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?”

Do you go commando? SOS doesn’t — we like undergarments around here — but as a stylist you will come to find out that a lot of actresses, actors, models, and musicians do in fact love going “commando”. That’s all fine and good when it comes to personal lifestyle choices but when it comes to wearing borrowed clothing, not as fine … at all. We will spare you the gory details and just tell you about this cool product that one of our graduates introduced us to (it’s his company actually), Commandos.

Commandos are these clever little liners that you can slip inside your jeans/ pants to protect them from, um, damage. Pretty genius. These would definitely make for a useful addition to any stylist’s kit.

Buy them online at GoCommandos.com

Bet you didn’t see that one coming, tape being a stylist’s best friend did  you? Well it is. Tape (all sorts of tape actually) is something that a stylist simply can’t live without. Not only is tape great for hanging stuff on the walls, it’s amazing for taping shoes!! Taping shoes is super-important and very crucial when styling a shoot. Why? Most of the time you are borrowing garments and shoes — and ruining the soles of an expensive pair of shoes is no picnic because guess who has to pay for it? You do!

Lets see some tape, blue tape to be exact, in action. Shall we?

On the walls …

And on shoes …