The world of fashion is often put inside this box that relegates it to models walking down the runway wearing clothing items put together by designers. This may be due to the way the industry is often represented in the media. Either way, to those that are not directly involved in the fashion industry, there is not that much depth. However, this could not be further from the truth. Logically, it would make sense that a multi-trillion dollar industry would retain a variety of positions that make up the entirety of the workforce. After all, an industry that size cannot be sustained on the backs of two positions. There is a whole cast and crew while turning the wheels of fashion. Details aside, designer and businesswoman Vivienne Westwood believes fashion is a valuable pursuit, “Fashion is very important. It is life-enhancing and, like everything that gives pleasure, it is worth doing well.”

If one is passionate about a career in fashion, there may be more options available to them than they realize. This is why we connected with a few experts to get a better idea of what fashion careers to explore beyond designing and modeling. Another great opportunity is a fashion internship career in Toronto.

Fabric technologist 

Lori Price is the founder of PixieLane, a brand offering clothing items geared for children. She believes that one of the more interesting positions in the industry revolves around the science of fabrics. 

“Technological innovation and human ideas cause new or different types of fabrics to appear at a fairly consistent rate. At the same time, changes are made to existing fabrics to improve upon them. There are people out there who do this for a full-time job. Fabric technologists test, select and change fabrics all day, every day. They’re making sure things are up to quality standards as well. In many ways, the industry is heavily reliant on these people as clothing would be nowhere without the fabrics that make them up.”

Public relations

Diamond Mansion specializes in affordable and high-quality diamond jewelry. Their CEO and founder, Omid Semino, suggests taking a look at a more traditional line of work that has a strong presence in the fashion world. 

“Anyone who has spent any time in business has at least heard of public relations. It might be obscure but essentially, some companies rely heavily on not only getting their message out there but also getting it into the right channels. If a brand is able to make the right crowd aware of what they’re doing or offering, they stand a much better chance of finding success. Public relations people are also helpful when it comes to handling any media inquiries or making statements that require more tact than something more general.”

Buyer

Similarly to the way one would shop for clothes in a department store, fashion companies must make decisions about which items to buy. Western Rise is a business providing versatile and simple clothes for men. Their co-founder and creative director, Will Watters, considers the career of a buyer to be intriguing. 

“One thing the fashion industry understands extremely well is what the customers want. There’s somewhat of a science around this but this person also has to have an eye for the appealing and desirable. These people are known as buyers. They are the people who decide what lines of clothing their company will be purchasing to turn it around and retail to the public. They really have a lot more power than you might expect as they can approve or decline any time from reaching public consumption.”

Stylist 

Zach Goldstein is the CEO of Public Rec, a brand offering fashion with an emphasis on comfort. He advises others to pay attention to the role that stylists play when it comes to trendsetting. 

“Whether you’ve only seen the random clips of a fashion runway on the news or you’re an avid follower of these shows, you can tell the immense detail and effort some of these outfits require to pull off. The models aren’t doing this themselves. Generally, there’s a team of people responsible for last second alterations, changing into the clothing items, hair design and makeup. They know what accessories pair well or which type of makeup to use. It’s a very creative career that does demand some level of ingenuity but the challenge there is what’s exciting.”

Illustrator

Andar specializes in handcrafted goods such as wallets or phone cases. Their co-founder, Eric Elggren, believes that drawing up fashion concepts is one of the more fascinating positions in fashion. 

“Before clothing ideas can become a reality, they generally go through a few stages of design and production. Part of this is drawing up ideas for pieces so that decisions can be made based on visual elements rather than obscure descriptions. This industry has evolved recently due to the development of technology so there is a bit of a learning curve here. But, if you have a hand for art and a passion for helping produce unique items, this could be a great path for you. Just make sure you’re comfortable with more of a freelance approach to employment as that tends to be more of the norm.”

Inventory specialist

Seeing as the fashion industry is extremely large, there has to be an intricate level of organization behind it. La Blanca is a business providing a variety of women’s swimwear products. Their vice president of eCommerce, Karim Hachem, proposes the role of planning this organization for anyone who has a knack for it. 

“Think of all the places in your area that sell clothes regardless of style. I guarantee that you missed more than one store which does so. My point here is that the fashion industry is far bigger than you would think at face value. For every clothing store, brand, or manufacturer, there is someone who is responsible for the numbers game and storage of these items. They must deduce how many items to order, when to order them, and where they’re going. All of these numbers are based on metrics uncovered through analytics so it’s definitely not a guessing game.”

Art director

Georgie Dorfman is the CEO of All My Love, a brand offering clothing with an element of individuality. She recommends the job of art director to anyone with a skillset that lends itself to building an attractive brand. 

“Customers can behave a bit like birds sometimes. If they see that new, shiny thing, they’re quick to seek it out. This is where the art director comes into play for a fashion company. Their responsibility is to create a synchronous style of appearance across every platform and at every event the company makes itself present at. But it should be more than simply uniform. It should pop in a way that draws the outsider in or at least pulls their eyes. It’s kind of like interior design but for a fashion company.”

Trend forecaster

Kokolu specializes in sustainably sourced tote bags. Their head of brand and business development, Gigi Ji, considers the tasks of someone who is looking to the future of fashion to be one of the most critical roles. 

“The fashion world is not some rudderless ship sailing across the seas without a map to be found. At all times, it knows where it’s headed and how it’ll get there. They can thank the trend forecasters for this. These people make it their mission to discover what’s coming down the pipeline. They generally know the trends before most and have a deep understanding of where a consumer base is at regarding a particular style. On top of this, they’re able to pair their knowledge of past fashion trends to understand their future. It’s very much an experience based position but it holds a ton of authority.”

