12 points to think about when hiring a personal stylist

 A Personal Styling Session is an investment in your personal brand, lifestyle, and wardrobe. It goes far deeper than just buying clothes in a store and getting some pleasant fashion advice.

It's lot more personal, well-planned, and produces better results than any shopping or wardrobe cleanse you'll ever do on your own. It's less about fashion and more about you making wise choices that allow you to develop your particular style and wear your clothing.

You'll get rid of items from your wardrobe while having more outfits to choose from. You'll try on more products in a store than you ever will on your own, and you'll have a much higher success rate. You'll be informed on what to buy, what to avoid, and why.

Personal Styling services are becoming more popular in Australia for good reason: they work and provide significant benefits to the men and women who utilize them. They are accessible services open to everyone, not only the wealthy or famous, as has been widely assumed for many years.

Increased demand for these services implies that there are more Personal Stylists available than ever before. While this is good for the industry, it can be difficult for you to choose the correct Personal Stylist to work with.

Confusion might result from a lack of understanding of the services and how they work, as well as stylist trustworthiness, expertise, and professionalism. People who have had negative experiences with unprofessional, inexperienced, or sales-focused stylists are understandably wary of working with another Personal Stylist. As a result, they miss out on the benefits of working with a stylist who has the formal training, years of experience, and knowledge they require to achieve results.

I'm going to share my thoughts on what you should consider before hiring a Personal Stylist. This advise is based on client feedback on why they chose to work with me and what aspects of my services they valued.

1. It’s not about the Stylist, it’s about you

Everything your Personal Stylist does should revolve around you. They want you to be pleased and satisfied with your time together. This profession requires a significant amount of nurturing, and my clients are my top priority.

Your session is completely focused on you, your body shape, color tone, lifestyle, budget, and desired personal style. These are the main points I evaluate with each and every customer I work with. My appearance, personal style, and lifestyle will never have an impact on the professional advice I give you.

Your Personal Stylist will have a personal style that they like wearing and may incorporate into their personal brand. It's vital to find a stylist with whom you feel comfortable, but keep in mind that how they dress themselves should not be seen as an indication of how they will style you.

While I may not be your clothing size or have the same lifestyle or life experiences as you, I have assisted hundreds of people in situations similar to yours. I have a professional, objective attitude and can comprehend a client's needs while not being in the same circumstance myself.

I don't show off my clients on social media, I don't share (or even snap) before and after photos, and I never impose anything on them. I appreciate my clients' personal and professional lives and protect their privacy. There is never any pressure to acquire something based only on my personal preferences or because I enjoy how something looks on you. The advice you receive is professional and suited to your specific needs.

2. Is the session personalised to you and your personal requirements?

This is one of the most personalized services you will ever receive, thus it must be tailored to you and your specific needs. No client is ever the same as the next; each person is unique, and each session is unique.

My clients' sessions are completely tailored to their specific needs. There is never a similar or duplicate session. Every customer is given guidance that is tailored to his or her body shape, skin tone, lifestyle, desired personal style, and purchasing budget.

3. No commission or benefits from your purchases

Stylists frequently obtain commissions or incentives from merchants and brands. This, I believe, can sway the stylist's opinion, which isn't always the ideal counsel for the clients.

As a Personal Stylist, I'm not here to sell you anything; rather, I'm here to advise, educate, and support you in attaining your unique style objectives, shopping efficiently, creating your personal style, and making wise decisions in the changing rooms that will benefit your wardrobe.

I do not gain any commissions or benefits from your purchases, and I am not affiliated with any stores or companies. The stores we visit are solely dependent on what I believe will be most beneficial to you.

We've been given some unique Personal Stylist discounts in select stores. These serve no purpose for me and are just passed on to you. I will always notify you if a benefit is accessible to us in a store, but I will not take you there if I do not believe it is the right product range for you.

4. Trust and confidence with your Personal Stylist

You must trust that your stylist knows what they are doing, that they have a plan in place, processes within the services that make the best use of your time, such as a pre shop and a session plan, and that they have done their research on you and are capable of assisting you in reaching your personal goals.

You must be willing to listen to their advise, test new goods, and visit new merchants or brands. You must have faith that they are providing you with the best, unbiased, expert advice that is tailored to your lifestyle and budget.

You must be able to communicate with them if you dislike an item, do not feel comfortable spending, or are ill. I spend a lot of time with my clients and always make sure they're happy with our decisions and that we're on the right track.

Be truthful about your size, lifestyle, and money. There is no need to feel obligated to spend thousands of dollars, to supply a size that you believe will be simpler for your stylist to source, to embellish your lifestyle, or to purchase an item that you cannot picture yourself wearing realistically.

It's a long time to spend with someone you don't trust or believe in, so do your homework and choose a stylist that seems like a good fit for you.

5. Professionalism and respected boundaries

Consider your Personal Stylist to be a professional consultant, similar to how you would consider a Financial Advisor or a Buyers Agent. Make sure you do your homework and hire an expert. In the long term, this will save you time, money, and mental energy.

Your Personal Stylist should always come across as a professional whom you can rely on. They should be able to provide you with piece of mind regarding their service, what they do, and how they can assist you. They should have an active ABN, genuine client feedback, and be able to deliver a proper invoice.

They should respect your boundaries and not put you under any pressure to acquire whatever they propose.

They should respect your personal space in your closet and provide clear guidance on what to get rid of and why.

They should gently push you beyond of your comfort zone without being judgmental or coercive.

They should never make harsh comments about your appearance or make you feel like you need to modify your size, color, or any physical attributes.

They should respect your privacy and not publish images of you without your permission, either privately or publicly with possible clients.

