Q & A

Answers to commonly asked questions from the experts on Thumbtack.

How do I find a personal stylist?

To find a fashion consultant, start by browsing portfolios online. Styling is a visual art, so finding a fashion consultant who fits the style you desire is key. Great personal stylists aren’t confined to one style, but if you’re seeking a hipper, fashion-forward vibe, you’d do well to find someone with a modern portfolio, while a fashion consultant with a consistently refined style could be a better fit if you’d prefer a more conservative look. Reading reviews is also helpful for learning more about the fashion consultant. Research their training, background and years of experience. After reviewing websites and Instagram accounts, meet with the stylist in person to learn how well they fit your personality; some fashion consultants offer a free phone consultation prior to hiring. Before hiring, make sure you clearly understand their terms of service and payment.

What do image consultants do?

Image consultants help people look and feel their best by coaching them on their clothing and beauty choices. An image consultant can be hired for a one-time occasion, such as an awards ceremony, big birthday party or photo shoot. The consultant will recommend clothing, hair and makeup to suit the occasion either using either what the client owns or taking a targeted shopping trip. For a complete fashion consultation, the image consultant will assess your wardrobe, your lifestyle, and what you hope to present to the world, and will then determine the best colors, styles and cuts for you. You can get help streamlining your professional appearance, adjusting your style after a change in body size, solidifying a new look, or finding clothing to fit one area of your life like work or weekends. Image consultants also provide closet edits, going through your clothing and paring out what isn’t right for the look you’re trying to achieve. Personal shopping is another service that image consultants provide. After an image assessment, they can either shop with you or shop on your behalf to find you key pieces you need.

What is a fashion consultant?

A fashion consultant is a paid professional who will advise you on what to wear and how to wear it to fit your desired lifestyle or career goals. A fashion consultant can provide many services including personal shopping, closet audits, beauty consultations, style consultations and ongoing seasonal services. A fashion consultant often has a design or fashion background (although this is not required) and an innate sense of style. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut with the colors, cuts and designs we think suit us. A fashion consultant comes in with fresh eyes and provides constructive feedback to guide your style choices.

During your initial meeting, your fashion consultant will take stock of your current clothing selection and learn what you hope to achieve. They’ll identify core wardrobe pieces you need, as well as advise you how to wear items together. Many consultants create style lookbooks for their clients explaining things like exactly which shoes to wear with what pants and how to accessorize each look. Fashion consultants are a great option for people who are updating their style due to age, career changes or body changes, or who are just ready for a new look and feel. Most fashion consultants charge by the hour, with some offering packages and others working from a retainer.

What is a personal shopper?

Personal shoppers take the pain out of having good fashion. Personal shoppers are paid professionals who work with women, men or children who need style assistance. If you are stuck in a fashion rut, are unsure how to dress in a way that flatters your body, need to revamp your image, or want a more professional career look, personal shoppers can help. Personal shoppers identify the look their client wants to achieve and purchase the necessary clothing and accessories to achieve it. The process often begins with an initial consultation with the client to understand their style goals. This consultation may include a closet “audit,” an assessment of the client’s current wardrobe to see what items can be eliminated and what must be purchased to achieve the desired style.

The client and the personal shopper can shop together, selecting items as a team. The personal shopper may also shop on behalf of the client, then bring all items to the client for a final decision. A third option is pre-shopping, where the personal shopper reaches the store(s) ahead of the client and sets aside clothing for the client to try on, expediting the whole process — a win for anyone who hates spending time in the mall. Personal shoppers can also be hired for one-time events such as weddings, vacations or birthdays. You can also enlist a personal shopper to do your gift shopping for you. Overall, a personal shopper is an investment in making good style choices.

How much do wedding makeup artists cost?

A wedding means love, celebration and tons of wedding photos. Professional wedding makeup artists have you looking your best on your big day and forever after in your wedding photos. The national average cost for a wedding makeup artist is $70-$100, although this price can increase based on your location, the extent of the makeup services and the reputation of the makeup artist. Most wedding makeup artists offer discounts to brides who book group services for their maids, mothers and flower girls at the same time. Wedding makeup artists who also do wedding hair usually offer package rates for hair and makeup combos. Here are some examples of average wedding makeup pricing:

Bridal makeup: $85-$125. Pricing often includes full face, eyes, lips, brows and false eyelashes. Airbrush makeup may be an additional $20 or more.
Bridal hair and makeup: $150-$200.
Bridesmaid and bridal party makeup: $50-$100 per person.
Bridesmaid hair and makeup: $100-$150.
Flower girl makeup: $25-$35.
Trial sessions: $60-$120, depending on the makeup artist. Some charge their full rate and others charge a partial rate for trial makeup services.
Hourly rates to stay on and keep makeup touched up throughout reception: $35-$75 per hour.
Travel fees: 50 cents to $1 per additional mile beyond a set radius — such as 50 miles.

