Fall Favorites

The weather is starting to really cool down and the leaves are starting to change color. Fall is now in full swing! There are a few trends for fall 2011 that are starting to emerge. I wanted to highlight some of the staples I will be snapping up in the next few weeks.


SMOKING LOAFERS

These loafers remind me of old men drinking scotch in a library filled with mahogany panels. Now it is a chic American shoe that is making its way in women's wear. There are a variety of colors and patterns to choose from.

Pair these shoes with tailored pants or trousers. You can also pair these types of shoes with skinny jeans.

           TRUST FUND                                                                      BUDGET FASHIONISTA

Stubbs & Wooton, $400

Charles Philip Shanghai, $99

              














NEON BRIGHTS


What better way to cheer up a grey fall day but to wear brights. Color blocking is great for fall. If you are afraid or not used to adding color in your wardrobe try just adding an accessory or one clothing item and mix with other neutral colors.


                      TRUST FUND                                                                     BUDGET FASHIONISTA

The Cambridge Satchel Company, $135

Steve Madden, $89

CREATIVE NAILS


This is not really a clothing trend but I feel compelled to post it anyway because this trend is really blowing up. It's fashion for your nails! Your own nails are becoming your best accessories. Brands are starting to produce nail decals that have crazy patterns on them that will stay on longer than your usual manicure.


            TRUST FUND                                                                

Minx Nails, $50

                                                                               BUDGET FASHIONISTA

NCLA, $16

Fashion Internships: The Search

Now that you have created a slick resume and cover letter, I'm sure you are now ready to start sending your  goods into the fashion world!

Contrary to popular belief you do not have to have an MTV production crew to gain a fabulous internship! All you need is a bit of perseverance!

Here are my tips on where to start hunting for fashion internships.

There are many websites that have free listings to major fashion internships such as Marie Claire, Teen Vogue, KCD and more! 

Here are my top 3 websites where I have personally found success

Free Fashion Internships

FFI.com is one of the best sites on the web for fashion internships. The list is updated everyday with a bunch of new opportunities. I have seen everyone from Valentino to Vogue post on this website. What makes this site unique is that it feature fashion internships in a variety of departments. There are internships in finance, PR, Special Events, Design, Magazine, and more. 

ED2010

ED2010 is a national professional organization that focuses on the Magazine Industry. In addition to providing industry secrets  and tips they also have a great internship listing. They are constantly updating with fashion related internships in the magazine industry. All of the internships they offer are in print or web magazines and are usually in the fashion closet. Occasionally they post fashion internships that are in the editorial department, which is more writing than working with the actual clothes! If you striving to be the next Cathy Horyn then this would be the best place to look!

Intern Queen

Intern Queen is another great resource for the internship search! Not only does this site post up fashion internships but also internships in advertising/marketing and entertainment. This website also has a blog where other college students can write about their interning experiences and give advice. What makes this site unique is that it highlights fashion internships in all 50 states, not just New York City!

Other places to look for internships...

Tap your existing network!

 Let people know what your goals are and what you are interested in because you never know who might be able to connect you to someone in the industry. Your family's dentist could have a niece who happens to work for Chanel, YOU NEVER KNOW HOW PEOPLE ARE CONNECTED. SO SPEAK UP!!

Create your own opportunities!

So far I have been lucky enough to have had 4 different fashion internship experiences, with a 5th one lined up later this year. Out of all my internships only one of them was an internship that I officially found a posting online and applied to. My most valuable tip for looking for internships is to be proactive! 

My usual search process goes as followed:

-Find the dream companies I want to work for

-Contact (call,email,research) the office in order to obtain a name and email address of a person who might be looking for an intern. 

-I send them an email about my interest in working with them

Most of the time I get a response. It goes to show you that if you never ask you will never know. Most people would love help, especially one from an eager unpaid intern.

Do you have any good tips for the search? Comment below with YOUR best tips.

***On a side note I would like to share some exciting news! I just found out that I will be interning for Vogue this winter in the PR/Special Events Department. I'm so excited :)****

Eye Candy Tuesday

Fashion Internships: Resume and Cover Letters

So here is the second installment to my Fashion internship series:

Resumes and cover letters are very important because they are items that explains your past experiences to your future employers. In the fashion world there is a certain way these should be handled, which I will go into more detail in the next few paragraphs.

