Join us as we introduce you to Liz Gaffer, a valued member of our community and a talented personal stylist. In our conversation, we’ll delve into Liz’s beginnings, explore the significant hurdles she’s overcome, and uncover her insights into the most rewarding aspects of her career as a stylist.
Q: Hi Liz, it’s great to have you here. Am excited to learn more about you and how you kicked off your styling career. To start, I would love to know, what did you do before becoming a stylist?
A: Director of Marketing
Q: Wow that must have been a demanding role. What age were you when you decided to become a stylist?
A: 54
Q: Thats really inspiring to hear you had a complete career change much later in life, hats off to you for taking the plunge as it can be a scary thing to do. Why did you feel personal styling was the job for you?
A: Ever Since I can remember women, friends and family have asked me to choose their outfits, go shopping with them and edit their wardrobes. And I love the change I can see in them. And it was my wonderful sister who eventually said “you are so good at this, why don’t you set yourself up in business”
Q: Its great when others see our passion and love for styling and recognise that, it can really give us a boost! So how does Personal Styling fit into your currently lifestyle?
A: I was doing my business full time but now I fit it around my part time job I find time for styling, I volunteer with Smart Works to help women get jobs and continuously learn about clothes and fashion to feed my knowledge and how I work with women
Q: Smart Works is a amazing charity and helps so many people around the Country, thats great Liz that you can make a change to others by doing what you love, it must be so rewarding. What do you think is the best thing about being a Personal Stylist?
A: Seeing women become more confident and happier with themselves. The best thing is that moment a woman stands beaming in front of you, often new found confidence in being proud and happy dressing as themselves
Q: Yes, I can totally resonate with this seeing the transformation, from when they first spoke to you and then at the end of the journey the result is priceless! What’s been the greatest challenge in your styling career so far?
A: The biggest challenge for me was keeping my marketing career to fund the setup of my styling business, so balancing the two
Q: Working full time and starting up your Stylist business must have been challenging but you have achieved it, bet it was all worth it in the end. Now more of a personal question, how would you describe your own style?
A: I’m a dramatic style personality, attracted to colour and strong silhouettes
Q: Embracing bold colours and powerful silhouettes is a fantastic way to make a statement and express your personality through fashion. It’s evident that you have a keen eye for dramatic flair Liz. Your part of our stylist community, what do you enjoy the most about this?
A: The many opportunities to learn, and meeting up with other stylists. Continuous learning opportunities and sharing dilemmas and questions
Q: It’s wonderful to hear that you find value in The Image Consulting Company community. Keep embracing these opportunities to learn and connect—it’s what keeps the community vibrant and inspiring! If you have completed any training courses with The Image Consulting Company. How did you find the training?
A: Excellent, straightforward. Easy to follow and inspiring
Q: I’m thrilled to hear that you found the training excellent and straightforward! It’s wonderful when learning experiences are not only easy to follow but also inspiring, I have loved supporting you, Liz. What advice would you give someone who was considering personal styling as a job?
A: Focus on the rewards you will be bringing to the women or men you will be working with. If you love working with women to help them dress as themselves and shine through then do it! It takes time to build awareness but so many women are looking for help with their wardrobes.
Q: Absolutely! Helping individuals embrace their authentic selves and feel confident in their own skin is incredibly rewarding. Whether it’s working with women or men, the opportunity to empower others through style is truly fulfilling. What do you know now, that you wished you knew at the beginning of your journey?
A: I wish I’d realised how good my skills and experience are and I had the confidence to promote them earlier
Q: It’s never too late to recognize the value of your skills and experience! It’s natural to have moments of realization about our own capabilities, and having the confidence to promote them is a journey in itself. Embrace the confidence you’ve gained now Liz and use it to propel yourself forward. What does the future hold for you?
A: I’m building my business and in 10 years I have the ambition to be styling characters for TV and Theatre. I’m looking to spend more time on my business and being more creative in my service offering.
That’s an exciting ambition! Building your business with a focus on expanding into styling characters for TV and theatre shows tremendous vision and creativity. Liz, Keep nurturing your entrepreneurial spirit and honing your craft, and with determination and perseverance, there’s no doubt you’ll reach your aspirations within the next decade. Wishing you all the best on your journey towards making your dreams a reality!
We hope that Liz’s story inspires you on your own styling journey, whether you’re just starting or seeking to evolve in the field.
To connect with Liz, you can follow her on Instagram here @ipersonalstyling and on Facebook & LinkedIn.
You can also download Liz’s guide all about ‘Taking a fresh look at your wardrobe’ here