Do you have a passion for writing and want to become a fashion editor and work for your favorite fashion publications? In this interview, Jessica Andrews Deputy Fashion Editor at Bustle shares how she became fashion editor. From her BA in English to her first job working in the fashion closet at Marie Claire, Jessica has built her way up an amazing career as a fashion editor and her CV counts the best fashion publications out there: Marie Claire, Elle, Refinery29 and Teen Vogue, among others. We also discuss the difference between being a freelance fashion writer and working as a Fashion Editor full-time and how much her fashion blog Glamazonsblog.com has contributed to her career as a fashion writer and editor.
Enjoy it!
Hi Jessica and welcome! Could you please introduce yourself?
Hi, My name is Jessica Andrews and I’m the Deputy Fashion Editor at Bustle.
What did you study?
I was an English major in college, writing has always been my first love.
What was your first job in fashion?
My first job was working in the fashion closet at Marie Claire. My first opportunity to do fashion writing came later, when I got hired as the fashion assistant at Essence. I was so passionate about writing that I offered to do it in my spare time, when I wasn’t checking off my day-to-day tasks of managing the closet, fetching my boss’ lunch, and packing trunks for shoots. And I started my blog and wrote posts at night and on weekends.
When and how one of your internships turned into your first full-time job and what was that job?
My internship at Essence kinda sorta turned into a full-time job. I interned there in several different departments and I worked so hard and made friends with everyone, but when my internship ended, no jobs were available. I graduated from college and was jobless (and devastated!) for 6 months before the fashion assistant job opened up.
You became Freelance Writer in 2014 and then Contributing Writer at Teen Vogue, Elle, Vanity Fair. Can you talk about those years? How was transitioning to freelancing and then again getting employed at Teen Vogue as Fashion Features Editor?
It was definitely a challenging transition. As a freelancer, I was totally in charge of my own schedule and it was nice to have that sense of freedom and ownership over my time. I also loved being able to write for different sites and cultivate different voices. I thrive on change and constant evolution so being able to write for different sites really appealed to my more adventurous, curious side.
But the downside was not having benefits — which is a big issue — and then not being paid on time. I always recommend that freelancers get one steady gig so their most important bills are covered (I did daily news writing for a set fee each month). Then, you have some flexibility with sites that don’t pay right away. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t follow up and demand to be paid in a timely manner. But you never want to put yourself in a position where you could be behind on your bills or rent.
When it came time to go back to Full-Time work, I was relieved to have benefits and steady payments coming in but I will always miss the freedom and adventure of freelance life.
You’re the Deputy Fashion Editor at Bustle. Can you please describe the role of the Deputy Fashion Editor?
As Deputy Fashion Editor, I’m responsible for crafting and executing the vision for the fashion vertical. I think of what Bustle fashion represents and how it can grow and evolve in the coming years. I manage the fashion team and make sure I’m putting them in the best position to achieve our goals as a team and their personal career goals. I represent Bustle in the market, nurturing relationships with brands and attending events and Fashion Weeks on their behalf. And I get to do the thing I love most: writing and editing. I love having the opportunity to tell people’s stories, push for more inclusivity in the fashion industry, and empower women through fashion and style. That’s by far the most fulfilling part of my job.
You also run a blog and a successful IG profile @dressupwithjess (that you guys should all follow) posting always so many fantastic looks. How do you manage your job, blog and social profile?
Not well LOL! It’s definitely hard having so many things on my plate and making sure I’m taking time out for self-care and the things that matter to me like my family, my church, my health with exercising more. When I first started out in fashion, I’d work as an assistant all day and go to events in the evening then stay up all night blogging. I’m not doing that anymore! I carve out time on the weekend or at night to schedule posts on Instagram or do SEO-friendly posts on my blog, because I love it, it’s my personal brand and it will always be dear to me. But I make sure I’m not overworking myself at the same time, it’s all a balancing act.
How much has your blog and/or IG profile contributed to your career in fashion?
Tremendously. When I started out as a fashion assistant at Essence, there were no writing opportunities for me. My job was to pack trunks, do returns, manage my boss’ schedule, get her lunch, run errands for her, etc. I was not hired to be a writer. But as I mentioned, that was my first love. And I’m a huge advocate of creating your own opportunities. I started the blog as a way to write about all the amazing brands I was being introduced to, and all the crazy adventures I was having, because I couldn’t do it for the magazine. It was an outlet for me — and it took off!
Once editors saw I had a passion and a talent for writing, they started to come to me with opportunities. I went from an assistant at Essence to a director at a small fashion site, all because I proved through my blog that I understood digital media at a time when most outlets were slow to make the shift. That was a game-changer for my career!
As for Instagram, you know those memes that say “I’m old enough to remember when…” well, I’m old enough to remember when having an Instagram account as an editor was regarded as a bad thing. People thought it meant you wanted to be a celebrity and you didn’t take your career as a journalist seriously. But I already had an audience through my blog and I was proud of the space we built together on the internet even if fashion media didn’t “get it” at the time. I connected with so many incredible women through my site, women who loved fashion and beauty, but also travel, diversity, sustainability, their faith, and so much more. These readers have seen me at my lowest – when I was searching for a job, when I wasn’t getting paid for freelance work, even when my grandmother passed and I was grieving. We’ve been through a lot together! They’ve been on this career journey with me, rooting for me and lifting me up. Sometimes, I’d be so discouraged and I’d get a DM from a reader that completely lifted my spirits and reminded me that this journey is so much bigger than the bad day I was having. Those messages kept me going. So, I love my little corner of the internet and I always will.
That being said, even though it was looked down upon, I continued to post on Instagram and share my experiences — good and bad — and my following really grew organically that way. And then I noticed a shift. Suddenly, employers started to see my Instagram presence as an asset, because I could share their content on my page. They’d even pitch me to brands for opportunities because of it. It’s still mind-blowing to me how everything changed. So to answer your question, IG helps now but it didn’t always. Either way, I love social media & I always recommend that people build their own platforms and audiences (even off of social media, through newsletters, for example!). No one can take that away from you.
What are your top three tips for those who want to start a career in the fashion industry?
1. Create your own opportunities. If your passion is photography, get a camera and shoot outside the shows at Fashion Week or put together a photo shoot. A writer? Start a blog or a newsletter, and get your work out there. Don’t wait for the approval of a big brand to get started, start today.
2. Network as much as you can. Add weekly coffee/drink meetings to your to-do list. Fashion is all about relationships.
3. Be willing to adapt. When I first started in fashion, print was the department to work in, Instagram wasn’t a thing, brands wouldn’t even entertain working with bloggers. Now, everything’s changed. Be flexible and never stop learning.