Dedrick M.

Verified review

Let me start off by saying that I myself am a hair stylist & make up artist who works with bridal clients so I am very picky when selecting an onsite hair/stylist & makeup artist, hence my detailed review... I selected Vesta because she responded quickly & provided the information I requested without my having to ask for additional information. When corresponding with her via email & phone she responded in a timely manner and she was extremely professional & friendly. She also provided prices that were within the bridal party's budget. Vesta was booked to provide hair styling services to 3 bridesmaids & 1 mother of the bride. She arrived on time was well prepared, personable, professional. Everyone looked great & for the most part all hair styles stood the test of time. She was able to style a variety of hair textures, which we needed because we joked that the bridal party was the United Nations! She also provided full & partial up-do's & a lasting voluminous blowout on a bob. Of the 4 who received services only one bridesmaids curls began to fall before the actual wedding ceremony. I think the falling curls were due in part to the need for more hair spray and/or tighter curling and the fact that the bridesmaid should have picked another hair style given how long her her hair was. Either way, we were able to touch things up with a curling iron and the hair style was restored back to it's original glory. Overall Vesta was awesome to work with & clients will be very pleased with her professionalism & artistry. Thanks for being so flexible and wonderful Vesta!

Abby C.

Mary Ashanti and DJ are SO TALENTED!! I can not praise them enough for how amazing all the hair and makeup looked for my mom, 3 girlfriends and myself on my wedding day. They we fun, prompt, and prepared. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because there was mixed communication regarding the need for two stylists. Make sure you are very specific with what your expectations are and ensure Mary Ashanti has those expectations in her file. Overall, I had a wonderful experience and will recommend her to anyone that will listen!

Mandy Y.

Ochanya and her assistant helped do the hair and makeup for my three bridesmaids and I am so happy to have hired her! She was very responsive, so professional, and super easy to work with. My girls looked beautiful and I couldn't be happier with Ochanya's work!

Jessica B.

Mallory is amazing to say the least! I am so glad not only am I able to find someone who styles and does my hair but is also gifted at doing make up! She always makes me feel gorgeous when leaving and does exactly what I want after telling her the event and what I'm looking for. She also makes you feel comfortable and ensures you like what she is doing from the beginning and I really appreciate that. She's super talented and such a sweet heart and glad I found her!

Lydia F.

Had an excellent service, beautiful hairstyle and make-up. Stylist showed up in time, which is important and discussed the scope of work, also offering her own vision based on wide experience. Overall very satisfied!

Lynn D.

Finding an artist who is both a skilled hair stylist as well as a talented make-up artist is hard to find. Remi is that person all rolled into one! She worked on our commercial shoot and created one look after another that was perfect for our needs. She's a delight to have on set, easy going, very professional and well mannered. I highly recommend her!

Lauren W.

First off, I'm the worst because it's taken me so long to review, I hope I'm forgiven!! Secondly, Sarah Jeanne is just outstanding in every way possible. After contacting me here on Thumbtack, Sarah was prompt in all communications, and I felt confident that things would go off without a hitch, even though it was the night before New Year's Eve and I had found her in a pinch. She went above and beyond to fit my needs and the needs of the other two girls (my little sister and best friend). She arranged for a hair stylist to come on site as well which was truly fantastic (and she was amazing!). On the day of our event, she was on time and ready to go. Time was tight, but she was wonderful at being on schedule without making any of us feel rushed. She took time to listen to what we wanted, and during makeup application she talked us through it...really felt like an amazing tutorial on how to apply, why she liked certain techniques, and we also had a great time with her in general because Sarah truly has a wonderful personality! She answered all the "dumb" questions we had about makeup and gave us pointers for achieving looks on our own. We all really enjoyed the experience, and we looked INCREDIBLE! Aside from looking like stars, we really felt beautiful from the inside out. Phenomenal translation in photos and all night heads were turning. We were also given "on the go" lip colour/applicators which was more than enough to make it through the night. The makeup stayed on all night, and so did the lashes (you should definitely do the lashes! Wow do they complete the look!) Sarah Jeanne is a wonderful artist, very professional, and I highly recommend her. I will definitely be using her again in the future! Thank you again for a truly memorable experience, all three of us could not have been happier or more satisfied!

Jenna M.

