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What’s This About
Find a fashion stylist by defining what you need, then comparing stylists on training, portfolio, knowledge, process and price.
The five steps cover practical checks such as:
telling a stylist apart from a personal shopper
checking training and industry experience
reviewing a portfolio and testimonials
testing knowledge of colour, fit and proportion
asking for a written proposal and itemised price
and many more!
Meet two or three stylists before you decide.
Key Points
01A personal shopper mainly buys; a stylist plans outfits and a wardrobe before anything is bought.
02Many good stylists have no fashion degree, so weigh experience and portfolio as well as training.
03Testimonials are chosen by the stylist, so look for examples close to your own build, job and budget.
04A written proposal should state what the stylist will do, how long it takes and what it costs.
A fashion stylist can help you build a wardrobe that suits you, but the value you get depends on choosing the right stylist.
Trends change quickly, and a stylist who knows both current trends and long-standing menswear conventions can save you time when shopping and planning outfits.
This guide sets out five steps for finding a fashion stylist, plus questions to ask before you hire one; for the skills to look for in a personal stylist, see our guide to finding a personal stylist.
Understanding the Role of a Fashion Stylist
A fashion stylist combines knowledge of current trends and long-standing style conventions with your own preferences.
Experienced stylists usually know a range of brands, from established fashion houses to newer designers.
That brand knowledge helps a stylist put together outfits that suit what a client wants and still look current.
Fashion styling usually covers:
Following current and emerging trends
Putting outfits together and planning a wardrobe
Choosing accessories such as ties, belts, watches and shoes
Advice on brands and shops at different price levels
Helping you develop a personal style
Find A Fashion Stylist in 5 Steps
A step-by-step approach makes it easier to compare stylists and find one who suits your needs.
1. Understand the Distinction Between Stylist and Shopper
Before you start, understand the difference between a fashion stylist and a personal shopper.
Personal shoppers focus on buying: many come from retail, know current collections and have shop contacts, and their work centres on finding specific garments and arranging purchases.
A fashion stylist’s work usually starts earlier, before anything is bought.
A stylist considers trends, style conventions and your build, colouring and lifestyle to plan outfits, then shops for what is missing.
2. Check Professional Credentials
Some fashion stylists studied at fashion colleges such as Central Saint Martins in London or the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, while many others learned through assisting, retail or magazine work.
When evaluating potential fashion stylists, examine both academic credentials and practical experience.
Ask about the stylist’s industry contacts too; established stylists often have relationships with designer showrooms, fashion houses and retailers.
Those contacts can help when sourcing hard-to-find garments, so ask how the stylist would use them for you.
3. Check Portfolio and Track Record
A fashion stylist’s portfolio shows the range of their work.
Look at case studies and before-and-after examples, and check whether the stylist can work in different styles, not only one signature look.
Read client testimonials, bearing in mind that the stylist chooses which ones to publish.
Useful references describe specific results, such as a wardrobe that now works for the client’s job or fewer unworn purchases.
Ideally, the portfolio includes men with builds, jobs and budgets similar to yours.
4. Check Technical Expertise
Check the stylist’s technical knowledge: colour, body shape, silhouette, proportion, and how garments are made and altered.
A stylist who understands how colours sit together and how proportions change the look of an outfit can do more than follow trends, so ask how they would use colour and fit for you.
A good stylist also knows current trends and how menswear trends tend to come and go.
Trend knowledge helps the stylist suggest trends worth trying without pushing every new fad on you.
5. Understand Their Methodology
Ask each stylist to describe the process step by step.
Most processes begin with an initial consultation about your preferences, lifestyle and goals.
Following the initial evaluation, pay attention to your stylist’s approach to:
Taking measurements beyond basic clothing sizes
Reviewing your wardrobe for fit, condition and what you actually wear
A written plan of what to keep, alter and buy
Shopping sessions planned in advance to save time
Follow-up reviews
How and when you can contact the stylist
Extra Considerations
A few further points can help you compare stylists.
