SPECIAL ED
Magazines, Martinis, and Manicures
On Tuesday night, May 26, 2009, some of Ed’s beauty and fashion editor friends and wannabes met up at Beauty Bar in Manhattan’s East Village to discuss the fate of magazines—oh, and to get drinks and their nails done, too! The bar’s $10 martini & manicure happy hour was a treat for the cash-strapped in need of some pampering.
Ed hung out in the salon-inspired bar (the seats under the hairdryers were surprisingly comfy!) and chatted with the other editors to get insider info on how to move up and stay in the beauty and fashion magazine world. Kelly Hushin, Senior Editor at boutique DESIGN and Hair Care Editor at BeautyNewsNYC, said that being well-rounded is still the way to go. “Don’t just know about the hottest hair and makeup trends; show that you follow other current events, too,” she says. Hushin also says that fashion sense and knowledge don’t mean squat if you haven’t perfected your people skills and don’t seem balanced and pulled-together.
Emily Laurence, Assistant Editor at Twist magazine (who found her job on Ed’s WhisperJobs!), says that although her internships at Jane and Harper’s BAZAAR gave her a strong fashion and beauty background, she still puts in extra effort to stay on top of topics. “I attend as many hair and beauty events as I can to make sure I’m always in the know,” she says.
It seems like there will always be a need for beauty editors and writers, but we wonder how long until the world has had enough “beauty on a budget” blogs. “Readers count on us to tell them how to look great for cheap, so although it could seem redundant, I think we’ll always have useful info to share,” said Hushin.
This is good news for Lisa Berry, a recent grad from Syracuse University, who’s currently looking for her first magazine job. As much as she loves beauty, her plan is to stay positive and keep her options open. “Since things are difficult right now, I think it’s possible I’d end up working for a magazine that I didn’t at first realize I could be passionate about,” she says.
Ed and his friends sipped on the yummy, fruity drinks until about 9pm and then headed home with freshly-painted, summer-ready nails. Stay tuned for info on Ed’s next happy hour.
