Topshop, Mulberry, M&S, Burberry – the British fashion industry is iconic the world over. Whether you adore designer or love the high street, fashion is about expressing your personal style through your clothing and being creative with how you look. There are bags of fashion courses on offer at the moment and many routes you could choose to go down in pursuit of a career in the fashion industry. Studying has never been so stylish.

Stylist

Gok Wan styled his way on to our screens back in 2006 and has a lot of great things to answer for – namely giving women body confidence, but also for encouraging students to get into styling. Stylist courses are about dressing according to body shape, enhancing the best features and disguising the worst. They also teach fashionistas how to wear different colours to complement each other. If you’re interested in a career in fashion, a stylist course could lead to a career like Gok’s, or it might open doors in the magazine, retail or even film industries.

Fashion Modelling

From The Model Agency showing us the inside story of the industry; to Britain’s and Ireland’s Next Top Model putting wannabe models through their paces; we are fascinated by modelling. Being a model is no longer about being super tall and thin though. Plenty of commercial models look just like normal people and shows like Models, Misfits and Mayhem prove that fashion modelling can be taught. Take a course in it to learn how to command the catwalk and create a portfolio to help you get work when you’ve finished studying.

Millinery

After the much talked about Philip Treacy fascinators the princesses Eugenie and Beatrice wore to the Royal Wedding this year, millinery has been in the spotlight. The extravagant hats sported at Ascot Racecourse get bigger every year too and always make the news, which might be why millinery is a popular fashion course. Study the decorative techniques employed in hat-making and the fabrics that make different hat styles. Who knows, when Harry gets married it could be your hats adorning the fashion pages. 

Dressmaking

The meat dress might have been going too far for some people and the amount of times she’s tripped over in one of her elaborate garments makes you wonder where Lady Gaga gets her style ideas from, nonetheless, her quirky designs have inspired many students to take up dressmaking. If the high street bores you, the skills you could learn on a dressmaking course will definitely excite you into creating your own looks. Once you’ve mastered cutting patterns and different stitches, you could be designing dresses as daring as Gaga’s.

Makeup

For some people it’s all about being a California girl. Others want to get the London Look. Katy Perry and Kate Moss are admired for their flawless makeup styles, which is why they’ve both represented beauty brands – OPI and Rimmel London respectively. Many people want to replicate their looks and a makeup course is the ideal place to master all the techniques needed. Makeup fashion goes from wild and bright colours on the face to subtle, more neutral looks designed to make it look like you’re not wearing any at all.

Fashion Accessories

Accessorising has been a favourite money-saving trend to come out of the recession. You can recycle an old outfit by teaming it with some striking shoes or jewellery. Shops like Accessorize have become a high street favourite as well, especially when you need a last minute update for an outfit. From collars to cuffs, bags to belts, a fashion accessories course will show you how to design and make your own accessories. These are the kind of courses that encourage you to let your creativity loose and experiment with different styles.

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