As seen above, the fashion industry has more options available to those who are dedicated to making a career within the field. If designing or modeling have not worked for you, there’s enough demand for a variety of people that you can find your personal avenue if you continue to pursue it. Fashion designer Vera Wang spoke to this, “When you have a passion for something then you tend not only to be better at it, but you work harder at it too.”

While talk of summer beach time tends to be dominated by the bikini vs not debate, it offers oh-so-much-more for the fashionista looking for a little fun. What’s cute and trendy to wear to the beach? Let’s dive right in!

The Suit

First up, it is the beach, so you are going to need a suit, even if you’re not that into the idea of taking a swim. It just looks right and makes sense, too. After all, what happens if you get wet by accident? Don’t feel confined to a bikini or one-piece, however. It’s 2022, baby- there’s plenty of options. Why not try swim dresses for women, for a more layered (and adorably feminine) look? 

Or keep it sporty with a tankini. Rash guards and leggings work great too. For dudes hoping to avoid the banana hammock, we advise checking out some sporty compression shorts, or going old-school with a pair of classic board shorts. Whatever makes you comfortable, but can stand up to a little seawater when it’s time to play.

The Colors

It’s the beach, baby! Even if you can’t be parted from a gothic color palette or your LBD day-to-day, it’s time to kick off the shackles and bring some whimsical spirit to the table. If you really can’t see yourself in funky florals or summer-drenched patterns (but they are amazing for the beach, mind) then why not play with some cool monochrome looks? Stripes of all kinds have a jaunty nautical feel, and can give you a slim, old-Hollywood glamor vibe, too. Vibrant neons and bold jewel tones bring out the best in darker skins, and there’s never been a better time to experiment with brightness.

The Sun

Time to get a little serious. The very first beach accessories you need are the ones that are going to keep you safe from the sun. Sun-kissed skin feels fantastic, but remember it’s also a major source of premature aging. And dark skins aren’t exempt from the risk of skin cancer, either. So make sure you have a great sunscreen lined up (remember to think reef-safe, too). 

Luckily, you can have tons of fashionable fun staying out of those aging rays. Time to hook yourself up with a super-chic wide-brimmed beach hat, some sexy sunglasses, and an awesome beach bag to throw it all in.

The Wardrobe

Unless you’re super chill- and the rest of the beach is, too- you’re going to need something fun and funky to throw over your suit. Now’s the time to embrace that floaty kaftan or breezy sarong of your dreams. Want something a little more covered? The beach and the maxi dress go hand-in-hand. If you’re feeling more flirty, take the hemline up, and pack a cool cotton summer dress to slip on.

The beach is one of the few places in the world where you don’t need to worry about shoes, but let’s be honest- jeweled flat sandals, or even a classier flip flop, is the perfect way to showcase a beach-worthy pedi, and keep your feet sanitary, too.

The Accessories

Time to go wild, fashionistas! Leave the ‘good’ jewelery at home and think chunky, fun, and loud. If you’re hoping to showcase your ethnic heritage with pride, this is the perfect venue for beads, sleek woods, and natural components. If you’re looking for elegance over fun, skip plastic and faux-metals, and lean into resin, glass, and hardwood instead.

The beach means time to play, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun, too. Assembling the perfect beach diva vibes is 

Are you a fan of metal music? If so, then you’ll be pleased to learn that it is actually good for you. Then again, metal music is a bit like Marmite in that you either love it, or hate it. There is rarely a middle ground. 

If you aren’t particularly taken with metal and could never see what all the fuss is about, then it may be worth reading this article and then going back for another listen, just in case. In this article, we’re going to talk about the surprising mental health benefits of listening to metal music. 

1. Becoming part of a community 

Metal heads have a rather close-knit community of their own and when you commit to listening to metal you have an honorary introduction into their community. Certainly, it’s not a direct mental health benefit, though feeling as though you belong to and forming bonds with a wider community has its benefits – particularly when it comes to self-esteem. 

2. Listening to music is good for the brain

OK, so this applies to music in the broader sense, however, that doesn’t change the fact that the act of listening to music can benefit your cognitive functions wonderfully – including bolstering the memory. 

3. You may be more open to experiencing new things 

A recent study found that those who listen to heavy metal music – and subsequently have an interest in more complex and intense melodies – tend to be much more open to experiencing new things. That said, the same study found that many metal fans have a craving for uniqueness which can potentially limit their willingness to branch out and accept other forms of music. 

4. It might make you less violent 

Metal is given a bad rap and is often associated with violent devil-worshipers who’d love nothing more than to trash your house. Turns out, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Apparently, listening to metal music can actually reduce your sensitivity to violence. Another study exposed metal fans to a potentially triggering event and angering them, then had them listen to metal music which calmed them down substantially after the fact. This is likely because, whilst metal music can sound aggressive, the act of listening to it can be cathartic and help to release tension. 

5. Become a critical thinker 

Metal music has long been synonymous with anti-establishment tendencies encouraging fans to develop their own investigative skills and think more critically. Again, there is also the risk of it having an averse ‘bubble’ effect where fans may become heavily influenced by their tight-knit community and thus develop biased opinions. 

6. Build self-confidence 

As metal fans have typically lived on the outskirts of what is considered to be “mainstream”, they tend to be rather confident in their own likes, dislikes, and are subsequently more independent. In other words, listening to metal music and engaging with the lifestyle will make you far less likely to care about what other people might think. So, if you’ve always been partial to buying male sex toys then go right ahead. The average metal fan couldn’t care less what anyone else thinks about their business.