What does a style consultant do? Well, it all depends. Some style consultants are primarily fashion consultants. Other style consultants are more like image consultants. Let’s take a look at the difference and what this could mean.
What is a Style Consultant?
When we think of a traditional style consultant or stylist, we think of a someone who advises us on our style for different occasions. They help their clients on the latest trend in hairstyles, fashion, makeup and accessories. A stylist would be hired by stage and movie performers, TV personalities, sports people, actors and other accomplished professionals in the public eye or by those who interface with clients on and off line, to make sure that their outward image is appropriate whenever they appear in public, on social media, in interviews, in fashion shows, at events and parties and other public appearances. Some also style outfits for catalogues, magazine photo shoots, fashion shows, videos, headshots, traditional and online publications. Stylists tend to be fashion and clothing oriented.
What Does a Style Consultant Do?
Style consultants know a lot about current trends. They know what appeals to specific demographics and target audiences, ensuring that their clients present themselves appropriately to their own clients. They can’t dress a CEO to appeal to teens or an actress to appeal to a board room. They have to have comprehensive knowledge about different situations.
A style consultant begins by connecting with her clients and finding out more about them. The fashion stylist is not likely to work in-depth or to make fundamental changes to the client but they bring out that person’s personality in order to represent their most flattering assets. If someone is fun and quirky they would bring those traits to the fore in her creative clothing style, makeup, hairstyle and accessories. Someone who has just been promoted to an upper level in the organization and needs to look like a Senior Manager, Department Head or C-Suite executive would need to be dressed in elegant, tailored outfits which communicate ability, credibility and performance, yet project a pleasant, understanding demeanor with style, color, print and fabric.
On the other hand, image services encompass much more than styling and event dressing. They work with personal clients on strategic and day to day dressing and their clothing selections match the color harmonies, facial shapes and body structures of the client. If trained in an image consulting school such as London Image Institute, they would base their knowledge on tried and tested techniques: body and figure analysis, color theory, design and personality principles. In that way the client can be assured that her outfit really enhances her shape and coloring and makes her look slimmer, younger, healthier and more radiant. Image Consultants are lifestyle, goal and personality oriented.
In addition to appearance, they have the reputation of working in-depth with individuals on behavior, verbal and non-verbal communication skills of their clients. The image industry knows these skills as the ABC’s: Appearance, Business Etiquette and Communications skills.
Consulting and training for organizations provides many opportunities for Image Consultants. They can train entry level employees and fast trackers, customer service and sales people, Managers and those interfacing with the public. High level clients and groups can be trained and coached in personal branding and executive presence. Often known as the “soft skills”, image consultants can also gain training and experience or use their rich backgrounds to offer Presentation, Personal Branding and Leadership skills, along with Interview skills and Public Speaking.
Celebrities, sportspeople, entrepreneurs, interviewees and everyone in line for promotion all need their executive presence services. The field is very wide and the consultants’ reach is expansive.  Their roles are many and varied and when they continue to learn myriad skills, they deliver a holistic service to the client. If they don’t have the skills personally, they can partner with other expert associates to help them work on every aspect of a client’s executive presence. These specialists might include voice trainers, media specialists, speakers, actors, makeup artists, writing experts, CV writers, professional organizers and business coaches.
Today, an image consultant may also work to improve someone’s web presence. They may help them create social media accounts, draw up a blog, or even touch up their resume or CV. In essence, an image consultant creates and develops a client’s personal brand identity on his website, in person and on social media.
An image consultant works in some depth with clients. Together they discover the client’s true essence and values to enhance her confidence and build her credibility, creating her ideal image. She will never feel false, inauthentic, or uncomfortable. Not only must clients feel at home, confident and joyful with their image; they will also be able to sustain it. Image consultants don’t do makeovers. An authentic image often emerges over time, allowing image professionals to work with their clients over longer periods, building steadfast relationships. They may connect with clients on a monthly basis to update them or even become “personal shoppers” for their clients, finding what they need for social, seasonal and work events.
How Do You Become a Style Consultant?
A style consultant can come from essentially any walk of life. Some stylists come from a background in fashion and retail sales; many are makeup artists, hairstylists and beauticians. Others hail from being fashion writers and bloggers and many have experience in the world of modeling, fashion design and clothing manufacturing.
Some people begin as style consultants online. They run online consulting agencies, they look at trends, and they inform a broader client base about what they need to know to develop their sense of fashion. Others work to procure high-end, high-value clients, and may only have a handful of clients at any given time. These individuals are powerful at networking and are usually already entrenched in a given industry.
Being a style consultant is a very varied career. People can make any type of career they want in the industry. They can create information for the web and establish themselves as experts in the field.
Who Do these Consultants Work For?
For the most part, image and style consultants are independent business owners. They are likely to be self-employed, and they will need to build up a roster of clients. Most are independent, able to set their own hours and work either part-time or full-time, choosing their own target markets. The life appeals to people who are great at self-marketing, love the creative work and are committed to helping people look good and be successful. That also need to be self-motivated, hard-working and willing to do what it takes to be of service to people.
This freedom also means that a lot of consultants who don’t have professional backgrounds may need some business guidance when they’re starting their careers. They may want to join a group such as the Association of Image Consultants International (AICI), www.aici.org. a worldwide association dedicated to the growth and success of image consultants. If members want to build credentials to show their credibility, experience and dedication to the craft, AICI provides three levels of certification. Since the top image consultants have years of technical knowledge it is also wise to check out schools for image consultants, or otherwise take some image consulting courses. London Image Institute is known as the Best Image Training School by Google.
Contact London Image Institute to Start Your Career
Being a style consultant is a very varied career. People can make any type of career they want in the industry. They can work personally with clients. They can create information for the web. They can image consult based on fashion alone. They can also image consult for web presence. Contact London Image Institute today to launch your career as a style consultant.
