SavvySugar

In Her Shoes: The Career and Life of a Hand Model

Emily Co — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 15:19:16 PST

Ashly Covington goes on casting calls and is just like any regular model but with one major difference: the only parts the photographers are snapping shots of are her hands. This former theater major left her ambitions of becoming an actress and never looked back once she started hand modeling. Now a 10-year veteran in the industry, she shares what it's like to be a hand model and gives great tips on how to keep your hands looking young.

Inside Scoop: What It's Really Like to Work For Oprah

Emily Co — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 05:00:50 PDT

Judging by the warmth and empathy Oprah Winfrey displays on TV, it's easy to imagine what a wonderful person she'd be to have in your life. But have you ever thought about what she would be like as your manager? I talked to Janet Lee, an interior designer who specializes in small spaces, who shared her experiences with her former boss, Oprah. Janet was formerly a senior field producer for The Oprah Show - talk about a dream job! Read on to find out what it was like to have Oprah as a boss.

In Her Shoes: Secrets to Being Michelle Phan, YouTube Star

Emily Co — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 05:00:00 PDT

I'm sure the ultimate dream job for many girls may be to play with makeup all the time, which is what Michelle Phan, the YouTube beauty guru, gets to do on a daily basis.

With over 400 million views on her YouTube videos, Michelle's success on the streaming video platform has led to all sorts of amazing opportunities such as becoming Lancôme's video makeup artist, launching IQQU, her own skin care line, and getting paid to travel around the world to places like Tokyo and Paris. Read on to find out how she got to where she is and the lessons she learned along the way.

In Her Shoes: Charlaine Harris, Vampire Author

Emily Co — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 06:00:17 PDT

Through the pages of books written by bestselling author Charlaine Harris, readers enter a fantasy world - one filled with sexy vampires, endearing shape-shifters, and incredibly gorgeous fairies. You might be more familiar with the HBO show True Blood, which was inspired by Charlaine's Southern Vampire series. I know that many of you aspire to be writers, so read on to find out what it's like to walk in her shoes!

SavvySugar: What's your typical day like?

Charlaine Harris: I hardly have a daily routine any more because of the increased demands on my time. However, on an ideal day I’m in my office by eight. I write six pages, finishing by early afternoon, and then I deal with other matters until three thirty or four o’clock, when I read for a while before starting supper.

SS: How did it all start?

CH: I was writing my first book while I was taking a writing course at the University of Missouri St. Louis, the only year I lived in St. Louis. The teacher of the class was Shannon Ravenel, later top editor at Algonquin Press. Then, she had just quit work at Houghton Mifflin. She liked what I wrote for the class well enough to recommend me to an editor there. My career would not have supported me at all until the past 10 years; very fortunately, my husband was delighted to stake me until I began earning. I realize this is a luxury and that I was most fortunate.

SS: How do you know that your idea for a plot is a story that you can really get into?

CH: That’s where experience and talent come in. You have to ask yourself a lot of questions while you’re plotting your book. Is the book you plan going to take you to the point you wanted to reach? How many plot threads are you going to tie off in this book? How many will you leave open? I usually start with a key scene (from any point in the book) and build the narrative forward or backward from there.

To find out what motivates Charlaine Harris, read on!

In Her Shoes: Dana LaRue, Creator of The Broke-Ass Bride Blog

Emily Co — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 00:15:00 PDT

It's always inspiring to see someone take their passion and turn it into a full-time job. Dana LaRue, the creator of The Broke-Ass Bride, started blogging to her heart's content in 2008 when she was planning and budgeting for her own wedding. Fast forward to 2011, Dana has about eight other people (including her husband) contributing content toward the blog, and has several awards under her belt, which include being named Google Blog of Note in 2009 and winning the Wedding Channel's Best Budget Wedding Blog category in 2010.

SavvySugar: How did this all start?

Dana LaRue: I started the blog in April 2008 when I found myself engaged and addicted to wedding blogs, but I couldn’t really find one that spoke to my situation, a broke-ass bride. I was getting a lot of inspiration from wedding blogs and sort of getting into the blog world. I have a background in writing and needed a creative outlet, so I thought that might be a good way for me to express myself and possibly help or connect with other brides in a similar situation. And then it sort of took off.

SS: What did you do before becoming a full-time wedding blogger?

