A personal stylist helps you pick out items to make your wardrobe more cohesive, shopping in a way that suits your lifestyle, figure type, and personality. With the understanding that personal styling has therapeutic effects, a personal stylist is often considered worth the money.
Benefits of Hiring a Personal Stylist
You’ll gain more free time by hiring a personal stylist. People hire them to either address a lack of fashion sense or to free up their schedule, as they detest shopping and prefer to have an expert handle it.
Cost and Investment
On average, personal stylist rates are $50-75/hour, with top rates reaching $350-400/hour. On Thumbtack.com, the average cost ranges from $25 to $120 an hour. The rates tend to be higher in large cities, often over $100, while smaller cities may have stylists charging under $100 an hour.
Celebrity stylists charge over $15,000 per day, demonstrating the value placed on their services, suggesting that hiring a personal stylist can be worthwhile, beyond the celebrity realm.
Personal Stylist Versus Personal Shopper
What is the difference between a personal shopper and a stylist? Stylists assist clients in achieving an overall look, honing their sense of style, and refining their wardrobe. A personal shopper, on the other hand, focuses on shopping for you.
Qualifications
It’s possible to become a fashion stylist without a degree. Instead, gaining experience through apprenticeships or internships can lead to a successful career in the field.
Image Consultant Role
An image consultant does a more comprehensive job than a personal stylist, as explained by Maria Valentina: "It is the professional specialized in behavior and appearance. The Image Consultant encompasses the functions of the personal stylist and etiquette."
A personal stylist also helps create a suitable image for clients by choosing appropriate clothes and accessories and may provide advice that extends beyond fashion, such as hair, makeup, and home decor.
Can a normal person hire a stylist? Certainly. Personal stylists are not exclusive to celebrities; people from all walks of life seek their expertise for various reasons, including lifestyle changes, specific events, updates to their wardrobe, or due to a lack of time and knowledge.
A stylist shows how to avoid expensive mistakes and unfashionable choices, saving money in the long run. Clients can include anyone from fashion enthusiasts to those too busy to shop, with services tailored to fit individual lifestyles and budgets.
Prospective clients looking for day-to-day style advice can find stylists with experience catering to "normal" people, with affordable rates around $600. This investment can be considered reasonable when compared to the annual cost of buying clothes. A common package may include a three-hour consultation followed by three hours of shopping.
Stylists leverage their relationships with stores, designers, and tailors, and stay updated on trends, all to help clients find flattering and personalized styles.