6. Credibility, reputation, experience and qualifications

You're hiring a professional, and you want to make sure they have the necessary expertise and knowledge to assist you. While formal credentials are not required to become a stylist, it is a good idea to be aware of your stylist's professional history.

How long have they been working as a stylist? If not, what did they do before that? Have they researched the industry? How well do they understand it? What do their customers think of them? Is there any information about them available outside of their website or social media channels? Do they appear credible?

Your stylist must be a chameleon in order to understand you and acquire appropriate pieces for you, as well as advise you on how to wear them in everyday situations.

They should be knowledgeable with the shopping location, the retailers, what things the retailers stock, where to get specific items, and what items are the best value for money. Years of experience and knowledge in dressing different personalities, body shapes, color tones, age groups, and style personalities help to develop these skills.

It can be tough to distinguish between a professional stylist and a styling hobby. Consider what kind of assistance you require and who will assist you in obtaining it.

Because I am extremely covert and value my clients' privacy, I do not have any case studies, results, or before and after photographs to give. I've never taken a before and after photo, and if I did, I wouldn't show it to anyone other than the customer. This is such a personal, private experience, and I respect my clients' personal and professional lives completely. I do have Google and Facebook reviews.

After ten years in business, I have a database of over 1000 clients who I have successfully assisted, many of whom have similar worries to one another, albeit each session is absolutely tailored to you and your specific needs.

7. Real reviews

It is quite simple for a company to write and post untrustworthy evaluations on social media or on their website. I recommend going a little deeper and looking through each Google and Facebook reviews. These are outsider reviews that are less likely to be generated by the company.

8. What do you want to achieve?

Determine your specific needs and explain them to the stylist. They must understand your goals in order to offer a suitable session or package. Consider this as much as possible so that when you contact your stylist, they have a good idea of who you are and what you want to achieve.

Consider whether you want to upgrade your weekend wardrobe, work wardrobe, or a combination of the two. What do you think of your current wardrobe? Do you like your possessions and do they suit you and your lifestyle? Or are you looking to add some variation to your wardrobe? Are you beginning a new job? Did you just get a raise? Are you conducting research and considering giving a Personal Styling Session to a family member or friend? Do you want a capsule wardrobe or do you like to try out seasonal trends?

Consider what a successful end result looks like to you and communicate this as clearly as possible to your stylist. You'll be able to tell if they can help you based on their response.

In each session, I ask clients to fill out a lengthy questionnaire that informs me all I need to know in order to tailor their session to their specific needs. This is also a terrific tool for helping my clients think about their personal style in a more deeper way than they normally do, providing them some clarity on what they exactly want from the session.

9. Inclusions of the service

Each stylist will conduct their sessions in a unique manner, and their services and bundles will change. It's critical to understand exactly what your money buys you with the service you select.

Is it possible to schedule a single Personal Shopping Session for a specific amount of time? Is there a time limit on bookings? What is your hourly rate? Can you add time to the day if necessary?

Personal Shopping Sessions, Wardrobe Consultations, and Wardrobe Outfitting Sessions are all part of my personalized sessions. These sessions can be arranged for any length of time, with the minimum being 2 hours. This is priced at $125 per hour or $62.50 every half hour. These sessions can be purchased separately or as part of a package.

What individual sessions are included in a Personal Style Package? Is the package completed in a single day or across several days? What is the package's flow? Can the sessions and times be changed?

My Personal Styling Packages all include a 1/2 hour Personal Style Consultation and Personal Shopping Session, but the majority also include a Wardrobe Consultation and Wardrobe Outfitting Session. The prices and durations of the packages vary, and I'm flexible in how we allocate the timing within each component.

If you're undecided about which particular session or package to choose, consult with your stylist to see what they recommend depending on your brief. If you're undecided, they're the greatest person to ask because they'll give you an honest recommendation.

10. Travel costs and service areas

Traveling around Sydney can be time consuming, and it's understandable for service-based firms to charge additional travel expenses if your service is located a specific number of kilometers outside of the city or their area. Check for any travel fees that may be added to the cost of your service.

I travel anywhere in Sydney for the same price; there are no travel fees for sessions held in any Sydney suburb. This is due to the fact that my clients come from all across Sydney, as well as the nature of the work I do. I've always worked this way because I know all of the shopping sites in each town and love working in different places.

11. Your session is an investment in you

You are your most valuable asset. When you are confident in yourself, you are more likely to be confident in your lifestyle, job, and social circumstances. This is one of the few things you will ever invest in that actually puts you first, and it is most certainly the most personalized service you can buy.

Your Personal Stylist will educate you on what works and what doesn't, assist you in making informed shopping selections, and assist you in developing a wearable wardrobe that works for you.

Investing in a Personal Stylist makes financial sense. In stores, there will be no impulse purchases or purchase regrets. There will be less closet clutter and unworn, useless goods. You will be confident in your possessions and understand how to wear them in both personal and business settings.

Consider buying a $120 top and leaving it unworn in your closet because you either bought the wrong size, don't have anyplace to wear it, or don't know how to mix and match it with other items in your collection. That's a $120 squandering. You could engage a Personal Stylist for $125 an hour and acquire a number of products that work with your wardrobe, add variety, work with your real lifestyle, and suit you, which would be a much better investment.

12. The right fit

This is quite crucial. Simply put, do you like the stylist you're thinking about hiring?

Examine their website, social media outlets, and blog posts, and note how they make you feel when you communicate with them via email or phone.

You are investing a significant amount of time, energy, and money in this experience, as well as disclosing your vulnerabilities and fears. It's a long time to spend with someone you're not sure about or who you don't feel comfortable with, so do your homework and make sure the stylist you choose is the greatest fit for you.