Image consultant

Image consultants help people to make the most of the way they look, so they feel good and confident about themselves. They also show people how to create the right impression by the way they talk or behave, for example.

Also known as:

Fashion stylist
Make-over consultant
Wardrobe consultant

Work activities

A client visits an image consultant if they want help, advice or guidance with their image. For example, they might want to create the right impression in order to get a new job or gain a promotion; they could be getting married or wanting to find a new partner; or they might have lost weight and be unsure of what clothes to wear now.

The image consultant analyses the client’s image, including:

How they dress.
Their overall appearance.
Their hair, eyes and skin.
Their face and body shape.

Following this, the image consultant explains and advises on the styles, colours and patterns of clothing that suit them the most, taking into account their personality, budget and lifestyle. They might also advise on aspects such as:

Hair style and colour.
Shades of make-up.
Tie pattern or collar width.
Shoe type and heel height.
Jacket cut.

The image consultant looks through the clothes in the client’s wardrobe and advises them which items suit them and which don’t. They might also take them out on shopping trips, to buy new clothes, and put together different outfits for them. The image consultant doesn’t try to dress or style the client according to the latest trends, but rather shows them how they can look good on the basis of their size, shape and age, for example. As well as how a person looks, the image consultant advises on how they come across to other people, through their verbal communication (such as their use of grammar and vocabulary) and non-verbal communication (for example, the way they stand or walk). They might also advise on social or business behaviour, such as use of mobile phones, business dining and presenting ideas.

Image consultants normally work on a one-to-one basis, but they sometimes also work with groups, doing make-up demonstrations or colour parties, for example. Some image consultants are employed by organisations to help improve the image of the organisation, for example, by helping to create a new dress code that reflects the company brand, or by showing staff how they can improve their communication skills at business meetings. Image consultants might also run training programmes, coaching sessions, workshops or seminars, covering aspects such as image in the workplace, first impressions, body language and business practice.

Clients come from a range of backgrounds. Image consultants also spend time doing paperwork, promoting their business through marketing and public relations, and professional development. They usually keep a database of their clients’ purchases, tastes and sizes, so they can refer to them and make adjustments from season to season. Image consultants also keep a list of contacts who they can refer their clients to for specific needs, such as hair stylists, make-up artists, personal trainers, voice and life coaches, plastic surgeons and nutritionists.

Personal qualities and skills

As an image consultant, you need:

Knowledge of, and an interest in, fashion, clothes and style trends.
A good sense of colour.
To be able to relate to a wide range of people.
Energy and enthusiasm.
An interest in helping other people.
A professional image and appearance.
The ability to inspire confidence.
To be tactful and diplomatic.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Imagination.
An eye for detail.
Good business and marketing skills.
To be a good listener.
Good presentation skills.

A driving licence would be useful for this type of work.

Pay and opportunities

According to job site Glassdoor, image consultants earn in the range of £22,000 - £44,000 a year (53 salaries, December 2023).

However, pay varies. Income depends on success in building up a client base and whether work is for individuals or business clients.

Hours of work could include early mornings, late evenings and/or weekend work, in order to fit in with the needs of their clients. Some image consultants work part-time, especially when starting out.

Image consultants work in a variety of settings, ranging from their own office or studio to clients’ homes and business premises. Some image consultants work for large agencies and specialise in a particular area of work. There is a greater concentration of image consultants in the south of England, but it is possible to establish a business anywhere in the country.

Most image consultants are self-employed.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Networking and personal recommendation are often the best ways of finding clients and building up a business.

Entry routes and training

There are no set entry requirements for becoming an image consultant. People usually enter this career from a wide range of backgrounds. You’ll probably first need to consider what kind of services you want to offer, whether you want to specialise in one area, such as wardrobe consulting, or offer a range of services including communication skills and business behaviour. Getting hands-on experience is useful; for example, offering free makeovers to friends and family who will agree to let you take “before and after” photos to put in your portfolio or on a website.

One of the first steps to becoming an image consultant is to take foundation-level training, giving you the basic skills to do consultations with clients. Foundation-level training is available from a number of providers, some of which are recognised by the Federation of Image Professionals International (FIPI). Accredited courses must provide training in the following core areas:

Colour analysis.
Female style and body analysis.
Male style and body analysis.
Make-up tuition.

The FIPI provides information related to accredited training course providers. You can also do HNDs, foundation degrees and degrees in related areas, such as beauty therapy, media communications or marketing.

Alternatively, you could undertake an apprenticeship with an employer – a number of programmes are available in the fashion industry. These include:

Beauty and make-up consultant (level 2 / intermediate)
Fashion studio assistant (level 3 / advanced)

Many image consultants start by working with private clients, and then progress to corporate work after gaining some experience. Some combine image consulting with related areas of work, such as hairdressing, retailing or coaching. Experienced image consultants can work towards an FIPI/City & Guilds Masters Award in Image Consultancy. This involves submitting an image portfolio and giving demonstrations in front of an assessor, in all four core areas of competence.

Qualifications

You don’t normally need academic qualifications for entry to colleges and training schemes. Some entrants have a higher education (HE) qualification such as a degree, an HND or a foundation degree.

For entry to a foundation degree or an HND, the usual requirement is:

One or two A-levels
GCSEs at grades 9-4 in 4 subjects.

Alternatives to A levels include:

Edexcel (BTEC) level 3 National qualifications
International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma.

However, course requirements vary, so check prospectuses carefully.

To get onto an intermediate or advanced apprenticeship, you will need GCSEs in English and maths, although you may be able to complete these alongside your programme.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Many entrants have skills or experience gained in areas such as hairdressing, beauty therapy, fashion, retailing, marketing or training.

Colleges will usually consider applications from candidates who don’t meet their usual entry requirements. You should check the admissions policy of individual colleges. Various training providers offer relevant training courses via part-time study, or short courses.

Related careers

Beauty consultant
Beauty therapist
Hairdresser
Life/business coach
Make-up artist
Personal shopper