Hobby as The Best Way to Choose Future Career

 On the last day of eighth-grade, my teacher quoted the popular adage, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life” (Garson). Her words of wisdom resonated with me for many years, but recently I have begun to ponder: what is it, exactly, that I love? More importantly, can I turn what I love into a career path?

I have been drawn to fashion for nearly all of my life; it has been both an interest and a hobby to me. I’ve taken pride in a good outfit since I began dressing myself and idolized designers since I first became familiar with them. Over the years, I began to take that pride and idolization and turn it to action. Through my creativity and imagination, I began designing and bringing my love for fashion to life. While I did become quite invested in this hobby, it never amounted to more than a way to pass time or make a quick dollar here and there. I continue to fall more and more in love with fashion, but cease to make any progress in my skills or interests. But now, as I recall the words of my eighth-grade teacher, I wonder if this mere diversion has the potential to be a major part of my future. When posed the question of where I would like to see myself on December 13th in relation to my goals, I have decided that I would like to take fashion more seriously, discover its different avenues, and consider a future career in it.

There are various ways in which I can begin taking my hobby more seriously. One step that I plan to take is to become an active member of the Fashion Society of Penn State. I have already attended the first meeting and spoken to the board about some of my designs. As the board members encompassed the plans and goals for the club this semester, I was filled with excitement. I have never put such action to my love of fashion before, so the thought of pursuing it beyond self-entertainment purposes is very fulfilling. Another step I plan to take is to take advantage of some of my resources at home. I live only 40 minutes from New York City, the center of fashion (Fashion); I also have family who have worked in the fashion industry for many years. Lastly, I would like to create new pieces out of my comfort zone. I have stuck to what I am used to for some time now, so I believe that pushing my boundaries could be very beneficial to the discovery of whether or not I would like to pursue this.

Currently, my comfort zone consists of graphic merchandise. I buy previously made clothing and revamp them. For example, I will take a plain t-shirt and add my own design to it. However, I have a variety of non-graphic sketches that I would like to create from fabric. This level of designing would be something very new to me and I feel as though I have steered away from it for some time now. Before this semester ends, I definitely want to explore this type of design as well as create more of these sketches.

Because I have never created one of my non-graphic sketches, I have to start small. According to Julie Bonnar from “The Pattern Pages,” “It’s better to make a really good job of a simple garment than a dog’s dinner of something that’s far too complicated!” (Bonnar). It is suggested to start with a printed pattern designated for beginners. The following brands are geared towards novices: Burda, Simplicity, Butterick, and Kwik Sew. Beginners should select sewing patterns with the correct terminology. An appropriate pattern for beginners will have the words “easy,” “simple,” and “for beginners” in their description. Patterns also have reviews on various websites; it is recommended to do your research on a pattern before selecting it. A simple pattern should not have too many pattern pieces to sew together. The less pieces you are cutting out, the better your sewing experience will be. A great place to buy your first sewing pattern is a retail shop due to the advice that the workers can offer you. Lastly, it is essential to make sure you have the correct sized sewing pattern. This can only be achieved if you know how to take accurate body measurements (Bonnar).

Once you have chosen your pattern, you must choose your fabric. Bonnar claims, “Selecting the right fabric can make or break a finished garment” (Bonnar). Beginners should use the fabric type that is recommended on the sewing pattern envelope. While it might be tempting to pick your own pattern, this will make for a more promising sew. Patterns that are easy to sew will recommend fabrics that are easy to work with, such as cotton. Fabrics are easy to work with if they do not fray, are not too slippery, and where fabric matching (making sure the prints match up) is not required (Bonnar).

Once you have your pattern and fabric picked out, you must cut and sew your pieces together. First, it is suggested to reread the sewing pattern and imagine it as a step-by-step instruction. This helps to avoid annoying errors and having to unpick anything sewn together incorrectly. It is helpful to pin things together perpendicularly where the seam will be. Pins are easy to remove and help you envision the way your pieces will fit together. Using resources that explain techniques and garment construction such as online tutorials and books are helpful when trying to sharpen your skills (Bonnar).

While I do want to advance my designing skills by the end of the semester, I would also like to discover the different avenues that fashion can take me down. I would like to better familiarize myself with the variety of careers known to the fashion industry and see if they interest me. Designing is difficult to pursue due to its “hit-or-miss” nature. I am not giving up on designing but accepting the harsh reality of the world of design. Being open to other jobs in an industry that I am attracted to may be very beneficial. I would like to know about the more conservative approaches to working in fashion while not completely disposing of my designing dreams. Job search and career expert, Alison Doyle, acknowledges the variety of tasks that those who work in fashion perform. She states, “Those who work in fashion design might analyze trends in clothing, shoes, and accessories. They might choose design concepts. They might use computer-aided design programs to develop designs” (Doyle). Her list of fashion job titles is lengthy and something I plan on looking at with great consideration over the next couple of months.

Being that fashion has been a love of mine and a means of expression ever since I was a young girl, I believe that pursuing a career in it would be exhilarating. However, I do fear there are many drawbacks. For starters, I have heard that fashion is a very difficult field to enter; it is everchanging and cut-throat. I also have read that sometimes turning a hobby into a career makes for a great disdain of the hobby. This is because the hobby is no longer on your terms; rather you are now on a schedule and forced to associate your financial obligations with something that used to be purely for enjoyment (Landau). For these reasons, I want to be positive of my decision for a career before I make it. That is my goal in the next few months.

My eighth-grade teacher’s reiteration of an ancient adage resonated with me for many years. I now ponder the fact of whether or not I would like to turn my love of fashion into my future career. My goal for the end of the semester is to further my skills in designing, deepen my understanding of career paths within the fashion industry, and consider all its fallbacks. While this goal may seem rather broad, there are definite steps I need to take to achieve it that span from creative action to ongoing research. When it comes to my career and the rest of my life, I am willing to spend my time and exert my energy on such a matter. As stated earlier, my goal is to choose a job I love so much and never work a day in my life.