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Interest in helping each other in industry, host interns and learned from others, learning from each other
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Fashion industry in DFW ranked alongside NYC and LA and Miami, industry in DFW friendly and cooperative across industry sectors, more laid back lifestyle, "aggressive enough to do the job and do it well but maybe a little bit nicer," "go-getters," considers Arkansas home but now Texas is too
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Worked with doctors offices and hotels and corporations and seminarians on etiquette, people from "McDonald's generation" who didn't grow up with more formal social settings, now changing concepts for COVID, business resilient with varied parts of freelance work
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In 1996 started business "Susan Huston Fashion Concepts" because fashion always central to work
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Idealized images on social media not matching people's realities, manners help with thinking about others, less about "manners class" and about how world works better if you treat others as you want to be treated
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Social media and cyberbullying newer topics for "manners" and socializing, relating own experience with bullying to students' experiences, feeling self-consciousness, exercise thinking about what people notice and body confidence
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In college went to seafood restaurant (which was not familiar growing up in Arkansas) and offered a shrimp cocktail while 18 but mistakenly thought it was an alcoholic drink rather than food, felt embarrassment and wants to help others avoid those situations, things to "help you feel better about yourself"
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Not pushing "cookie cutter image" but instead offering exposure to situations and giving confidence
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Part of identity listed on website, workshops often had repeat students and one student said that her workshops were "the only thing that kept us alive" and the one thing they looked forward
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Identifies as entrepreneur, job with PR at Bauder Fashion College for 26 years and learned a lot about what that involved, motivating to try to find work teaching piano or other freelance work, little interest in "nine to five" jobs, "I could do this if I hustled enough and figured out what I wanted to do"
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Like to be challenged to have a lot to juggle, tried lots of different projects, "my family life was very important to me," got a lot done even with private life responsibilities, women having "mom guilt wanting to be everything for everyone," had very supportive family and husband okay with keeping her last name, kids help with mailings, daughter help with workshops putting makeup on kids and setting up rooms
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Early in modeling occasionally had a makeup artist on site and learning from them, early on was "helper or assistant" but not name for stylist, "learned they do a lot of things to get the shot" like clipping garments behind or putting weights at hem of pants, at magazine Panache as fashion editor pulled clothing from different stores and facilitated photo shoots with an eye for detail, tried to share wealth of knowledge later, some people learned from her and tried to start own businesses but learned it was hard work
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Worked with Miss Texas Pagent in Ft. Worth partnering with Leonard's Department Store, got the job through putting together charm schools and worked as "runner" to grab accessories and learned how behind-the-scenes worked, later worked more with managing kids and mothers, helping kid models find clothes that fit that the parents would then often buy them
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Runway models are tall so clothes flow with height, sample size is 2/4, late 1970s and early 1980s stores started having large size departments and modeling calls included larger size, today "more realistic looks...different nationalities and types" while before most models looked the same; print models for catalogues models make more money, Alderman's studio shot a lot for print in Dallas, models need to know angles and respond to camera "click," now do print and online often now with just neck down, commercial modeling for television advertisements and good money for models, promotional modeling involves passing out fliers or working at conventions or shows, paid as much as $75 a day, during one gig met husband, "most models in Dallas do everything"
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Worked with Kim Dawson for ten years in print at department stores and promotional and runway shows and market, was the "small end of the large size," worked through pregnancy and told to "go home and eat" and had round face which worked well for larger size, started work at 1975 and 1984 had daughter, worked monthly with KMart and Walmart, worked as model until 37 years old and through both pregnancies, Alderman's did catalog work, five large-size models who "worked as much as the tall skinny girls," "less of us so we worked more"
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Was size ten/twelve and seen in showroom window and Kim Dawson Agency person saw her while needing a "large size model," wore garment "like a potato sack" that was too big but modeled for Kim Dawson herself and booked the job, came back to Apparel Mart early in the morning in full makeup and saw "real" models come in with luggage to prepare there, observed and then was told to "go when they say go" but learned when other model is halfway down and then you go, Kim Dawson commentating at side, "Susan, let's show 'em what you've got"
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Volunteered for lots of opportunities, comfortable with "stage presence" and being in the spotlight, didn't make a lot of money early on but got lots of experience, at around age 19 for January market for swimmingsuits at Dallas Apparel Mart and after four hours of going from showroom to showroom until ultimately got a job with Marty Shung (spelling?) which kept going for seventeen years modeling and selling to buyers
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Modeled in 1970s when 5'7" models were okay, visited Kim Dawson Agency while at Bauder Fashion College but was told not tall and thin enough, later worked at Dallas Apparel Mart, modeled at Cox's Department Store where paid $25 and free lunch monthly for informal modeling at country club and enjoyed interacting with people, worked at Ft. Worth Auto Show through beauty pagent application, worked with agent Joan Frank Productions after acting in movie and got promotional modeling gig once dressed as geisha at car show in Dallas for $10 an hour
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"White glove and party manners" courses at all department stores, only person "to survive," has adapted to the times and is doing virtual modeling workshop, "be flexible, try it, if you fail you've learned something"
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Work with interns from various regional colleges, encourages flexibility throughout career, "don't ever say no; try it!", worked on movie with Walter Brennan "Smoke in the Wind" which lead to work at Leonard's and Dillard's through promotions
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Developed reputation for "charm school" through work with Dillard's, now works at Northeast Mall, worked with 41000 girls ages eight to eighteen, teaching grooming and etiquette and modeling, some students later became models and designers, "hard market to get in" but through workshops open students' eyes to other opportunities in fashion
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Worked with Leonard's department store wanting to grow younger audiences and PR person offered job to start "charm school" and write a book (with help of husband who worked at the Dallas Morning News), 1974 Leonard's bought by Dillard's and kept program "Leonard's Runway to Beauty," worked with Dillards 26 years and worked with 38000 girls and teachers in 9 Dillard's, 374 fashion shows total following five-week courses, learned about fashion show production through this work with kids
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Developed workshop at public library in Arlington, charged $10 a person getting enrollment through sign on bulletin board, participated in pageants and always won Miss Congeniality which promoted skills that passed on to others, participated in Junior Miss pageants in Arkansas as a kid, wanted to help give children confidence and help them
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Officially started company in 1996 but has worked as freelancer in many areas for 50 years, worked at Market in Dallas and sold to buyers, worked with Kim Dawson Agency in women's and children's market starting at age 26 as well as print and runway, later on became stylist for Indulge and Panache magazines, created "charm and modeling school" at Leonard's Department Store in 1971, wrote book about grooming and etiquette, Bauder Fashion College included "finishing" training