Posted by area291: 
A wardrobe stylist must have a keen sense of fashion and exquisite taste at a variety of levels and has an extensive contact base of retailers and wardrobe / stage production specialists that can be called upon at a moments notice.

Yes!  That's precisely what I'm lacking...

Posted by ChristianBehr: 
You'll rarely find a stylist for tfp's... typically, you pay unless you have " a golden letter."

christian

Actually you can find them because just like everyone else that is trying to make it in the business, they too need portfolios to show their work so they will test with you as long as they feel they'll get usable shots.

Posted by Kuree: 
I am a Fashion Stylist. Not a wardrobe stylist. There is a difference between the two.

What is the difference?

Posted by Kuree: 

Posted by area291: 
A wardrobe stylist is one that coordinates the outfits used on a photo shoot.

At the commercial level, this might anything from choosing the proper business suit and accessories worn by those displayed in Annual Report imaging to the gowns and tuxedos used in more formal / wedding imaging.

For commercial clients involved in campaigns, particularly at the higher level, rarely are models required to utilize their own wardrobe.  That is where a wardrobe stylist comes in to play.

A wardrobe stylist must have a keen sense of fashion and exquisite taste at a variety of levels and has an extensive contact base of retailers and wardrobe / stage production specialists that can be called upon at a moments notice.

Those at the top of the field are highly sought after and can walk away from a shoot with more money than the model and/or photographer.

This is an excellent description of a wardrobe stylist. Dunno about the pay part, actually... but all in all this is definitely what a wardrobe stylist is.

so then what does a fashion stylist do? only fashion magazine editorials?

Posted by Gary Davis: 
WTF, do we REALLY need to turn EVERY F'ING thread into a TFP debate?  Forget about the damn TFP.

ROFLMAO

So how are the nightclub contacts coming along?

Wardrobe stylists are for photographers who don't have the time to put the project together themselves.  People are so stuck on how the final image will look like that they don't plan out thier shoots properly.

Just imagine the image before you shoot it.  You have your location.  Make sure the outfit matches the location's scenario.  Make sure you have a model that fits the outfit that matches the location appropriately.  Make sure you have a makeup artist that could put makeup on the model and make it look right for the outfit that matches the location to make the final image.

hehe

Posted by Brian Diaz: 
I don't know anything about golden letters (are they anything like scarlet letters?) but if you prove yourself as a competent photographer and align yourself with fantastic hair stylists, makeup artists, and models, there's no reason that wardrobe stylists would not be willing to collaborate with you.  They need portfolios, too.  And sometimes they--as Eric says--are designers looking to pimp their own clothes.  It's all networking.

But again, that only my (limited) experience.

To be really honest, what you see makes perfect sense... that is, until you put it in water.  It doesn't float.

A real stylist will pull clothing that isn't out in the stores yet... either from showroom or from one of the major store's studio services.  A golden letter is an editor's letter claiming financial responsibility for the clothing... in case something comes up missing or damaged.  True, we have to buy cameras.  But we don't have to buy cameras every shoot.  When stylists pull clothing for the editorials I shoot, we're talking close to $30,000.00 worth of clothing that fits the story I'm shooting.  A spot of lipstick on a $5400.00 Cavalli dress is a bit of a crisis... if you're the one holding the bill.  Getting to a level where they're willing to lend you the clothing at all isn't easy... so if the stylist is not going to get paid, they WILL get tears, and an editorial isn't quite a tfp.  The Golden Letter also insures that tearsheets are likely to come from the effort.

Now, there are those local mags that come out quickly and you can pull mainstream off the rack.  Still, without your credit card, they're not walking out the door.  When you sign on the dotted line for the sum of $10,000.00, you understand why it is that anyone who knows anything about styling, doesn't do it for free... unless someone else is liable.

I've styled a few of my own editorials... and let me tell ya, it's not very comfortable to have those clothes out and about.

