InQuire Speaks To: Boohoo.com’s Head Stylist, Kate Holroyd

Can you describe your typical working day as a boohoo stylist?

Gladly! Firstly, I’ll find out which model I’ve got for the day, and do some research, find some inspiration, look at mood boards, et cetera. I’ll then find clothes, shoes, and all the accessories that will best suit their frame, their style, their personality, by pulling them from a rail that is usually delivered for the shoot first thing that morning. It used to be my job to organize that rail!

I’ll usually have a hair and make up reference to give to the make up artists, who roll in at 10am alongside the models. It only takes them about an hour to do hair and makeup, so we actually get a lot of shooting done before lunch. We can sometimes photograph 45 outfits a day, which all include a catwalk run! And sometimes, it takes a while to get a simple, plain outfit looking exciting enough for the camera; so I have to play around with accessories a lot.

I’ll also always find out which model I have lined up for the next day at some point during the afternoon, so I can do a bit of prep, and so the same thing will happen again the following day! Last minute projects, such as creative shoots will often pop up and I need to fit the models that same day …which throws things a little. But it’s stuff like that that makes our work so fast-paced and varied, and really rewarding. I always have so much fun with the people I’m surrounded by at work, and all the clothes I get to create outfits with. The creative shoots are the best opportunities, as is being able to see up-and-coming trends before anyone else.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to break into the fashion industry, or specifically become a stylist?

The main things, for me anyway, and probably most other people in the industry are work experience …and persistence. Once you graduate, just keep on applying for jobs, placements, anything you can get your hands on. You need to make yourself available for anything! Put yourself out there, but always be polite, hard-working and professional. It’s important to carry on making a good impression once you land the job or placement too, as you will get noticed for being either good …or just really bad!

I was lucky enough to land a job as a sample coordinator at boohoo when I was applying for work experience, which was a foot in the door. I remember finding it on the boohoo.com careers page, which is always really up to date and concise. From there, I asked to assist on shoots, and once I got good at it, I got to cover stylists if they were off, or too busy to do a shoot that day. So I must have really impressed them, as they kept asking me to help out the following time. If you persevere and do it in a similar way to me, you’re building up a fantastic reputation. It was amazing when, after eighteen months, that hard work and persistence paid off and I got to be a stylist myself!

Who do you take style inspiration from?

Well, for the shoots we do there will nearly always be a Cara Delevingne hair, or eyebrow reference on the mood board! She’s obviously fun-loving, messy and extremely quirky, but on the catwalks as well as in editorials, she always looks flawless.

Any insider style tips for 2013?

I love big, eye-catching collar necklaces at the moment, (like the one in my photo!) You can wear the simplest of shirts, t-shirts or work outfits, and make it look so beautiful, on trend and exciting with one. Monochrome looks good. Boyfriend fit jeans paired with a lower heel than you’d usually go for, too. But essentially, 2013 is the year to be confident and try bold colors and exciting patterns that you’ve never considered in the past. Boohoo has an amazing selection of acid brights! I’d also put a staple varsity jacket down as a must, to throw over your shoulders to keep you warm on long summer nights.

…And lastly, we have to know…what has been your biggest fashion faux pas?

Glittery leggings. All day, every day. And I probably moved on to some other equally weird trend after that, too!