By Anuli Akanegbu

Stuck in high school, day dreaming about the day you’ll be able to design fabulous clothes?  Stop dreaming and start doing.  There are multitude of ways to jumpstart your fashion career before college and get ahead of the game.

I have lately been running into high school students who are interested in working in the fashion industry, but are unsure of how to get their well heeled foot in the door. Nowadays, age is nothing but a number when it comes to breaking into the fashion industry. Tavi of Style Rookie started her blog before she was even in high school. The secret to success in any industry is hard work and determination. If a door slams in your face, then look for a window.

Below are a few things you can do in high school to jumpstart a career in fashion:

Start a blog.
This one is pretty obvious because the fashion industry is beginning to live online these days. If you want to promote yourself as a “fashionista” or “fashionisto” then start a personal blog. A blog is a great way to showcase your writing, creativity, or styling abilities.

• If you are interested in writing then start writing articles or review the latest collections on your site.
• If you are interested in photography, art direction, or styling then gather some like-minded friends and develop your own photo shoots.
• If you are interested in hosting or broadcast then start filming yourself reporting at events or reviewing collections and post your videos online.

Get involved in school clubs.
There are always ways to relate what you are doing in high school to a career in fashion.  Were you in Student Government? Great, then you have leadership and organizational skills. The Prom was an event, wasn’t it? If you helped plan it then you can connect that to a career in Public Relations.

Check if your country or district has a DECA chapter. DECA is an organization for students interested in Marketing. Participating in DECA competitions and events will look good on your resume if you are interested in business, public relations, advertising, or marketing.

Are you a writer? Then you better join the school newspaper. If the articles on the lacrosse team or the school lunch bore you then ask the editor if you can start a fashion column.

Interested in art? Check if your school offers an art club. You don’t have to be a great artist to join, just have an interest in it. Fashion is a type of art. Designers have a creative process just like a painter or a sculptor has.
Network.

Do you want an internship? Then start looking up people who live near you. It’s as easy as a Google search. Don’t be afraid to email someone you find interesting about a possible internship. Not many people will say no to free work nowadays. You never know who will give you the chance you want to break into fashion. Below are some good websites to check out for internships:

• http://www.ed2010.com/
• http://freefashioninternships.com
• http://dailyfashionjobs.com/
• www.idealist.org
• http://www.seventeen.com/college/do-something
• www.fastweb.com

Read anything and everything.
Start searching your local libraries and bookstores for books and magazines on fashion, history, and art. In fashion it is important to know your references. Designers and magazine editors are always inspired by history whether it is an influential movie, icon, era, or television show. As you’ve heard numerous times before, “history repeats itself”, so it is important to be knowledgeable on both past and present trends. Use Google Reader to organize all of your favorite blogs and websites in one place. Try your best to keep up with the latest fashion news, trends, and stories. Below are some great books to start with.

• The Little Black Book of Style by Nina Garcia
• Influence by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen
• Style A to Zoe by Rachel Zoe
• The Teen Vogue Handbook by Teen Vogue

Start a business.
Are you a good artist? Then start selling your work to friends and coworkers. Do you design jewelry? Wear your pieces daily to drum up business from inquiring minds. Think about your talents and try to translate them into dollars.

Get a job.
You can’t sit at home watching “The Rachel Zoe Project” forever. Rachel’s former assistant, Taylor has started a new job and so can you! A great way to learn about the fashion industry and make money at the same time is getting a job in retail. That’s right, people actually work at the places you buy clothes and are gaining valuable experience. Designers sell their clothing to stores and magazines write about them, so why not learn about the business of fashion from the ground up by working at your local mall or boutique. Now, before you start dreaming about free clothing let me set you back in reality. Working in retail can be hard, so you must take it seriously if you want to get any type of employee discount. Service jobs in the food or childcare industries can also be related to fashion because you have to interact with different kinds of people. Consider these jobs as opportunities to hone your interpersonal skills. If you can calm down a five-year-old then maybe one day you can calm down an editor who forgot to drink their Venti Carmel Macchiato with an extra espresso shot that morning.

Create a personal brand.
In short, personal branding is about finding what makes you standout. Take this time in your life and in college to discover who you are and how your personal attributes contribute towards setting you apart from others with similar goals as yourself. It might seem odd to call yourself a brand, but it really is important to market yourself effectively. Elements of your personal brand include how you dress, your personality, and your personal skills. Hone in on what makes you standout and use the tips above to showcase your talents.

About the Author
Anuli is a Legal Communications major at Howard University who fancies herself as the next Martha Stewart (without the prison sentence). In her spare time Anuli enjoys crafting, writing, and developing Pinky and The Brain-esque plans for world domination. Her experience interning in the fields of both fashion and government have taught her that the key to success is drive, dedication and a dash of luck. Check her out online at The Dookyblog and Also Known As Anuli .

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