How to Become a Celebrity-Trusted Personal Stylist

Contents:

• Why people turn to a personal stylist
• What they do
• Soft and hard skills
• How a personal stylist can help
• Where you can work and develop your career
• How to become a personal stylist
• Useful materials from the editors of Skillbox.by

Why people turn to a personal stylist

Fashion is an abstract concept. And yet, it influences society and people's careers.A job interview or a presentation of a new project are those cases when there is no time and a second chance to reveal your personal qualities. People "meet by clothes" and form first impressions based on appearance.

With the advent of TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter, where we communicate, follow others, and conduct business, fashion is no longer just about celebrities. Investors, employers, and clients view social media profiles. A person's appearance can highlight expertise and open up career opportunities. Businessmen and senior executives of large corporations work with personal stylists. For example, Steve Jobs worked with Issey Miyake, a Japanese fashion designer.

What he does

A personal stylist creates a unified image for different people. Image is not only a haircut, hairstyle and makeup. A personal stylist selects wardrobe and looks—pre-made capsules of clothing and accessories that coordinate and create the desired look. They also offer skincare advice and help you embrace your new look and wear it effectively. Ensures that the perception of the individual is the same on social networks and in public.

Main tasks

• Communication with the client.The stylist determines the client's tasks and goals. Decides which image to choose;
• Image creation.The stylist suggests images and discusses them with the client;
• Wardrobe analysis and joint shopping. Formation of one or several looks - ready-made "capsules" for an outing, photo shoot, event;
• Hairdressing. A personal stylist can do the haircut and styling themselves or supervise the hairdresser. The goal is to choose a hairstyle that will match the entire look;
• Make-up. The stylist does makeup or supervises the work of the makeup artist before a photo shoot, a performance, or a regular walk. The stylist also teaches the client how to care for their skin and do their own makeup.

Development

• Visual awareness. Studying lookbooks of famous clothing and accessory brands;

• Self-development.Learning new skills and areas;
• Networking.Communicating in communities of like-minded people. Finding makeup artists, hairdressers, and designers to collaborate with;
• Personal brand.An Instagram page, videos on TikTok or YouTube, articles on Zen — all of this attracts clients. These could be life hacks, reviews, memes. A blog is important for all professionals, whether self-employed or employed.

Soft and hard skills

Becoming a personal stylist is not only about learning how to style and choose looks. A personal stylist creates an image and manages a brand. Therefore, you need to think like an entrepreneur and understand how business works.

It is important to create the right perception among the target audience. For show business stars, these are fans, music lovers, and advertisers. For a consultant or expert, this is an employer or clients. Skills are not limited to good taste. Knowledge in various fields is required.

Soft skills

• Communication skills. A stylist communicates a lot, finds a common language and has a positive attitude. In a relaxed environment, it is easier to get a person talking, to understand them by their conversation, gestures and behavior;
• Empathy. Become empathetic to the client's feelings and pain points. This skill allows you to create a holistic image that will help the client feel confident and comfortable.

Hard skills

• Theory of color, composition. The ability to combine different colors, textures and prints, taking into account the person’s color type;
• Knowledge of styles. Understand what styles of clothing exist. “Feel” the classics, modern trends, subculture fashion, ethnic outfits. Interesting images are created at the intersection of different and unusual trends;
• The history of fashion. They say: “Fashion is cyclical and the new is the well-forgotten old.” Knowing the history of the fashion industry makes it easier to predict the direction it is moving in and set new trends. Remember the flared trousers that came back into fashion in 2020 and are still relevant today;
• Body types and clothing.For a stylist, there is no such thing as a wrong figure, only an incorrectly chosen style;
• Fabrics, materials, accessories.If a stylist understands materials, they will create not only spectacular but also comfortable looks. Will be able to predict in advance how the fabric will behave on the body in order to choose the appropriate option for the event and weather;
• Cosmetology, makeup and hairstyling.A personal stylist can work in tandem with a hairstylist and makeup artist. But it is important to understand how everything works in order to guide the specialist;
• Psychology.You don't need to become a psychologist to understand the client's goals. You need to help the client get used to the new image and feel confident;
• Experience. This skill develops a sense of style. This is an experience that can be acquired by visiting museums, art galleries, theaters, and watching films.

How a personal stylist helps

• Saves your budget.Expenses on the services of a stylist pay off due to savings on unnecessary purchases;
• Saves time.A stylist will organize your wardrobe and create ready-made "capsule" outfits. No need to waste time choosing an image;
• Boosts self-esteem.Helps build self-confidence by creating the right image;
• Creates a corporate identity.People with a personal brand are successful: they get interesting vacancies, gain more subscribers and views;
• Creates a lookbook. With a ready-made template, it's easier to choose new clothes, hairstyles, and makeup.

Where you can work and develop your career

Many stylists work as independent consultants and offer their services on Instagram. Social media often becomes the main source of orders, so it's important for independent consultants to promote their personal brand.

If you invest in your own development, you can increase your income. Attract media people: bloggers, athletes, actors and singers without connections and experience.

You can also get a full-time job:

• Media project. For example, work on the images of popular bloggers. This could be a TikTok house or an interviewer's channel on YouTube;
• Working on a TV channel.Creating images of presenters, journalists and studio guests;
• Event agency, photo studio, wedding salon.Preparing images for weddings and other events;
• Ongoing work with the style of a public figure.It can be anyone: a musician, an entrepreneur, a photographer, a developer.

A personal stylist has many skills. He can also develop in other directions:

• Fashion stylist prepares an image for a modeling show, a photo shoot for glossy magazines. Selects a style for celebrities to participate in ceremonies and festivals;
• Fashion journalist writes about fashion in magazines, maintains a blog and programs on television;
• Shopperfinds and buys things from a look book or simply based on a picture from Instagram or Pinterest.

How to become a personal stylist

Standards have been established in the fashion industry. If you want to develop in the profession and work on projects, you cannot do without training. Options for mastering the profession:

• College or university training in the field of "Hairdresser-stylist", "Image consultant". Training takes from 2 to 5 years;
• Mentor.This method is suitable for talented hairdressers and makeup artists who can begin collaborating as an assistant to an experienced stylist. But to find a mentor, you need to move to a large city. For example, to Minsk or Moscow;
• Online training courses.You can learn the basics and learn from experts without leaving your home. Gain skills in six months and start your journey.

Useful materials from the editors of Skillbox.by

A personal stylist is an entrepreneur. And here a personal brand is important for both musicians and artists. Therefore, you need to start with yourself.

The main thing that people will look at is your personal image. It must be maintained when communicating with clients and on social networks. In this case, there is always something to learn from others. Therefore, you need to look at the best, develop taste and perceptiveness:

• Rewatch filmsthat will help you immerse yourself in the world of fashion: "The Devil Wears Prada", "Revenge Haute Couture", "Yves Saint Laurent. "Breakfast at Tiffany's";
• Follow other personal stylists and image makers on Instagram: Ksyusha Smo, Misha & Kitty, Anastasia Maltseva, Kate Yang;
• Follow trends, read about lifestyle, fashion and show business: ANNARUSSKA, Vogue, Harper's BAZAAR, ELLE.