Cardigan Empire

Salt Lake City Fashion Stylist

How to Become a Fashion Stylist

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Did I mention I’m heading back to school?  You should join me.  I’ll give you 5 Reasons to Register for Wardrobe Strategies at MCC taught by yours truly:

  1. Upon completion, you can wage battle against Crocs, UGG Boots, Bedazzled Denim, or whatever else your fashion aesthetic demands.
  2. TEC 245 counts toward an Image Consulting certificate. Said certificate would look very smart framed in a gilded gold frame in your personal styling office.
  3. A Monday evening dedicated to dressing up makes a lovely elective, perfectly accenting classes like biochemistry.
  4. I will teach you everything I know and a few things I don’t. My goal is to glory in your future success.
  5. You’ll be prepared to make the world a prettier place

Spread the word to your collegiate fashion smarties. Registration closes, and classes start, Monday, September 12th.

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illustrations from my textbook by Beth Allen

That’s right the 6th reason to register? You’ll get a first edition of my textbook, and this class is the only place you can get it for now.

Back to School Outfits for Under $10

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Watch the video clip on Sonoran Living

If they don’t grow out of it in six months, they’ve worn through it in three.  It’s difficult to get a respectable cost per wear on your minor’s wardrobe.  But there is a solution you may not have considered. One of the best ways to save money on kid’s clothes is shopping gently used or thrifted pieces.  Feeling a little intimidated?  Here are my expert tips for walking out with a covetable haul instead of a colossal headache.

  1.  Go in with your filter on.  Are you shopping for a certain child, a category of clothing, or a particular season?  If you’ve identified what you’re looking for, the thrifting process is a lot less exhausting.  It saves you from having to make decision after decision on each individual piece of clothing.  This first step should eliminate at least 80% of clothing from your consideration set.
  2. Use both hands and eyes.  Thrift store shopping is not for browsers.  Each piece is unique, so you can’t stand back and scan.  Step up and start sorting.  Quickly inventory each piece, be quick but thorough.
  3. Compare and conquer.  Since most thrift stores only offer exchanges of items, and it can be difficult to thrift shop with impatient children.  Bring a pair of pants, a shirt, a dress, in other words a small wardrobe that fits.  Then compare these pieces to what you’re considering.  You can’t always trust the size printed on the tag.  Different brands fit differently and perhaps the garment has shrunk, stretched, or wasn’t true to size to begin with.
  4. Don’t be afraid to cross departments.  look in the boys department when you’re shopping for a girl or in the women’s department for hidden teenager treasures.  Sometimes items get mis-sorted, misplaced, or are gender/generation neutral to begin with.  Some of your best finds might be hidden in the wrong spot.
  5. Shop often.  Rather than expecting to get a year or even a season’s worth of clothing in a single visit, aim for an outfit or two.  The Deseret Industries in Avondale puts out 2,000 items a day on average.  Which means it’s a different store every time you enter it.  Be willing to stop back in regularly to see what new items have arrived. I prefer the DI because their prices are always low.  I don’t have to wait for sales, instead I can stop in whatever day is most convenient for my schedule.

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Hopefully this helps you find a few more outfits for a few less dollars as you send the kids back to school.  For my segment on Sonoran Living, I found all the kids’ clothes from accessories to shoes at Deseret Industries and each outfit was under $10.