We have this great little section in our first class called “How to Get Fired”. It’s probably our favorite part of class. We basically tell our students common mistakes that assistant stylists make that result in them getting canned. Sometimes our students don’t believe us during this section. We get a lot of  this … “You get can get fired for that, really?” Our answer is, yes you really can and today we have back up from some of the top stylists in the business.

Check it out …

“Coming in super hung-over and talking too much”- Carol Beadle

“Those with a sense of entitlement, otherwise know as “lazy” – Haidee Findlay-Levin

“Asking me something more than twice and not writing it down the first time.”- Lori Messerschmitt

“Laziness and someone who says “like” a lot.”- Negar Ali

“Giving any opinions on the clothing during a fitting (when I have not asked) in front of my client. Hearing they were rude to anyone while working for me. Not getting something I sent them to get and not telling me about it in time for it to get fixed.”- Daria Hines

“My worst pet peeve in an assistant is when an assistant’s is not honest with me, is tardy, has excuses for everything, and complains a lot. I cannot deal!”- Monica Rose

“Having bad personal timing and not taking direction.”- B Akerlund

“Laziness. Lateness. Excuses.”- Jess Zaino

Some of these aren’t even on our list! Sounds like we’d better get to adjusting our curriculum. If you want the full list of ways to keep yourself employed once you get that huge assistant stylist gig, you’d better register for our next Class 1.

In fashion (and in life), its all about who you know. As an up-and-coming stylist, being connected is key. It is super important to be connected to people in your industry both socially and in a business capacity. Having great connections will not only help you move up in the industry, it will help you be more valuable as an assistant stylist. Let me explain …

When you go to work as an assistant stylist there is a lot of running around to do, calls to make, and emails to send. There is noting more painful to a key stylist than taking the time to write down every piece of contact information you will need for the day.  So having your own arsenal of contacts will quickly elevate you to super-assistant status, and in turn, will make you a key stylist faster.

Another bonus/ brownie points giver that comes with having your own set of contacts, is sharing new contacts with your key stylists. If you discover a new showroom or a brand new boutique, add that info to your contacts. If you share that info you will be assistant gold. Stylists love finding new places to shop for their clients.

So how do you get these magical contacts? Here are a few ways …

1.) Go card collecting! Go to every fashion event you can and collect business cards. At the end of the night, add all of those contacts to address book.

2.) Google like a mad man. Look up great boutiques, designers, and showrooms and add them to your address book.

3.) Visit the LookBook. The LookBook is a great site that has every fashion contact in the world at the click of a mouse. There is a monthly subscription but if you are working constantly, this is a good tool to have.

4.) Use the SOS Contact Book. Yep, we have a contact book. Luke who has been styling for 12 years has taken his big book of contacts and has turned it into a book. You can purchase the book on our site and download it right to your computer!

So there you go … Your ticket be being a well connect super stylist!

As an assistant stylist it isn’t necessary for you to lug around a gigantic kit with you on all of the jobs you assist on — your key stylist will bring his or her kit. However, we do advise that you bring a mini-kit along with you on jobs. Bringing along this kit mini-kit will ensure you are prepared for anything and it will probably score you a bonus point or two with your key stylist.

1.) Lint roller-Nothing is more irritating than lint. Keep a mini lint roller in your bag for emergency lint and other dirty flecks that may crop up on set. Another way to carry around your lint roller is on a string around your neck. Makes for a functional necklace and it will always be handy when you need it.

2.) Mini-sewing kit (with mini-scissors)- When a button pops off, you’d better believe that your key stylist isn’t going to jump at the chance to sew it back on. Don’t even wait for the key to ask, you whip out your sewing kit and start sewing! Try and get a kit with small scissors too, will be helpful is cutting off stray threads.

3.) Safety pins & clips- Safety pins and clips are the savior of any photos shoot. If you think clothes really fit perfectly when they are put on the actors or models, then you are sadly mistaken. Clothing needs to be taken it on the fly all the time. Be prepared with pins and safety pins for these occasions.

4.) Top stick/ double sided tape- Almost equally as important as safety pins and clips … top stick! As stylists’ best friend. You will need this sticky stuff more than you will ever know, so have it handy in your assistant kit.

5.) Pen and paper- Having a pen and paper is crucial. Not only is it vital for taking credits on set but who doesn’t like to be the one who can step up to the plate when someone says “anyone have a pen?”

Fashion stylist, wardrobe stylist, or whatever you want to call it … It is one of the most sought after careers of the moment. And why shouldn’t it be? It’s a pretty sweet job. I mean you get to shop and hang out with beautiful people all day.

