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Why I Love What I Do

AshKies

“I think there is beauty in everything. What ‘normal’ people would perceive as ugly, I can usually see something of beauty in it.”

— Alexander McQueen

As a Fashion Designer, it’s important to know your audience. Although, there are personal morals and visions that you must stick to.

Being a Designer means more than sewing a few pieces of fabric together; there’s a responsibility that you have to show that the world can be full of more. But, that ‘more’ quality needs help sourcing from all society members.

My self-expression comes through what I create; which can perfectly align with other people or I may have to alter a few things within my designs to reach certain audiences.

My job may be to create what I love, but designing clothes is a two-way-street. If my work was only suitable to me, I would have failed my job. Yes, having my styles come to life is a dream of mine, but how would this dream be accomplished if no one felt that special connection to my brand?

Everyone has different qualities and styles about them. Some have long hair and love for it to hang down, covering the backs of their tops, never in need of a show-stopping back to their outfit.

Or, some people have a tattoo, seemingly so perfectly placed on their ankle. In this case, some individuals want to find the perfect light wash jean shorts to match their brown Burkenstocks so they may show off their ankle tattoo.

Whatever it may be, everyone has something unique about themself.

For more inspiration about these ideas, throughout my Instagram profile I feature outfits that I feel truly best represent me.

All-in-all, when I see my designs I want to be proud of what I have done. That doesn’t just include making clothes, it means reaching someone.

I have never met an individual who wished to be confined. No matter how shy someone may be, no one wants to feel insecure about themselves.

I want my work to be something I can look at with great pleasure. I hope for it to be an accomplishment for myself in knowing that I’m helping someone else to express who they are.

How I feel about my Content Creation

The overall experience of this blog has been amazing for me. It has helped me to grow and expand my knowledge of something I love. It has also given me the opportunity to help others in the fashion world.

Of course, there are things I could have done better. I could have reached out to people and asked about what they would like to see on my page. Receiving constructive criticism is always helpful, but knowing what exactly your audience would like for you to dissect is a whole new level. I also could have better promoted my content by posting about in on Facebook.

My best experience of this semester-long project is learning how to promote not only myself but what I love. I learned how to relate to others about a topic I’m so passionate about. This will most benefit my future by being able to continue promoting my passions to others. Something else that was helpful about this assignment was creating a connection with others online. I hope to continue to blog and expand my passion. This experience also helped to show me how much I truly do love fashion.

As shown in the image above, my most popular week was the week of March 28th. Those blog posts had 3 views each. My most popular posts of the semester are tied between 3; At-Home Fashion, Using Props to Compliment your Outfit, and What it means to be a Brand Ambassador. Each have 2 likes and 3 views. I believe those three were the most popular because how relatable they are to the public. There wasn’t anything out of the ordinary that surprised me about all of the other Site Stats data. Although, my twitter posts did average more views than I had expected.

Overall I am happy and grateful for the experience. Keep expressing who you are through what you wear, fashion lovers!

Tips for Outfit Coordinating yourself to an Event

Far too often do people feel like they must go purchase a completely new outfit for different occasions. Although this can be fun and often times used an excuse to go shopping, it can get very expensive. There are a few simple steps that you can try out in order to avoid the unnecessary spending.

Ask what your friends, or whoever you’re going out with, are wearing. Most of the time that I have gone out to buy a new outfit is because I wasn’t sure what other people would be wearing.

I was afraid that my outfits would stand out too much from the group or for the occasion. In reality, half the time I would have been perfectly fine! If you are embarrassed to be asking, don’t be! More than most of the time they are probably going through the exact same situation as you.

Another tip is to borrow clothes from a friend! This is something that people are commonly afraid and embarrassed to do as well but it is the most efficient way to save money! If your piers are willing to loan you something, there is no harm in putting it to use!

In the image to the right, I am borrowing my friends dress that she used for prom. I needed a gown for the Miss Austin Texas Pageant and didn’t have one! Borrowing from a friend saved me hundreds of dollars. Pageant and prom gowns can be very expensive if brand new. Even used or discounted dresses can still put a dent in that credit card.