Still, perhaps you're right.  So, like I said, put it in water and see if your theory floats.

christian

Posted by * Visual Mindscapes *: 

Posted by Gary Davis: 
WTF, do we REALLY need to turn EVERY F'ING thread into a TFP debate?  Forget about the damn TFP.

ROFLMAO

So how are the nightclub contacts coming along?

Wardrobe stylists are for photographers who don't have the time to put the project together themselves.  People are so stuck on how the final image will look like that they don't plan out thier shoots properly.

Just imagine the image before you shoot it.  You have your location.  Make sure the outfit matches the location's scenario.  Make sure you have a model that fits the outfit that matches the location appropriately.  Make sure you have a makeup artist that could put makeup on the model and make it look right for the outfit that matches the location to make the final image.

hehe

Is he joking? What an incredibly disrespectful thing to say.

Posted by Kuree: 

Posted by Fred Brown: 

Posted by ChristianBehr: 
You'll rarely find a stylist for tfp's... typically, you pay unless you have " a golden letter."

christian

Actually you can find them because just like everyone else that is trying to make it in the business, they too need portfolios to show their work so they will test with you as long as they feel they'll get usable shots.

Wrong. A stylist that has to test for their book before they get paid does not know what they are doing and should first be an assistant. This stylist will not have much resources to start as well. Designers are not vending machines, they reserve their clothes (if even off the rack) to people they like.

My first job and first shoot ever as a fashion stylist was for Brooks Institute of Photography. Working a demo fashion shoot with TC Reiner  www.tcreiner.com and a fabulous makeup artist from NeXt (though it was Artists by Timothy Priano then). I was paid on the very first shoot I ever worked on and got to work with a photographer who I've admired for a very long time. I was shocked he gave me a chance.

But my 2nd shoot was for a local magazine with a photographer who is constantly published in trendy fashion mags like Zink. I didn't even have the photos done with TC to show yet. And my 3rd shoot was with TC again, but now with a celebrity. And my 4th shoot was an album cover with Brande Roderick with a photog downtown. And my 5th shoot was a model test for Jetset Models with Michael Almeida. And my 6th shoot was a commercial shoot for knee braces with an Art Director from L'Oreal with downtown photog. And my 7th shoot was a jeans campaign. All paid, except for 2nd shoot with TC as I flippin love this guy so much I didn't want to miss an opportunity to work with him again... he rocks!

All this was years ago, btw. And I do well, despite what anybody may assume.

I am a Fashion Stylist. Not a wardrobe stylist. There is a difference between the two. One thing everyone should know is that if you want a fashion stylist, you better have money. Someone who works three-five days more than any of you should be paid and I don't like photographers who don't pay stylists and know what they put in for a shoot.

Kuree, 

Fred was not wrong,  there are many paths to the knowledge that I am the supreme being.  Just because you and your one dress make you think you are a minor god does not impress us.

Why not tell us what the difference is between a fashion stylist and a wardrobe stylist?   Sounds like semantics to me.

"Someone who works three-five days more than any of you "
Are you shitting me?  More than the pre production and post of a photographer. 

Please get off your high horse and get on your knees.  And stop your crying,  it is sad to read.

Posted by Kuree: 
Is he joking? What an incredibly disrespectful thing to say.

There are the clothing designers, then there are the wardrobe stylists.

What's so disrespectful about saying what I said?  If I did disrespect you, then sorry.  Usually I mean to, but this time I didn't, lol.

But anyways, it's not that hard to put together a colletion of outfits for a shoot, is it?

My girlfriend gets mad at me because I have a collection of outfits from clothing companies that I've never even used for models and it's taking up space in our house.

Usually if I'm missing something for a specific shoot, I'll just tell the model to supply it.  Usually it's shoes.

Posted by Jack D Trute: 
Kuree, 

Fred was not wrong,  there are many paths to the knowledge that I am the supreme being.  Just because you and your one dress make you think you are a minor god does not impress us.

