Personal Stylist and Fashion Expert, Mallory Sills, is a Chicago-based stylist and Fashion Styling tutor at QC Makeup Academy. This month, Mallory talks about her career in the Fashion Styling industry as well as how you can get started as a professional fashion stylist.
Tell us about yourself!
Hello! Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mallory Sills, and I am a Chicago-based personal stylist, speaker, and tutor at QC! I graduated from both The Fashion Institute of Technology in Image Consulting and the School of Style, and hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fashion Marketing & Management. I have worked with the Senior Fashion Editor of Marie Claire Magazine, as well as with Stacey London of TLC’s “What Not to Wear”. By combining my education with my extensive fashion experience, I have a unique, elaborate and realistic approach to the work I do today.
I currently run my own business, Image Success by Mallory, and I work as a personal stylist where I interact with my clients one-on-one, both in-person and virtually. I also do freelance, style photoshoots, public speaking engagements, and host a weekly podcast called “The Style Success Podcast”.
I am incredibly passionate about fashion styling and about the work I do. Through my years of experience, I’ve learned many valuable lessons that I love sharing with students here at QC.
How did you know fashion styling was the career for you?
Since I was young I’ve been absolutely infatuated with all things fashion. While growing up, I didn’t know much about the different career paths that were available within the fashion industry. If had to pinpoint a specific time, I would say I knew I was destined to work in fashion since high school. My love for all things fashion-related has only just continued to grow.
How did your journey in fashion begin?
Even though I knew I wanted to work in the fashion industry, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do. The first step I took to start my fashion career was to gain as much education as I could. This is why I have so many certifications. The fashion industry is HUGE, so gaining education in different areas and working at different companies was essential to my start.
What advice would you give to up-and-coming fashion stylists?
Get educated! I can’t stress enough how happy I am that I made the investment to gain industry-specific certifications. The industry is so big, and I feel so much more secure and knowledgeable because of the certifications (like QC’s Fashion Styling Course!) I earned.
While the education piece is a must, I also believe it’s important to work in the industry. You can gain hands-on experience by working in retail, interning for different fashion companies, and volunteering wherever you can. The more experience and education you gain, the more you will understand about how the industry works as a whole. It will also help you to gain a solid idea about what types of jobs you’re most interested in.
