High-End and Luxury Personal Styling

What kind of work did you do throughout your internship experience?

I worked in the personal styling offices at Neiman Marcus. Throughout this time, I got to put together looks and help in any way possible. I would go around the store and pick out a rack full of pieces for clients daily. I learned how to use the look up systems to find specific pieces that clients would request. One of my favorite days was when I was able to style the mannequins for the store, I got pictures to add to a portfolio. Another great day was working in alterations where I learned how to hem pants and fit people properly. 

I think a challenge for me was having to deal with personal disappointment if I client didn’t like something you picked out. Another is disappointing a client if we didn’t have something that they wanted. To overcome this, the only way is to understand that you can’t make everyone happy. On the other hand, we usually could fix the situations with replacements.

The most significant contribution I made was by teaching my mentor some things that she didn’t know about social media. She is a digital client advisor as well, so social media is very important to her. With the techniques I taught her she grew her page! I remember how excited and happy she was when I showed her.

What is unique about your situation that influenced your internship experience?

I would say what made my experience unique to me was my flexibility and willingness to learn. I was really willing to do anything and help anyone! I used my voice a lot as I got comfortable, and it made everyone gain respect for me. At the end I was asked for my opinion all the time which felt so good.

How did your Applied Humanities major coursework help prepare you for the internship experience?

My degree in Applied Humanities helped me understand and respect the clients better. My studies prepared me for meeting people from all walks of life. For example, the PAH 372 Intercultural Competence class was one of the best classes of my college experience and it directly prepared me for this internship. Clients come from all over the world and respecting them is beyond important.

What advice do you have for other students as they search for and begin their internship?

My advice for future students would be to apply to a lot of places. Once you have your internship, be very open to doing anything that they ask you to do. Make everything a learning opportunity! Your time at an internship is so limited and valuable so you need to take every opportunity. Also, I think going above and beyond at an internship is great to potentially lock in a job or at least a good reference.