When Should A Regular Guy Ask For Styling Advice? | Is a Style Consultant Necessary? | 3 Options For Image Consulting

How often do we ask for help?

Rarely, right?

You know what I’m talking about.

Asking for guidance can be painful.

Especially when it comes to style.

Why is it so difficult?

Because society is centered around helping yourself.

Just look at the BILLION dollar self-help industry.

Asking for advice can cause us to feel vulnerable.

Here’s a little secret, though.

The majority of regular guys who have hit massive achievement in their careers have asked for help, especially when it came to their image.

Image Consultants are the behind-the-scenes coaches of industry success stories.

A personal stylist is no longer just for the rich and famous.

This article is going to cover 3 options for how you can receive image consulting.

1. Paid
2. Indirect paid
3. FREE.

 

There are many terms to describe the profession. But first, let’s distinguish between a few titles used to describe professionals who differ slightly in the services they offer.

• Image consultant: A qualified professional who is trained in the area of public speaking, etiquette, media communication. They help celebrities and politicians to shape their public image. A broad term that can have many different meanings.
• Style consultant: A style consultant will help you improve the way you dress. This includes advice on a range of topics – clothes, shopping, hair, and grooming. A personal style consultation could be a one-off session designed to get you on the road to better style, or a series of consultation based on your lifestyle and career needs. A personal stylist is generally not a celebrity stylist (though some of their clients are well known in their professions).
• Personal shopper: Usually focus only on the shopping aspect of a client’s needs.  They usually don’t do at-home appointments, closet edits or anything beyond helping a client shop.  They also can be hired for things beyond fashion, like shopping for gifts and other non-fashion items.

Irrespective of the term they use to describe their profession, all of these people play a crucial role in conveying to the world what you stand for and who you are.

Hiring a personal stylist is a lot more affordable that you think.

Is it necessary to hire a style consultant?

You only get ONE chance to make a great first impression. Whether you like it or not, people will formulate an opinion about you before they even have to chance to get to know you. Their assessment of you is solely based on your clothes and how you carry yourself.

If how you present yourself is distracting someone, they won’t pay attention to your expertise. Successful men understand the importance of appearance and hire advisors. Presidents, CEO’s, people in the entertainment industry all have image advisors on their team of staff.

If you care about being successful, you need an image consultant. In simple terms, they will help you to create a strong professional image, a positive personal brand, and an attractive personality.

A personal stylist will help you convey the right style, status, character and personality through your appearance. A stylist will help you to bring out the best of your inner image for the world to see.

A personal shopper will save you TIME and MONEY by helping you source good quality, affordable clothing that is suitable for your lifestyle and build.

Image Conscious Positions

You may feel that a good sense of style is not required in your workplace. Irrespective of your industry, how you present yourself plays a major role in how people trust your skills.

Not convinced? Read how these professionals leveraged the power of dressing well in their respective workplaces.

See if your occupation falls into the category of image conscious positions that we have 18 case studies about.

Options for a style consultation?

There are plenty of resources for men to improve their style and not all of them are going to cost you money. A motivated individual doesn’t have to look far to find sources of inspiration.

1. Paid Options

Hiring a personal stylist is much more affordable than you might think. Each stylist works differently.  Some charge by the hour, while others work day or package rates.

Fashion Bloggers & Style Coaches

Fashion bloggers are regular people on a mission to help men improve their style. They achieve this through a web-site, social and offline media. Expect tons of free content – articles, videos and style expertise honed from years of experience working in the industry.

Why would you want to hire a fashion blogger as a personal style consultant? Because they are often the best equipped to understand your needs and help you translate it to relevant and practical style choices.

Do your research first, browse through their online content before reaching out to them. Here are a few fashion bloggers I would recommend.

• Effortless Gent: Barron Cuadro is on a mission to help regular guys look and feel their best. He teaches the basics of style and helps clients put together a stylish lean wardrobe.
• Masculine Style: Work with Tanner Guzy to improve what your clothes say about you. His services are not to just to tell you what to how and what to wear, but also to teach you “why” so you need to become fluent in style.
• The Modest Man: Brock Mcgoff offers niche consulting for shorter men specifically. His laser focus allows him to specialize in the shorter man’s style and be an expert.
• Image Granted: Grant Harris is a personal image consultant, speaker, and creative director. If you are looking to take your confidence to the next level, his services are for you. He is also the creator of Black Man Style.
• Unkept Gentleman: Travis White specializes in getting to the root of what’s holding men back. He starts with a personal evaluation, then moves to style and image as a whole. As a younger gentleman, his knowledge of timeless and fashion forward style is a valuable asset.

Online Image Consultants & Stylists

If you are serious about a complete image overhaul (recommended for people in the public eye), an image consultant will take the time to understand your vision before helping you achieve the image that is required for your position.

• Rath & Co: Professional image consultant service based in New York. The focus here is on helping men finding the right style based on their individual personality, build, career and lifestyle.
• Ashley Weston: If money is no issue, consider a celebrity stylist. Ashley Weston has an impressive resume that includes working with A-list celebrities, preparing them for red carpet and media appearances.
• Emmi Sorokin: Navigate the world of fashion with a no-fuss approach. Emmi’s style philosophy consists of making sure the fit of your new wardrobe matches your body and your personality while looking effortless and non-flashy in your style.

