So you want to work in fashion?

It's a new year with a whole new beginning. Amongst your New Year's Resolutions is surely to spruce the old the resume and get some fashion experience! I have talked extensively about pursuing an internships in New York City, (which if you have any interest in I highly suggest you go for it!) but what if you plan on staying in the true, north, strong and free land of Canada? Well lucky for you there are oodles and oodles of opportunities to dip your feet in the fashion pond! Read on my friend and feel inspired!

1) Volunteer!


The best way to gain some experience in the fashion industry is to volunteer and be prepared to work for free! Like or not, that is just the way it is. There are tons of fashion events and charities that occur in Toronto that are great way to get your hands wet, especially if you do not have a lot of fashion experience to begin with. Some places to try are the Toronto Fashion Incubator, who regularly look for volunteers, contacting LG Fashion Week and signing up for Magnet Creative's, a Toronto-based fashion marketing company's, intern newsletter.

2) Work in retail!


Many of you may already do this and if so I suggest you take full advantage of it. If you love the fashion industry, you would be surprised by how much you can learn working in retail. Use your part-time job as an opportunity to really get to the know the clothes by observing new trends, fit and quality. Ask your managers about events or new things happening with your company and grill your district managers whenever they make store visits.

3) Intern!

There are many fashion-based companies in Canada that offer fabulous internship programs with great, priceless opportunities that you will use for the rest of your fashion career! Places to contact are luxury department store, Holt Renfrew which offers corporate-based internships and Toronto-based fashion designers. If the magazine world is something you want to conquer, I highly suggest applying for an internship with FASHION, FLARE or ELLE Canada. These are each highly respected and highly fabulous magazines that would surely teach a lot to any editor-in-chief in training. And here's an insider tip if you want to intern at a magazine, apply EARLY, like yesterday. Magazine internships are highly competitive and fill up faster than you can say, Christian Louboutin.


4) Be Aggressive!


The fashion industry is competitive so if you really want to get your foot in the door you must be determined to never give up. If you want to learn more about a certain company and opportunities they have for you to partake in, I highly suggest calling or emailing them directly that way you will be able to hear right away what your options are and if the company is right for you. Also don't give up if you don't always get the response or the experience you were hoping for, remember when one door closes another doors opens!

5) Study!


Whoever said that fashion was for the absent minded was sadly mistakenly. Before applying for any job, it is important to know a thing or two about the company, that way you will know what you are getting into and you will be able expand your knowledge of the fashion world. It is also really important to keep up-to-date on what is happening in the fashion industry from trends to events to insider news as well. Fashion is constantly changing and it is important to keep up with it so you are not left in the dust. Some of my favourite sites to visit are, Style.com, Fashionista.com and Styleite.com. You can also sign up to some really great newsletters from, Flare.com, WhoWhatWear.com and the really fabu' Canadian job website, StyleNinetoFive.com. Or you can always visit www.AmandasFashionSpot.com! I am more than happy to fill you in on all the fashion information you need!

So now that you know how to conquer the Canadian fashion world (keep in mind these tips can be applied to wherever you live) get up and get out there! Time is not moving any slower! Good luck with your fashion endeavours and come back to let me know how everything goes in the comments, Facebook or Twitter!

Enjoy and happy new year!

Amanda
amandasfashionspot@gmail.com
https://twitter.com/AFSpot

The Spice Factor

When your in the mood to spice up your look, maybe you reach for your red Louboutin pumps, or your favourite Roberta Cavalli leopoard print blouse? Perhaps you venture into your bureau draw and fetch your sexiest Victoria Secret lingerie?

When you want to spice up the kitchen, why not take a culinary trip to India? With fresh wholesome ingredients and exotic herbs and spices, you can cook up quite a few tasty dishes. One of my favourite shows that does exactly that is the Food Network's Spice Goddess with Bal Areneson. She puts a modern twist on many of my Indian favourites, such as Butter Chicken, Roti, and Lentil Cookies. 

Be sure to check out Bal’s show every Saturday on the Food Network for a delectable trip to the tastes of India.

