A Fashion Passion?

Yes, college is about books, academia, research, partying and alcohol. But it also is about discovering your real passion. Here are some tips to try if you think your passion might be fashion.

1. Can you look at a piece and tell who its designer is and what season and year they designed it for? Bone up on all of the hottest designers. Try style.com. I like Daily Candy for fashion and shopping in the major metro areas, as well as for online shopping. Chelsea Girl and Midnight Sparkle have great vintage clothing. Maybe devote a wall in your bedroom to a designer. Emerse yourself in their work. Do you find studying designers something that you find yourself doing when you have spare time? If the answer is yes, fashion may be your true passion.
   
2. Attend a fashion show. Yes, you could actually do this; it isn't a crazy idea. Take one of your breaks, and save up money to attend fashion week in London or New York. There are some shows that don't require an invitation; try the Champagne Fashion Brunch. Can't get into a fashion show? The New Yorker magazine has a fashion show section on its web site.
3. Try to start a trend. It is frightening sometimes to wear an outfit that noone else would dare to wear. Add an unusal piece or accessory to your wardrobe. Do strangers look or ask you where you bought the piece?
   
4. Learn to sew, crochet or knit. You can buy a kit or a book if you don't know how to knit.
   
5. Write reviews of designers and their collections. Get them published in your school's indie or local newspaper or zine.
6. Create a web site exhibiting information about designers/ your favorite designer. Check out Splendora for ideas on the different things one could put on your site.
7. Try modeling. Sign up for classes at a modeling school. Even if you don't end up doing any professional modeling, you can get a sense of what the model go through and make some great contacts in the business as well. Remember even if you don't like who you are working with, always be positive and polite. Keep in contact with models and photographers and other you meet; you never know when they might be able to help you out in the future.
   
8. Form a fashion club for those interested in discussing fashion design.
9. Start designing your own clothes. Take a sewing course, if you don't know how to sew. If you already have a significant amount of work done on some pieces, you might consider selling your stuff online. Try Virgin Threads.
10. Read fashion blogs at least one hour each day. I like these sites:

http://hotbisexualmodel.blogspot.com/
http://www.fashionologie.com/
http://blogs.papermag.com/category/fashion-schmashion/
http://papierblog.papierdoll.net/
http://dappr.com/

Even though very few of these activities are associated with school, they are great to put on resumes or bring up in interviews. But the biggest plus of all is that they put you out there taking risks and getting experience.