Dina is incredibly effective. Unlike most people who call themselves "stylists" or "personal shoppers", Dina is actually formally trained in this field. I was so impressed with her during our initial consultation that I immediately booked her for multiple services to help transform my style from "tired mom who only wears black yoga pants" to something more fabulous. She did not disappoint! With her help, I now feel like a much more stylish and refreshed version of myself. I look forward to working with her again in the future!

Sunny N.

Knowing I needed to make a change to my wardrobe and overall style, I searched long and hard for the right person to work with. After rejecting many candidates, I was very fortunate to find not one but two amazing stylists with Beckie and Martina. They completely understood my situation and met all of my style needs with taste and grace. Beckie and Martina made it look easy and put me completely at ease in an area decidedly outside my comfort zone. I highly recommend working with them.

Ashley G.

I had the best experience with these lovely ladies. From beginning to end I laughed and felt beautiful the whole time. They are very talented makeup artist and amazing hair stylist. These ladies are my new go to beauty professionals.

Nicole L.

MJ Artistry was amazing! Melissa was very attentive to every detail and set me up with a a hair and makeup team right away! When I met Kim, (my hair stylist and my makeup artist) we hit it off right away. She is excellent at what she does and she listening to everything I wanted for my day. I met Andreia the day of my wedding and she handled each one of my girls with attentiveness and care. She did each of their makeup just the way we agreed and I (and they) couldn't be happier! Both Kim and Andreia arrived when they said they would and set up promptly. I couldn't have asked for better woman helping to make my wedding extra beautiful! ♡

Kathy A.

Dianelle and Shay were amazing! They worked hard to make all of us look absolutely beautiful! Their hair and makeup skills were on point! I couldn't be happier with the results! Thank you for making my big day even more special!

Christiana M.

Janet is wonderful and knowledgeable about her job. She is a great stylist. She helped me organized my closet, discard clothes that should have be thrown away ages ago, and styled me for my new job. She is a visioneer, creative,daring, and compassionate to her clients' needs. Her work ethic is superb and she stays true to time when getting the job done. Her look books are fabulous and trendy, which I love. A mixture of classy yet modern. Am very happy that she referred, and I will be using her for future projects and events. Thank you Janet!

LeDerick H.

I first worked with Joddie as an image consultant to help me prepare for a corporate event. Her service was excellent, and I have thought about Joddie every time I put together an outfit. I called her again when I was asked to perform at a NYC's Fashion Week event with John Legend. The most difficult part about being in Fashion Week was knowing what to wear - But Joddie made it easy. Joddie also helped my wife find an outfit for that event - We looked great and we had a great time!!! - LeDerick Horne

Elisa M.

Most loving, passionate and professional stylist. I love my curls more than ever. Having curly hair I’ve had my share of bad haircuts from stylist whom meant well but just didn’t have the experience to style and cut my curls the best way. Now my curls are full of life, bounce and look so much healthier.

Fantasia M.

This weekend I hosted a trunk show at my hair salon with Phylicia as the Stylist and it was definitely a great experience. She had some really great pieces of jewelry and she seemed pretty confident in what she was selling. More than anything for me it was more of a networking opportunity by drawing in new potential customers so it's definitely something I'll do again.

Faiza A.

Towanna was such a delight to work with at my sister’s wedding reception! She was professional, patient, and flexible. We had originally scheduled hair for four people (bride, mother, mother in law and sister of the bride) but was gracious enough to accommodate a couple of extra for a really reasonable price. Our updos came out AMAZING!!! We got compliments the whole event and it lasted through dancing, quick naps, an outfit change and into another wedding we had to attend that night. Could not have asked for a better hair stylist! Would highly recommend to anyone in the NJ area!!

Sam R.

I have worked with Claude on multiple projects, such as styling for photo shoots and personally. He has an amazing eye for fashion and is easy to work with and pleasant. He comes prepared with a wealth of knowledge on how to enhance your style from clothing to hair and makeup. Working with Claude has been a dream. He is prompt, personal, and you can tell that he is passionate about his work. He creates timeless looks that are not just "cookie cutter or trendy." I look forward to working with him in the future and will continue to recommend him as a stylist.

Sam D.

I've had several visits to Kristina, after a friend referred me. Very refreshing to find a stylist that remembers your concerns and preferences. I love that she's able to give me the same color ever time, especially as consistency is key for me.

Lauren M.

Jalise is not only an incredible stylist, she is super creative, passionate, and fun! I felt completely confident knowing Jalise was handling my hair for the big day, I knew it would be flawless and exactly how I pictured it. My hair style lasted until the wee hours and I danced. A lot. I highly recommend Jalise for any occasion! ~Lauren McMillin, wedding 12.31.14

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