Image Consulting

Do I need an Image Consultant?

You know you need an Image Consultant when...

• Even though you love shopping, you end up buying things you have no use for or things that don't belong to "you".
• In spite of buying clothes regularly, your wardrobe looks like a clutter and you feel that you don’t have enough clothes.
• Words like Formals, Semi-formals, Casual Fridays, Resort-wear sound meaningless to you and seem to be a way devised by brands to sell their products.

If any of the above descriptions matches you, an image consultant can be just the person you are looking for.

Who is an Image Consultant?

• An Image Consultant is a believer. A believer of beauty, someone who believes that everyone is beautiful, someone who works with YOU, within your limits and available means.
• An Image Consultant is not a stylist. An Image Consultant is a trainer who trains your eyes to pick the right thing for yourself, according to your skin tone, face shape, body type and not to forget, your budget.
• As Image Consultants, we help people familiarize with oneself. We touch upon every aspect that builds your first impression. In other words, an Image Consultant looks into the A-B-C's of first impression
  • Appearance
  • Behavior
  • Communication
• An Image Consultant empowers you to give your first impression a serious thought, every morning.

Image Consulting - A brief history

Early Beginnings

The Image Consulting industry first started in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. Before that time, “image consulting” for the general public was not a familiar concept. Principles of attire were only taught at fashion, finishing and modeling schools. Politicians, models, TV personalities and celebrities were the only likely candidates to hire an image consultant or receive an image makeover.

In the 1980’s several forces combined to pave the way for the image consulting industry to emerge.

• John Molloy’s book, "Dress for Success" enjoyed huge popularity and seasonal color theories began to gain momentum throughout the world.
• Women were entering the workforce in increasing numbers.
• Competing in a "man's world", women realized that image mattered to their upward mobility and therefore, began to invest money in their appearance

The need for Image Consulting

In the 1990’s some high-tech companies influenced a more relaxed trend in dress and “business casual” attires swept across the professional community. This transition from formal to business casual was met with intense criticism from employers and business owners. Image consulting became essential to introduce dress codes and standards.

Coming of age

With time, the demand for quality image consultants has risen to a new high as new markets have emerged. Today, the competition is fierce as multitude of highly qualified candidates seek new jobs and need to differentiate themselves from the competition. Personal and professional development skills become critical in such a climate. The definition of Image Consulting has broadened beyond “Makeovers” to include Behavior, Civility and etiquette, Body language, Interview skills, Communication, Presentation, and Personal branding.

Source - London Image Institute

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