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So what does being an Image Consultant and Personal Shopper really involve? In this article we have included some frequently asked questions about image consultancy as a career and how you can get in to personal shopping for a living.
How do I become an Image Consultant?
Anyone can become an Image Consultant, however it can be a good idea to get some training and advice about how to do this for your full-time job or career. You may already have an eye for style, but this does not always make a great Personal Stylist!
There are lots of courses about who offer training in image consultancy, however not all of them teach you how to run an image consultancy business, so ensure you ask about all the help and support you will receive after you have trained, as starting your own business isn't easy.
If you have experience with personally styling your friends and family or have worked in fashion retail helping customers, it could be that you can work to build on your skills and client base without having any training. This can be a lengthily route as you build your knowledge, skills and experience and it is unlikely during this time, you will be able to rely on image consultancy as your primary source of income, however it is a valid route to this career. Training courses basically just try to help you by cutting out this long learning curve that could take years, by teaching you how to conduct such services and may mean that you start to earn money quicker.
What training is available to be an Image Consultant?
There are some learn from home courses available but I personally feel that if you are going to be training to do something as visual as personal styling, which involves great communication skills, close physical contact with other people and working very much with the touch, feel and look of clothes, it may not be the best path. However it is often a cheaper option for those who are watching the pennies and can be more convenient as there is no travel involved. Great for those with no holidays left in work.
Other training courses can be anywhere from one to ten days and it is important to do all of your research and work out exactly what skills and knowledge you are missing in order to select the right for you. Courses that are very low in price can often have large numbers of trainees attending, meaning that the training is impersonal and ignoring individual needs of budding image consultants. Other courses have "optional add ons" but in reality they are not really "optional" as they are necessary skills required to provide image consultancy, style advice and personal shopping services to clients.
For courses associated with celebrities or using well-known names, it is often worth asking who actually delivers the training as often the celebrity name has little involvement with the trainees. Trainees also fall in to the trap of believing that association with popular brand or celebrity names will instantly mean "success" in their business, but from my experience, the only thing that makes you a success is your knowledge base, skills and the action you take day to day to bring in business.
Do your research, talk it over with a friend, family member or go to your local chamber of commerce to chat with a business advisor. Then make your decision on which training suits your needs and personality the best.
Do I need to be a member of the TFIC?
The short answer is NO. The long answer is The Federation of Image Consultants or TFIC is described as the professional body for image consultants that "develops and regulates the image industry in the uk." I have never been nor am a member of the TFIC and to this day it has never effected my business or clients. In fact, not one of my clients has ever asked about the TFIC or even heard of it.
To be a member of the TFIC will cost you a minimum of £140 based off the information on their website, however I am unsure of what value you receive for this fee? Many events that they offer are at an additional cost, the public liability insurance you receive can be easily provided by your own choice of insurer for less that £140, and I don't believe there is sufficient value in networking with other Image Consultants, as in reality, they are your competitors, not potential clients. A Code of Professional Practice and Ethics would be something that I would recommend all businesses have, no matter what they do, however it should be created for themselves and how they intend to run a good, ethical business. I can not think of a time or example when any client, whether private or corporate would be interested in seeing such a document.
The reason I chose not to be a member of the TFIC was that I did not believe it offered me personally and my business, any value for money and I also did not want to practice in colours as I felt my target audience needed something fresh, new and more practical than having their "colours done", and I also did not want to do make up on my clients, believing that I would much rather leave this to the experts at Mac or Bobbi Brown for example.
Without the TFIC I have built an Image Consultancy, have many happy clients whom I have styled, decluttered their wardrobes, took them personal shopping and made a positive difference in their lives. Many of my clients are so happy with the personal styling services they have received they are happy to provide named testimonials on this website and refer us to their friends.
If you on the other hand would like to practice colours and apply make up to your clients then I would suggest looking at the TFIC website for your local training provider as this is a good a place to start as any. If on the other hand you are more interested in fashion, body shapes, capsule wardrobes, price per wear, modern style advice and personal shopping, look at My Style Companion's Image Consultancy Training page or look for other companies like us who train people to become personal stylists and shoppers.
ALL INFORMATION IN THIS ARTICLE S BASED ON INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF WRITING SEPTEMBER 2009
Should I train to be able to do colour analysis?
Entirely on a personal note, colours was never something I wanted to offer to my clients, however I have met many people who have had their colours done and enjoyed it. I have found in the past though with many of my clients who had previously had their colours done, that they are left with a very bland and boring (albeit colourful!) wardrobe and have become dead set in what colours they can and can't wear - very limiting when you go shopping! My ethos is entirely different! I want to be able to give my clients as much choice as possible when they shop, yet understand how to make most things work for them, just by altering what they wear it with or how they wear it. For more information on why I don't do colour analysis read my article about the Impact of Colour on Image.
What does being an Image Consultant or Personal Stylist entail?
Firstly the terms Image Consultant and Personal Stylist I think are personal preference. In essence we both do the same thing really.
The job involves key elements such as general style advice for people who are unsure what to wear; wardrobe consultations for people who want to get more wear out of what they have and personal shopping for those who want to update their wardrobe or buy something for a special occasion. However there is room to develop a variety of services from these skills such as wardrobe de-cluttering, swish parties and style parties at home for example.
What hours does an Image Consultant work?
This completely depends on how hard you want to work! Image Consultancy can be a great part-time job for those who want to earn a bit of extra cash or a full time career, but be prepared to work hard for it! |
