How to become a fashion editor

Dressing for your interview

There's no occupation more sartorially demanding than fashion editor, so dressing the part in your interview is essential. Still, when you're starting out, it's hard to make an impression. However, all the editors interviewed for this story agree: wear something respectfully professional, but still stylish. "No suits!" a fashion director commands. "Knee length skirt, bare legs, heels. Strappy sandals are OK. But don't wear jeans–unless they're Chloe."
Basloe, who is routinely photographed by the fashion paparazzi and has been pictured numerous times in the "Street Style" section of the New York Times and the fashion pages of the New York Post, still remembers her first interview outfit. "I had a sleeveless black turtleneck, a periwinkle knee-length skirt, and those Sabrina heels – the ones when they first came out. I was a senior in college and I didn't have too much money to shop, so the shirt was from the Gap, the skirt I got at Filene's, and the shoes were from Zara. And I still think it's a great outfit!"
"Basically, you're styling yourself," she says. "When people see you at appointments and at shows looking good, they'll want you. Your value rises. Let's face it, this is a looks-oriented industry." Helen Gurley Brown remembers that when Atoosa Rubenstein was an assistant, "People would ask me, Who is that girl? She was so striking."
Once you're in, keeping up the look is important. "I like to make sure every thing is right. I dress somewhat thematically," another much-photographed editor says. "I like to make sure I have the right jewelry on, the right shoes. If I'm working a look and I'll remember that I have another pair of shoes that might have worked better, I'll spend the whole day berating myself for not thinking of them sooner. It's all about the details."
Still, bargain shopping is not to be sniffed at. "It's all about mixing," says Basloe. "I still love H&M and the Gap. Don't be a snob."
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The importance of interning

What to expect on the job