Image Consultants

Young woman who is pulling her turtleneck and looking fed up wearing it
Photo: Accord/Shutterstock
How an image consultant can help you
 
When you think of an image consultant perhaps illusions of a private shopper come to mind or maybe you conjure up pictures of a hair and makeup restoration but in reality that is just the tip of the iceberg, as they say. Often times, an image consulting firm offers a variety of services. These experts do not only help to enhance your appearance with wardrobe improvements. They can teach you lifelong skills such as helping you to establish a new awareness of the mental and emotional aspects involved in how one presents themselves or puts an outfit together.
 
Speaking of outfits, they can save you a lot of time by putting outfits together that can take the guesswork out of things for you. They can help one make peace with growing older and show how to do it with style and confidence! A personal stylist can show one how to shop for their body type or how to style their hair and makeup according to their particular face shape. Other services they may offer are to teach one etiquette behavior, help with communication skills, and improve overall persona.
 
Business owners and corporations can hire a consulting company to ensure that the business remains successful by designing the company uniform, teaching employees proper decorum, holding seminars or checking in and following up on employees to make sure they are upholding the company's desired image. A company's identity is a vital tool that can be used to command public attention.
 
Consulting firms are often hired by motivational speakers or presenters and politicians to enhance their charisma, presence, and public relations or image branding. Colleges and Universities have even been known to bring in image experts to help guide students who are trying to land new jobs and emerge into the adult world as confident professionals instead of nervous adolescents. You can hire the image experts for a one-time event, such as company Christmas parties, special birthdays, and anniversaries.
 
A new trend in this industry is to hire experts to help you put together outfits for vacations, such as a cruise, where you are on a ship for a length of time and do not have access to clothing stores. An expert can make sure you pack for all occasions. Image consultants can also do something very significant, because reputable ones are trained to support you in your overall wellbeing. They can aid in better developing one's self-confidence, which can lead to limitless positive mental and emotional effects for an individual.
 
Woman before her style makeover, considering different options
 
How to find an image consultant
 
As you may have gathered, an image consultant can do much more for you than enhancing your appearance and providing services that can be truly, so personal. You will want to find the most qualified party available to entrust with these private and sometimes delicate tasks. You would want to look for a company that has credentials or an individual that holds qualifications, testimonials, and recommendations. For instance, the Association of Image Consultants International (AICI) is a highly regarded organization that offers certifications for image consultant professionals.
 
Other than finding a company or individual that has taken the time to gain the right credentials, when you begin the interview process for an image consultant you want to find someone who supports you, encourages you, and connects with you. A good consultant can teach one how to take control of their image to project a persona that helps others hold them in high regard. Do not hire someone who only has negative things to say about your image. Look for someone who can help the outside look as good as you feel on the inside!
 
One might be concerned that an image consultant will completely take over and turn them into an unrecognizable person or even give them a disastrous look that one or their loved ones will not like. While these are relevant fears, those outcomes are quite the opposite of what a qualified image consultant will do for you.
 
Happy young lady wearing a smooth shiny turtleneck with a scrunched collar
Photo: Accord/Shutterstock
When interviewing a consultant, make sure to have an open discussion with them about your objectives, goals, and purpose, as well as what image you do not wish to portray to the world. Make sure that they listen to your objectives and needs. Be assured that they intend for the two of you to work together as a team to assist in enhancing and beautifying your existing features or provide other public relations services. Most image mentors offer complimentary consultations so that you may have the opportunity to discuss what they can offer you before you hire them.
 
Is it not a good idea to give a consultant "carte blanche" for a total makeover? You want to make absolutely sure that this will be a positive and rewarding experience that you are completely comfortable with, not one that you will regret, so the consultant should explain everything ahead of time so there are no surprises. They should be explaining why they are recommending the changes they are and what benefits you will gain from making these recommended changes.
 
So, in essence, you do not give them free rein to do whatever they want because you are a team; you are a central part of this process, you are involved and informed about every step of the transformation. Avoid someone who wants to completely overhaul everything you have. A good consultant recognizes that a good starting point is to rid your closet of unflattering garments, shoes, and accessories. If it is possible, they will help you work with things that you already have.
 
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