While many confuse between fashion designer and wardrobe stylist, it is to be noted that it is not essential that a wardrobe designer is necessarily a fashion designer or vice versa. Wardrobe styling is a relatively new profession in the fashion and entertainment industry and has become largely popular, especially because of big names in the entertainment industry who hire wardrobe stylists regularly. A wardrobe stylist is basically a consultant who is responsible for the selection of the clothing for print media such as magazines or advertising campaigns, concert performances, music videos and public appearances by models, celebrities, and other public figures. These stylists are usually part of a team which undertakes the styling job; the team usually comprises fashion designers, hair stylist, makeup artists and director or photographer. The aim of a wardrobe stylist is this: make the person look fabulous in his/her clothing. The job of a wardrobe stylist varies, and much of the variation is on the basis of assignments; however, the general duties of a wardrobe stylist include re-organization of a client's wardrobe, personal shopping and other duties in respect of the personal lifestyle of the client. But, this is to be noted that the duties of a wardrobe stylist should not be confused with that of a costume designer, image consultant, color consultant, etc. From the aforementioned discussion on wardrobe stylist, one can clearly understand and appreciate the importance of a wardrobe stylist, especially in the lives of public figures who are usually subject to media and public scrutiny over, inter alia, comments, actions, and clothing. This importance contributes to the financial resourcefulness of a wardrobe stylist and makes wardrobe styling an attractive career opportunity.

The freelance community has warmly embraced wardrobe stylists in its family. Currently, the freelance community is expanding at a phenomenal pace, especially after the advent of digital age, and this is opened gateways to more opportunities for wardrobe stylists. However, in order to become a successful wardrobe stylist, you will have to know the must-haves of the community. There is more to fashion styling than most people think. It takes a lot of creativity and experience to work your way up in a fashion role. There are many different forms of fashion styling such as shoots for magazines, films and TV shows such as X Factor, celebrity styling, catwalks which could include London Fashion Week, styling for retailers and brands such as ASOS and Topshop and personal styling for individuals (this doesn't necessarily mean celebrities). A fashion stylist's role consists of the following tasks:

• Long hours and travel to obtain the right clothing and accessories for the end client
• Rearranging the clients wardrobe
• Styling the clients for all events
• Personal shopping
• Selecting outfits to suit each individual style and shape

Qualifications and Training for Freelance Fashion Stylists A formal education is not usually required in order to become a wardrobe stylist, but a number of courses in fashion designer allow students to imbibe in fundamentals of wardrobe styling from the perspective of both the business and creative elements of the fashion industry. To know more, read below: You can complete courses and degrees for fashion styling however it is not essential in this field of work. Most of the time, creativity comes naturally and it is just about practice. The most important thing to have is good work experience. The best way to gain training and experience is to become an apprentice stylist or take part in an internship. A lot of high end brands do offer work experience and internships to build up your experience. It is easy to find work experience and internships with any company by just searching the web. It is important to keep up to date with the latest fashion trends and always be looking into the future so you know what trends are coming. It is also important to have people skills and the ability to adapt to different clients as each client you deal with will be different. Going Freelance as a Freelance Fashion Stylist There are numerous benefits of freelancing as a freelance fashion stylist, for example:

• Flexible schedule
• Working on different and various projects
• Great wages
• Being your own boss

Your daily rate depends on your clients and what sort of job you will be doing. If you are doing an editorial job, these will usually pay the least and if you are a television or advertising campaign or styling for a spokesperson, these will pay higher. The daily wage can vary from 130 - 6,500 pounds depending on your experience and reputation. Finding Work as a Freelance Fashion Stylist If you start off styling for a company, your reputation could be shared through word of mouth. However, the best way to market yourself will be to set up a creative website for yourself that shares your experience, training and a portfolio of your work so clients can see what to expect. Another way to get yourself known by the public is by contacting local slimming groups and appearing as a speaker to give the members advice on styling while they are losing weight. You can also get yourself listed in directories of the specific field you are in. These directories can be found in newspapers, magazines and on the internet.