How to Become a Personal Shopper - White Shoe Consulting

Although personal shopping isn't a traditional career path, there are a few concrete ways to gain experience.

Learn all about the fashion industry. You'll need to have a solid understanding of the fashion industry, including the latest fashion trends, fair pricing, and creative styling. Read fashion magazines and books. If you're looking for hands-on experience, consider working in another area of the fashion industry. You might work in retail or as an assistant to a stylist or fashion photographer. Whatever you do, spending time around industry professionals will help your personal shopping career.

Learn about fit and tailoring. 

Even though tailoring might not be part of your job as a personal shopper, it is your job to help your client find something that fits. Understanding the basics of how garments fit and how to tailor clothes can help you identify which cuts will suit your client's unique body.

Learn about photography. 

You can attract new clients by showcasing your fashion photography on social media. You don't need a fancy camera, but you do need to learn to direct your models and style their clothes to look great.

Practice on friends and family. 

Your first client base consists of the people you already know. Offer your skills to friends and family. In exchange for helping them find the perfect outfit, ask if you can post a photo of them looking amazing on your social media accounts. This is a great way to attract potential clients while practicing your skills. Try to work with a variety of body types and personal styles. You may be great at buying your own clothes, but shopping for someone else is an entirely different game.

Provide a VIP shopping experience. 

Shopping can be a vulnerable experience, so it's important to make your clients feel comfortable. Consider ways you can prepare for your client in advance, such as planning a shopping route, making connections with helpful salespeople to get the best customer service, and ensuring an easy and relaxing dressing room experience.