Perhaps you have the best hairstylist and nail technician at your beck and call, but what about your personal stylist? Whenever you are on the move and want to be taken seriously, a personal stylist is a key ingredient to dressing for success. Moreso, your wardrobe is your “visual CV”, it only takes a few seconds to form the right impression.
With a personal stylist, you can develop your best wardrobe for each occasion to help you present your best self to the world. A personal stylist aligns your appearance, life and career goals, and personality into a seamless wardrobe. Take note of the following when choosing a personal stylist:
1. Seek recommendations
If you know someone who has used the services of a personal stylist and they look good, ask them who they went to and what they thought of the experience. Most people will be happy to recommend someone whose work they appreciate.
2. Check out their social media and website
Have a good look around the personal stylists’ websites and social media. Is the content clear and up to date? Does what they have to say resonate with you? How active do they seem? Take a look at the “About” section on their website to find out more about their credentials; their background, who they trained with, awards and certifications etc. You can also sign up for their Newsletter/mailing list. That way you pick up some valuable styling tips and you will also get more of a feel for whether you would be comfortable working with them.
3. Testimonials and reviews
Checking the testimonials and reviews of personal stylists are good indicators of how skilled they are. Do their testimonials look credible and provide full names? Are they from the type of people you can relate to?
4. Range of services they offer
Even if you are currently only looking for one particular service, it’s a good idea to pick a stylist who has more to offer because, once you’ve seen the benefits of an initial consultation, it is likely that you will want to go back for more services over time to complete your style journey.
5. Value of money
Most times, the cheapest option is rarely the best. You should always get what you pay for. Someone who appears to be offering services below the market rate is probably struggling for business or maybe just starting out on their styling career. If you value experience, be prepared to pay more. However, you should not assume because someone is charging a high amount that they are experts. They may deliberately increase their rates because they are only interested in working with rich clients and prefer to just work occasionally.
6. Their experience
Stylists who operate on a hobby basis are unlikely to have a great depth of skill and experience. It is always best to work with a professional rather than an amateur.
7. Plan ahead
A good stylist is likely to be in demand so it is best to plan ahead. You will probably need to book at least a month or two in advance.
8. Do their adverts match what they are capable of
A personal stylist should have the know-how to dress people of different ages, personalities, shapes and sizes. Hence you do not necessarily need to pick one who looks similar to yourself. However, do look for someone who “walks the walk” and is a good advertisement for their profession. The crux of the matter is “Do they look good?” “Do you trust them to make you look good?”
9. How about their props
Many stylists provide colour swatches and personalised workbooks for you to take away. You should try to find one who also has clothing samples for you to try on during the consultation. Having props bring the consultation to life and helps their understanding of which colours and styles work best for them, and why.
10. Have a chat with them
Have a chat with your prospective stylist about exactly what you are looking for and how they can help you. Don’t be embarrassed to ask them about their experience and credentials, especially if their website does not make this clear. It’s also worth just checking that they will personally be conducting your consultation rather than passing you over to an assistant. Most importantly, ask yourself whether you trust them and will be comfortable spending a couple of hours or more with them one-on-one.
11. Test the waters first
If you’re not comfortable diving straight in with an individual consultation, ask if they’re running any group events or workshops you could attend first. This gives you the chance to see your stylist in action and decide if they are right for you.
12. Do they offer any sort of guarantee
Whilst life doesn’t come with guarantees, any personal stylist worth their salt should be prepared to stand behind the quality of their work.