Online clothing services

• Men’s Style Lab: Have personally selected, high-quality clothes that match your personality and lifestyle delivered straight to your door. Pay for what you like and return the rest for a risk-free shopping experience at home.
• SprezzaBox: Have accessories styled by professionals delivered to your doorstep. Most items included if bought individually would cost around $150. By skipping the middleman and shipping directly to the consumer, they are able to send a bundle of items for 40-60% less than retail. 

2. Indirect Paid Options 

Professionals in the style industry are always willing to discuss the intricacies of their art. A visit to a store or an initial consultation with a tailor won’t cost you anything more than your time. The expectation is that a purchase will be made, but there is no requirement to make one.

Tailors that Antonio Recommends

Modern Tailor: Modern Tailor provides affordable and good quality custom clothing made in China. Their delivery services are available in most places with an internet connection.

Blank Label: Located in Boston, Blank Label is an amazing company because of the way they take care of their clients. You can buy online – but drop into one of their stores if you can (Click here to arrange an appointment and check locations) – for a one-on-one fitting with a menswear specialist who will also offer personalized styling advice.

English Cut: English Cut was founded in 1995 by Thomas Mahon. The blog on their website gives a glimpse behind the closed doors of Saville Row. Mr. Mahon travels to New York, Chicago and Dallas but to get an appointment with him requires planning – he is limited for time.

Click Here For The Top 10 Tailors That Antonio Recommends

Traveling Tailors

A traveling tailor follows the same process as a local tailor, apart from the fittings, which need to be pre-planned.

You will still visit him the first time to be measured and discuss the suit you want. Followed by 2-3 fittings the next time he visits. The final suit can be delivered to you when finished.

A few things to note when working with a traveling tailor:

• Have a very clear idea of what you want (fabric/style/cut).
• Show him an existing suit or bring pictures.
• Never rush the process just to have the suit ready earlier.
• Work with someone who can communicate in your first language.

Specialty Menswear Stores

In the days before shopping malls and department stores, you would find what you needed at the men’s stores. This is where you would go for style advice, readily dished out by a tailor while a sales assistant poured you a drink.These are a c brands who continue this tradition for the modern man:

These are a couple of the brands who continue this tradition for the modern man:

• Badowers:  Located is Des Moines, Iowa, Badowers offers a clothing experience. It’s not the store for the man who wants to casually shop. It’s the store where you get immersed in the menswear culture. It’s well worth the trip to Iowa if you find yourself in the area.
• Ledbury: An old converted tobacco warehouse in Richmond, Virginia is the current location for Ledbury’s store. Stylists are on hand to offer advice on custom-fitted shirts while you shop for your latest wardrobe additions.
• Rye 51: Located in Houston, Dallas, Oklahoma, and Atlanta, Rye 51 was named after the classic American Rye whiskey. Their complimentary bar helps make your shopping experience more enjoyable. They also have a custom clothier (Q Clothier) attached to every store to you can get fitted for a made to measure suit while sipping on your old fashioned.
• Stag Provisions: Founded out of Austin, TX, the guys over at Stag have brought vintage classic and modern pieces together in one store. New collections can be found right next to nostalgic pieces in this hybrid menswear store.
• Hammermade: Specializing in dress shirts, Hammermade has brought the famous RMRS philosophy of fit, fabric, and function to their dress shirts. If you ever find yourself in Minnesota, be sure to drop in and tell them Antonio sent you 

Vintage Clothing Stores

Apart from being a  treasure trove for throwback-finds, vintage clothing stores are full of enthusiasts who love to talk. They will be more than willing to make you a drink (an old-fashioned, if you prefer), give you tours and relate interesting history trivia about clothing.

Expect to find well-known designer brands at various price points.

Manready Mercantile: Located in Houston, Texas, Manready Mercantile is a half apothecary, half vintage clothing store. The nostalgia you feel when you walk in the store is strong, and the enthusiasts that work there are great company to chat about style with for hours.

3. Free Options

Not everyone requires a professional image consultant to upgrade their style and personal image. Here are some options which won’t involve hiring a professional.

Well-Dressed Men Around You

Find the best-dressed man you know and take him shopping with you. Offer to buy him lunch in exchange for tips on how you can improve your style.

Download Free Apps

By downloading one of these apps, you have a virtual style assistant at your fingertips. The easily accessible information will make your next shopping trip a breeze:

• RMRS App: Access articles and infographics, keep up with daily updates and access your favorite content on the go.
• IAmAlphaM App: Find specific videos and articles with the free app. The app is a simpler and streamlined version of the website.
• WellDressed App: A unique approach to Men’s Style. This app has a feature that lets you photograph yourself and calculates your color palette. The advisor setting gives outfit ideas based on your personal profile, and if you enable location services it will even recommend local stores in your area to shop at.
• Suits App: The original version of Well Dressed, but still deserves a mention. This app allows you to pair shirt, tie, and jacket combination together so you can see how the outfit looks before having to put it on.