Have you ever looked at a model and thought, “wow id love to look like her”? We all start there admiring someone famous especially when we are young, but as we get older, we start to know our own bodies a little more, and we start to read or follow people on social media who relate to us personally. For example, a lot of my audience are 30 and over, curvy and relate to me in some way. Now if you know your body, even better your good with clothing, and after following the style blogs and paying 100s for a colourist that can tell you your colours, and by buying these services, out of all these so called professionals or copying these influencers, you feel out of pockets or with all these colour swatches, you just still can’t get it right. Often you copy there look which works for them but doesn’t quite work for you!!! You often think “I have red hair and I have that blue dress why don’t I quite look the same” and why don’t I feel as confident as I should or how does she do it……
Well that because of a few reasons that I’m going to point out to you and will assist you in the future moving forward!!!
· Clothes are not just clothes, they are a representation of who we are, and in most walks of life are there as a uniform to differentiate work and play. when we get it right, we look and feel amazing to take on the day and radiate to our colleagues and family’s and make positive influences on there lives, your work and most importantly you, and how you feel inside about yourself. True beauty and happiness comes from inside, but we all have to wear clothes- were not monkeys or cave men, we have evolved and fashion is an art form and a statement and more importantly can be a powerful representation and extension of who we are and what mark we want to leave on this world…… ( if we get that message right)
· If you want to make an impact or send a message of identity or If you’re stuck in a rut and your wardrobe makes you cry and your feeling under confident or whatever your reasons to need a confidence boost in this department, Make an appointment with a professional… not an influencer or a “ so called body consultant “, look at a professional who has got experience, who has qualifications or both combined. Do your research…….!!! Do you like this person’s style and also their personality and is this a professional who knows what they’re talking about!!?? Don’t be afraid to drill this person you’re about to hand 100s over too. Read reviews and also ask to see their portfolio of work or ask them questions what they have done and ask to see examples of the clients they have worked with or transformed and if there pictures and transformations don’t look good then that can say a lot about your stylists personality, and does it look like something you want to look like or your message and life ethos relate too. Any good professional should have a website with a biography of what they have done, achieved, and worked with in the professional fashion work. One of my tutor said… its not about dressing a friend and making them feel good in one of 2 dresses, it’s about a stylist having a wealth of knowledge in the fashion industry to be able to transform and elevate you client to that next level, by creating a style that is true to the client, has the latest key fashion trends, while enabling them to build their confidence, its important you leave the client with the tools and knowledge to go this alone, so they will know how to update their wardrobe and style themselves and they will feel truly empowered.
· Any stylist should have knowledge and experience of all aspects of styling…. they should be able to evaluate your shape, colouring and assess your needs and most importantly not just tell you what to wear. It is vital they ask questions and get to know your whole lifestyle and work around anylising your needs. Everyone’s styling needs vary so rather than just offering you a colour pallet with swatches, you may work at a funeral director and live in black attire 24/7, so as a professional we need to take this into consideration to your practical needs, as the client may not socialise per say every weekend, but wants to feel good every day at work in black. Think about what you need as the customer…Do you need a colourist or stylist?? If your friends just had her colours done and got a whole bunch of material swatches to help her, but you’re unsure what your needs are, there’s are so many professionals with opinions to choose from and if you feel unsure you need an all-round perspective.…
· That’s where a Personal stylist is what you need…. a personal stylist is an all rounder offering you the answers and the right questions to ask when you don’t have a clue where to start. By getting to know you and doing a full professional analysis, they will work out the concerns for you. A colourist just advices you on colours however as a stylist they know this as well, and you get the full all-round experience (and in some occasions when you shop around, for half the price). I’m not saying don’t use a colourist as there are some fantastic professional colourists out there and that I have admired for years like…. House Of colour and Pantone used in vogue and catwalks across the globe. Just be sure what your paying for and how it works for you, and your lifestyle and more importantly reflects your needs as a paying consumer.
