When men start to take heed over their style and start looking into who to work with when wishing to upgrade their style it can be a little overwhelming. From mens image consultants, to colour analysts for men – all the way through to your own Savile Row tailor, we discuss what each of these people can do for men’s style and the pro’s and con’s of each….
How and with whom should you be investing in your stylish wardrobe/image?
Like most of our clients, it’s fair to assume that you don’t have too much time on your hands to work on how to find help. You may look to recommendations, Google or a lifestyle concierge. We’re here to help make your style decisions much easier, with our list of every person who could help you with your quest for impeccable style.
First we’ll start off with….
Men’s Personal stylist
What is a personal stylist? You’ll be in the hands of someone who will know the best places to find what you’re looking for; from major department stores to unique, never before seen boutiques which can be exciting. A personal stylist also often works for larger clients in TV and film as well as on photoshoots, where an up to date, on trend image is required. There role is orientated towards finding you original pieces that work for you and your budget.
Pros
A personal stylist will work closely with the stores of their choice, which means they’ll know their way around and will be able to identify what you need without taking hours doing so. You also won’t be waiting for a fitting room to become available when in the hands of a professional mens stylist, which is a real bonus.
They’ll tune to your tastes and work out which stores have the best selections for you and what you’re looking for and offer guidance with pairing and any alterations that you may need, which really comes in handy when buying clothes that may look good, but that don’t fit as well as you’d like.
Cons
A personal stylist will be limited to the choices they have available at each particular store, which naturally changes from season to season. In most cases, you would attend the shopping trip with them and therefore your time will be something to consider.
Some men’s stylists pre-organise the clothes that you’ll try on in order to save you time, where some will simply pick out key pieces for you on the day. It’s important to like the style and taste of that particular personal stylist and also whether you’ll enjoy spending time with them.
Men’s Image consultant
You’ll be forgiven for thinking that a men’s image consultant is the same as a personal stylist, in fact the breadth of knowledge is more expansive with a men’s image consultant. They will address both you and your entire lifestyle to create a more stylish, authentic version of you.
Where a personal stylist will select clothes that suit you, a men’s image consultant will look at you as an overall package. Where do you spend your time, what’s important to you, are you a CEO or are you wishing to look more attractive and fresher.
All of these factors will be taken into consideration. This can also range from hair, skincare to clothes, shoes and accessories. If you’re looking for a major overhaul, then an image consultant may be what you need.
Designer
Designers create, it’s what they love to do and what they’re genetically made for. With a mind built to see in pictures, they design clothes like it’s an art form; which of course it is. Think Alessandro Michele designing for Gucci or Phoebe Philo designing for Chloe, Stella McCartney who now is establishing her own label. They design with a magical world and version of you in mind.
Pros
If you love Art and adore the work of your chosen designer then working with one will be a dream come true. You can either buy from their range or order your own bespoke creation.
Cons
You’re limited to their natural style and vision of you and would quickly become costly if you were to commission an entire wardrobe.
Personal shopper
Similar to a stylist but will work for a particular store. They’ll select the best of what brands and designs are currently in stock and on trend.
Pros
If you love that particular store and want to make shopping easy and are happy to spend some time having items suggested to you based on their tastes, then having a personal shopper assist you can be a nice way to shop without trawling around aimlessly. They’ll find the sizes for you, make any tweaks you need and make an otherwise hectic shopping trip more peaceful.
Cons
The personal shopper will have to get to know you and your dislikes quickly. There won’t be much time for rapport building, unless you visit that store regularly. They’ll also be limited to the brands, designs and sizing they have available. Some stores have a variety of designs but some will be restrained to only casual items or a blend of smart/casual so if you’re looking for a more expansive wardrobe, you may struggle.
Colour analyst
A men’s colour analyst works with you to help you define the best colour palette for you. If you thought there were just four seasons, then think again. With a colour analyst you’ll soon discover that there are multiple and that you may fall in between seasons… i.e Cool Spring, Warm Summer, Cool Autumn (You get the idea) They will help you to see exactly which colours do and don’t suit you, which is a fascinating and enlightening process.
Don’t be surprised if you discover that the colours you’ve been wearing for years don’t actually suit you at all. I had navy blue placed against my face only to realise that my eyes looked dark and sunken. No surprises that I went home to take everything in navy to the charity shop.
When you learn the psychology and impact colours can have on you, it’s truly fascinating.The wrong colours can make you look tired, older and less attractive in contrast to fresher, younger and more present, so knowing your colours is incredibly impactful. So, when you reach for your ye olde faithfuls, you may be missing out on a world of colour opportunity.
Pros
You’ll love the process and it can really start to change the way you think about the clothes you wear. A fun couple of hours which will leave you with a very useful set of colours that will guide you as to what to wear as tops, bottoms and or accessories.
Cons
This is just one small element to your style success, where impactful, there are many other points to understand about your image in order to really become the master of it. We’d recommend having this as a part of your style improvement strategy.
You’ll leave with a booklet of colours that you should now be wearing, along with guidance on whether you should wear them near your face, on your legs, or as accessories.
I have also written a fun, easy to implement coffee styled book that will make how you dress much more enjoyable – effortlessly.
Men’s Tailors
Where you might think tailors would be last on the list for an image overhaul but first for finding someone who can make clothes to fit you immaculately. Searching for a Savile row tailor usually happens when you’ve become fed up with clothes not fitting properly and want to start making wiser investments, or when you want something unique and special created for a special occasion.
Pros
You’ll get clothes that fit you like no other type of clothing can. You may think that tailoring is limited to suits, but it’s expanded far and beyond, with the possibility of bespoke jeans, knitwear and even outerwear. Working with a tailor usually means a personal relationship where they get to know you, your likes and dislikes.
Cons
If a tailor is only trained in fit and cutting, they may not have a stylists vision of how to have you look more improved and may rely on you for feedback on what you like.
You also won’t be able to get your super casuals, so will still need to blend other brands that will cater to the more relaxed side of your wardrobe. It is an investment but one that will last you years when well looked after.
Now that we’ve covered all the ways men could possibly get a wardrobe refresh, we’ll introduce to you who we are and how we work.
At Alexandra Wood, we help you to look effortlessly stylish and attractive with a wardrobe that’s tailored to you.
We incorporate every element of what an image consultant, stylist, personal shopper, colour analyst and designer will do for you all in one.
We work with dynamic entrepreneurs, CEOs and leaders in their fields, who are ready and willing to invest in themselves and their wardrobes. Alexandra knows clients lifestyles inside and out; understanding exactly how and where they spend their time, which allows her to create them a wardrobe they’ll really enjoy wearing and that will also fit their social status (pardon the pun).
Not only tailors, we design, tailor and style for busy, professional men wanting expert guidance in a way that’s fun and enjoyable.
Discover our tailoring memberships, designed for effortless style from boardroom and beyond.
“Alexandra has a unique approach to style and tailoring and has transformed my wardrobe. I now enjoy and know what to wear every single day.” Chris Homer, Financial Director
