Style Sample magazine is partnering with do-it-yourself resource heaven (and brainchild of Jenna Colombini, featured in the current issue) New York Design Shop with a challenge: 10 DIY bloggers were each given one basket of materials and permitted to let their creativity run wild!

Check out some of the amazing projects they came up with, and vote for your favorite. One lucky voter will win a Create Couture original piece!

Check out the rest of the blogger tutorials and vote for the blogger you think deserves to win the Create Couture DIY Design Challenge!

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In the personal styling feature in the current print issue (buy it here!), we spoke to Beth of B. Jones Style (she’s doing big things over at her blog–check it out), who wisely advises aspiring stylists to develop relationships with local boutiques.

Making the right connections and cultivating trust with area retailers can help you create a base of stores from which to pull clothing and accessories for photo shoots, fashion shows, and other opportunities that may arise.

So, what’s the best way to go about doing such a thing? Let’s go over some basic tactics:

Know the shops in your area

Do a good ol’ Google search, ask around, or–really, if you’re into fashion, you probably already know the local hotspots. Subscribe to store’s email list, set up a Google Alert for “(your city) boutique”, or subscribe to the feed of a publication that covers local retailers to stay up to date on sales and events.

Make contact

Plan a trip! If you have a blog, contact owner ahead of time and let them know you’re interested in writing about their store or covering their event. I ran into trouble at an event when there was a paid professional photographer there who felt threatened when I took photos (even though I’m not a photographer), so make sure it’s okay to take pictures.

This blogging thing is still pretty new for a lot of people, so you may need to explain what you do. Send a link to your site so they can check it out before you arrive.

Take a trip

Dress the part for your visit, and when you arrive be friendly and professional. Bring your camera (or your photographer if you’re lucky enough to have one) as well as plenty of business cards to distribute.

Take pictures of the shop, the merchandise, the owner and employees, or whatever images best fit your site content. When taking pictures of other people, make sure you have their permission to post their photo and be sure write down their names–with the correct spelling!

If they’re not too busy, chat with the people running the shop. Ask when they get shipments in, what services they offer, and if they have any special sales or events coming up. The more interested you are, the better!

Buy a little something if see something you like and you can afford it–people support people who support them.

Blog it

If you had a good experience, post a write-up on your site. Talk about your visit in first person, and make sure the post is attractive–use clear pictures and proper grammar and spelling. If you use a direct quote, make sure it’s accurate.

Easy things to write about include the location, store setup/atmosphere, clothing brands, your favorite finds, good deals, and how you’d style certain pieces. Always write in your own voice and keep it real–your readers are still your first priority.

Follow up

Send a follow-up “great meeting you” email with a link to the published post to the shop owner. It also helps to attach a few pictures if you got any good ones–people love to receive pictures of themselves. I usually email one or two images of the store owner and employees, along with a link to a Flickr set with the pictures taken. If you’re open to it, let them know they’re welcome to use the photos as long as they’re credited to you.

Keep in touch

If the boutique has social media accounts, follow them on Twitter or Like them on Facebook. Send a quick request to link to the shop owner on LinkedIn. If you’re forgetful (welcome to the club!), set up an email group list of all the shops you’ve contacted, and set a reminder on your calendar to contact the list every 4-6 weeks. Sending a quick email to ask if they received anything new or interesting is a simple way to stay in the loop!

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Issue #8 of Style Sample magazine is ready to go and chock full of style: film noir-inspired fashion photography, shopping for a tropical vacation (or just hot and humid weather), colorfully subversive illustrations, packing for a stylish vacation in Madrid, and advice for hosting giveaways, in addition to independent designers, your favorite (and future favorite) bloggers, and much more!

Click to read!

Personal Styling feature

The print edition of issue #8 also includes a fantastic special feature on personal styling! Six professional stylists from LA to London share their insights, experiences, and advice regarding what it takes to make it in the business and the best way for you to get started. If you love fashion and are interested in being your own boss, it’s a must-read! You can order your copy here.

Contributors

Sincere thanks to all of the wonderful people who contributed to this issue:

Confessions of a Fashion Editor
‘Cause I’d Rather Waste My Life Pretending
Swa-Rai
Hurricane Lemonade
Shonwer
Wearable Dreams
My Little Fashion Diary
My Fashion Insider
If You Seek Style
Belgrade Flapper
Iva Messy
Time Enough for Drums
Mariel’s Castle
Style & Cigarettes
English Rose
Transient Withdrawal
Fashion Speak
Wangie
WIT & Whimsy
Polina Osherov
My Life as a Magazine
New York Design Shop
Black Milk
Candid Couture
FashionNerdic
Return to Sender
Free!Grechen
Closet Full of Nothin
Passport Glamour
Black Mary Jane
B. Jones Style
Gabrielle Teare
Amanda Skoda
Closet of Style
TopStylista

Stop by and visit everyone, follow the contributors on Twitter @StyleSample/stylesample8, then settle in and enjoy the issue!

If you’d like to contribute to Style Sample, complete the submission form.

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Our current obsessions this week:

Lumedisco’s Jeffrey Campbell-inspired wedges

She couldn’t find the JC’s, so she custom made her own version. Now that’s dedication.

UNIF’s MJ tribute tee

A few days after the one-year anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death, “I want you back” says it all.

FashionMeGreen

Gettin’ our green on and checking out the stylish eco-friendly fashions at fashionmegreen.com. We’re determined to be better people, dammit!

Don’t forget, the new issue of Style Sample magazine comes out July 6th! Follow @StyleSample on Twitter so you’re the first to know.

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The new issue of Style Sample magazine comes out on July 6th! Expect to see even more of your favorite bloggers, the best shopping, fashion photography and illustration, and great advice about making your blog even better.

Here’s a sneak peek at the cover:

We’re also trying something a little different: in addition to the regularly scheduled content in each issue (which will always be a part of the free online magazine), there will be additional premium content in the print edition. The premium content delves deeper into one particular area of style, focusing on careers in the fashion industry and delivering useful, actionable advice from professionals about how to get your foot in the door.

Ever thought about becoming a personal stylist?

The premium content in the upcoming issue focuses on personal styling, and we’ve been hard at work conducting research and interviewing professional personal stylists in different cities around the world, from LA to New York to London to Paris.

Everyone we talked to was surprisingly candid, and dished about everything from how they got started (there’s nothing wrong with starting with your sister’s hairdresser’s cousin!) to how they set up their business. If you’re interested in styling, you don’t want to miss this feature!

We can’t wait to share this issue with you, so be sure to follow us so you’re the first to know when it’s ready!

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