From red carpet previews to front-row seats to fashion shows to clothing celebrities, fashion stylists at the top of the industry can receive other job perks besides a six-figure salary. That lifestyle is a dream come true for many women, as a study by British online retailer, Very, found that women think about fashion on average 91 times a day, according to a press release from Very. Typically, only the cream of the crop in the fashion industry earn the big salary, but that does not stop women -- and men -- from pursuing a career as a fashion stylist.
Education
No specific educational background is required for a fashion stylist, but it does take more than just an eye for fashion to make it in the fashion industry. Some schools, like the Style Design College, offer fashion stylist degrees or specializations. Aspiring fashion stylists can also opt for other fashion-related degrees, like fashion design, fashion merchandising or retail, which can also help prepare them for a fashion stylist career. A number of traditional colleges and universities, community colleges and fashion schools offer two- and four-year fashion degrees. Experience is valuable too -- in addition to just getting the boss cups of coffee, a fashion internship or apprenticeship is an excellent way to gain valuable on-the-job experience to use in a future full-time position.
Job Duties
A fashion stylist's main job duty is to make someone look good. From celebrities to Plain Janes, a fashion stylist helps a client choose clothing that flatters the client’s figure, keeping in mind current trends and the client’s personal tastes and budget. Fashion stylists help the client put together outfits for everyday and special occasions, picking out clothing, shoes and accessories. The stylist may take the client to the store to select the clothing or may take the clothing to the client to try out. Because fashion stylists must stay on the cutting edge of fashion, many meet with fashion designers, clothing companies and retailers to view the newest and latest designs. Many fashion stylists work independently and essentially run a small business, requiring them to take care of payroll, billing and marketing.
Work Environment
Fashion stylists help prepare celebrity clients for the red carpet by aiding them in choosing the right outfit to answer the famous, “who are you wearing?” question posed by reporters. Along with working with celebrities and bigwigs on the red carpet, a fashion stylist brings her talents to movie and television sets to coordinate actor costumes and wardrobes. Fashion stylists dress models for photo shoots and runway shows and musical artists for music video shoots. We can thank fashion stylists for print advertisements and television commercials that make us have to have the latest fashion trend. Fashion stylists often put in long hours and work evenings and weekends to meet the needs of their clients.
Salary
Along with fun perks like hobnobbing with celebrities and playing dress up every day, fashion stylists also earn a decent salary. Entry-level fashion stylists bring in $150 to $200 a day, or about $48,000 a year, according to FashionSchools.org. More experience equals more money, with the top-level stylists earning over $100,000 a year. Job Geeks puts the average yearly pay for a stylist in 2012 at just over $42,000.
References
Writer Bio
Lindsey Thompson began her writing career in 2001. Her work has been published in the Cincinnati Art Museum's "Member Magazine" and "The Ohio Journalist." You'll also find her work on websites like Airbnb, Chron.com, and USAToday.com. Thompson holds a Bachelor of Science in journalism from the Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University.