What Does an Image Consultant Actually Do?
Style Clinic · Thinking about this career?
If you've ever wondered what an image consultant really does all day, you're not alone. Maybe you're thinking about training and want to know what the work looks like before you commit. Or maybe you're thinking about booking one and want to know what you'd actually get.
Either way, this is for you. I'll walk you through the services, how a consultation runs from start to finish, and what to look for, whichever side of the mirror you're on.
The short answer: An image consultant helps people understand which colours, styles and clothes work for them, and why. The work usually includes colour analysis, style consultations, wardrobe audits and personal shopping, delivered in person or online, plus workshops and corporate training. The real job is teaching each client to make confident choices on their own.
What is an image consultant, in plain English?
An image consultant is a trained professional who looks at the whole person: their colouring, their shape, their personality, their lifestyle and the impression they want to give. Then they turn all of that into practical guidance the client can use every morning.
Here's the thing. It isn't about telling someone what's in fashion this season. When I'm teaching new consultants, I remind them that a client's clothing should suit their personality, their shape and their profession. That's the brief, every time.
And it's personal. As I often say about colour, no one neatly fits into four boxes. A good consultant looks properly at the person in front of them before they make any recommendation.
The services an image consultant offers
Most consultants offer some or all of these.
Colour analysis
Looking at how colours interact with your hair, skin and eyes: warm or cool undertones, how light or dark, how clear or soft, and your level of contrast.
Style consultation
Understanding your shape, proportions and style personality, then showing you which lines, cuts and pieces work for you and why.
Wardrobe audit
Going through your wardrobe with you so it works for your life. Each piece is a keeper, a maybe, a give away or a discard.
Personal shopping
Shopping with you, not selling to you. The aim is to come home with pieces you love and will actually wear.
Virtual consultations
Style and colour work done online through photos, measurements and an emailed, video or live response.
Workshops and corporate work
Hands-on styling or colour workshops, and advice for organisations on dress codes, grooming and professional image.
What happens in a colour analysis?
The foundation of colour analysis is how colours interact with your natural features. We look at the warmth or coolness in your skin, your value (how light or dark you are), your intensity (are you better in clear colours or softer, muted shades?) and the contrast between your hair, skin and eyes.
The goal is simple. Wearing the wrong colours can make you look tired and drained. The right ones help your skin look clearer and your eyes brighter, without relying on makeup to do the work.
There are plenty of apps that promise to tell you your colours from a photo. In my experience they generally don't work, because they're not nuanced. Digital tools can support a consultant, but we still need a trained eye to tell you your colour group.
What happens in a wardrobe audit?
A wardrobe audit is a great add-on once someone has had their colour or style done. Before the day, the client removes anything they definitely don't want, makes sure everything is clean and has a full-length mirror ready, along with their swatch and style guide if they have one.
On the day, the one phrase I use again and again is "tell me about this". It helps you understand what's happening in the client's wardrobe, and it saves you from passing comment on a garment that might upset them. A piece you keep pulling out and putting back is, as I say, living in the dead zone. Something about it isn't working, and that's worth talking about.
What happens on a personal shopping trip?
Ideally, shopping comes after a colour and style consultation, so you already know what the client wants from the day. The one question you must ask before anything else is what they must have for the day to be a success.
The beauty of what we bring as image consultants is that we're not about making sales. If something needs to go back on the rack, so be it. You start with the easiest piece, watch the client's energy levels and only suggest the stretch pieces when they're ready.
How a consultation runs, start to finish
I teach that there are three phases to every consultation. The more work you do before and especially after, the more memorable the experience is for your client.
Setting out. Find out what the client likes, what they're concerned about, where they shop and what they want help with. Ask in a really open way.
The consultation. Do the analysis in front of the client so they can see what's going on. Explain why you're measuring or draping, so they feel at ease. Then show them how their looks can be worn every day and in the office.
After the consultation. Give them a plan of action, such as starting with the items they don't enjoy wearing. Tell them you'll email within 24 hours, then follow up with a call about a week later.
Clare's tip: The ultimate success isn't just an accurate assessment. It's the experience. Clients will talk about how you made them feel and what they discovered about themselves.
What to look for and what to ask
If you're thinking about training
Does the training cover colour, style and the business side, or only one part?
Will you practise on real people and get feedback on your work before you finish?
Does it teach how to run a consultation, not just the theory behind it?
Will you learn to work online as well as in person?
Is there support after you graduate, when the real clients start?
If you're looking for a consultant
Where did they train, and do they do colour, style or both?
What happens before, during and after your session?
Will they look at you properly, in person or with clear photos, rather than relying on an app?
Will you leave with something to keep, such as a swatch, a style guide or a written plan?
Do they offer follow-up services like a wardrobe audit or shopping trip?
Ready to learn the whole process?
If this sounds like the work you'd love to do, our complete consultant training brings colour, style and business together, so you learn how to run each of these services, step by step. Confidence through competence. That's what we teach.
Start your image consultant training
https://study.imageinnovators.com/full-cert-image-consulting
Frequently asked questions
Is an image consultant the same as a personal stylist?
They overlap. Personal shopping and putting outfits together are part of what an image consultant does. A trained image consultant also works with colour analysis, style analysis, wardrobe audits, workshops and professional image for organisations.
Can an image consultant work with me online?
Yes. In a virtual consultation the most important thing is good information, because the consultant can't measure you in person. You'll be asked for clear, level photos and your own measurements, then you'll receive an emailed response, a video or a live online session.
How long does a style consultation take?
When I teach one-on-one style consultations, I allow roughly 90 minutes for the session itself. The preparation beforehand and the follow-up afterwards are part of the service too.
What should I bring to a wardrobe audit?
You don't need to bring anything, because it happens in your own wardrobe. Have your clothes clean, a full-length mirror ready, and your colour swatch and style guide on hand if you have them. Remove only the pieces you definitely don't want before the day.
Do image consultants work with companies?
Many do. Corporate work can include workshops, presentations and advice on professional image, grooming and dress codes. It calls for extra skills such as research, networking, facilitation and negotiation, on top of strong image training.
Can I wear colours that aren't in my palette?
You can wear whatever you like, whenever you like. Knowing your colours simply means you understand what each colour is doing for you, so you can choose with your eyes open.
The real job
Colour, style and wardrobe are the tools. The outcome is a client who understands themselves and can get dressed with confidence long after you've left. That's what an image consultant actually does.
Which part of this work would you most love to do? I'd love to know.
Clare Maxfield AICI CIP, CEO, Image Innovators
