Blog reflection

Using the blog was a very helpful tool during the first semester. The comments I received on my post were a great way to help me improve my writing. Working on the blog turned out to be much more easier than having to hand write something, then turn it, and then wait for the teacher to get back to you. I also liked I was able to view everyone Else's opinions on certain topics, and get ideas from them to work into my writing. I realized how helpful the blog really was when it came time to start on my final paper. The four blog post we were required to put up, turned out a very good basis for my body paragraphs. In some ways I felt like I already had most of my essay done which made writing it a lot less stressful.

Introduction

Everyday millions of people all over the world put on an outfit when they wake up. For some, their ensemble expresses their personality, for others their creativity can only go as far as what’s allowed at school or work. While some of these people only look at a shirt as a shirt, and navy blue pants no different from black pants, what they don’t realize is the industry they are contributing to. This industry has in fact been around for centuries, believably considered to have originated in England. Since the early nineteenth century it has been carried over to America first only as a textile industry, not creating the apparel portion until almost the twentieth century. As both industries merged into one, it continuously grew, forming the term “designer,” which was developed from apprentices who were taught pattern making. During the 1950’s and 60’s, fashion had become so huge, that trends were not just popping up one at a time, but multiple at a time. Designers all over the world were gaining recognition, taking the industry to a higher level in a very short time. Soon there were more than just designers, the fashion world consisted of retailer, buyers, pattern makers, tailors, and seamstresses. Towards the beginning of the twenty-first century the fashion industry was a competitive business seeking out fresh and new designs every second. As knowledge about this grew, so did the want of many young individuals to be a part of this world. One of the few problems that arose was the lack of preparation many newcomers possessed.

Do I have an interesting enough beginning?

Research

So far I've started doing a little research towards my paper, and have even started some of the introduction. Right now I'm focusing on the history of the fashion industry for my intro, as background information leading into the larger topic. One source that has worked for me so far is http://www.shirleywillett.com/historyoffashion.html. This site provides basic info on where and around what time period fashion became a big hit. By analyzing this site, I think it will help me to make a better connection to how fashion started out and, and what it has evolved into today. The author of the site also provides a brief biography of her life, chronicling how many jobs she took before becoming her own custom designer.

School Preparation

One of the best way to be prepared for a job in the fashion industry starts by attending a school that provides assistance in the field. There are some colleges that offer certain degrees in fashion merchandising and design, but there also colleges that specialize in just that. In New York City there is The Fashion Institute of Technology, and The Laboratory Institute of Merchandising, and in four areas of California there is The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. The majors these schools offer, focus primarily on anything and everything relating to fashion. One of the big positives to going to one of these schools is required internships most students have to complete. Upon finishing one of these internships, there's a very good chance of being hired by the company, even before you finish school. Even if a person does not get a job offer, the experience that person has is always on hand.

The Dark Side?

In my last entry, I mentioned how the the fashion industry can be cut-throat and fast paced. Although a little unrealistic, a perfect example of this is the movie, and book The Devil Wears Prada. The movie focuses on a high-powered fashion magazine editor, and a naive girl wanting to be a journalist. The relationships between the magazine editor, and her employees demonstrate what's close to a typical working environment in the industry. When things need to get done there is no time to waste, and whoever slacks off can be fired right on the spot.

One school in particular that happens to be of great preparation is the Metropolitan South Institute of Technology in Australia. The school has many other focuses rather than just fashion, but it's the curriculum that students there are exposed to that is significant. The hands on training experience students receive, is believed to be what got them so far in their careers. On the website's student success stories section, One woman claims that "The skills and knowledge it gave me were really invaluable and in the end it is what set me apart from the thousands of other girls who apply to Harper's Bazaar every year," said Henrietta Dups.

To be able to thrive and get ahead in this business, employers want to see overall uniqueness and talent. They want a person who will stop at nothing to bring bigger and better things to the surface. Most people don't consider this aspect, when thinking of a great, glamorous life they assume they're going to have.

Narrowing it down

For my essay on the fashion industry, I've narrowed down the focus to be how someone would prepare for a career for each of the two major sides. The primary sides are design and merchandising, both of which have completely different job opportunities. Before deciding on what type of job a person wants they should try to find out what companies are hiring and what they're about. the website http://www.apparelsearch.com/employment.htm describe what each company is, what they're about and where they're located. This site also gives people the opportunity to post resumes, and apply for internships around the country. An internship would most likely be the best experience to have because of the hands on look you get at what the job entails.
Personally I think it's important to look at each side carefully, because not many people realize they huge difference between the two. It might take years to build up towards a career for one side, whereas it might be easier to work towards the other side. It is also important for someone to realize what they're getting themselves into. This industry is very cut throat and fast paced, people need to be able to prepare themselves for that in general, no matter what type of job they end up with.

Final essay

For my last writing the essay assignment, I decided to focus on the topic of the fashion industry. Although this seems very broad, I plan to break it down into the different areas and employment opportunities presented in this industry. I chose this topic because it is something I have become very familiar with myself, and have been studying for some time. The center for most of this is New York City which is where I am every weekend. Over the past year I have had experience in how the two major areas, (design and merchandising) operate. Through that and extensive research, I believe I can come up with a solid essay, that fulfills the requirements for this final assignment.