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What’s This About
A fashion stylist chooses and combines clothes and accessories, while other stylists work on hair, makeup, nails or your online image.
This guide compares the main types of stylist, such as
fashion and wardrobe stylists
hair stylists and barbers
makeup artists
nail technicians
digital image and personal brand stylists
and many more!
If your main need is clothing, look for a fashion or personal stylist.
Key Points
01Fashion stylists work with garments, fabrics, fit, proportion and accessories.
02Wardrobe stylists plan and organise a whole wardrobe rather than single outfits.
03For big occasions such as a black-tie awards night, several specialists may work together.
04Personal brand stylist is another name sometimes used for an image consultant.
Professional Stylists and Their Types, Similarities and Differences
The term ‘stylist’ can be confusing when you are looking for professional help, particularly when distinguishing between fashion stylists and other styling specialists.
This confusion stems from the broad application of the word ‘stylist’ across multiple professions, from hair styling to makeup artistry to fashion consultation.
This guide explains the main types of stylist, what each one does, and when a fashion stylist is the one you need.
Main Styling Specialisations
Styling covers several specialisations, each with its own skills and training.
Fashion Stylists
Fashion stylists specialise in choosing clothes and accessories, drawing on knowledge of how garments are made, how fabrics behave and what is in the shops.
Their work centres on putting garments together into coherent outfits.
The service covers clothing and accessories chosen for the client’s work, occasions and taste.
Hair Stylists
Hair stylists, including hairdressers and barbers, cut, colour and style hair, and know how the condition of hair and scalp affects the result.
Training usually covers cutting techniques and the chemistry of colouring and other treatments; trichology, the study of hair and scalp disorders, is a separate specialism.
The service covers haircuts, colour, regular maintenance and styling for events, and many barbers also shape beards.
Makeup Stylists
Makeup artists prepare skin and apply makeup for photographs, film, television and events, as well as for private clients.
Their knowledge includes matching foundation and other products to skin colour, working with facial structure, and how products behave under lights.
Specialisms include wedding makeup, special effects, and camouflage makeup for scars or skin conditions; for men, a common reason to book a makeup artist is a television appearance or photo shoot.
Wardrobe Stylists
Wardrobe stylists focus on building and organising a whole wardrobe.
While sharing foundational knowledge with fashion stylists regarding garments and styling principles, wardrobe styling extends to planning a complete wardrobe.
A wardrobe stylist aims for versatile clothes that suit your lifestyle and get worn often, so less money goes on garments that sit unused.
Nail Stylists
Nail technicians, sometimes called nail stylists, look after hands, feet and nails, from basic manicures to nail art.
Their training covers nail structure, the products they use, and how to apply and remove artificial nails.
For most men, the relevant service is a basic manicure or pedicure; persistent nail problems are a matter for a doctor or podiatrist rather than a nail technician.
Digital Image Stylists
Digital image stylists help clients present themselves consistently online, on professional and social platforms.
Their knowledge combines photography and composition with what each platform requires.
Services include profile photographs, photo styling and planning posts so that your online image stays consistent.
Personal Brand Stylists
Personal brand stylist is another name sometimes used for an image consultant, someone who helps you present a consistent image in person and online; our article on whether an image consultant is worth it covers cost and value.
The work draws on fashion styling, grooming, communication and personal branding.
Services include an assessment of your current image, a plan for how you want to come across and, where needed, coordinating other specialists such as a hair stylist or photographer.
Professional Styling Collaboration
Several types of stylist often work together on high-profile occasions, such as red-carpet events and editorial photo shoots.
For example, a male actor attending an awards ceremony with a black-tie dress code might use several specialists.
A fashion stylist chooses and fits the dinner suit, white dress shirt, black bow tie and black shoes, and checks how the cloth looks under lights and on camera.
A hair stylist or barber cuts and styles the hair, and trims any beard, to suit the client’s face and the formality of the occasion.
A makeup artist reduces shine and evens out skin tone so the face photographs well under bright lights.
A nail technician gives a tidy manicure, since hands appear in close-up photographs.
A digital image stylist plans which photographs to take for the client’s social media accounts.
Some clients keep the same team beyond single events.
- Fashion stylists coordinate seasonal wardrobes for public appearances.
- Hair stylists develop signature looks that are adaptable to various professional contexts.
- Makeup artists show clients simple techniques, such as reducing shine, to use between appointments.
- Digital image stylists maintain consistent visual narratives across social platforms.
Fashion Stylist Distinctive Attributes
Fashion stylists differ from other styling specialists in their technical knowledge and the way they work.
Technical Expertise
A good fashion stylist understands how garments are cut and constructed, how fabrics behave and how clothes are manufactured.
That knowledge helps the stylist choose garments for the client’s body shape, proportions and the occasions the clothes are for.
The same knowledge covers fibres, how fabrics wear and how they should be cared for.
Fashion stylists also work with proportion, layering and accessories.
Service Methodology
Fashion styling services usually follow a set sequence.
An initial consultation records measurements and proportions, which guide later garment choices.
Unlike event makeup or hair styling, which lasts for a day, fashion styling usually aims at a wardrobe you will wear for years.
Many fashion stylists plan wardrobe changes around the client’s career and lifestyle over time.
Professional Network Value
Established fashion stylists often have contacts with designers, retailers, manufacturers and other fashion professionals.
Those contacts can help with made-to-order garments or hard-to-find stock.
Many stylists also work with alteration tailors to get the fit right.
Client Engagement Framework
Fashion styling is often an ongoing relationship rather than a single session.
The first consultation covers your work, lifestyle and the occasions you need clothes for.
Later sessions review how the clothes are wearing, whether the fit still works and what to change.
Over time, the wardrobe can change with your career and lifestyle.
Conclusion
Styling covers several specialisations, each with its own skills.
Knowing the differences helps you book the right specialist for what you need.
Fashion stylists focus on clothes and wardrobes, using their knowledge of garments, fabrics and styling.
Hair stylists and barbers look after the cut, colour and condition of hair and beards.
Makeup artists prepare skin and faces for cameras, events and special effects.
Digital image stylists help keep your online image consistent.
Nail technicians keep hands and nails tidy.
For big occasions, several specialists may work together.
If your main need is clothing, a fashion stylist or personal stylist is the specialist to look for; our guide to finding a personal stylist explains what to check.
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.