The difference between a stylist and an image consultant
I took the time to explain the difference between a stylist and an image consultant the other day and then realised that you might like to consider my take on this.
There are obviously lots of different types of stylists and many variations of image consultant out there so this is not intended as an absolute definition. This is just my personal opinion (and we still live in a democracy the last time I looked!) so take it as it’s intended – to entertain, to inspire discussion, and to get your brain thinking about what YOU do!
Jenette from Saudi Arabia was mesmerised by the chunky necklace (right) that I’ve been talking about in my recent series ‘Do you wear what other people want you to wear?’ * and gave me amazingly detailed and accurate descriptions of the types of clients that she thought could wear such a necklace, and some who should not.
I replied to her, “Your thoughts on the necklace are all really good. To put this into perspective, you’ve approached this more like a stylist rather than an image consultant.
“Personal stylists working in the media and advertising are given a product to sell, in this case the necklace. They would make observations like yours and, from their conclusions, would then be able to select a human model who will make that particular necklace look wonderful. After all, they’re being paid by the makers or sellers of the necklace; the model is just a clothes horse on which to display the goods.
“The image consultant, on the other hand, starts with the human client and works out which colours, shapes, styles, patterns, scale, etc. all suit HER and, taking into account her lifestyle, what she needs clothes for, her budget and her personality, will then decide whether to even consider the necklace or discard it immediately for that particular client.
“As image consultants we need to be able to work out all this kind of information from both points of view, so well done.
“So for the little lady in the story *, I knew immediately that she was a Romantic (and you will learn quick, easy ways how to work that out along with her body shape, scale, colour, etc. on my training courses) and that a quick glance at the bulk of the necklace told me immediately that it would overwhelm her. Yes, the colour matched the frock completely but one piece of a jigsaw is never enough.
“The image books that you’ll find in the shops will tell you what to do for each individual piece of the jigsaw – for instance, if you have a long waist or a double chin – but this is nothing more than generalised advice.
“This kind of information can only ever be intended as a guide but what if you have two ladies each, say, with a short neck? One of them is a Creative and the other is a Natural. Do you give them both the same advice about which necklines, jewellery, make-up, colours, fabrics and accessories will help create a longer-looking neck? Of course not.
“And would you give two Creatives exactly the same advice in this instance? What if one of them has an hourglass figure and the other is built like a pool table? Of course you won’t give them the same advice because they’re two completely different people.
“What these books can never teach you is how to build a profile of each individual client, how to put all the pieces of the jigsaw- colour, body shape, scale and personality – together to create the full picture of a confident client, and how to help your client build a wardrobe that suits only HER.
“That’s what my courses are all about.”
* If you missed it, you can read all 5 parts of the story.
Would YOU like to know how to work out if your friend or client is a Romantic or a Dramatic or a Creative or …?
or a Naturist or a Clamper or even a Eurofighter? – just testing to see if you’re reading this properly!
How would you feel if you could tell your friend how to choose clothes to suit her own individual personality? And to be able to show her the colours that will make her look fantastic all the time? And which shapes to buy to make her look and feel confident every time she steps out of the door?
And how would it feel to get paid for all this?
I know how to do all this at a glance because I’ve been practising every day for the last several hundred years. Confidence only comes with practice, and practice can only begin when someone has shown you how.
Give me 3 days next month and I’ll show you exactly how
You will learn quick, easy ways to diagnose your friend or client’s style personality, body shape and scale on my Ladies’ Style course next month. If you then add colour to the mix, you’ll have an incredibly powerful potion which changes people’s lives. I know because my life and confidence changed immensely when I had my own colours done and my style analysed back in the early 80s.
With these amazing skills in YOUR hands you could soon be encouraging your friends and family to make so much more of themselves. They’ll save time, money and energy when they shop for the styles and colours that you advise and they’ll end up with a wardrobe of clothes that actually work!
Which clients would look really good in polka dots? And which ones wouldn’t be caught dead in them?
Right now, there are ladies walking past you every day who would just love to know whether to wear:
- blueberry, mulberry, rapsberry or cranberry
- poplin, denim, cotton or satin
- florals, stripes, checks or polka dots
and you could save them so much time, money, energy and guilt if you knew which shape suits each individual person to match not only their body silhouette but their personality AND their lifestyle.
If you’d love to know how to work out whether your client is a Romantic, Natural, Dramatic, Classic, Creative or European and then have the confidence to advise her how to put a wardrobe of clothes and accessories together that also takes into account her body shape, scale and colour direction, this could be just the course you’re looking for.
Ladies’ Style training course
October 5 – 7 Monday – Wednesday
Chesterfield, UK
If you don’t do this course, someone else in your home town will and they’ll be the one showing YOUR friends and family how to look stunning. And what a shame that would be.
Read all the details and then feel free to ring me on 01246 249514 for a chat. No obligation on either side – if I don’t feel the course is right for you, I will say so but I want you to know that I’m here to help answer all your questions.
Just 3 places left. When they’re gone, they’re gone.
Ring me now on 01246 249514 to book your place.
A moment of insight
“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, either way you are right.”
– Henry Ford -