Check out one my favorite Bal recipes for No Butter Chicken, 

Ingredients

2 to 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil

1 tablespoon chopped ginger

1 cup chopped red onion

1 cup chopped tomato paste

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon turmeric

pinch chili pepper flakes

1 tablespoon garam masala

½ teaspoon salt

freshly ground pepper

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tablespoon brown sugar

¼ cup plain yogurt

1 cup water

Method:

1.     Put a large skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. When it starts to get hot, add the ginger and onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until soft.

2.     Add the tomato paste, spices and salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes, turning the heat down low. 

      Add the chicken and stir well to coat and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.

3.     Add the brown sugar, yogurt and water, turn heat up to high and cook for 7 to 10 more minutes, till chicken breaks easily when  pressed with a fork.

Donna for Amanda's Fashion Spot
Amanda
amandasfashionspot@gmail.com
https://twitter.com/AFSpot

You can take the girl out of Barbie, but you can't take Barbie out of the girl!

Upon a stroll in Manhattan's midtown I stumbled upon the world famous toy store, FAO Schwarz. It was a very hot day and wanting to escape the extreme heat, I ventured in. After walking around I stumbled upon the Barbie section and instantly felt like a little kid all over again. 

Like many little girls, I was the ultimate girly girl and I absolutely loved my Barbie! I remember having Gymnastics Barbie, the Barbie camping trailer, the Spice Girls Barbies and the Barbie CD-ROM fashion designer game. These were all prized treasures of mine but as I grew older I began out grow good 'ole Barbie. However, after seeing all the fashion designer influenced Barbies at FAO Schwarz the flame has been reignited.

When I was younger we had the Fashion Avenue Barbie Clothing Collection and I remember thinking that that was the epitome of stylish Barbie clothing but the latest crop in Barbie designer clothing has put that to shame. As of late all designers seem to dabbling in Barbie clothing design from Kate Spade to DVF to Jeremy Scott even jewellery designer Tarina Tarantino! So behold! My favourite fashion designer Barbies:

Diane Von Furstenberg- The designer known for her boho colourful prints and wrap dresses has taken that style to the mini fashionista. With the ease of her comfortable wrap dress and stylish luggage, this Barbie is more than ready for the jet set lifestyle that her many jobs entail. The raspberry colour looks very nice with her dark hair and olive skin.

Karl Lagerfeld- Now this is what I call a one stylish Barbie! The silhouettes are impossibly chic. The white coat with black and white striped collar and cropped sleeve with black skinny pants is one of my faves and perfect for a stroll on a cool autumn day (yes, I mentioned autumn) and the egg shaped skirt of the navy and white polka dot dress are a modern take on the classic strapless A-line dress. It is nice to see that with the pint-sized dolls, style is not sacrificed.

Vera Wang- She is the go-to designer for bridal wear and now Barbie gets to get in on all the fun. This wedding dress is absolutely beautiful! From its ornate lace details all through out the bodice and satin tie to its mermaid silhouette with a slight asymmetrical hem. This is a dress fit for a princess.

Mad Men Collection- It is not just designers that are taking their design skills to the world of Barbie, it's television shows too! Barbie has come out with a Mad Men Collection of Barbies featuring former housewife Betty Draper, ad exec Don Draper, silver fox Roger Sterling and everyones favourite ginger, Joan Holloway. The highly coveted style of the cast of Mad Men is now available in teeny, tiny form and is still more enviable than ever. Case in point, this navy separate worn by Miss Holloway. Nothing beats a fitted silhouette, for it says confident, chic and powerful so effortlessly.  

Now that is just a taste of all the stylish Barbies out there. If you would like to see more visit, BarbieCollector.com.


What designer Barbies would you like to see?

Amanda

A Day in the Life: I Had a Fashion Dream Part Huit

It is now less than two weeks until I leave for New York City for the summer to pursue my dream internship!!! I am so excited. In order to be prepared, I have already completed the majority of my packing and boy does it feel good to go through all of my wardrobe and put together some new outfits. I love doing that! It is the best way to discover new outfits that were sitting right under your nose.

I have discovered that amidst all the items that I plan on bringing with me, I need more shoes. Shoes are something that I hardly buy (shocking, I know) but I find that with flat feet it is difficult to find stylish, comfortable shoes. On my next shopping trip, I will be on a mission to find some shoes that will be suitable for my internship and the streets of New York City.

