Do you want to take up fashion styling or become an image consultant? It’s a glamorous profession from the outside but involves immense hard work and creativity, backed by training from a fashion styling school or an image consultant institute.

Working as a fashion stylist or image consultant is not as different as it sounds. Both involve helping a person put their best foot forward by creating an image that works in the public eye. It accentuates their best points and presents it in a setting that works. One may have a natural knack for fashion styling, but doing a course or getting a fashion styling degree helps you get that edge in your career. When you work with models, designers, advertising agencies or corporate clients as a fashion stylist or image consultant, there is no room for making a wrong move.

The world of fashion styling is about helping in putting together a look by picking the right outfits and accessories for events, creating ideas for photoshoots and films. Many fashion stylists and image consultants work freelance for advertising agencies and fashion glossies, but they can also get employed by publishing houses, modelling and advertising agencies, events management companies, fashion labels and shopping malls.

Stylists provide a range of specific services, starting with personal styling, by advising clients to enhance their image by choosing outfits that complement their complexion and lifestyle. This can include taking the client on shopping excursions and to the hair and beauty clinic, giving them tips on self-esteem. It gets into the areas of Image Consulting and Personal Shopping as well. Editorial styling involves conceptualizing photo shoots for magazines, keeping fashion trends in mind. There’s also Wardrobe styling, which happens usually on a film or television set or even a theatre production, calling for developing a look keeping a particular character in mind. Commercial styling involves location scouting, sourcing models, makeup artists and coordinating with photographers. Corporate styling demands you advise companies on whether their uniform is working for then, grooming tips and more.

As you grow in the profession, you may even be required to take overseas trips to catch the lasts action on international runways to keep up with trends.

It helps to get a degree in fashion styling or attend an image consultant institute so that you get the right grounding, which enables you to spread your wings and fly unhindered. A course also trains you to spot trends and use them in your shoots and pitching concepts to your clients. To have a successful career as a fashion or image consultant, you need to be passionate about your job, enjoy artistic activities, have good communication skills, be well-groomed, work well under pressure and, of course, love fashion!

Being a fashion stylist or image consultant has a little bit of everything; you end up being an event manager, a fashion editor, beauty therapist, set designer and coach! But, we promise, it’ll be fun!

As an image consultant, you teach your client to go out there and win, whether it’s getting a promotion, promote her book or speak at a seminar. It’s all about self-branding.