Employee Interview: Ed from Image Processing

1. Who are you and what is your official job title?
My name is Ed and I'm a Digital Image Processor here at Boston Apparel Group.

2. Briefly describe what you do on a daily basis...
I am responsible for digitally editing, adjusting and uploading online catalog imagery and coordinating basic website functions in accordance with the Web Design department. More recently, I have become the project leader of item colorization for the web, where I create colored samples that can be conveniently
viewed by customers online. Also, I occasionally assist the other designers with various creative and technical tasks.

3. What's your favorite part of your job?
It's been great to work with the latest equipment and design software on projects that require utilizing problem-solving skills and presenting new ideas- both of which are things that I enjoy.

4. Least favorite?
Often times, the high volume of work keeps me constantly busy and can pile up with multiple projects coming in at the same time- it can be quite draining at the end of the day.

5. What aspect of your job most directly affects our customers?
The actual image processing and uploading part would probably be the most important, because without my role of prepping and sizing the images to go up on our site, our customers wouldn't be able to see what they were purchasing!

6. Do you shop on metrostyle.com?
I don't, as a 23-year old male isn't quite their target customer!

7. Just one more...what's your favorite food?
Good question! Probably a toss-up between Spaghetti & Meatballs and Boiled Lobster...

Interview by Jon

What is your favorite style of jeans?

Check out the new poll question! What is your favorite style of jeans? My favorite is the high-waist. I am so relieved that high-waist jeans are back in style. Low rise jeans may look good on some but I find the high-waist to be more flattering than the low rise. The high waist is sophisticated and feminine. Try pairing a pair of high-waist pants with a bodysuit and you are sure to look fabulous!

By Sara

Holiday Gift Giving

The holidays are almost here and you’ve got a job to do. Picking a gift that is just right can be the hardest chore on your to do list. So why not change it from being the hardest thing on the list to the most creative thing on your list? Here are some tips for creative holiday gift giving.

Listen to what they’re saying

Just by listening to the things your loved ones are saying can be a great way to get hints about the things they really want. Have a conversation with them and ask questions about the things they like or don’t like. Without coming right out and asking them what they want you can get a lot of really valuable information from them about the types of things they would like to receive.

Gifts for Mom

Mom can be the hardest one to buy for. What do you buy the woman who already has everything? Metrostyle has a great accessories section that has everything from scarves to sunglasses and what Mom wouldn’t like a designer inspired handbag?

Gifts for Her

This could be a sister, sister in law, friend, cousin or aunt. Why not fill up a fabulous handbag with all the goodies she likes? Fill it with candy, promises of free babysitting, gloves, books, make-up or gift cards! The possibilities are endless!

Gifts for the Student

Make life a little easier for your student this holiday. Fill a stylish handbag full of goodies as well as useful items. Throw in a gas card, a gift card to a local supermarket or some spending money for campus stuff. Throw in a metrostyle gift card so they can buy anything they choose. Toss in a belt, a bracelet or a pair of sunglasses.

Express your feelings
Use the holidays to express what you feel about friends and family. Make something special for them if you are good at some sort of craft. An excellent idea is to get together some old photos and compile them into a nicely decorated scrapbook. You can use almost any theme at all. Make up a book from the last holiday gathering to present to aunts or mothers. This is great for those relatives who live far away. Make up a book of special memories for a spouse or significant other. For teens make up a book of baby memories.

No matter what gift you choose to give always remember to cherish your time together. Gifts can be returned and replaced but friends and family are to be cherished always. And when in doubt go for a gift card and let them decide. Happy Holidays and happy shopping!

By Brooke

Top Model: And then there were four…

As you know metrostyle has used some of the winners from America’s Next Top Model. Well, I’ve been a fan of the show since cycle 1 – the girls get wilder and Tyra gets kookier every season. Did anyone watch the show last night?

Last night the remaining five contestants were challenged to travel by boat through the streets of Amsterdam to their go-see appointments. Five designers waited as the girls frantically tried to see as many of them as possible in a short amount of time. Whoever got the most bookings, and made it back in time was the winner.

As usual, Marjorie was a nervous mess…the poor thing….she spent most of her time running around in circles and only made it to 2 go-sees. Samantha was too commercial for the designers and Elina had too many tattoos. Analeigh tried too hard, but ultimately won the challenge - $18,000 worth of designer merch - because McKey was disqualified for being 5 minutes late…too bad for her because she had the most bookings of all.

Then later in the show, the one and only fierce and ferocious Tyra photographed the girls herself. Each girl had 2 shots – one not made up and the other all dolled up. At eliminations, Miss Jay practically undressed Elina. Come to find out, she’s only 18! Just barely legal, but I guess that wasn’t enough – she was voted off. Sorry Elina, you are not America’s Next Top Model.

And by the way, can we make it through just one elimination without Tyra posing...please?

By EM

Diva of the Week

Are you a metrostyle Diva?

Are you sassy, fun and unique? Do you love all the latest metrostyle fashions? Then we are looking for you!

Send us a picture of yourself in your favorite metrostyle outfit for your chance to be our next Diva of the Week! Email your pictures to: metrostylediva@gmail.com

by Suzy

Miami, Miami… You’ve got style!

This fall our creative team headed to Miami, to kickoff the Spring 2009 catalog season. As the days grow colder and shorter in the northeast, they could think of no better place to photograph our new sexy summer swimwear and metroblues styles. After all Miami is known for its blue skies, sunshine and sands by the mile… yeah right!

While most of the swim photo shoot, photographed at Glass Haus Studios, had beautiful weather… during the last few days, shot on Miami streets, the weather proved challenging. The models including ANTM, Dani Evans, were forced under cover to preserve their hair and makeup!


At the end of their long days of shooting, the creative team retreated to the Mayfair Hotel in Coconut Grove. However, they were far too tired to enjoy the hotels amenities.

For an insiders view of a metrostyle photo shoot check out our video backstage pass of the Fall 2008 shoot and look for your copy of the new Spring Transition catalog coming in mid January!

By Gabby

Ladies In Waiting

With the election just a day away, can’t imagine the kind of pressures that Cindy or Michelle have endured all these months. And the big question….will their husband be president, will they become 1st lady? The eyes of the nation have been on the candidates and their wives, scrutinizing their every word, deed, and even their sense of style, what they were wearing.

Don’t know about you but I panic just deciding on the right thing to wear to work each day. Sorry ladies, but we can be catty critics at times. ‘Did you see what she was wearing’ or ‘what was she thinking’ and “she obviously doesn’t own a mirror”. Come on, admit it. We’ve all been there, done that. Talk about some major anxiety!

So , trying to imagine one of those lovely ladies is me, I prepare my hair, makeup, wardrobe all by myself (okay, so they probably have a stylist helping them). I have several last minute campaign obligations and need to present myself in a confident, but approachable way. With a last minute TV appearance and campaign luncheon to attend I know I have just the right outfits to pull off any event. This morning I am a guest on The Today Show and will wear a soft cardigan with pashmina scarf and pair that off with leather jeans.

Then I make a mad dash to the airport to catch a flight to Virginia for a luncheon. I am confident that I will look fabulous in a jacquard skirtsuit. I think the ladies will approve.

And, after a long day of campaign stomping, I am heading home and spend time with my family. Wearing a velour pantset and my favorite velvet ballerinas, I am ready for bedtime stories and pizza with the kids!

Am anxiously awaiting the voting results tomorrow night, and making that final decision on what to wear to the ball!!!

By Goldie