The Stylists: Some Adjective That You’ve Been Looking For
The term “stylist” has been as abused as any word in recent years. Hypebeasts and bloggers alike seem to think that, by using the term “stylish,” they’ve now reached snob status.
It used to be a simple word without much weight behind it; it now holds an immense amount of power due to the continued use of social media.
But times are changing, and slowly but surely, names like “Stylists” are becoming more common endearing terms. Here at https://stylecluse.com/ has more information about the adjective you’ve been looking for.
Stylists are men that have spent years perfecting their craft, reading archival publications, combing through grail lists, battling eBay for limited releases. And now, they’re here to fill a void in the market.
From the outside looking in, the world of stylists seems to be quite insular and difficult to break into. After all, it’s an elite group of individuals known for being slightly snobbish.
It’s also a profession that is very difficult to pin down. But once you enter the world of stylists and start interacting with them on social media via IG or Twitter, you understand what it’s all about.
There’s often a degree of antagonism that comes with dealing with stylists, but that’s partially because they’re not trying to make the shoe game more convenient for you; they want to make it more interesting.
They want to re-envision how limited releases are done, taking the release rules and throwing them out the window.
Why? Because they believe that the legend of what a “limited” release is supposed to be needs to be redefined. Every stylist has a different idea of how limited releases should actually play out, and what’s fascinating is that all of them seem correct.
In today’s market, limited releases have been turned into a completely farcical circus where everyone just wants something that will help them set themselves apart from the masses. In this environment, it’s become very difficult for stylists to move their products because there’s little value behind them outside of the hype surrounding the release itself.
Stylists are here to change all of that with their different ideas on how limited releases are meant to be done. Their ideas are often different from what’s expected, but more importantly, they’re tastefully done.
They also have a deep understanding of how releases work. Many of them are former retailers or employees at boutiques, others are competitive members on forums or Reddit, and some of them have even had experience working for brands themselves.
Overall, they have a better understanding of how the internet moves than most anyone else in the game.
There is not a shortage of adjectives we could use to describe this particular profession plus, thanks to television and Hollywood, we think most people have at least one (if not ten!) stereotypes about what a stylist does.
But really, the word ‘stylist’ refers to someone who can make you look and feel your best with clothing choices. Maybe she’s the person you call when you’re getting dressed and need help picking out an outfit for your first date or interview. Or she may be the one who helps you design your Chanel handbag collection or turn your closet into a dream wardrobe.
To help you out, we’ve broken down the different kinds of stylists and what they do:
Personal Stylist
This is the person who shops for what you wear and who you see every time you need an outfit. Personal stylists can be retained on a long-term or one-time basis; they shop for items that you decide how long to keep (good news for those of us with limited closet space) and work on building your personal wardrobe around your lifestyle.
Personal stylists are the ones who know your taste and who you trust to make decisions about what is appropriate for all situations.
Personal styling is not about keeping up or keeping to trends; it’s about staying within your style philosophies and building individual wardrobes that express you the way you want to be seen.
One caveat
Some of these stylists will have a focus on certain looks or pieces, so they might step on the toes of someone with a wider spectrum of tastes. Personal styling takes time, so some hairstyles may be tough for them to look good with, but that’s normal.
Be honest with them about what kind of styles they’ll need to look good on you.
Though in some ways personal stylists can be in sync with you and your style philosophies, they often have a more practical view. They may want to encourage you to invest time in figuring out your style and, in general, the personal stylist may not be truly interested in taking part in the creation of a look. If that’s the case, find someone else who does get excited about creating looks with you.
One final word
For those who are self-styled creative folks, remember that not all personal stylists are going to be able to ‘get it. ‘ Unfortunately, these are often the people who are referred to in magazines as ‘the woman you’ll want to go to for your portrait if you can’t afford a famous photographer.’
Closet Stylist
Those who work in the industry call them ‘closet consultants.’ They’re usually individuals who’ve found their niche in the business and have mastered the skills necessary to know what works with you.
They sometimes charge by project or try to freelance for individuals or companies that will pay them by the project. Sometimes they work on a per-appointment, one-time basis, but they often take on clients who are looking for ongoing services. The various levels of closets can be found in most larger cities.