My third tip would be to go window shopping! Getting inspiration from stores and trying different things on can spark ideas for things you may have. It will be tempting to simply go ahead and purchase what you are trying on, and maybe you could buy one or two of the pieces that you tried on, but do your best to avoid it if you can!

In the image to the left I wanted to see if I could pair a dress with my Reebok white sneakers and tall white socks. The blue dress and grey cardigan from Aerie was exactly what I was looking for. I was able to use this inspiration to find similar dresses in my closet.

What it means to be a Brand Ambassador

Being a brand ambassador means being willing to put your personal life into a position to represent a company. It’s like marketing and being personal with your followers at the same time. The exact definition of a brand ambassador would be someone who is paid to promote a company’s products and/or services. With bigger companies normally comes more famous, celebrity-type representatives. Smaller brands or companies, who are simply looking to gain more followers and get their name out there, will seek out individuals with a lot of followers.

One of the companies I am a brand ambassador for is Sun In Hair Lightener. This is a company that promotes a natural and easy solution to keeping your hair color light year-round. All you have to do is spray the product on the desired area when hair is wet and let the heat do the rest! You can let the sun dry your hair or use it after a shower and blow dry your hair. Either way, Sun In will leave your hair looking effortlessly lighter!

Another company I have become a brand ambassador for is Zapzyt. This is an acne prevention product that I have used for years. The company offers different kinds of face wash and spot treatment.

If you are interested in becoming a brand ambassador, figure out what you wouldn’t mind intertwining in your feed. You could also ask yourself what is something you are passionate about.

Companies who are looking will often times post about a brand ambassador application. Other times, direct messaging them never hurts! If you see a company that you would love to work with, but they do not have anything posted about looking for a brand ambassador, contacting them to familiarize yourself is a great first step.

There will be some pages or companies that are scams. This is something you are going to have to familiarize yourself with in how to be able to pick these out. Getting involved with these ‘companies’ can often times be a scam out of your money. Steer clear of these scams!

How Fashion Influencers Act as Role Models

A way to expand your fashion knowledge is to follow different influencers that speak to you.

An influencer who has always inspired me is Indy Blue.

A few characteristics that pop out about her is that she’s a free spirit, she cares for her followers, and she always wants more of the world. Engaging your audience is one of the most important things to do. Indy Blue executes this perfectly; she comments back, does questionnaires, and appeals to what she knows her viewers want to see while staying true to herself. As well as having a clothing line, she enjoys vlogging her travels around the world and updating her life to her followers. Her most recent updates have been about her expanding family.

Something distinct about Indy Blue’s blogs are that you’re able to read them in her voice. Too often do people attempt to alter the way they write to appeal to others. One of the many ways Indy Blue appeals to her followers is how real she is. Her fashion blogs for her clothing line don’t only talk about the clothing articles themselves but she finds a way to connect to her readers. For example, she changed the name of her clothing line from Indy The Label to The Lonely Ghost Club. From this transition, she was concerned for what her followers would think or if they would become disconnected.

Sure enough her followers were supportive of her new name.

Indy Blue also does an amazing job of keeping followers updated on her personal life. That’s something influencers have to take into consideration when stepping into this field; what is their limit. Indy Blue shares her deep and dark stories of what she’s been through. This makes her appeal to readers more influential; it makes them feel present. Another benefit of her blogs and vlogs are that she stays active. Through everything she goes through, she keeps her audience updated.

Using Props to Compliment your Outfit

Have you eve wondered why your favorite influencers have such an aesthetically pleasing social media account? People like Indy Blue, Annette White, or Emma Hill are all great examples. They know their audience as well as press for what they’re passionate about. A great way to showcase their passion is social media. Each of these influencers are fervent for travel and fashion. They’re able to engage viewers by their usage of what’s around them and what people will love to see.

This is rather simple to do once you’ve nailed down who your audience is and how to grab their attention. Although it can get out of control if you let it. You don’t want props to overwhelm your image. This becomes distracting from your focal point. Easy props to stick to are jewelry, flowers, a stool/seat, or a fun printed wall.