Why not tell us what the difference is between a fashion stylist and a wardrobe stylist?   Sounds like semantics to me.

"Someone who works three-five days more than any of you "
Are you shitting me?  More than the pre production and post of a photographer. 

Please get off your high horse and get on your knees.  And stop your crying,  it is sad to read.

WOW! I will NOT tolerate being spoken to like this by Grizzley Adams himself!

Figure it out for yourselves... or pay me. Adios!

Posted by Udo R Photography: 
I am sooo surprised that no-one mentioned an important duty of the wardrobe stylist on a photoshoot... am I the only one that workes with such people?

During the photo shoot... the stylist makes sure that the garment is fitting PROPERLY, it's not hanging or folding on the wrong places...

Checks that e.g. no bra straps are showing where they shouldn't. If the photographers sees that something is wrong with the picture, the stylist is directed to fix it.

The job is that the garment looks PERFECT at the shoot, no designer wants to see sloppy clothes where they shouldn't.

The clothes are not custom taylored to the models measurements (except for supermodels) so the stylist make them appear custom taylored.

The stylist is highly skilled in fixing the fabric!

Funny how long it took for a human to get that out.   
Well written,  Udo.
Sit Udo,  sit.

Posted by Jack D Trute: 
Funny how long it took for a human to get that out.   
Well written,  Udo.
Sit Udo,  sit.

LOL

Posted by Udo R Photography: 
During the photo shoot... the stylist makes sure that the garment is fitting PROPERLY, it's not hanging or folding on the wrong places...

Aren't the photographers the ones that are supposed to make sure everything fits before the shoot?  It's all in the planning.

Checks that e.g. no bra straps are showing where they shouldn't. If the photographers sees that something is wrong with the picture, the stylist is directed to fix it.

Hell, I guess I'm going it wrong then, because I'm the one that looks for the things that aren't showing and I tell my assistant or makeup artist to go fix it.

The job is that the garment looks PERFECT at the shoot, no designer wants to see sloppy clothes where they shouldn't.

*see above*

Posted by * Visual Mindscapes *: 

Aren't the photographers the ones that are supposed to make sure everything fits before the shoot?  It's all in the planning.

Hell, I guess I'm going it wrong then, because I'm the one that looks for the things that aren't showing and I tell my assistant or makeup artist to go fix it.

I make the makeup artists do such things.

At normal photoshoots yeah... I do it, the mua and assistant is doing it... at a commercial production... the designer maybe there her/himself because they know much better than you do how they want THEIR creation to look like.

Don't forget, for a fashionshoot like that... it's not about the model, it's about the dress.

Posted by Udo R Photography: 
At normal photoshoots yeah... I do it, the mua and assistant is doing it... at a commercial production... the designer maybe there her/himself because they know much better than you do how they want THEIR creation to look like.

Don't forget, for a fashionshoot like that... it's not about the model, it's about the dress.

You are right.

Posted by Jack D Trute: 
Vm,  That ideal works fine when you are shooting bathing suits but not suits or dresses that need to be pinned and steamed.  On big mag shoots or catalog shoots,  the hair and makeup people are often busy get the next models ready and/or fixing the models in the shots.  The stylist is often in the RV or to the side of the set getting things ready for the next shot coming up.  When you are doing numerous shots in a day then you do not have time to wait around while the makeup artist helps the models change clothes.

What works fine for you,  may not work for the average catalog or fashion shoot?  Also stylist are not needed for nudes much.

Don't you have a tree to pee on or something?

Posted by * Visual Mindscapes *: 

Don't you have a tree to pee on or something?

Check your bed?  I just went #2.

Posted by Jack D Trute: 
Check your bed?  I just went #2.

That's great!

Posted by Kuree: 
And the clues from the clueless to the clueless continues...

Really? Tell me where I am wrong, please.

Posted by Kuree: 
And the clues from the clueless to the clueless continues...

Shut up