Should you become a stylist?

Maybe you’ve wondered if you should become a stylist? If you love interiors and creating beautiful spaces you’re ideally suited to this exciting and rewarding career.

But if you’re not quite sure what interior styling actually is, you might find it helpful to read this first. Basically, interior styling is the art of arranging beautiful spaces. It’s a skill that you can learn, and like any skill, the more you practice, the better you become. You can learn how to style simply for your own home and for your own enjoyment too.

However, if you would like to use this skill to launch a new and exciting career, here are five options for you to consider.

1. Styling for editorial clients

For many years, the traditional route for most interior stylists was to style photo shoots for magazines. And it’s still a great entry point. The way to break into this career is usually through assisting experienced stylists. It’s a good way to learn the ropes. Some assistants work this way for many years, sourcing all of the props for shoots, and even setting up for the lead stylist to come in and act more as an art director, fine-tuning the set. Often magazines take note of assistants and offer anyone who is promising the opportunity to style shoots too. Advertisers take note of editorial stylists and this is a good way to get more lucrative paying jobs.

2. Styling for advertising clients

Styling for advertising clients is the holy grail for some stylists, as it can be the most financially rewarding option, especially if you’re styling catalogues or big campaigns. Think of all of the leading furniture and homewares brands — they all use stylists to create their imagery. Often you are hired by an advertising agency, which provides the brief and creative direction, as well as budget.

3. Content creator

Since this advent of social media, brands are hungry for content that connects and creates impact. It’s never been a better time to be a stylist! Working with smaller boutique brands can offer more creative and time freedom than working with big brands. Depending on the client, it’s sometimes a job that you can do in your own home too.

4. Home staging

Interior styling is a powerful way to add value to a property that is ready to hit the market. Real estate agents and vendors increasingly hire stylists, also known as home stagers, to make the home the best it can be. This can involve decluttering, replacing tired-looking furniture, and adding fresh accents to make the home as appealing as possible. Many of my students in The Styling Masterclass have gone down this path, as it can be a rewarding career. 

5. Home styling

Interior stylists can also work directly with homeowners to help them transform their home, without having to go to the expense of major renovations. It can be a complementary service for home organisation and design services too. Leading interior designers hire interior stylists to style their completed homes to elevate their portfolio imagery too. Interior stylists are in demand by the owners of Airbnb and other types of holiday rentals for all-important imagery to share on websites and social media too.

There are so many ways styling can be used for an exciting and rewarding career in the interiors industry. It offers great flexibility and room for growth too. It’s the type of career that you can adapt to suit your lifestyle. And it’s a job you can enjoy every day!

If you’d like to learn how to style with confidence, and create interiors that connect and create impact, as well as launch an exciting new chapter in your career, come join The Styling Masterclass. Enrolments now open!