a child he has always wanted to be in fashion! Playing dress up with Barbie was one of his favorite childhood memories. At six years old he was also dressing his mother, and commenting on fashion. It was when he was interning at Vogue that he realized he wanted to be a stylist. Jessica Deal, one of the editor’s at Teen Vogue who is now at Vanity Fair, enlisted him to assist her on a shoot and realized at the shoot that this is what he wanted to do- Style! When he was at W Magazine as an intern he had a great mentor who taught him everything. And then he was on his way!
Tip: Live every day to the fullest and be the best that you can be in your job. Be as creative as you can, because you could lose that job the next day. The fashion world is competitive and those who are giving their 100% everyday succeed.
Aimee:
Started her blog Song of Style 4 years ago, and initially wanted an interior design job. On her second post she posted an outfit she wore on a job interview. All of the other applicants were dressed in normal professional business attire, Aimee showed up in an over-sized green Forever 21 T-shirt that she belted and wore as a dress and after she got the job she later found out that the interviewee appreciated her outfit and it was one of the reasons she got the job! She blogged of this outfit and then decided to continue her fashion posts after gaining attention and awareness.
Tip: You can do two things and if you love them both it is easy. So keep your day job even if our blog is a success! Also, good photos and crediting your outfit are a must for a good blogger.
Melissa:
Always wanted to be a writer, got a her degree, started to intern at magazines in NYC, and became a fashion editor.
Tip: Most writers are already tenacious, but the fashion world is competitive so you need to have a strong voice. Today social media allows this to be easier with fashion writers having blogs, twitter, instagram, and a social media platform to communicate a point of view. It is important to have this and then be able to have your special twist in communicating your voice thereafter. It is important to have a sense of what you want to write about and understand it very well.
Black & White Trend:
Brad:
Love the Black and White trend- it is timeless and anyone can do it. The trick is to pick your B/W style - go for the 60’s , minimalistic, or graphic look. It is important to choose one and stick with it.
Whitney:
Love it with a simple white T-shirt and Black Blazer. It's chic and forever. A “Universal Look”.
xox
Eryka