Of course, those aren’t the only reasons to consider wardrobe styling as a career. We have created a Top 10 List of Reasons Why Being a Stylist is the Best Job EVER! Check it out …

1.) Shopping, shopping, and more shopping! If you love to shop, then wardrobe styling is definitely the job for you. Your job is to shop. Shopping in department stores, showrooms, boutiques, costume houses … you get paid to be a shopping machine.

2.)  Beautiful clothes are your new best friends: As an aspiring wardrobe stylist you probably have spent most of your life drooling over fashion magazines and clothes that cost more than your rent. As as working stylist you will get to see and touch these beauties on a regular basis. Its a dream come true.

3.) Being your own boss (sorta): Gone are the days of having one big scary boss. When you are a stylist you are working for yourself. Sure you will have clients that act as your boss, but those are on a job by job basis. Being your own boss is a beautiful thing.

4.) Your workday is always different: No Groundhog Day here! When you are a stylist everyday is different. One day you may be working on a music video, another day you might be dressing models for a music video. Everyday is a surprise in this profession.

5.) Working with the beautiful, the talented, and the famous: Who needs stylists anyway? Celebrities, musicians, and models mostly. If you are a stylist guess who you will be interacting with at work … Exactly!

6.) Traveling: This all depends on your client, of course, but stylists tend to do a bit of traveling. New York, Japan, Los Angeles, Paris … you never know where you’ll end up for a job.

7.) Wave bye, bye to your boring desk job! If being chained to a desk is your biggest nightmare, then you will be happy to find out that you don’t have to spend too much time there. A lot of your job will involve being on set or in your car.

8.) Free clothes: We won’t lie, just because you are a stylist doesn’t means its going to be raining clothes 24/7 but occasionally the fashion fairy will drop a few treats in your closet.

9.) Backstage access to cool events: When you are dressing celebs and musicians you go where they go, which means backstage access to TV shows, concerts, and other cool events.

10.) Meeting new people: Like we mentioned earlier, your workday will always be different and that means meeting different people. Every job opens up the door for meeting new directors, photographers, makeup artists, hair people, models, celebrities, other stylists, and the list goes on …

So you’ve finally landed a job as an assistant stylist or as an intern for a stylist, congratulations! You might go in thinking that being an assistant or an intern is a walk in the park. We are here to tell you that isn’t the case. One misstep can lead into one of three things: 1.) getting yelled and screamed at 2.) getting fired on the spot or 3.) never getting called by that stylist ever again.

It’s a harsh truth, but it’s the truth all the same. Another truth is  your job is very important. It is important to the key stylist and it is important to building your career as a stylist.

With that being said, here are the Top 10 Ways to Get Fired as an assistant stylist/ intern. If you do the opposite of this list, you should be alright.

1.) Be late: It’s definitely a pet peeve of ours! Even if your key stylist is 20 minutes late (they usually will be) you should be on time. In fact, you should probably be a few minutes early.

2.) Dress like a tramp: Nothing says rookie like a girl in 6 inch heels. Nothing says disrespectful like a girl showing a ton of cleavage. Dressing like a skankity ho is not only uncomfortable (being a stylist is a very physical job), it is a real turn off to your key stylist … especially if she is older and less hot than you are.

3.) Network above your level: Bad move here!! It’s great to network on set, its how you build contacts to grow your career. However, networking with people that your key stylist should be networking with is grounds for immediate dismissal. Network with the other assistants, let your key handle schmoozing with the big dogs.

4.) Don’t answer your cell phone: When your phone rings, you best be answering it. We don’t care if you are in the bathroom or on the other line. If your key is calling, you answer!!

5.) Have a cell phone without email capabilities: Have a phone without the ability to receive email? Bye. It’s that simple. As as stylist you will be doing the majority of your work away from your desk. It is important that you bring the desk to you via a phone with email capabilities. Blackberry or iPhone? Whatever. Just get one that works.

6.) Flirt with everyone: Sure some of the best romances blossom on set but that doesn’t give you a free pass to flirtatiousville.  You are at work to work. End of story.

7.) Be loud on set: So important. As as assistant/intern you need to be like a little ghost … a very helpful ghost that only appears and makes sounds when asked to. On set there is no time for loudness and excessive talking. Don’t do it.

8.) Have a car without GPS: Key stylist: “Do you have GPS?” Assistant stylist: “Yes, on my phone.” WRONG ANSWER!! You’ve got to have GPS in your car. It’s one of the most handy tools for a stylist and yes, key stylists will ask if you have one before hiring you.

