Exclusive: What It's Really Like To Be Cosmo’s Fashion Market Director

What does your average day look like?
My days are usually quite different, which is one of the main reasons I love my job. It's impossible to be bored when you're always working on a photoshoot with a creative theme, coming up with unique shopping pages, or out on the market seeing all of the new clothing and accessories seasons in advance. I've said before my job is like a constant treasure hunt—always searching for the best product depending on the angle or story idea. Typically I'm on market appointments or meeting with brands in the morning to see new product depending on the season. Right now we're working on my favorite issue—December—which means holiday gift guides. As soon as I get into the offices it's brainstorming Gift Guide and going through the millions of photos we've taken to make decisions on what we would like to shoot. At the same time, we're working on a few covers and fashion stories, as well as preparing our schedules for Fashion Weeks. 

Working in fashion, you see a lot of trends come and go. ​Do you have a general fashion philosophy? Take a subtle approach when trying out trends.
One of the joys of fashion is that it gives you the freedom to experiment, but it's much more important to know your body and know who you are when it comes to your own personal style.

What’s your go-to look?
I like to say that I invented the crop top. I know it's not true, but it's a style that I've been wearing proudly since high school. I have a small waist and curvier hips, so a cropped shirt paired with a high waisted bottom is one of the most flattering looks for my body. A crop top with an A-line skirt, high-waisted pants, or pencil skirt work very well for me, so I stick with it as a uniform.

Do you have any great tricks of the trade? ​
​Bodysuits were one of my greatest discoveries. Sleek and simple—they fit beautifully into a pencil skirt, are much more elegant than a tshirt and give the smoothest line.

What fall trend are you most excited about?
This season there were some great suiting options from Dior, Stella, and Gucci that I'm excited to wear—but in a way that's less "power suit" more Michelle Pfeiffer in ​Scar Face. I also love the subtle hints of bondage, which we saw in lace–up details at Dior, Jonathan Simkhai and Alexandre Vaultier. And of course, I'm always a fan of leopard and cheetah, which to me are always on trend.

What is the one thing every woman needs in her closet?
A black Wolford bodysuit.

What’s always in your bag?
My cell phone, an extra mophie charger, my Vianel credit card holder (because I don't carry a wallet), and Kiehls lip balm. 

As a known heel lover, how do you feel about the sneaker’s big fashion moment? 
I'm a huge lover of all things Nike and love a good designer sneaker collabo a la the Riccardo Tisci for Nike or Solange Knowles' Girls of Blaze capsule with Puma. But, I must admit, I'm much more of a collector than an actual sneaker-wearer. Heels give the illusion of a longer leg, better posture, and make an outfit look more polished and pulled together. I'm not ready to give that up for a fashion sneaker! It's just not for me.

​What do you wish every girl knew about fashion? 
That you can completely immerse yourself in this industry, love fashion and it's history, and be obsessed with clothes and accessories without being overly materialistic and self-involved. The person wearing the clothes will always be more important than the actual garments.