Ask Fashion Girl

Dear Fashion Girl,

Dear Fashion Girl,

I'm in high school and I really have a good sense of style. Everyone comes to me with style questions. I also really really love to shop. When I say shop - I mean for everything from clothes to sheets. With this background do you think I would be a good fashion buyer?

Sincerely, Tangie

Dear Tangie,

It seems that there would be no better job for a shopaholic! You have two of the most important qualities of a buyer: a strong sense of what's in style and a love for the art of shopping. It is an art form when you can hit both the linens and clothing departments with equal vigor and success!

Being a buyer is not all about shopping though. There are a lot of other aspects to the job. It tends to be stressful and demanding because buyers are typically responsible for lots of things over which they have very limited control. Buyers need strong analytical and math skills and aggressive negotiating abilities. You must have confidence to demand what you need from the vendors you are buying from. The fact that you love shopping for anything is important because your first few jobs in the industry will probably not be in an ideal market like junior sportswear. You could likely start out buying baby tee-shirts or lampshades. If this job description still seems like a perfect fit, you should pursue it. Check out our "Merchandise Marketing" major in the Academics Section for more information.

Keep up those good shopping habits and lots of luck on your career path!

Sincerely, Fashion Girl