So you want to become a personal stylist? Is the idea of creating stylish outfits and getting paid to do it appealing? Hop on board to learn more about this emerging career path and the ins and outs of becoming a full-fledged stylist.
The Career Of A Stylish Personal Stylist
For years, being a stylist meant getting a call at the end of the day from a high-profile fashion magazine asking you to create something unique for their website. While that may still happen, today it means getting a call at the end of the day from a high-profile fashion brand asking you to create something for their Instagram account.
Why the shift? The answer is apps. Apps like Meitu allow users to create their own fashion magazine covers while ShopBop and Luxe Wallet give fashion brands the ability to curate a collection of looks that users can buy.
As a personal stylist, you will work with fashion brands and attend events. Even more exciting is that you can diversify your income sources. A stylist’s income can come from various places including:
- styling outfits for fashion brands
- creating unique clothing items for customers
- managing a personal fashion stockist
- attending events and collecting attendees’ clothing for custom styling
- consulting on store fashion strategies
- and more
How to Become a Stylist
If you think this sounds like a great opportunity to make some cash, you can apply to be a fashion stylist through the Meitu affiliate program. The app offers a variety of ways for users to make money including:
- selling and styling outfits
- creating unique clothing items
- managing a personal fashion stockist
- and more
The best part of the Meitu affiliate program is how easy it is to get started. Simply take a few minutes to create a profile, add products that you want to promote, and then use the tool to get traffic to your store. Meitu will take care of the rest.
If you want to learn more, check out the Meitu Blogger Handbook which provides in-depth information about how to successfully style blogs.
The In’s And Out’s Of Being A Stylist
Being a stylist gives you instant credibility with customers and potential employers. When a fashion customer sees your name on a resume, it also shows that you have the skills necessary to grow with a company. The key to a successful career as a stylist is to establish yourself as an expert in your field. With that in mind, here are a few things you should know about being a stylist:
Expand Your Audience
If you have an interest in fashion, you can become a stylist. While the field may be growing, there are many opportunities in less-developed markets. For instance, in 2018 alone, there were 400 million smartphone users globally. That’s two in every five people on the planet. If you can grow your audience on social media, you can effectively style blogs and websites for a living.
Gain More Than Just Fashion Knowledge
To style a product, you need to understand the industry. While you may learn a lot from styling articles for a fashion magazine, your true education as a stylist comes from:
- understanding the industry’s trends
- applying what you’ve learned to real-life situations
- continuing your education through courses and certifications
- and more
This may seem like a tall order, but learning about the industry’s trends is just the beginning. Once you have a general understanding of the industry, take some time to familiarize yourself with the brands and products that are shaping the industry. For instance, did you know that the Kawasaki Corporation is the world’s #1 manufacturer of motorcycles? Or that Burberry is currently the world’s most popular luxury brand?
Work Overtime
Even thought the field of styling is growing, it is still a very labor-intensive job. That is why you should work overtime. In the U.S., it is legal for employers to request up to an hour of overtime per day. Most likely, you will need to work more than 40 hours per week to make the same amount of money as a non-stylist. Be smart about how you spend your time and make sure you are always prepared for the next event or assignment.
Choose Your Battles Wisely
While we all like to imagine that we are superheroes with extraordinary abilities, being a stylist is not always easy. You will be faced with difficult choices and sometimes you may not have the right answers. Choose your battles wisely and only take on projects that you are sure of accomplishing.
For instance, when Hurricane Florence hit the East Coast of the United States last year, many high-profile fashion houses chose to close their doors rather than deal with the extra demands that the natural disaster put on their employees. While this may have been a difficult choice for the companies, it was probably the best decision they could have made. In the long run, they prevented their employees from having to work extra hours and helped ensure the continuity of their operations.
Similarly, you should only take on projects that you are sure of accomplishing. If you are not sure whether or not you can pull off a certain look, it is always a good idea to walk away. This will undoubtedly frustrate the people that entrusted you with this project, but it will also preserve your dignity and prevent you from being overwhelmed. Remember, being a successful stylist is all about having the right tools and using them effectively. If you are ever unsure of whether or not you have the necessary skills to complete a project, it is usually a good idea to walk away.
Be Confident
As we have established, being a stylist is a great opportunity to get paid for your skills. This, in turn, can give you the confidence to become the master of your domain.
When you put these skills to use and see the results of your hard work, you will be emboldened to continue on this journey. Style is a subjective matter which means there is always room for debate. However, if you can get over that — and you certainly should — there is a great deal of money to be made in the fashion styling industry. Just make sure you are confident enough in your skills to take on any project that comes your way.
Do you have any additional tips for aspiring stylists?