Stylist Profession

[Pam]

My Sim, Carina Dreamweaver, is working as a Stylist. It's slow going because I really don't know what I'm doing yet. She has trouble getting to work on time every day because the carpool doesn't pick her up. In these early levels, she has to go to the salon to work. Customers come in and she takes care of them. It's a slow business, so she gets to read sometimes between customers. I've seen the blow dryer icon with some stars flash over her head, but I don't know what it means. One time it was 3 stars, then next time it was 5 stars. It doesn't look like it's increasing her job experience.

One very strange thing...  her weekly stipend is only $182 per week and she makes only a small amount from her clients.  She had less than $2,000 in household funds when suddenly, while she was eating dinner at home, she got a payment of $9,800! I have absolutely no idea where this came from. She doesn't own property or even a car. I didn't sell anything. It was just *poof* and suddenly there was $11,000 in her family funds!

[TommyT]

That's quite a windfall!  I didn't get far at all with stylist.  I had a couple walk-ins a day and I offer styling to other Sims in-between, and with the exception of turning Darlene Bunch into the Jolly Green Giant every Sim was upset with their style (go figure).  I've heard that putting a salon station in your home allows you to invite other Sims over to change their looks, I'm guessing this is a work-at-home kind of option.
Basically I made no money and had 1/40 customers satisfied.  I'm sure I'm missing something but I think I'll leave that to you to figure out

[Pam]

I can't imagine how the big money was related to her profession as a Stylist. She was only level 1 when it happened (she's level 2 now). I think it must be some kind of bug. Also, I think maybe the dryer icon and stars that flash over her head are how satisfied the customer is, but I'm not sure. I'm playing in Twinbrook and, let me tell you, those Sims are bizarre looking. Every time one pops up in the makeover thing with a close up, I think "Yikes!" 

[dannyr783]

Maybe some stuff sold at the consignment shop? You seem to receive payment at weird times. Did you click on the message thing, and look for a message?

[Saltypaws]

You also have a portfolio and when you sketch a picture, open it up and drag your sketch and put it in there.  When you finish a client, take a photo and put it in portfolio also.  As you get further along, you show your portfolio to clients and they will give you a job to do.  I have a stylist on lvl 9 and she goes everywhere now.  She sometimes has 5 or 6 jobs a day.  I did not like it at first, but just keep them sketching in off hours and that keeps raising their experience level.

[Leto85]

I think I know what's going on Pam. My sims got a lot of money just like you for doing nothing (at first side). But than in the right upper screen I saw a message that a few of them have gotten royalties for the books they have written. Maybe this is the case with you?
When you just came back from vacation and you have write a lot of books during those days the royalties will dramaticually increase on the first next sunday.

[Crise]

Saltypaws, when you say take a picture... you mean a normal photo ie. with the mobile phone or one with the actual camera (ie. photography)

[wildredchild]

When you finish a job I have noticed, you get the option to take a picture.  I have always done this and my portfolio is getting bigger each time.  I did not know about putting the sketches in there though.  I have 12 currently and will add those when I go back in game to play and see how big my portfolio is.  Thanks for the information.

[Evadne]

The stylist was the first (and only so far) profession I tried and I finished it in about two sim weeks. I probably could have done it faster had I known what I was doing.

You can keep increasing your experience by using the makeover station to offer makeovers to whoever is in the room. During the early levels having friends is good because you can invite them over to the salon and then give them makeovers. You can makeover the same sim as many times as you want during a day but they will only pay you once. I like being paid so I only made over each sim once per day and I still advanced a level pretty much every day. You can also continue to work off hours and gain experience.

Once you reach a certain level, you can give makeovers without the station. This makes things a lot easier as you can wander the town and find large groups of sims. You don't have to be on time to work. You don't even have to go into the salon at all if you don't want to.

[Saltypaws]

The only time you get to take the pictures and it counts for the job, is when they are hired by a client and it automatically goes to picture mode and then you take it with the phone and it should go right into portfolio, but the sketches you put in there yourself.  I would like to find out if you can take pictures of your job with your camera, you probably can, I just need to go get one.

[wildredchild]

The only time you get to take the pictures and it counts for the job, is when they are hired by a client and it automatically goes to picture mode and then you take it with the phone and it should go right into portfolio, but the sketches you put in there yourself.  I would like to find out if you can take pictures of your job with your camera, you probably can, I just need to go get one.

Okay, I need some clarification of this putting sketches into the portfolio thing.  I tried to put some in and I can't.  How is it that you do this?

[Saltypaws]

Go to sim inventory, click on portfolio, click on view and drag and drop sketch into portfolio, works the same as fridge and bookshelf when you open them.

[Branr]

Go to sim inventory, click on portfolio, click on view and drag and drop sketch into portfolio, works the same as fridge and bookshelf when you open them.

a-HA! Was wondering the same thing about my architect, thanks for the info!

[Pam]

About the big payment I got...  she didn't have anything at the consignment store, she had written no books.  She was living in a small studio in the swamp with only basic items.  I didn't see anything on the tab in the upper right corner, but I might have missed it because I'm not used to how it works yet.  I still haven't figured out what the dryer icon and stars mean.  I thought maybe it was a rating of the job, but I had it appear with 3 or 5 stars when the client hated the makeover.  It's still a mystery.

[MomOfMany]

Pam did you try looking in the Prima Guide to see if it tells about the stars? I don't have one or I would.