The term “side hustle” has become increasingly popular in recent years. Aside from giving people an additional source of income, they have also become an excellent creative outlet for people with special or artistic interests.
In 2021, 31 percent of Canadians reported having a side hustle, mainly to supplement their income due to difficulties presented by the pandemic. Three in five of this percentage, mostly younger people, had plans to continue pursuing their side hustles the following year.
If you’re especially interested in fashion, there are several opportunities for side hustles available to you. We’ve got five of them below to help you explore your options.
1. Personal Shopping
Many people, usually busy professionals or fashion newbies, often get overwhelmed with the wealth of options available to them.
As a personal shopper, your main task would be to help them find wardrobe pieces to suit their needs. It can be creating an everyday wardrobe or handpicking an outfit for a special occasion.
You will need a good eye for different styles and trends and the ability to match them with each client’s unique personality. It’s good to start with people you know and market your services as you gain more experience.
2. Creating Customized Pieces
This side hustle could be perfect if you have a more artistic flair and enjoy designing or constructing clothing items.
Custom-made pieces hold a certain weight, as they are often unique to each client. It’s an excellent way to express your artistic sensibilities as well.
This category is also quite broad and will depend on your interests and skillset.
Will you be sewing clothes from scratch? Or are you more of a designer and would prefer to hire other people to do the construction?
You could also create your own graphics and find a vendor to print custom shirts in Canada. Now would be a good time to enter the industry, as the country’s apparel market is projected to grow consistently over the next two years.
3. Clothing Retail
Retail is another good way to get your foot in the industry. Everyone will always need clothes, and you could fulfill this demand in your area.
However, “clothing” is a large category, so you must find a niche. Will you be selling vintage or thrifted clothing? Or are you in contact with a supplier for ready-to-wear apparel?
Finding a niche or category for the clothing you want to sell will help you become more focused, especially when marketing your inventory.
4. Influencing
In recent years, social media influencers have amassed great popularity, rivalling those of famous musicians or movie stars. They often have particular niches—fashion being one of them.
If you enjoy styling your own outfits and would like to model and share them with the world, you could try to be a fashion influencer.
However, it’s important to note that this side hustle might take some time to take off. You will need to build a significant and engaged following before you can work with brands and gain sponsorships.
5. Social Media for Fashion Brands
If you love fashion and social media but prefer to work behind the scenes, this could be an excellent option.
Social media management is an in-demand skill at the moment, especially as more people do their shopping online.
You can start by creating a portfolio and sending applications to brands that interest you. If you have little experience, you could take a few courses or offer trial or discounted services to smaller businesses to build your portfolio.
The fashion industry is full of opportunities to exercise your creativity and business acumen. Starting a fashion side hustle is an excellent way to dip your toes into the water and set yourself up for bigger opportunities should they come your way.