DL: I’m a trained actor so that means most of my life I was in cubicles working a day job. I was an office manager and an executive assistant and at the time Broke-Ass Bride was born, I was working for a nonprofit as an office manager. Around Christmas or a little before that the blog was getting really demanding in a good way, a way that made it difficult to balance the day job and the blog, so I got a part-time social media consulting position that allowed me to transition out of full-time work. Three months after that job, I was laid off thanks to the economy, and I got pushed from the nest so to speak, and I took that as, "This is my sign. Go for it and make it full-time work." And that’s what we have been doing ever since.

To learn what her wedding budget was, read on.

In Her Shoes: Jill Martin, Fashionista Sportscaster

Emily Co — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 10:00:02 PST

Fashion and sports, never the twain shall meet . . . or so you think! Jill Martin actually works in both of those industries as a fashion contributor on NBC's Today Show, a New York correspondent for The Insider, and a reporter for the New York Knicks. Read all about her fabulous life!

SavvySugar: How would you describe your job?

Jill Martin: Well, I am like a glorified bag lady because I actually have four jobs so I am constantly schlepping back and forth! But . . . the first word that comes to mind? Amazing. Every day is a different adventure and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Some days I make three or four stops starting at 5 a.m. Here is an example of a circus day.

5 a.m.: Wake up and off to Today for Ambush Makeover.

7 a.m.: First shot in the Today plaza picking our makeover-ees.

10 a.m.: Live with Kathie Lee and Hoda on set

1 p.m. Insider Interview - recent one to one interviews include Donald Trump, Vera Wang, and Paula Abdul.

3 p.m.: Meet with my coauthor Dana Ravich on our book "I have Nothing to Wear!" coming out in August.

5 p.m.: Knicks production meeting

7:30 to 10 p.m.: Knicks game

11 p.m.: Pass out!

To hear all about Jill's most exciting interview, read on.

In Her Shoes: Maddy Figueroa-Jones, Plus Model Magazine Editor

Emily Co — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 12:00:09 PST

I can't imagine another job as fulfilling as making women feel good about themselves and their body image. Maddy Figueroa-Jones accomplishes that every time she publishes an issue of Plus Model, a plus size magazine she co-founded with another former model in the industry. Read on to hear how she's changing women's lives, one page at a time!

SavvySugar: How would you describe your job, and how did you fall into it?

Maddy Figueroa-Jones: I am a former plus size model turned editor. I’m the editor of Plus Magazine, a magazine that has been around for about five years. I have a business partner, also a former plus size model out in Seattle. The reason why we came up with this idea was because we did have a magazine called Mode, which fell under after 9/11. And at the time when we started the magazine, there were no plus size editorials that showed plus size models in their truest beauty, which was outside of commercial images - nobody was really interested in who these women were, what they did. They just weren’t just plus size models. They were moms, they were students, activists; there are so many different women out there, so we decided to put a magazine together that really celebrated the models. And it turned into celebrating the fashion and the industry as a whole as the magazine developed.

SS: How did the plus size industry evolve?

MJ: Our first plus size model was Emme Aronson, she together with this other model Natalie, were the two real super plus size models, probably about ten years ago. They were on billboards in Times Square, they had their own TV shows, Emme had her own Barbie doll. This was when the plus size industry had first started, Mode magazine was out. You had designers designing clothes for plus size women for the very first time, outside of the regular brands. So these women kind of came on the scene to give plus size women a voice and an image in fashion that we never had before. And that’s basically where it started.

To hear more about the industry, read on!

In Her Shoes: Eunice Park, Professional Bloomingdale's Shopper

Emily Co — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 08:00:00 PST

Eunice Park is enjoying the life a lot of girls dream to have - living in the Big Apple and working as a professional shopper. Yes, you heard me right. Eunice is an associate buyer at Bloomingdale's, a job that many girls covet, but a hard position to attain in the competitive world of fashion. So what does it takes to get there and what's it like? Well, read on to find out what it's like to walk In Her Shoes!

SavvySugar: What makes this a dream job?

Eunice Park: This is a dream job because I essentially shop for a living! Of course, there is more to the job than fashion and clothes. Contrary to what most people believe about the retail industry, most of my job revolves around numbers (lots of Excel spreadsheets)! But that is why I love what I do. I get to mix both my analytical and creative sides. Some perks include being able to see designers' collections before they hit the market and, of course, New York Fashion Week!

