The Professions of a Fashionista

I need a job man. I am straight up going to graduate in less than 70 days. Like, what is that?! How is it possible that I am going to be thrown into the "real world" in less than three months?

It's all simply too much to handle. I mean, how is a girl supposed to find a job in fashion in THIS economy? And by fashion, I don't mean a job at the Gap. I mean a real, high powered, Whitney Port-esq job in fashion PR. I am talking runway show production, designer representation, magazine networking, clothing line launch parties. I want to feel the cool, early autumn wind blowing through my hair at Bryant Park for Spring Fashion week as I prepare seating charts for the VIPs for the next big show. I don't care what designer it is or which celebs are there, it's not about the people, it's about the CLOTHES.

But I might as well kiss those dreams good bye. The economy has turned against me in the worst way possible. So I may as well give up and take that job selling life insurance, right? WRONG. Eff that. I will not settle. Even if the economy falls down the drain, I will still stand tall.

Here's the thing: Even if my dream job isn't knocking at my door, there are plenty of other great opportunities. I mean, internships are ripe and ready for the picking in pretty much every industry. And a great, paid internship can be just the ticket you need into the job of your dreams. Even if Chanel isn't hiring right now, maybe they will be hiring by the end of the summer and who better to hire than that fabulous, well dressed little intern who was so efficient all summer?...Ok, maybe CHANEL won't be saying that, but a girl can dream, can't she? Bottom line, many other employers will be, so we must not let these hard times discourage us. In fact, now, more than ever, is the time to embrace my mantra of "look good, feel good".

The job market is competitive and sparce right now, so every impression counts. It is essential that if you do get that interview, that you ROCK the shit out of it. So if your dressed like a shmuck, you're already giving the other guy a better shot. I don't care what all these assholes say about "It's all about the experience you have under your belt, that's what gets you the job. It's what's on your resume that matters." Shut up. You're wrong. Does it make any sense to say, "Oh, after my in person interview I didn't get the job. It's probably because they didn't like my resume."? No. That makes no sense. They already read your resume and they liked it enough to talk to you in person. Your resume didn't lose you the effing job, you and your frumpy ass lost it!

So let's do ourselves a favor and make sure that we don't let our poor sense of style lose us the job. In this economy, looks matter. So here are a few helpful hints for how to dress for the big day:

1) Skirts are your friend.
Wearing a nice, classy work appropriate skirt tells a potential employer that a) you are feminine and tasteful b) that you care about how you look and c) that you not only know how to act like a professional, but that you can dress like one too.

High waisted skirts are so haute right now. And I LOVE this trend. They give you a nice silhouette and work well on almost every body type. While I was shopping in H&M the other day I found this:



Love the color, love the waist line. Also, love the price- $29.99 at H&M. Now, obviously you wouldn't put it with a t-shirt for the interview. I'm thinking a white blouse, or a girly white button up shirt (think 3/4 sleeves or cap sleeves to keep the look feminine).

2) Dresses to kill

I also found this little number at H&M:



$49.99 for that amazing floral dress! This would be great for an interview because it has a conservative neckline, and a basic, flattering cut--not too short and not too long. Now, I know my blackberry didn't take the best pic of this one, but here's a close up of the fabric:



It's white and blue floral. I like the white and blue combo for an interview for two reasons:
1) Blue looks good on almost every skin tone
2) It's different from the every day black; when you wear this color combination it will set you apart from everyone else.

This dress will be worn best when paired with a long, navy cardigan. It would also look cute with yellow, but for the work place, darker colors are always better for first impressions, since you don't know what the clothing culture will be like yet. (ie: some places are very suit and tie, others are more trendy/hipster, and some places are even jeans and t-shirt...you won't know til your interview day!)

3) Slap on those Ciggies
I'm personally not a huge fan of pants in general but I realize the rest of humanity is, so if you must: do it skinny. Cigarette style pants are my favorite. (That's a very skinny legged pant with a fitted waist--not low and not high) They aren't typical in a professional setting but they are very flattering and mature looking with a masculine blazer.



I love this one from Urban Outfitters, only $68. It's versatile. You can pair it with your interview pants and a basic white tee underneath along with a fun beaded necklace and heels. It's simple and trendy. Then after the interview you can throw on your favorite jeans and chucks with it to go out for a drink to celebrate how hard you rocked the interview.

So, let's make your plan of attack:
1) Get the effing interview. That's the easy part, because on paper you're a goddess to begin with.
2) Get dressed for the effing interview because in this economy, you can't afford to look like shit. Like you literally cannot afford it.
3) Get the job/internship and prove to everyone that you can indeed beat the bad turn in the economy with your dashing good looks, your excellent sense of style...and oh yeah, your laundry list of amazing achievements and superstar personality.

Now go, conquer the Whitney Port's and Lauren Conrad's of the world. Get that six figure paycheck from Chanel. Buy those Louboutin's you've been dreaming of and wear them in your corner office. Or at least go and get the coffee for the one in the corner office. Whatever works.