Retail sales is very beneficial to have an understanding of how to sell merchandise. To get in the door as a woman’s apparel sales assistant you might want to apply to various small scale fashion boutiques as they are always in demand for entry level positions in sales. Work closely with the salesperson and eventually you will build a client base in order to move on to a higher position such as a sales representative, manager, or even a regional or national sales manager. If experience is what you have, apply to well known department stores or more well known niche stores.