· How do I know what stylist to use…? Now from experience having been a stylist but also worked as a performer and model and worked with stylists, and alongside them as an assistant on set. I’ve found that best stylist is not just a clothes stylist, but one who is the complete allrounder… and they are out there if you look!! That’s where I have been lucky to spend years in all sides of the trade knowing and learning every aspect of the fashion industry and still continuing to learn and develop my training and skills!! Look for a stylist who can offer more than colouring swatches and tell you your shape. The most important skill any stylist should have is the ability to know not just clothing and fashion but the body itself. Think of beauty- it’s like an artist just painting on cardboard or in fact studying not only art, but the right canvas and the right tools to use to create a master piece. Look at stylists who have studied some form of beauty qualifications or attended seminars to learn this part of the trade!! It’s the most missed part of a stylist or colourists job, it is vital to educate you the client not only on what shape or colours they should wear, but how to wear them, how to do it them selves and give them the confidence and knowledge to know there body and play around with there hair and makeup accordingly to create the finished masterpiece.
· I talk endlessly with my hairdresser and makeup artist colleagues who are highly respected professionals in their field. They are not only amazing at what they do, but as a professional of that level, they had to be able to adapt and they can all do other skill sets. My hair dresser can do makeup, eye brows, and knows what colours to advise you to wear that compliments your hair, my makeup artist can direct photoshoots, create looks, edit visual content and also offer beauty treatments, style hair and can model. These professional women like myself are some of the best in there fields, not because they say they are ONE particular professional( they may go by one title) but because they are all rounders and have vast experience, and travelled, and worked with top professionals who trained them, they too can give you all round knowledge on the full body which makes them the sort of professional I advocate and go to myself.
· Myself personally As a stylist, has done so much that my job title would be huge, I have been working in a salon and hair modelling since I was 10, I’ve been a performer, a costume designer, produced, directed, coordinated and choreographed professional and amateur modelling shoots, catwalks, and Dance shows, I have qualified and trained 2 years in beauty, nails, massage, taken sales, make up courses all over the uk and in jobs as a performer had intensive makeup work shops with bobby brown, max factor and mac to be able to re create these looks day in and day out on professional west end and tv shows. I have worked for nearly 20 years doing hair and makeup for brides, bridesmaids, proms and dance competitions. I can blow dry hair, create amazing up dos and create all types of makeup looks from every day, to filming to bridal. I can do skin analysis so the skin is prepared for makeup, thus creating the perfect canvas to apply it too. I have taught people how to stand and pose, have good posture and built clients and pupils confidence with 26 years of performance and teaching experience from west end professionals to special needs, to men in there 80s to everyday people. Taken styling qualifications worked for years on sets and on shoots assisting head stylists, worked in a boutique for 4 years dressing 1000s of women and all sexes from drag queens, cross dressers, transgender and men, to children for professional tv auditions and modelling shoots, on holy oaks, mammas and pappas and waterloo road. I have dressed Broadway stars to every day people and been featured in European editorial magazines for my work at launch parties for diesel to several welsh and UK fashion publications……….
So, there are people out there and there are so many more stylists and professionals like myself just make sure you pick the person you relate to and like, not just has the best Instagram page with 100k followers. But make sure they also that has a vast array of all qualifications and professional industry experience!! This will give you the full style overhaul that you need for your lifestyle and will keep to your aesthetic that you have grown to create yourself, so you can update your wardrobe, so you can dress efficiently, quickly and always feel confident in what your wearing whether your at work or in the park with the kids. Investing in a full wardrobe analysis is one of the best things you can do and after the experience of knowing easy ways to pick clothes, makeup, hair and accessories for you, you will feel like a new person and the transformation will not only elevate your mood, and how you perform at work, but how you live your life positively and enjoying every day as it comes, but for me and what I share often with my clients is that should those every day disasters happen; you will not only look fabulous, but you’ll feel fabulous to be able to endure anything!!!! Trust me from experience, some people just think it’s a lippy and a New dress, but it’s so much more than that, it’s the armour you wear to protect your self and face the day ahead with confidence and passion to deal with whatever comes your way!!!
For more information on styling and my services check out our services page, where we have a FREE 20 min consultation.
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