Service Structure
Look at how the stylist’s services are structured; many offer separate services or packages for different needs and budgets.
Each service should state what it includes, how many hours it covers and what it costs, so ask for an itemised quote, as prices vary widely.
Bespoke Capability
Some stylists work with tailors, shirtmakers and shoemakers, which helps when ready-to-wear clothes do not fit well.
Made-to-measure or bespoke clothing can solve fit problems for hard-to-fit builds, or produce a specific garment you cannot find in shops.
Ask whether the stylist has managed made-to-measure or bespoke orders and which tailors they use.
Strategic Season Planning
A good stylist will also plan for the seasons.
Seasonal planning means knowing what is coming into shops and how new garments will work with the clothes you already own.
Ask how the stylist would keep your wardrobe current while keeping the garments that define your style.
Taking Action Tips
When you are ready to start, work through these steps:
First, create a detailed brief outlining specific style objectives and professional requirements.
A written brief makes it easier to compare stylists against what you need.
Next, write a short list of questions covering the points in this guide, so you can compare stylists on the same criteria:
Educational background and professional credentials
Portfolio and client examples
Technical knowledge and creative ideas
Process, services and itemised prices
Contacts with tailors, shops and designers
Conduct initial consultations with selected fashion stylists, using these meetings to assess professional capability, personal rapport, and creative alignment.
A styling relationship works best when you and the stylist agree on what you want to achieve.
Finally, ask your preferred stylists for a written proposal with an itemised price.
A good proposal states what the stylist will do, in what order, how long it will take and what it costs.
Conclusion
Finding the right fashion stylist need not be overwhelming. Following the steps outlined in this guide, you can approach your search with confidence and clarity.
Look for relevant training or proven industry experience
Request to see a diverse portfolio of previous client work
Ensure the stylist offers transparent, structured processes
Ask about their contacts with tailors, shops and designers
Trust your instinct about personal rapport during initial meetings
Your Next Steps
1. Create a list of your style goals and requirements
2. Research fashion stylists through professional networks
3. Review their portfolios and client testimonials
4. Schedule consultations with your top three choices
5. Ask detailed questions about their approach and process
A good fashion stylist will understand what you want, show relevant expertise and give you a clear plan for reaching your style goals.
Take your time with this decision; comparing stylists carefully makes it more likely that the money you spend on styling is well used.
Style Like A True Gentleman
Before you go, here is a simple way to put this guide into practice, and when to ask an image consultant for help.
Professional styling starts with knowing your body shape and seasonal colour palette, which help you choose clothes that fit well, in colours that suit your skin, eyes and hair.
Our guides also cover styling by occasion, location, season and time of day, garments, footwear, accessories and heritage fashion brands.
Take our three quizzes to find your body shape, seasonal colour palette and fashion style, then book a consultation if you want personal help:
1. Find Your Body Shape
Different garments flatter different silhouettes, so knowing your body shape is the first step in dressing like a confident man.
To find out your unique body shape, take our body shape quiz for men.
Once you know your unique body shape, take the second quiz to discover your unique colour palette.
2. Find Your Seasonal Colours
The garments in your outfits come in many colours, so it helps to check which colours suit your natural colouring.
To do that, you have to find out your seasonal colour palette, and you can do it by taking our seasonal colour quiz for men.
3. Find Your Fashion Style
By now, you should already know your body shape and unique colour palette; the next step is to discover your personal fashion style.
To find it, take our fashion style quiz for men; it includes a suggested style, outfit ideas, relevant fashion brands, and much more.
Personal Help from The VOU
For personal help, you can book a consultation with our image consultants and fashion stylists.
Our styling services for men are paid consultations; the shop page lists what each one includes.
Wearing luxury brands is not enough on its own (see our guide to logo-heavy luxury brands and how to wear them); knowing your body shape, colour palette and personal style first makes styling by occasion, location, season and time of day easier.
Contact us to book a consultation once you have taken the three quizzes.