RESUMES


Don't worry if you don't have that much experience to put on your resume. This is the reason you are looking for a internship experience.

Here are few things you can list on your resume

-Leadership positions
-Retail experience
-Your blog or youtube account

Be sure to go into detail about what you did with each job/experience

Some key words fashion assistants look for when searching for resumes are

Self motivated, ORGANIZED, DETIAL ORIENTED, and Hard working

Organization and being detail oriented are very important skills to have when working as a fashion intern because a the bulk of your time will be spent handling expensive clothing samples. Fashion assistants need interns who are able to keep things organized and running smoothly.


Cover Letters

Your cover letter should be short and informative.

The most important things that you should state are:

- What position you are applying for
-When you want to start interning (Spring,Summer, Winter, Fall)
-What are your skills
-Why you would like to work for that company
-When you would be available to intern

Many people get too caught up in the cover letter and forget that fashion assistants are busy and don't have the time or interest in reading your life story.

Make it short an to the point!

here is a recent cover letter I have used in the past

Dear Petra,

I am writing to apply for an internship within Betsey Johnson’s Public Relations Department.

I recently completed an internship at Cosmopolitan Magazine in the fashion department. Some of my everyday duties as a fashion intern were returning and checking in samples, assisting on photo shoots, and preparing for run-throughs. I am very detail oriented, organized, and can work well under intense work environments. 

Managing such a fun and creative brand takes hard work, organization and above all passion. My ability of going above and beyond to get tasks completed and my previous experience would make me a great addition to the team. 

I would be able to start interning starting from the end of May to mid August. I will have no problem receiving school credit for the internship!

I have plans to be in New York March 7^th-8^th. I would love to figure out a time we could meet and talk more about the position!

My resume is an attached file to this email. I look forward to hearing from you!

Best,

Michelle

*I would appreciate that you not copy and paste this as your own, use this as an example!!!


When emailing your information here are some tips:

• Address the person by their first name. Its alright when applying for internships in the fashion world because most people are only a few years older than you.
• In the subject line I try and make myself stand out 
• I use subject lines such as  "STRONG FASHION INTERN APPLICANT" "SUMMER FASHION INTERN APPLICANT"

ALWAYS PUT YOUR COVER LETTER IN THE BODY OF YOUR EMAIL AND ATTACH YOUR RESUME!

Keep a look out for the next installment of Fashion Internships. I will be posting about where to start looking for internships :)

"Connecting" and "Disconnecting" With Civic Life

For my New Media and Society journalism class I was required to read and examine a recent article on the effects of internet usage in society. The article was called "Connecting" and "Disconnecting" With Civic Life: Patterns of Internet Use and the Production of Social Capital.

The article was a study on how social capital has changed since the use of new media such as newspapers, television, and the internet. The researchers looked at the civc, baby-boomers, and the X Generations. They discovered that it was hard to determine whether or not the internet had a negative or positive effect on real life social interactions in our society.

Instead we should be examining the way in which we use the internet. Some people use the internet for to learn about current events around the world, others use it to share and discuss ideas via blogs and forums.

Over all I personally think the internet had definitely changed the way people interact with others in real life. The internet has had both positive and negative effects in our society. The internet has be positive because it allows more like minded people to share ideas across the world. As a result more people have become more open and educated about the world around them.

On the other hand the internet has made face to face interactions more challenging. People have become so conditioned to shooting a quick email, instead of taking the time to send a handwritten note. And some people don't even bother to pick up the phone and CALL someone.

In the fashion world, understanding the way new mediums have changed our society is important.
More fashion houses are becoming tech savvy and realizing that e-commerce is vital to their future success. Netizns are sharing ideas and fashion news through the internet instantly, brands need to be able to keep up with their consumers.
One of the most forward fashion brad in e-commerce right now is Burberry.

Fast Company recently published the "Top Ten Most Innovative Companies in Fashion", raking Burberry number one.

