The fashion world is a vast industry filled with creativity, expression, and endless opportunities. Finding your place as a stylist, however, can feel more challenging than navigating some of the other specialties. Are you naturally drawn to the art of styling? These 7 signs are some of the creative instincts that reflects the heart of a true stylist.   

These 7 signs are some of the creative instincts that reflects the heart of a true stylist and is designed to help you recognize if fashion styling is the perfect career for you to consider.  

1. People Come to You for Style Advice 

If you’re the go-to person in your circle for wardrobe advice, whether it’s helping family and friends find the perfect outfit or suggesting what to wear for a special occasion, it’s a clear sign you’ve got an eye for style. Stylists have a natural ability to help others look and feel their best, and you might already be doing this without even realizing it.  

Perhaps a friend calls you in a wardrobe crisis, unsure what to wear for an important meeting. Maybe a relative insists you accompany them shopping because they trust your impeccable taste. These moments might feel casual to you, but they’re a testament to your natural ability to bring out the best in others through style. 

Stylists have an innate gift for understanding what makes an outfit work. They see more than just colors or fabrics; they envision the story an outfit tells. If you’re already fulfilling this role effortlessly, you might be a stylist in the making. 

2. Strangers always Compliment on Your Look 

Usually, you are known as the ‘fashionista’ in your circle, coworkers or friends acknowledge your fashion sense and constantly ask where you got that chic jacket or those statement shoes. But if even strangers notice your style without prompting, and regularly compliment on how well you dress, it’s a significant sign that you have an eye for fashion. This magnetic quality is an essential trait of a successful stylist.  

Stylists don’t just curate wardrobes; they embody style themselves. Your ability to create cohesive and eye-catching outfits serves as your personal brand. It reflects your talent for harmonizing textures, colors, and trends into a look that stands out without trying too hard.

  3. You Love to See People Look Good 

Do you find yourself impilsively giving compliments to strangers in amazing outfits? Do you feel a sense of pride when someone takes your fashion advice and looks fantastic? 

There’s something about seeing someone step out looking confident and stylish that excites you. Whether it’s meeting someone new at an event or seeing someone in a great outfit on the street, you can’t help but appreciate their style. You even find yourself complimenting and wanting to engage in conversation with them. It’s that genuine passion for making others look their best that defines a stylist. 

Stylists have a deeply empathetic understanding of how transformative clothing can be. They see style as more than just aesthetics—it’s a way of empowering others. If you get excited about helping people express themselves through fashion, you already possess the heart of a stylist. 

4. You Love Looking Through Fashion Magazines and Art Galleries 

Do you spend hours flipping through the glossy pages of fashion magazines, curating Pinterest boards, or scrolling endlessly through Instagram? If you constantly look for outfit ideas and inspiration that can help to shape your own unique style, your love of fashion goes beyond casual interest— it's probably the stylist in you fighting to break out.  

Stylists are visual storytellers, and their inspiration often comes from the art of others. You might find yourself drawn to editorial spreads in Vogue or Elle, imagining how you would reinterpret the look for real life. Perhaps you have folders filled with screenshots of creative runway designs, street style snaps, or minimalist wardrobe ideas. 

This habit of collecting and curating ideas is a critical skill for stylists. It shows your dedication to staying current and your ability to adapt trends into something uniquely yours. 

5. You Secretly Judge People's Outfits at Events 

Don’t be shy to admit—you are a walking fashion police, if you mentally critique people’s outfits at weddings, parties, or networking events, whether you’re approving their style or thinking ‘’they could have done better’’ you’re already thinking like a stylist. This isn’t about being mean-spirited; it’s about your natural inclination to assess and improve. Stylists are keen observers, constantly taking in the way fashion works in real life and how it can be enhanced. 

It’s this keen attention to detail and desire to enhance people’s appearance that sets great stylists apart. They notice how clothes fit, how accessories elevate or diminish a look, and how someone’s outfit communicates their personality. If you find yourself silently brainstorming how a friend’s cocktail dress could have been styled better or how a coworker could have rocked a bolder accessory, you’re honing a skill essential to styling. 

6. You’ve Tried Sewing Your Own Clothes—But Failed  

Have you ever sketched a dress idea and tried to direct a tailor to create something bespoke only to get disappointed when it didn’t turn out as expected? It's the frustration of knowing exactly how something should look that got you to try to cut pattern and peddle that sewing machine by yourself but everything seems like rocket science despite your best efforts.  

If you’ve faced these challenges but still feel inspired to shape fashion, that’s okay! You don’t need to know how to stitch to be a stylist. One of the major qualifications of a stylist is creative thinking for the overall aesthetics rather than technical know-how.  

7. You love to go on Window Shopping with Friends  

Is window shopping one of your hobbies so much that you can spend hours strolling through malls or scrolling online just to keep updated on the latest fashion pieces— knowing fully well your wallet does not support it? If so, you’re probably a stylist at heart. 

For Stylists, window shopping isn’t just about wishful thinking—it’s an act of research. You’re not just shopping; you’re mentally taking note of the most expensive and trendy fashion pieces available on the market.  

Stylists are naturally curious about trends, fabrics, and the craftsmanship behind every piece and how much they cost.   

Ready to Discover the Stylist in you? 

If you’re passionate about fashion, feel connected to these signs, and are ready to start your own journey, Whether you’re an aspiring fashionista or an enthusiast ready to turn your love for style into a profession, it’s time to step into your calling. 

Are you ready to embrace your calling?

I invite you join Style Keepers -an online community of fashion enthusiasts who are set to make their mark in the fashion world. Whether you’re an aspiring fashionista or an enthusiast ready to turn your love for style into a profession, it’s time to step into your calling.