9.) Try and take credit for your key stylists work: Its common for the assistant to style a killer look that brings on a brigade of accolades. Wouldn’t it be great if you take the credit for it? It would be great but you can’t. Its a tough pill to swallow but get used to it and NEVER ever take credit … the credit always goes to the key.

10.) Lose your receipts, paperwork, or clothing: As an assistant you need to be an organization machine. Losing things will be a one-way ticket to getting screamed at like a child. Make copies of things, staple things to your body … whatever it takes, just don’t lose things.

If you want to avoid getting a one-way ticket to the fashion police then always remember this: Take off your studio service tag after you leave the department store!!

Some readers will laugh and know exactly what we mean. Others are sitting at their computers scratching their heads saying “WTF?” If you identify with the “WTF” category then let us explain.

When pulling clothing from a department store you can’t just roll in there like a regular schmo. You have to go through Studio Services. Studio Services is a special land devoted to working with stylists. Part of the Studio Services process includes wearing a gigantic name while you shop for your job. That tag explains to world and the department store employees that you are not a regular person … you are a stylist!

That tag is all fine and good in the store but once you leave — not the best look in the world. Just sayin’.

If you are an assistant stylist or an intern, at some point in your career you are going to be asked to tape shoes. I know I have been asked time or two (in fact you can see me in that picture taping up a pair of shoes)! The question is, will you know what do when your key stylist asks you tape up shoes? Do you even know why you are being asked to tape shoes? If you don’t, this blog post is my little gift to you.

Taping shoes is super important. If you are borrowing shoes from a store, designer, or showroom you don’t want to mess them up. Shoes are really easy to mess up and if you mess them up, that means you (or your key stylist) just bought them. Not good. So adding some tape to the soles of the shoes keeps them protected, it also keeps your bank account full.

Now you see why you need to do it but the question remains … how? Well, here is how I do it, enjoy:

1.) If there is a price tag on the bottom of the shoe I cover that with one layer scotch tape. That ensures that the price does doesn’t get ripped off or damaged.

2.) Apply layers of masking tape to the soles of the shoes. About 5 layers will do it. Use long stripes of tape to cover the bottoms and don’t worry if tapes hangs off the edge because it will.

3.) After you have applied the layers of tape, you will need to trim off the excess. Just grab a pair of scissors and start cutting. Don’t trip out if you can still see a little bit of tape because that can be worked out in photoshop later.

4.) The last thing I like to do is the heel. Just take a tiny piece (or two) of black tape to cover that part of the shoe.

That’s it. It’s not rocket science. It’s not the most fun thing in the world but it is a necessary task. Happy taping!!!

Over and out,

SOS Assistant

Yesterday during our Day 1 class, we learned a very valuable lesson for assistant stylists regarding on set etiquette. Keep your sexy back! In fact, keep your sexy as far back as possible. Let me explain …

A common misconception when it come to working as a wardrobe stylist, is that since you work in fashion you have to look unbelievably fashionable 24 hour a day. Not true. Everyone already knows/assumes that you are into fashion. I mean, duh you work in the industry. So it’s really not necessary to come to work decked out in heels, mini skirts, furs, excessive amounts of jewelry, etc. There are two reasons for this:

Reason #1- Chances are you will be working 10-18 hour days. Let me tell you something, those hours won’t be spent sitting around. You will be WORKING. You will be running around, picking things up, putting things down, schlepping things around … you will be gross by the end of the day. This is a very physical job.

Reason #2- Dressing like a fashionable little tart will piss people off. Even if you can handle carrying around 50lb loads in 6inch heels, chances are people won’t really like you for it. No they won’t be jealous of your brute strength, they will be jealous because you look freaking hot – sexy hot, not sweaty hot. Point is, a lot of the time you will be working with a female key stylist and she doesn’t want her piddly little assistant looking like a walking sex machine. It’s unprofessional and it will bring you the wrong kind of attention, which will ultimately result in you never getting hired again.

With that being said, you are probably wondering “Well, what the heck do I wear to work?” I will put it how my key stylist put it “dress chill”. I translated that into this: take off your six inch heels and put on your patent leather Converse or your Marc Jacobs ballet flats. The outfit I typically wear on set is a pair of flats, skinny jeans, a tee shirt, and a cardigan or leather jacket (if the shoot is outside). I try not to wear too much jewelry. I also avoid excessive makeup- no want wants to stare in the eyes of prostitute-in-training all day.

Over and out …

SOS Assistant