"For breathing new life into a luxury stronghold. Burberry has not only emerged as one of the best-designed and most successful luxury brands, but also the most technologically advanced. Last year, the fashion house live-streamed its runway show in 3-D and offered an unprecedented 72-hour presale to consumers worldwide."

Discovering Your Personal Style

Back when I had my 15 minutes of YouTube fame I created a vlog about personal style and where I find my own fashion inspiration.

I think discovering your own personal style is a process and something that is constantly evolving. Even though I have been obsessed with fashion for years I am still trying to nail down my unique sense of fashion.

Currently I think my fashion sense is a mix between a simple feminine look ,and I like to mix a bit of a rough and tough look. I am really inspired by the way French women always look effortlessly polished yet understated.

Here are a few of my own tips for discovering your personal style...

1. Seek for what inspires you.

Read style blogs and fashion magazines. You will start to see what you gravitate towards. I tend to love reading these blogs: The Man Repeller, Because I'm Addicted, Garance Dore, and Carolines Mode.


I also read a TON of fashion magazines. I love reading French Vouge and Elle (US)

Another website that you should also uses is Pinterest , a online inspiration bulletin board, where users can create an account and collect pictures or websites that inspire them.

2. Start dressing up!

Having a sense of style is a skill that get stronger the more you practice it. If you are always dressing in sweats and a t-shirt you got for free at camp, you are never going to truly know what your real style is. You don't have to dress up everyday but taking an extra 15 minutes to put together a unique outfit will keep your style skills in check. You will start to have fun trying to put new outfits together with clothes you have had in you closet.


3. Find Your Style Icon


There are so many people who have a very unique sense of style and its OK to channel their style in order to find your own. Some really awesome style icons who I admire are

Anna Dello Russo 

Edie Sedgwick

Jackie O.

Emmanuelle Alt

Shala Monroque

After taking a look at the people who inspire my style I have started to discover similarities between these stylish women. I really like the look of the mid to late 1960s. I also appreciate bold colors and textures.  

4. Find Your Signature Pieces 

In my closet I have a few go to items that I always tend to throw on at the last minute to complete my look. Currently I have a black leather biker jacket and a Moroccan scarf that I am OBSESSED with for the fall season. 

Find something that makes you feel and look good when you wear it. Having a signature piece can allow you to develop consistency in your wardrobe. In addition, having a signature item will force you the think of new ways to freshen it up and try wearing it in different ways. 

Here are a few examples of signature pieces you can have of your own:

Bold Colors        Prints          Shoes    

             

  Handbags         Scarf

Vintage         Dresses         Jewelry

5. Flaunt Your Best Features

Is your favorite attribute your long legs, or you hourglass figure, or even your height? Don't be afraid to flaunt what you have. Your beautiful features is what makes you unique. Dressing for your correct body type will make you look polished and confident. 

Find one feature that you love to show off and dress for it everyday. If you have long legs have your signature pieces be mini skirts, if you have a coke bottle shape then accentuate your waist with belts!

Belted Waist

Mini Skirt

Fashion Internships: Where to start

Hello readers! I'm really sorry for the lack of posts the last couple of days. My life has been a bit chaotic with school and some exciting upcoming projects.

Last weekend I was working on a fashion photo shoot for an new publication, I had such a fun time styling the models and having creative freedom in interpreting trends! I'm so happy that I have opportunities to do fashion even in the middle of Iowa. This realization has inspired me to really start helping others gain some of the opportunities I have experienced. Over the years I have worked and lived in New York, interning for some of the top women's/fashion magazines in the world. I have been able to navigate the world of fashion interning by myself with many successes and failures. One thing I have realized along my journey is the lack of advice and insight into this world on the internet.

So here is my goal for you...
I am going to start a series called "How to get a Fashion Internship"
Through out the months I will touch on how to get a sweet internship from start to finish.
Some of the topics you can look forward to:

- Getting started/Pre-planning
-Where/how to find internships
-Resumes and Cover Letters
-Interviews
-What to wear
-Acceptance
-What to do to get the most out of your experience

I hope that this helps at least one person follow their dreams. If you have a question along this journey feel free to comment or email me michellemorgan45@gmail.com


So without further adieu....

