When I started Mile High Style 4 years ago, I wanted to do things differently. At the time, ‘Image Consultant’ was the de facto umbrella term encapsulating personal stylists and personal shoppers (and an entire list of appearance-related professions) as well as anyone who affiliates with the Association of Image Consultants International (AICI). Something about the word ‘image’ put me off and still puts me off, and since many of my clients are finding me though ‘Image Consultant’ searches, I thought I’d finally pay lip service to this issue.

As I see it, the term ‘image’ suggests a presentation that is inauthentic. Rather than embracing style holistically, from the inside out, image-based work seems fractured, too focused on the appearing to be rather than the actual being. My work is different. I aim to make you excited about fashion, to tap into and manifest your underlying preferences for certain styles, and, most importantly, to show you the value in expressing your identity through this one area.

Of course there will always be those who, rather than wanting to be stylish, only want to appear that way. But the goal of personal style should be the visual actualization of self, based on the totality of your experiences. To call that an ‘image’ is a disservice to you.