Meet Justin Cabal

A man of many hats, Justin Cabal is a Fashion stylist, content creator and influencer based in Orange County, California. He’s been perfecting his craft in the Fashion industry for the past 5 years.

Growing up in a small, quiet city near Las Vegas, Justin yearned for a change of pace and to fulfill his potential. And that’s just what he did. We caught up with Justin to dig a little deeper into his experiences in the Fashion Industry so far, and to find out what it takes to maintain a successful career as Fashion stylist.

Hi Justin! Tell us a little more on how you got started in the industry.

Hiiii! So, this is a long story. When I was in High School, I did cheer and theater and had a HUGE passion for Entertainment. I just always loved performing. When I was a junior, like all students at the time, I started to think about what college I wanted to go to. I always saw myself doing entertainment, and at the time the only thing I knew of was acting. But that didn’t seem like a “real” career choice. It’s a super long process that involves going to acting classes and countless auditions, and still doesn’t guarantee you a job right off the bat. I’d probably have had to work a regular part time job while doing that too. I knew my parents wouldn’t approve. During that time I was also in my school’s fashion club. I ALWAYS had a passion for fashion for as long as I can remember.

I learned about FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, LA) when I was in Junior High from my science teacher. He caught me drawing in his class (9 Head Fashion Drawings) and suggested I should look into FIDM for college. Fast forward to High School, I remembered the recommendation, and then FIDM was featured a couple times on TV shows like The Hills and Project Runway. I realized I genuinely wanted to learn more about fashion, and that fashion and entertainment go hand-in-hand. When I applied, I told them I saw myself doing fashion PR Marketing. After I took their quiz they recommended Visual Communications. When all was said and done, I applied and got accepted my Junior year.

I got my first “big boy” job working for a fashion company called Ruche doing order fulfillment, and then started doing product photography. Eventually, they started looking for Styling interns which I applied for because at the time I just wanted to learn more about the business and my major. I ended up falling in love with Styling and worked my way to eventually become the lead stylist for that company.

What did you want to be growing up?

Omg I wanted to be so(ooo) many things! When I was in second grade I wanted to be a singer. Then eventually Britney’s backup dancer. Then own a Magazine. Then Actor. Then Stylist.

Entertainment & Fashion have always been in the cards for me!

What is your favorite thing about your job?

I LOVE that I get to meet so many different people. Whether it’s a creative director, hair and makeup artist, or model, I get to interact with people from all walks of life. And of course the fact that I get to be super creative and use the left side of my brain.

What is your least favorite thing about your job?

My least favorite part is the fact that it’s so subjective. Every brand has its own aesthetic and everyone’s interpretation can be different, so it can be really hard when someone doesn’t really see your vision and you have to start from scratch. It used to really bother me and affect me, but the longer you’ve been in the industry and have had to make those changes, the easier it is to adapt and not let it affect your feelings as much. It helps you develop a thicker skin for sure.

On a side note, I know you were on the E! Entertainment reality show ‘Dating #NoFilter’. How was that experience for you and how did you get involved?

Dating #NoFilter was the coolest experience ever. We filmed in the heart of Hollywood. Having the cameras in front of me was different at first but I got used to it very quickly. That was the one moment where I felt like my career was finally making the segue into the entertainment industry I’d always hoped for. I got involved after a casting producer found my Instagram and reached out to me. I was interested and did a couple of interviews. But I wasn’t fully sure I wanted to do it. By the time they announced I was cast on the show, I couldn’t really say no!

What is your personal or professional motto?

My person motto would be ‘what others think of you isn’t your business’ and ‘be unapologetically unique to yourself’. My professional mottos are ‘ don’t sweat the small stuff’ and ‘this isn’t rocket science’.

What advice would you give to anyone who’s starting out their career in fashion styling?