Here is my list so far:

Wedges

I love these for they are the perfect summer heel and have a way of looking a little 1950's retro pin-up.

Birkenstocks

These are one of the best shoes for your feet and actually look quite stylish with distressed denim shorts and a boho blouse. Comfort and style, what more could a girl ask for?

Black Pumps

I have a great double-strap mary jane pair but unfortunately they have overstayed their welcome in my closet and it is time to say goodbye. There is nothing worse than a ratty old stiletto in the shoedrobe. Not sexy. Not comfortable. Right now, I love pumps that have a slight platform at the heel a la Monsieur Louboutin, it makes heels that much more comfortable.

Oxfords

Boy meets girl. Oh how I love oxfords! Finally a stylish alternative to a running shoe and comfortable flat shoe all in one! As I mentioned above, I have flat feet so I find shoes that are completely flat as well, most comfortable making them perfect for a day at the internship! Cream, soft grey and blush are best for this style because I find dirt is less noticeable making it perfect for those New York City streets. Did I mention how much I love oxfords?

Well that's all for now! Are there any shoes that you find most haves your summer internships or strolling around the city? Do tell!

Enjoy!

Amanda

A Day in the life of a Toronto Fashionista......

Ever wondered what it would be like to volunteer for LG Fashion Week? Read ahead to find out!

As a budding fashionista and proud Canadian, one can only imagine my excitement when I got the opportunity to volunteer at LG Fashion Week (formerly known as L’Oreal Fashion Week). It was February 2008 and I had been looking forward to the possibility of attending Canada’s premiere fashion event. Toronto’s fashion week was originated by the FDCC, an acronym for the Fashion Design Council of Canada, as a way to garner publicity and attention for Canada’s fashionably elite. LG Fashion Week aims to put Canadian fashion designers on the map and it has does an incredible job. Attracting the likes of Jeanne Bekker, Joseph Mimran, Nada Shephard and Shawn Husein, LG Fashion Week has definitely made itself the place to be for all things Canadian fashion.

I had so been looking forward to being a part of Toronto Fashion Week. I remember spending my Valentine’s Day sitting in front of the computer typing up my application to volunteer. I guess most people were celebrating the day of love with their sweethearts, but I felt my love for all things fashion satisfied me more. Passing up the opportunity to volunteer for LG Fashion Week was not possibility to me. The platform that it had created for Canada’s top fashion designers is something that had been very inspiring to me. Unfortunately, the last thing that Canada is known for is fashion and LG Fashion Week along with the FDCC assist with this by putting our Canadian talent on the map. It is events like this that make me realize why I love the fashion industry and why it is so important to support home grown talent.

It was now a grey February morning and as I followed with my daily routine of checking my e-mail, I saw an unread message and it was from none other than the FDCC! I opened the message and it was my volunteer schedule. I was to monitor the Fashion Environment and report to duty the very next day. The excitement bubbled up inside of me as I fantasized about all the fabulous clothes I would be able to see, the industry insiders I would be assisting and the gorgeous models strutting down the Canadian catwalk.

On my first day I helped with the set up the runway and main fashion environment at Nathan Phillips Square. I hustled down to the FDCC to package gift bags and assist with model fittings and got the chance to speak with one of the gorgeous models. It was a long day but definitely well worth it. After all, I was taking part in the hippest fashion event in town.

Finally the shows began. I fulfilled my duty as a LG Fashion Week volunteer that was to monitor the Fashion Environment. I picked garbage off of the floor, greeted guests and made sure the event ran smoothly. In between each of my tasks I couldn’t help but admire all the fashionable people that surrounded me. Toronto’s hottest fashionistas carried Gucci bags, wore the sleekest Louboutins and exuded style with their Prada sunglasses. The likes of Eva Avila, Stacey McKenzie and Iman mingled during the event and I could not believe that I was a part of it! Each fashion show played on a jumbo screen and I was able to watch Project Runway Canada winner Evan Bidell’s first fashion show. With all the fashion, excitement and fabulousness I was excited, overwhelmed and inspired all at the same time. Being a part of this made me realize that not only did I love the fashion industry but I belonged in it and the fact that this amazing event was held right in my hometown made me think, Oh Canada!
Amanda