Yesterday during our Day 1 class, we learned a very valuable lesson for assistant stylists regarding on set etiquette. Keep your sexy back! In fact, keep your sexy as far back as possible. Let me explain …
A common misconception when it come to working as a wardrobe stylist, is that since you work in fashion you have to look unbelievably fashionable 24 hour a day. Not true. Everyone already knows/assumes that you are into fashion. I mean, duh you work in the industry. So it’s really not necessary to come to work decked out in heels, mini skirts, furs, excessive amounts of jewelry, etc. There are two reasons for this:
Reason #1- Chances are you will be working 10-18 hour days. Let me tell you something, those hours won’t be spent sitting around. You will be WORKING. You will be running around, picking things up, putting things down, schlepping things around … you will be gross by the end of the day. This is a very physical job.
Reason #2- Dressing like a fashionable little tart will piss people off. Even if you can handle carrying around 50lb loads in 6inch heels, chances are people won’t really like you for it. No they won’t be jealous of your brute strength, they will be jealous because you look freaking hot – sexy hot, not sweaty hot. Point is, a lot of the time you will be working with a female key stylist and she doesn’t want her piddly little assistant looking like a walking sex machine. It’s unprofessional and it will bring you the wrong kind of attention, which will ultimately result in you never getting hired again.
With that being said, you are probably wondering “Well, what the heck do I wear to work?” I will put it how my key stylist put it “dress chill”. I translated that into this: take off your six inch heels and put on your patent leather Converse or your Marc Jacobs ballet flats. The outfit I typically wear on set is a pair of flats, skinny jeans, a tee shirt, and a cardigan or leather jacket (if the shoot is outside). I try not to wear too much jewelry. I also avoid excessive makeup- no want wants to stare in the eyes of prostitute-in-training all day.
Over and out …
SOS Assistant
