Tag: shopping

  • Style Tips for a Fashionable Winter

    Style Tips for a Fashionable Winter

    As you head out to brave the cold this winter, keep in mind that you don’t have to sacrifice style for warmth. There are several tricks you can use to keep yourself looking chic, even with temperatures plunging downwards.

    1. Invest in a Statement Coat

    Even if you find yourself stuck with boring sweats, you can still give your outfit a bit of life with an awesome coat. You can play around with pops of colors instead of resorting to the neutral tones that are often worn during the winter. The material of your coat can also give your outfit a bit of spice. Materials like faux fur and leather can take your otherwise bland outfit to the next level with a bit of mixing and matching.

    2. Play it up with Your Bottoms

    Consider using your bottom pieces to make a splash this season. There’s no need to stuff yourself in a pair of bland jeans everyday. You can turn heads with a funky pair of patterned leggings or your favourite bright trousers. The trick is to use unconventional colors, patterns, and materials to give your audience something to look at. Even if the rest of your outfit is plain, your statement bottom piece will provide a bit of flavour.

    3. Layer it up

    One of the easiest ways to add complexity to your winter attire is to mix and match some of your pieces and layer them on top of one another. Besides keeping you warm, this technique allows you to create unique combinations that are unlikely to be seen on anyone else. The key to layering is to use contrasting colors and materials that still complement one another. It may be difficult to get a working combination at first so it’s important to keep blending until you find something that works well. As a general rule of thumb, you should try to avoid mixing more than 3 colors and 3 materials. Although a variety is nice, you don’t want something that’s too chaotic.

    Bonus Tip: If it’s not too cold out, consider wearing your coat open or unzipped so that you can see the complexity of the layers beneath. You can throw on a scarf and a funky hat in case there’s a bit of a cool breeze.

    4. Strap on Some Funky Boots

    With winter boots being offered in hundreds of colors, shapes and styles, you can easily make a splash this winter with eye-catching boots.  Your feet are almost always visible so even if you’re bundled up from head to toe, you can still indulge your style cravings with something that demands appreciation. Don’t be afraid to try experimenting with something on the wilder side. If this is the one place you decide to make a statement, make it loud! 

  • Career Profile: Personal Shopper

    Career Profile: Personal Shopper

    Some people love to shop by themselves or with friends. Others, however, find the process very tiring or boring, or they might be too busy to spend much time on it; these people need a personal shopper.

    Suppose that you go into a store to look for a gift to buy for a friend or relative. Maybe you already knew what you wanted to get, or maybe someone else gave you advice on what to buy. Personal shoppers learn what people want and then try to help them find it, either by telling them where to go or by going out and shopping themselves.

    The first step in personal shopping is normally getting to know the customer’s needs and wishes. An interview with the client is the first step so that the shopper knows what kinds of items to buy or to recommend. Some personal shoppers work through large department stores or other shops, but some set up their own businesses.

    Many personal shoppers work in a specific area such as groceries or garden tools. A common type of personal shopping is in buying groceries for elderly people or others who have trouble walking around or carrying heavy loads. The personal shopper asks the client about allergies, tastes, and anything else that might be important and then goes out to buy the items at the store before taking them back to the client’s home. Sometimes, a personal shopper might take the client along to look at what is available, but not usually.

    In many cases, working as a personal shopper might be a daily or weekly job, but in some cases, it might be something special like shopping for a wedding or family gathering. Personal shoppers need to keep track of their clients and be able to remember what each client wants. An ability to work with money is necessary, and an understanding of different brands, colours, and designs is useful.

    Becoming a personal shopper normally requires experience but no particular education. Most employers are likely to prefer someone who has graduated from high school. Personal shoppers should also be able to keep up with the latest trends by reading about them or getting help from store managers.

    Salaries for personal shoppers can vary widely, depending on where they work. The average salary for people in this career in Canada is about $25,000 per year, but some personal shoppers can earn $100,000 or more. Most people start by working in a store where they learn about the products and working with the public. As they gain experience, they will have the skills they need to become personal shoppers in an established store or in their own businesses.

    Do you enjoy shopping with your friends and family? Do you have a good sense of what people like and what suits them? If so, why not consider becoming a personal shopper?

     

    Bibliography:

    Farfan, Barbara. “Personal Shopper Job Description – Retail Career Job Profile of Personal Shopper.” http://retailindustry.about.com/od/retailjobscareers/p/personalshopper.htm.

    Henricks, Mark. “Starting a Business as a Personal Shopper.” http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/75238.

    Kennedy, Casey. “How to Become a Personal Shopper.” http://www.ehow.com/how_15306_become-personal-shopper.html.

    Wow Jobs.com. “Average Salary of Jobs Matching Your Search: personal shopper Salary in Canada.”

    Wow Jobs.com. “Personal Shopper Salary in Canada.” http://www.wowjobs.ca/salary-personal+shopper.

  • Frugally Fashionable

    Frugally Fashionable

    One of the hardest parts about being a student – especially a fashionable one – is budgeting. Some students are not always privy to the deals and steals of the trade. Just because it’s an expensive article of clothing doesn’t mean that  you automatically have style. The key to being stylish and keeping some pocket money is to pay attention to what is around you. Look at fashion and style news and look through “look books” of your favourite stores online. You will see that there are some things you can recreate for a lot less.

    For example, I took a look at my favourite fashion bloggers – yes, they wear Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent and Dolce & Gabbana – all things that I certainly cannot afford. However, I also took note of a lot of the pieces I liked the most – then went on a thrift shop day!  The biggest trend I have been noticing this winter season is over-sized wool and cashmere coats, and on my outing to Salvation Army I found the most beautiful, Italian-made, cashmere and wool coat in my size for only $7.99!

    Not stopping there, I also left with a wonderful oversized winter coat (durable, water resistant, fleece removable insulation) for $19.99 and a blue knitted sweater (originally from H&M) for $7.99. To top it off, the cashier also notified me that every Friday is half-off everything in the entire store – imagine all the savings!

    It is not hard to find frugal ways to stay fashionable, as long as you are able to recreate what you like from the runways and what suits you best. You can even find DIY fashion blogs that help you add some kick to an old thrift shop garment. You will be surprised of the results you get!

    Remember – the best way to be fashionable is to be true to yourself. No matter what you wear, you will look stylish because you are uniquely you!