How to Become a Freelance Fashion Stylist

Do I need qualifications to become a freelance fashion stylist?

You can go down the university route if you so wish, however, it’s not compulsory to gain a degree or certification in order to find work as a freelance fashion stylist.

A degree can of course be useful, especially if you want to learn different aspects of fashion and its history and get an idea of the numerous roles available to you and what they involve.

Other options include applying for internships or entry-level positions where you’d be working under other professionals to learn as you go along.

What skills do I need as a freelance fashion stylist?

While there are many areas you can get into, whatever your chosen field, you can typically expect it to be a fast-paced and lively working environment, so you’ll need to learn to work well under pressure.

Essential skills you’ll need include:

• Good communication and listening – these are vital when it comes to collaborating with clients and other stylists, as well as hair and makeup artists when creating a specific look together.
• Being creative – being a fashion stylist is a creative role, but don’t forget you’ll need to be able to combine this personal creativity with the brief you’re given.
• Having good attention to detail – every part of an outfit you’ve created needs to be unified and perfectly put together.
• Problem-solving – you could find yourself in certain situations where problem-solving is needed urgently. For example, parts of an outfit might not be working as expected, or a piece hasn’t turned up, which means you’ll need to keep calm and make last-minute decisions to create a solution.

Benefits of becoming a freelance fashion stylist

There are numerous benefits to becoming self-employed, with many freelancers citing the financial rewards and better work/life balance as being top of their list.

When it comes to the financial benefits, this is largely driven by the fact that a contractor can often command much higher rates of pay compared to their permanent counterparts.

You’ll also be able to take advantage of claiming back on expenses made for the running of your business, which will in turn reduce your tax bill at the end of each year.

For more help and advice on expenses, read our Sole Trader Expenses and Subsistence Expenses pages.

As mentioned previously, having a better work/life balance is most definitely a priority for most people now and by working for yourself you’ll have a lot more freedom and flexibility; being able to choose the clients you want to work with, as well as picking the hours and days that you want to work.

Take a look at our Benefits of Contracting page for more information on this.

Our team of experts are available to answer any queries you may have, so drop us a line on 01442 795 100, email jaime.thorpe@dolanaccountancy.com, or contact us via live chat.