So you are ready to pursue your dreams of being in the fashion industry! It is a very exiting world that is a perfect place to explore your creativity and also learn about the powerful business aspect of the industry. But before you can become the next Anna Wintour or Kelly Cutrone, you will most likely start out as the lowly intern. 

It is important that you have a strategy when pursuing any goal and this is manifested by planning ahead.

Here are a few important steps to take to prepare yourself for  your internship search:

• Make sure that you have a professional e-mail address. If you are still emailing people with soccerluver213@aol.com it is time to get something more serious. You want to make a good first impression when emailing your resume out. 

• Start thinking about what areas would you like to explore as an internship. There are so many avenues such as magazines, PR, Business, Marketing, Buying, styling, Editorial, Web

• Another thing to consider is the requirements for most internships. Most of the major companies require that an applicant be over 18 years of age and in college. Since most internships in fashion are unpaid, many require that you are receiving school credit for the internship. There may be some exceptions to theses rules but this is the general requirements. 

• Begin to freshen up your resume and create a linkedin account. These are important tools because it helps your future employer know about your past experiences. If you don't have a resume go to your college career center 

These are just a few preliminary steps to take before you dive into the internship hunt.

Keep a look out for the next internship posting where I will be sharing my secrets for where to find awesome internships!!

STREETSTYLE

Here is the second round of Streetstyle in Iowa City! I want to make this an ongoing project where I feature the fashionable people on my college campus. Iowa is not exactly the fashion capital of the world but that does not mean that we don't have chic people shuffling to class in the latest trends. 

Look #1: 

I bumped into a fellow classmate of mine when I was shooting around campus. She is always very well dressed and today was no exception. I love the way that she is transitioning from summer into fall. She is sporting liquid cutout leggings with chic black boots. By pairing the black leggings with matching boots gives the illusion of never ending legs. The best thing about this outfit is it's versatility, they grey sweater gives a casual look for day classes but the outfit can easily be transformed into a sleek dress with leggings for a night on the town with the girls!

Look #2:

I found this gentlemen walking accross the pentacrest! This is a great look for a casual day at class, a great alternative look to the usual hawkeye gear. rolling up the legs of the jeans is a great style trick for men and can really set you apart from the crowd. The thing that ties this look together are the sunburnt orange desert shoes he is sporting, giving the otherwise monochrome look some character. 

Desert shoes are a great shoe for men looking for footwear to get them through the Fall season. The shoes usually are brown or black and are made with suede but multicolored shoes are coming back in style. The great thing about desert shoes is that they can be paired with jeans, kakis, and even dress pants!

Look #3:

Don't be afraid of wearing your summer dresses in the fall. This girl is paring a floral dress with patterned tights. Tights are a great way to spice up an old look and come in thousands of different colors and patterns. 

The Value of Twitter

For one of my journalism classes I had to read about a recent study on Twitter. The article was titled What is Twitter, a Social Network or a News Media? The researchers focused on how Twitter has become a powerful tool in news media. By measuring trends in s retweets and user activities they had come to some interesting conclusions. One idea that really surprised me was that they had found that "any retweeted tweet will reach an average of 1,000 users no matter what the number of followers is of the original tweeter." Knowing that a small message can reach 1,000 individual readers is groundbreaking! Twitter can revolutionized the way people communicate with each other and share news.

In the world of fashion, twitter has been a very popular tool among blogger and fashion companies. Many fashion houses have their own PR team who maintain a Twitter and keep consumers talking about their brand.

In terms of blogging it is an essential! If one retweet could potentially get your name out there to 1,000 readers there is no excuse why any blogger would not be using twitter. Twitter makes everyone more accessible and discussion of ideas can be easily shared.

Some fashion tweeters you should follow are:


Bryan Boy 

Derek Blasberg

Also be sure to follow your favorite fashion editors!

Kanye West @ Fashion Week Review

The most highly anticipated event during Paris fashion week was Kanye West's debut fashion line. The show was a very intimate event with only 100 invitations going out to all the powerful players in the industy. What made the front row unique from other typical fashion shows was the sheer amount of other designers and high profile fashion celebrities who came to support the young designer. Famous names such as the former EIC of French Vogue- Carine Roitfeld, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Marie Claire's fashion director Nina Garcia, and controversial fashion photographer Terry Richardson were all in attendance.

