Insider Secrets: stylists

Continuing Shikkuu Guides (http://www.shikkuuguides.com/) series of insider secrets and tips from those in the know when it comes to style, fashion, good grooming and a great dose of glamour, here are some of the secrets that make stylists in London able to weave their magic.

1.      Finger on the pulse – As you would expect from these trend setters and style mavens, they have their finger on the pulse like no one else out there. Real stylists don’t follow fashion, they blaze a trail, knowing what is hot at any given moment. That doesn’t just mean grabbing the latest issue of Vogue, you know, it’s about judging the mood of fashion right now, from high-end couture down to hyper-real street style. A leading fashion stylist in London will be able to tell you what is about to hit big when it comes to fashion before any one else, sometimes even the designers!

2.      Understanding the past  – Of course the role of a stylist is not just to dress you up in the latest fad - they are stylists, after all, not fly-by-night fashionistas. A stylist understands that tapping into the zeitgeist is part of their job, but it’s also about understanding the fashions and trends of the past. That way their client looks confident and in-the-know, rather than a slave to passing trends.

3.      Friend not foe – Think of a London fashion stylist and you probably think of someone über-cool, even haughty. You would probably love to pick their brain but imagine their stylish credentials would make them completely unapproachable. Wrong! Any stylist worth their salt is a friend to their clients, not a foe. It’s only by getting to know a client (whether that’s over a working relationship that lasts for years or a one-off consultation) that they can truly work their magic. After all, a stylist is not someone who dresses you up like the latest celebrity, they are sartorial experts who make you look the very best you can look.

4.      Eye of a magpie – A stylist is the magpie of the fashion world. They don’t just read fashion magazines for inspiration, that’s for us mere mortals, they take inspiration from all sorts of places. Just as a magpie eyes anything that sparkles and takes it for themselves, so a stylist will see things that inspire them in all walks of life and within every cultural arena. They will often file that idea away for later, when it could feature in a way to accessorise, a clever use of colour or a nifty way to layer.

If all of that seems like hard work, well – frankly – it is, to the uninitiated among us. If we were to approach styling someone it would seem a hugely daunting task to take everything into account to make them look fantastic. But the fact is that professional stylists don’t make it seem like hard work – to them it seems to come naturally! Which of course makes them the mysterious mavens that they are, and some of the most sought-after people in fashion.

Think having a personal stylist in London is only for the capital’s celebrities and super-rich? Think again – Shikkuu Guides personal stylist services are just as sought-after but available to all. Find out more at http://www.shikkuuguides.com/.

Editor’s Note: Shikkuu Guides (http://www.shikkuuguides.com/) is represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Please direct all press queries to Louise Byrne. Email: louise@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637