What Does a Men’s Image Consultant Do? A Look Inside the Business Styling Process

For many ambitious men, the term ‘image consultant’ is shrouded in mystery, evoking vague ideas of ‘fashion’ or ‘personal shopping.’

But, these activities that can feel superficial to a man focused on substantive career goals, market analysis, and P&L statements, and, as specialist consultants in men’s business imaging, we understand the hesitation.

We are here to tell you that our work has very little to do with ‘fashion’ and everything to do with strategy.

A men’s image consultant is, in essence, a strategic partner. We are architects of perception.

Our job is to ensure that your external image – clothing, grooming, and non-verbal communication – is fully aligned with your professional authority, your intellect, and your ambition.

Many talented professionals find their careers stalling, not from a lack of skill, but because their visual presence is sending the wrong message.

An image that is dated, ill-fitting, or incongruent with a person’s role can create a subconscious disconnect, making colleagues or clients question a person’s authority and attention to detail.

So, what do we actually do? How do we take a client from feeling ‘unremarkable’ or ‘out of sync’ to commanding a room with authentic ‘executive presence’?

The answer lies in a meticulous, analytical, and highly personalised methodology. This is not a makeover; it is a strategic rebuild.

Let us pull back the curtain and walk you through our precise, step-by-step business styling process.

The Process – Our Proven Methodology for Executive Presence

Our work is not a single event but a comprehensive journey. It moves from deep analysis to practical implementation, with the ultimate goal of creating a sustainable, effortless system for our clients.

1. The Deep-Dive & Personal Brand Discovery

We never begin by looking in a wardrobe. We begin by looking at a career. The first phase is a 90- to 120-minute consultation that is more like a corporate strategy session than a style chat. We need to understand the ‘brand of you’.

We conduct an in-depth analysis to determine:

• Career Goals: Where is the client right now, and where does he aim to be in 2, 5, and 10 years? (e.g., “I am a Senior Director aiming for a Partner role,” or “I am launching a new consultancy and need to attract high-value clients.”)
• Professional Environment: What is the specific ‘visual code’ of the client’s industry? The acceptable look for a tech CEO is vastly different from that of a private equity partner or a creative director.
• Audience Perception: Who does the client need to influence? (e.g., board members, junior staff, external clients, investors).
• Brand Keywords: We ask clients to identify their core professional attributes. Do individuals want to be perceived as ‘authoritative and trustworthy’ or ‘innovative and dynamic’? Or perhaps ‘approachable and experienced’?
• Current Pain Points: What is not working? (e.g., “I feel I look too young to be taken seriously,” “I waste 20 minutes every morning getting dressed,” “My wardrobe is full of clothes I never wear.”)

From this session, we establish a clear ‘Personal Brand Mandate’—a guiding document that defines the objective of our work.

2. The Wardrobe Analysis & Surgical Extraction

This is where we confront the current reality. We conduct a full audit of every single item in our client’s wardrobe: suits, shirts, trousers, shoes, outerwear, and accessories.

This is not a simple ‘declutter’; it is a clinical assessment against the new Brand Mandate.

We create three distinct categories for all garments:

1. The Foundation: Garments that fit well, are of high quality, and align with our objective. These are the building blocks.
2. The ‘Tailoring’ Pile: Items with potential. A suit with a great fabric but a dated fit, or trousers that are too long. These are salvageable with expert tailoring.
3. The ‘Liability’ Pile: This is the largest pile for most new clients. It includes items that are actively harming a professional’s image. These must go.

“What makes an item a ‘liability’? It could be square-toed shoes that instantly date a man to 1998, a suit jacket with shoulder pads that hang off the natural shoulder, or shirts that are visibly worn at the collar. These items non-verbally communicate a lack of attention to detail.”

We are ruthless in this phase because an ambiguous image is a professional liability. We explain why each piece is being removed and educate our clients on the principles of fit, proportion, and quality as we go.

3. The Technical Blueprint: Colour & Fit Analysis

With the “noise” of the old wardrobe gone, we build the new foundation based on science, not guesswork.

Professional Colour Analysis:
Most men default to ‘safe’ colours like navy and grey. While excellent, the shade of those colours is critical.

We perform a professional colour analysis to determine a client’s natural ‘season’ (e.g., ‘Deep Winter’, ‘Soft Autumn’).

This analysis identifies the specific palette of colours that will make a man look his best—healthier, more vibrant, and more authoritative.

A man with a ‘cool’ undertone, for example, will look powerful in a sharp, ice-blue shirt, whilst the same shirt on a man with a ‘warm’ undertone could make him look washed-out.

Fit & Body Architecture:
Fit is the single most important factor in men’s style. We say: Fit is the new rich.

A £300 suit, when tailored to perfection, looks far more expensive than a £3,000 suit that fits poorly.

We take detailed measurements and analyse a client’s body architecture to determine the ideal garment proportions.

This includes lapel width, jacket length, shoulder construction, and the correct trouser break. This becomes the “Fit Blueprint” for all future purchases.

4. Strategic Acquisition (The ‘Smart Shopping’)

Based on the Brand Mandate, the inventory of remaining garments, and the technical blueprint, we create a strategic, prioritised shopping list.

This is not a “shopping spree”; it is a targeted acquisition mission.

We are filling the “gaps” to create a complete, interchangeable ‘capsule wardrobe’.

This is a collection of perhaps 20-25 core items (e.g., 2 suits, 3 blazers, 5 trousers, 8 shirts, 3 pairs of shoes) that can be combined to create 50+ different, message-appropriate outfits.

We execute this in one of two ways, based on the client’s preference:

• For the Client (Time-Saving): We do the legwork. We pre-select all items from various retailers and have them ready in a private styling suite for the client to try on and approve.
• With the Client (Educational): We shop with the client, teaching him how to shop effectively. We show him how to identify quality, what to look for in a fit, and how to build relationships with a good tailor.

5. Integration, Tailoring & The ‘Lookbook’

This is the final and most crucial step. The new items are brought back and integrated with the original ‘Foundation’ items.

Everything is sent to our specialist tailor to be dialled in to the client’s exact ‘Fit Blueprint’.

Once tailored, we conduct a final session. We ‘build’ 30, 40, or even 50+ complete outfits. We photograph every single one.

These photographs are compiled into a personalised digital ‘Lookbook’.

This Lookbook is the client’s personal style bible. It means a man no longer has to think in the morning.

He can simply open his Lookbook, choose “Outfit 14,” and know with 100% certainty that he looks polished, professional, and perfectly aligned with his goals. We eliminate decision fatigue entirely.

Beyond the Clothes – Grooming & Non-Verbal Communication

Our job does not end with the wardrobe. A man’s image is a complete package. We also provide strategic guidance on:

• Grooming: Recommending the right hairstyle and facial hair (if any) to complement a client’s face shape and industry.
• Poise & Posture: How to carry oneself in a suit. How to sit, stand, and walk with an air of confidence and authority.
• Digital Presence: We often conclude by advising on a new, professional headshot for LinkedIn, ensuring the client’s digital “first impression” matches his new, powerful physical one.

The Result – An Effortless System for Success

What does a men’s image consultant do? We are problem-solvers. We solve the problem of a ‘perception gap’. We give ambitious men back their time, their confidence, and their mental energy.

The process is analytical, it is strategic, and it is transformative.

The final deliverable is not just a wardrobe full of beautiful clothes; it is an effortless, repeatable system that empowers a man to focus on what he does best, knowing his image silently communicates his value.

Ready to close your own ‘perception gap’ and build an image that reflects your true authority? This is the first step.

We invite you to explore our specialist Business Image Consulting services for men and book your initial consultation.