Photoshoots can be overwhelming, therefore it’s important to always go in with an idea of what you’re looking for. Having these props in mind and how to use them is key.

In each of the images above, props such as flowers, a suitcase, a chair, smoke, a sign, and a car are used playfully. Each are things I know will catch my audience’s eye while still showing off the outfit I have paired it with.

The bright, orange Indian Paintbrush Flowers in the top two images add a nice pop to the neutral palleted image. The image with the teal smoke blends in with the same colored sweater, but gives the light wash jeans and tinted sunglasses a fun burst. The light up sign in the bottom middle row is a trendy addition to the image. Another benefit of this image is that all of the colors have a flow together. Any type of sign behind an image is a fun way to add a unique style to your picture. The bottom far right image with the car gives a white pop to the dark space, allowing a cohesive blend with the chosen outfit.

At-Home Fashion

When stuck at home, how can I pursue fashion? What’s the point?

These are questions that are constantly running through our mind when trapped at home. Whether it be from a surprise epidemic or maybe you’re just at home struck with boredom, there’s always a way you can incorporate fashion into your home life.

Fashion is something you practice. What better place to practice then at home? Some may be wondering what exactly there is to practice. Here’s a few points to start with:

What makeup goes with what outfit? Become familiar with what you have and what you need. Daring red and bold blue eyeshadows aren’t going to match a blush pink top. Simple browns and oranges are a couple basic colors that are good to stick to. Lipsticks are a major factor as well, with many different options. Lipsticks are more than just shades; there are lip liners, different colors and shades, gloss, and mattee. Know what is going to compliment your outfit and what will be too distracting.

Go through your closet. What do you wear? What are the things taking up closet and/or dresser room? Donation options are available close to anywhere! American Eagle will give you $10 off a new pair of jeans once you recycle old ones. Aerie allows you to donate a bra to women who have suffered through sex trafficking. In return, you receive 15% off a new bra. If you’re looking for a generic place to donate clothes, there are handfuls of options!

Mentally prepare your outfits. Get familiar with what top will match that skirt with those shoes. This is a good way to help relieve yourself when you go shopping as well. When shopping, you don’t want to buy something that’s cute but you won’t be able to wear it because you have nothing to match it.

  • Refurbished t-shirt

Do you workout at home but also enjoy going to the local park or gym? Find a few cute sets to wear when working out in public. As crazy as it may sound, it is most definitely possible to look stylish while being comfortable in what you’re moving around in!

Refurbish old clothes! Turn that old, baggy t-shirt into a cropped game-day shirt! This is a cheap and beneficial way to spice up your closet! It also makes your style unique. It brings guarantee that no one will have the same outfit as you.

Learning your closet is something that most people assume they’ve already done. But if you ask yourself what all is taking up room, you could find more than you expected.

Creating Clothes that Speak from the Inside Out

What makes fashion what it is? This could be described as learning and adapting to new styles, trends, what people of today’s society enjoy and much more.

I had the amazing opportunity to work as a designer for the Texas State Fashion Merchandising Association fall 2019 Fashion show.

Within the experience of the show, I had the capability to pick my own models and create what I believed best suited them. I analyzed their personalities and constructed clothes suitable to them.

I featured some of the looks and parts of the experience on my Instagram Story titled AshKies Designs.

In the image shown above, I had a model who had an amazing and free personality. She was confident in her body and who she was. I wanted to create something that amplified her character.

Most importantly, I wanted to design something that was show-stopping and different than what other people would be wearing. The model chosen did not blend in to a crowd and this was a quality that needed to be heightened.

This inspiration gave me the idea to create a see-through top detailed with sparkles and pearls. It created a fun and flirty accent to her bubbly personality. The top chosen has great versatility as to where it can be worn.

This, again, is something that as a designer needs to take into consideration; does what you are creating need to be able to be worn more than once?; is this clothing article particularly for a vogue show?

As part of the learning experience, I had to keep in mind that what I was creating needed to have some of my personality embedded within it as well as the models. There were times when I lost track of this idea but continuously reminded myself of the importance I have within the design as well.

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