Apparel Merchandising & Management Association

Top 5 Fashionable Films

Movies are meant to help us escape from the trivial or stressful and enter worlds of adventure, story telling and visual brilliance. I would like to focus on the latter in this list of movies, in which clothing and costumes take center stage in the films they accentuate.

“Sex and the City” / “Sex and the City 2”

Let’s face it, these movies are about rich 40-something women who constantly freak out about their near-perfect lives while constantly on vacation, but god do they look fantastic while doing it! These movies, and the show in which it was based upon, always painted New York City, and the clothes within it, as glamorous masterpieces.

“Confessions of a Shopoholic”

Oh Isla Fisher, you and this movie are adorable! This 2009 flick does not contain many twists or turns or even an exciting story line to begin with, but the main character gets to shop, shop and shop some more! This movie depicts every girl’s dream (except for the massive debt part) of shopping until she drops. This movie bombards the viewer with colorful images of clothing, accessories, and the sheer joy of retail therapy.

“The Devil Wears Prada”

We all love the story of a makeover, and perhaps no other is more physically transformative, and spiritually transformative, as Anne Hathaway in “The Devil Wears Prada.”

 “Charade”

This 1963 movie about mystery and love stars Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant. I know “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” is the more obvious choice, but that is why I did not place it on this list – too easy! “Charade” is a fun, colorful look into 1960’s Paris, and of course, Hepburn looks chic and breathtaking in nearly every scene.

“Marie Antoinette”

Wow, this was one terrible movie! Its one redeeming quality, however, was that of the costume design. This 2006 film stars Kirsten Dunst as the pretty (and pretty pathetic) Marie Antoinette, who dressed in amazingly elaborate gowns and jewelry, and even adorned herself with massive wigs with miniature ships or buildings. So, for her over-the-top 18th century dresses, makeup and hair accessories that make Lady Gaga look prudish, “Marie Antoinette” is my number one fashion movie for this list.

What fashion forward flick is your favorite?

Week 5 … Already?!

The dreaded Week 5 has now arrived at Cal Poly Pomona, which means midterms are well on their way to ruining Monday through Friday.

Luckily, the Apparel Merchandising and Management Association has supplied tips on how to not burn out:

1. Eat Healthy - Snacking is a good way to stay alert while cramming for an exam, but try to munch on carrots, bananas or an apple instead of cookies, doughnuts or ice cream. My favorite snack is an apple with peanut butter :)

2. Exercise - Your brain is working hard, so you should work out your body as well. Yay endorphines!

3. Plan ahead - planners, calendars and to-do lists can relieve stress and help you organize your busy life.

4. Treat yo’ self - not only is this an advertisement for the NBC show “Parks and Recreation,” but this is also advice on treating yourself for at least one day, or even half of a day, per week (at the minimum). Get a manicure or a facial, watch your favorite movie or indulge in a great book. Take time for yourself and yourself alone!

Good luck during week 5, and we at AMMA hope to see everyone on Thursday, May 3 for the next club meeting.

AMM Focus Day

The weekend of March 2 and March 3 will be AMM Focus Day and AG Open House at Cal Poly Pomona!

Come support your school, major and club on Friday and Saturday!

Anna Sui, 2012/2013, New York

Bloggers Like Us

As young, fashionable students it is always fun to look at what women our age are wearing.

TeenVogue online offers viewers 100 of the best personal blogs across the country.

It’s fun to see the personal styles of young fashionistas in New York, Paris England or Tokyo.

Check out the homepage at http://fashion.teenvogue.com/blog/rachel-et-nicole, and maybe it will inspire each and every one of us at AMMA to start our own fashion blog!

- Micheala Ard (Publicity for AMMA)

Examining a Career in The Fashion Industry

Another fashion career young fashionistas can explore is that of a fashion public relations specialist.

If a student is interested in such a position, he or she must have much more than just knowledge of the fashion industry. Practice in writing and communication are also vital skills to maintain. 

According to Catalogs.com, “[A] fashion public relationsspecialists and publicists help apparel companies and retail stores build and maintain favorable public image.” 

Usually in public relations, media coverage and advertisements are not paid for. Therefore, publicists must seek out creative, inexpensive or maybe even unorthodox ways to get a fashion company’s name out there. 

This particular profession is growing, which is good news for anxious college graduates. 

A four-year degree is required for this profession, and classes focusing on fashion and journalism are preferred, said the online site Fashion Schools. 

Examining a Career in the Fashion Industry

Choosing a career path in the broad spectrum of fashion is a bold task that can be met with hundreds of different outcomes.

The fashion industry is a vast, billion-dollar machine that offers many different job opportunities, such as fashion writing and photography, or buying and merchandising, and so many more choices in between.

One field of fashion we can examine today is that of a fashion buyer.

Claudette Freeman wrote an article in 2008 on Catalogs.com that said buyers in fashion, “use their sense of style, knowledge of fashion trends and understanding of their target customers’ desire to create an attractive selection of apparel for retail stores.”

A buyer overlooks the development of apparel, so that the garments match with a company or brand’s target market. 

Communication is also key in this profession, because messages and instructions must be sent and received between the buyer and the company and the buyer and manufacturers, which may be located in other countries. 

According to the website FashionSchools, “forecasting future fashion trends is also a must.”

The same site also mentioned the importance of education, because some buying positions require the applicant to have a fashion or business degree.

Math, organizational and people skills are also vital attributes to possess when working as a fashion buyer. 

So, is fashion buying for you?