So you are considering a personal image consultant? You have come to the right place. Having worked in this field for over 20 years, I can advise you on what to look out for.

One of the first things you should look for is experience. I do not mean just experience working in a department store or having done a course for a few weeks, but real-life experience with a wide range of people from various backgrounds. You can do all the training in the world, but the in-person experience is where you learn your trade.

Secondly, you should look at how long they have been doing their job. I recommend looking for someone with at least ten years of experience. Throughout that time, they would have worked with lots of different clients and have learnt along the way tips and tricks that work for them. All of that knowledge will benefit you when you work together.

Next, ask them questions. For example;
How long have you been an image consultant?
Where have you worked?
Do you have testimonials?
What budgets have you worked with?
Do you understand colour?
Do you know which styles work best for which body types?
Where did you train?

By asking them some or all of the questions above you will get a good sense of how professional they are.

Unfortunately, there are no rules, and anyone can set themselves as a personal stylist with no training or experience. You will be wasting your money going to someone who may be cheap but inexperienced.

On this note, subscription boxes are not the way forward if you are looking for a stylist. The ‘stylists’ are only trained for a few weeks and are assisted by an algorithm to decide what to send out to you. If you are looking for a surprise outfit each month, then go for it. If you are looking for an image consultant or stylist – AVOID. You can read more here.