SS: Do you have to have a degree in fashion to become a buyer? How does one typically get there?

EP: No, you do not need a fashion degree to become a buyer. As a matter of fact, most buyers have a degree in finance or have a business background (including MBAs). I graduated from the University of Michigan with a BA in Economics and was recruited on campus into the Macy's Buying Training Program. I worked in their Minneapolis buying office for about six months and then transferred to Bloomingdale's about two years ago. I've worked in many different categories of business - from men's sportswear, to handbags, to contemporary dresses and now swimwear! Generally, if you want to be a buyer you need to start as an Assistant Buyer and work your way up. We recruit from schools across the country for our Buying Training Program as well as internships.

SS: How do you budget for clothing?

EP: Living in New York is not cheap, so I do need to keep a budget for clothes! Some of my favorite affordable stores include Zara, Topshop, Urban Outfitters and J. Crew. My advice for someone who wants to look chic but not break the bank - invest your money in classic pieces that you will wear forever and don't spend too much on trends! I like to think about my clothes in "dollars per wear." For example, if I buy a $100 sweater and wear it 100 times in a season, that is only $1 per wear, and therefore a great purchase! I am also a big believer in "high-low" styling - creating an outfit by mixing high-end with low-end brands. You do not need to be in head to toe Chanel to look great! And also, accessories go a long way - you can totally transform a basic look with a printed scarf, statement necklace, or killer handbag.

To find out what her typical day is like, read on!

In Her Shoes: Window Dresser, Meghan Lorenz

Emily Co — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 08:00:11 PST

The holidays are here and there's no better job that captures the Christmas spirit than dressing windows for the season! This week's In Her Shoes crown goes to Meghan Lorenz, a Chicagoan who styles windows for a living.

SavvySugar: What's your style like?

Meghan Lorenz: It's very reminiscent of the things that inspired me as a child. I love iridescence. I love glitter. I like using cardboard and building things. Honestly, my style reminds me of Barbie’s clothes and Care Bears. I’m trying to have it evolve a bit, but it is kind of young. You know I like making pastries and foam installations which is why I like bakery jobs because they are very playful. So my style is very playful and it’s feminine also. I love pinks, I love sea foam green.

SS: How did you get into this?

ML: Originally I was planning on doing costume and set design so I moved out to LA when I was 18. I planned on doing that, and I started working at Fred Segal so I started working more with fashion and I realized that window display would be a great way to incorporate art and fashion. That’s sort of how I got into it and as a kid my favorite movie growing up is Mannequin, and I’ve always enjoyed window display so it kind of made sense.

To find out more about her job and see pictures of her lovely holiday windows, read on!

In Her Shoes: Stefanie Michaels, Adventure Girl and America's Tweetheart

Emily Co — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 08:00:00 PST

With a name like Adventure Girl, you know she's rockin' a dream job. She's a daring traveling expert, and has left footprints in places like safaris in Africa and ice hotels in Iceland. She's not just your average travel guru - Stefanie Michaels, has been dubbed by Vanity Fair as "America's Tweetheart," for her huge Twitter following on @adventuregirl . . . about 1.5 million followers and growing.

SavvySugar: Tell me about your favorite day on the job.

Stefanie Michaels: The first time I saw a lion in the wild. That was really spiritual. For the four days we had been looking, because we heard that there was this pride of lions that had a series of babies over the past months and we couldn’t find them. All of a sudden, our tracker said something to the driver and we made a U-turn to a different direction and we came around these boulders to see the pride. There was one male and there had to have been maybe six females all different ages, and the babies. There had to have been about nine to 10 babies and they were all rolling around, playing, hissing and growling, and we just sat there still, quiet in the truck. We watched the babies play and the mothers lick them, and it was almost like we shouldn’t have been there but we got this view. I just pinched myself. I couldn’t believe that we were sitting there watching this. The driver turned around to us later and said did you understand how rare this is. It was magical it was one of the most incredible experiences that I've ever had.

SS: Where do you want to go to next?

SM: Antarctica is on my shortlist, I’ve been trying to get there for a long time there’s always some kind of roadblock. But I feel like I want to get there faster, because of what’s going on with global warming. It may not be there to see so I’d really like to get there.

For more about Stefanie's adventures, read on!