When I speak to delegates prior to their training the response as to why they want to become a personal stylist is nearly always the same: “I love clothes, fashion and shopping and my friends are always complimenting my style and asking me to take them shopping, so I’m thinking I might as well get paid for doing a job I love”.
That’s all great, but I do warn them that during the training their own sense of style will probably be questioned and that, their first client is always going to be themselves. I know they don’t believe me but it’s always the same.
Right from day 1 when we study body shapes and more importantly how to dress them I can see the doubts about their own style and quite often about what they’re actually wearing that day creep in. Via the presentation I deliver, they can see just how much slimmer and balanced celebrities of different shapes can look with the right vs. wrong styles of clothes.
By day two when we study wardrobe styling and how to build a capsule wardrobe they are almost in a state of panic as to what they actually own themselves and are often filled with dread as to how much money they may have wasted on clothes that just don’t flatter them.
You see, no one is doubting their sense of style, they definitely will have good taste but whether or not their clothes flatter them the most is a different matter all together! I always say the difference between having good style vs. the most flattering clothes for your body shape and complexion is someone might say, “wow I love your dress” (that’s confirming you’ve got good taste) vs. “wow you look amazing” (that’s confirming you know how to make the most of yourself). It’s when you learn how to make the most of yourself that the compliments keep on coming and that’s when you’re ready to apply the knowledge you’ve learnt on the training on to others; all those potential clients out there who want to know your secret!
The real magic usually happens on day 3 though, when we study colour analysis and actually do their colours. This is when the power of personal styling really kicks in. By seeing themselves look older in the wrong shades vs. more radiant and youthful in their flattering colours they simply can’t wait to correct whatever they might have been getting wrong, be it their hair dye, buying the wrong make up to especially buying the wrong coloured clothes.
I will always reassure them though, that this is the process that even I had to go through, and it’s a process that 100% works. Women who love shopping simply love shopping and they generally buy things because they like them, it’s available in their size so they make the outfit work. But once you know what really suits you, you’ll never waste your money again on semi ok clothes, why would you? – You’re a stylist now, every look you put together be it casual or dressing up has to be your most flattering, as this is when you not only look and feel your best but this is when you feel most confident to build your client base and talk about your services.
From first hand experience you’ll be able to say “I thought I was dressing my best until I got my own colours done and started to only wear my flattering colours and styles and now I effortlessly look and feel amazing all of the time.”
Take lovely Ewelina (above) and see her journey. She arrived in London for her training full of confidence with a suitcase of clothes; unfortunately most of them were in the wrong colours and shape. Together we worked on where she was going wrong but most importantly I gave her solutions to how to look like a younger, slimmer version of herself. By the time she left at the end of the week, she was elated and couldn’t wait to show off her new more natural look, looking younger and slimmer full of excitement to work the same magic on all of her waiting clients. Judging by her newfound confidence and stunning new look, it won’t take her long at all!