Being a fashion merchandising major is anything but easy. Trust me, I’ve had countless conversations with my family about how this is a great career path for me. Why does my major, something that I love and am extremely passionate about, come with an unfair bias that people judge me for?
Here are some of the most common misconceptions that fashion merch majors deal with on a daily basis.
1. "So you’re going to design clothes?"
Nope. That’s the fashion design major’s job. I’m here for the business side of the fashion world and, trust me, it’s a lot harder and more complex than you think it is.
2. “What are you going to do with that, be a manager at the mall?”
Out of all the assumptions that people make, this one is probably the most annoying. I am not spending four years in college and thousands of dollars on an education to do a job that I do now. With my major I can do basically anything that I want within the fashion industry. Buying, advertising, writing--you can name it and I’ve taken a class in it.
3. “You must love to shop!”
Believe me, I’m all for some retail therapy as much as the next girl, but my life does not revolve around it. Just because my major involves clothes does not mean that it is centered around it.
4. “Your classes must be super easy.”
No, but thank you. I take accounting. I take statistics. I take marketing. I take economics. Yes, I take math and science classes. Just because fashion is a part of my major's name does not mean that it is not hard or challenging.
5. "You must have to dress up for class all the time."
I dress up for class every day because I like to dress up and look nice. I own exactly two pairs of sweatpants and seven sweatshirts. It has nothing to do with my major or my professors making it a requirement, it's just a personal thing that I take pride in.
6. "Anyone can make it in the fashion world."
Sure, if you’ve got thick skin, are up for loads of competition, and are willing to start from the bottom. This industry is all about making connections, many of which take a long time to make. It’s anything but easy, but it sure is worth it.
7. "You’re not going to make a lot of money."
That's not true at all. The average salary for a merchandise buyer in 2015 was anywhere between $69,000-101,000. $69,000 for a starting salary? I’ll take it!
The next time that you decide to bash my major, just remember that, in a few years, I’ll be the one picking out the hottest clothes that you’ll be in the stores buying.
