The Best Way To Start
A Fashion Career

Question:  “I have dreams of having a fashion career where I can really make a name for myself.  What's the best way to start?”

Answer:  In your own hometown.

Yes, I know—that's boring.  In fact, you may not think that your hometown has anything to offer.  But the truth is, it's the best place to start cutting your teeth in the highly competitive world of fashion.

In fact, the more experience you take with you to a big city, the more likely you are to succeed.  Whether you're interested in design, modeling, being a stylist, writing for a fashion magazine, or whatever, you'll increase your odds of success SIGNIFICANTLY if you start honing your skills in the local market.

Yes, I know—some people DO succeed “in the big time” right out of the gate.

But then, some people get hit by lightening twice too. Unfortunately, the odds are incredibly small.

So why gamble with your success like that?  Start honing your skills locally in whichever fashion career that captures your fancy, and you'll soon discover one of two things:

   1. That your talent needs honing before you do anything else

   2. That your talent exceeds the local market and you need to move to the next level

WARNING:  Do not assume that #1 does not apply to you.

If you do, it could cost you—dearly.

Let me give you a related example.

One of the hottest hits on American television is the show “American Idol™”  (Fox Television).  Starting each season with a growing field of over 100,000 contestants from across the country, the judges and the viewing audience whittle down the field down to one talented singer.  The winner gets a big fat recording contract and the chance to earn millions in the coming years.

But there are casualties along the way.

If you're one of the show’s devoted fans, you've no doubt seen and heard some of the victims.  Some are SO awful you wonder why in the world they thought they could sing.  Others have promising voices, but need to polish the “diamond in the rough”.  Still others look and sound good, but not as good as “the cream of the crop”.

ENTER:  The finalists.

A close look at the finalists’ backgrounds shows stories as diverse as the contestants themselves, all typically have one thing in common:   years and years of singing.

Some grow up singing in church choirs.  Others sing at theme parks or for pageant competitions.  Others have had jobs delivering singing telegrams.

But none of them come to the competition unprepared.  They all have dreams of stardom and fame, and they all started doing something about it long ago.

On the other hand, the starry-eyed wanna-bees who showed up ill-equipped were turned away at the door, with judge Simon's verbal boot on their backs.  Some may never recover from his stinging retorts.

So what does all of this have to do with a career in fashion?

If you think about it, being a recording star isn't all the different from being a fashion darling.  Both can have global influence, both can earn staggering amounts of money.

But in either case, you have to be prepared to play in the big leagues.

While nasty judge Simon has the nerve to “call 'em like he sees 'em” on “American Idol™”, most fashion critics lack his honesty and directness.  They'll either pander to you to your face, and then praise or pan you behind your back, or they'll take an instant dislike to you and be catty as all get-out.  Very, very few will give you honest, constructive criticism.

So, if you have a solid background with a few successes under your belt, you're more likely to take any criticism you do receive at face value and be able to tweak and adjust as needed to succeed. 

If, on the other hand, you show up unprepared, hoping to win the “fashion jackpot,” you may get your dreams crushed from the start.

And it's all so unnecessary. 

Plan your work and work your plan.  You're much more likely to succeed.

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Diana Pemberton-Sikes is a fashion writer and image consultant and a contributing author to FabJob’s Guide to “Become A Fashion Designer.”  You can visit her online at FashionJobReview.com .