The anticiaption for the show was buliding by the minute, with the show running over 30 minutes late. Everyone was anxious to see what West had to offer the industry....

Anja Rubik, the popular Polish model started the show wearing a black leather skirt that hit just above the knee which was paired with a black structured leather jacket. My immediate reaction after seeing the first look was... ISN'T THIS SUPPOSED TO BE A SPRING/SUMMER 2012 RTW LINE?!

Kanye West Look #1

As the other looks started to come down the runway I increasingly become more confused about the choices in cuts and fabric West had chosen for his show. The models strutted clad in luxurious fox stoles, (some taking up the entire backs of the dresses) and heavy use of leather.

Another major problem with this line was the lack of tailoring. Almost all of the models had on garments that just did not fit correctly and as as result did not look flattering. It was rumored that West pulled a lot of the show together three days before the show! A show usually takes at least 6 months to develop and create, if not longer. Having perfect tailoring is a very important facet of designer collections. It what makes a garment from Macy's different from a couture gown from Dior or Chanel. Tailoring should always be flattering and should accentuate the beauty of a women's body.

West's line seems to be leaning towards sportswear, I definitely saw many influences from some of the fashion shows that Kanye frequents. The one that really stood out was Balmain. The cut out bondage dresses and sleek leather pants looks ripped off from previous Balmain collections. 

West's first show was a bit disappointing. If he really wants to be taken seriously in the fashion world he  needs to create a more cohesive collection in addition to designing for the correct season. I hope that West continues to grow and come back to fashion in the future with a more evolved and more confident brand. 

Additional Looks from West's Show

_________________________________________

One of the challenges Kanye had to face was the stigma of the "celebrity turned designer". Kanye had said before the show,

"Getting the audience to look past its prejudices about “the celebrity designer, the rapper designer. That’s the biggest hurdle,” 

The fashion industry is notorious for being a very closed group and it can be very difficult for an outsider to gain recognition or to have the same respect as a designer who has devoted his or her life to the craft. Over the years West has had constant presence  at international shows even if he is welcomed or not... (Kanye Crashes PFW). Celebrity lines are usually taken with a grain of salt by insiders in the industry. There are many celebrity brands that have failed, however there are a few celebrities who have been able to break the mold and create a well respected and successful fashion empire. 

So what makes some celebrity fashion lines more successful than others? One of the main reasons some lines are successful fashion houses is because the celebrity designer usually puts all of their energy into developing the line. They are not trying to maintain their acting/music career, while developing a perfume, their reality show, AND a fashion line. The brands that have done the best are the ones where it is the only project that the celebrity is working on. 

Some Celebrity lines that have got it right....

Jessica Simpson:

Jessica Simpson started her fashion line back in 2008 and has grown to be one of the most successful celebrity fashion lines in the United States. She is slated to be the first celebrity line to have  one billion dollars in sales by the end of the year 2011. Her designs reflect her own girl next door style and are set are reasonable prices. Her appeal is the fact that many consumers are able to replicate her sense of style without breaking the bank. 

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen- The Row

 The Olsen twins have long been seen as style icons and made the Bohemian Chic a popular trend back in 2005/2006. Ashley Olsen has had a lot of hands on experience working in the fashion industry. She had completed a apprenticeship in the design department at Calvin Klein. The sisters debuted The Row in 2007 and has been a staple in on the New York Fashion Week schedule. The designs emphasize simple and modern tailoring and usually a very understated aesthetic, much like the girls themselves (they are known for being very shy and quite with press). The brand is very luxurious, a recent  item that created a lot of buzz was a mini crocodile backpack retailing for 39,000 dollars!

Victoria Beckham:

Many of you many know her as Posh Spice. The former Spice Girl has shed her image of a singer and  has made a name for herself in the fashion world. Beckham started her line in 2006 with a denim line. The fashion empire eventually evolved into a full ready-to-wear collection filled with luxurious lady-like pieces, (think Kate Middleton). Beckham's line may have been the first to venture into the celebrity fashion trend and has she has gained a lot of respect by the powerful few in the industry.