For a split second, I thought about going to TAFE to get some more qualifications, but soon after, realised that I'd done enough study in my life and wanted to start gaining experience - I could just learn on the job. But in the fashion industry, it's not as easy as going on SEEK and finding a job. A lot of this industry is based on your network of contacts - which means getting your foot in the door can be a very long and difficult process.
So you have to learn very quickly to change the way you think about job hunting - and while I didn't realise the gravity of it at the time, this shift in thinking would become the foundation for how I approached styling, and a lot a of other things in life.
I then proceeded to try a whole bunch of different things to figure out where in the fashion industry I fit. So I volunteered for fashion shows and fashion events; I interned at the buying department of a retailer, a fashion agency, magazine and pr agency - all of which was unpaid. But how did I discover styling?
It was actually pretty simple and makes a lot of sense: the way I came across all of these opportunities was to do a shit-load of research, gather as many names and email addresses as I could find, and send out an email. That's not to say that I didn't put a lot of thought into that email. I used my graphics skills to put together an eye-catching resume, which was always accompanied by a personalized cover letter explaining who I was and why I was email that particular person.
From here, I would meet the stylist who gave me my first job, and the styilst who became my first mentor.
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