How Much Do Personal Stylists Actually Make?

Maybe it’s my algorithm, but I can’t scroll through social media without coming across an entrepreneur (or twenty) talking about their 6 or 7-figure status.

Everyone knows doctors and lawyers make hundreds of thousands of dollars each year, and that fast-food workers make minimum wage. But in the world of Personal Styling, no one knows what anyone makes.

Because our industry doesn’t have a true “industry” with best practices, data, community, and conferences. The fashion industry does, but as a Personal Stylist, I’ve never considered myself part of the fashion industry, or at least not in the way most people see it.

But first, let me clarify my definition of Personal Styling:

1. The outer transformation (the clothes)

2. The inner transformation (the mindset and confidence component)

My clients aren’t concerned with what’s “in or out.” And if I’m being completely honest, I’m not concerned either. I could make someone look and feel like a million bucks with clothes from TJ Maxx or from Neiman Marcus - it makes no difference.

The clients I attract want to look like themselves. They wanted to know how to dress their “weird” body type (not weird at all, btw). They want the confidence to start a business or to speak up during a meeting at their corporate job. They want to stop being invisible. They want to turn heads and get the spark back with their partner.

Getting my clients that level of results requires inner work. Which is why I infuse personal development into the process.

My work, just like me, doesn’t fit into a box, nor does it fit into an industry.

I am rarely invited to industry events, and Prada has never once gifted me a bag. But as a self-proclaimed misfit, I actually don’t care. The last time I attended New York Fashion Week, I felt like such an outsider/loser around the mean-girl fashion industry energy, so I vowed never to attend again.

The downside of not being part of an industry is the lack of data.

Personal Stylists are often left fumbling in the dark, wondering how much to charge, what services to offer, and how to best position themselves to attract clients.

I took it upon myself many, many years ago to illuminate the path for personal stylists. To show them how to run their businesses and best serve their clients. I did it as the CEO of School of Style, and I continue to do so through my current company, Lauren Messiah Inc.

As an OG in our “industry,” I’ve brought a lot of knowledge to the table and have helped launch thousands of careers. But I want to do more.

Last month, I sent my Personal Stylist Industry Report Survey to Personal Stylists all over the world. If you haven’t taken the survey, please do (click here.)

I asked questions like:

• How much revenue did you generate in 2025?

• How much do you charge for your services?

• How have bookings been for you over the past year? Up, down, or the same?

And a whole lot more.

I will share the data on Instagram, here on Substack, and in a final report that will be available to download. I’m also thinking about hosting a live discussion to talk about the state of our industry. If that sounds like something you’d like to attend, drop me a comment so I can gauge interest.

But let’s continue the money conversation, and talk about how much Personal Stylists make. According to my data, which so far has over 70 working Personal Stylists weighing in, here is what revenue looked like in 2025:

I want more Personal Stylists making over 100k. For context, roughly 20-25% of solopreneurs bring in 100-300k per year. Not too far off from our 15.9%, but still off.

I work with the stylists who are making 100, 150, 200, 250k per year, and guess what? They do things differently from those making under 100k. I know this because I work with plenty of stylists who make under 100k, too.

The difference isn’t a trust fund or connections, which is often the path to getting ahead in the fashion industry (aka the industry that rarely welcomes us with open arms). The difference is treating their business like a business, not an expensive hobby.

They don’t let their fear of being visible stop them. They post on social media whether they get likes or not. They take on the big clients before they feel ready because deep down, they know the opportunity wouldn’t present itself if they couldn’t handle it.

This one is big; they price like business owners, not like wounded little animals with money mindset issues. I see stylists who are booked and busy, but revenue-wise, they are barely scraping by. Why? Because they are undercharging. Pricing their packages without considering profit margin or the actual time spent on the service.

The other difference I’ve noticed is that stylists who make over 100k know how to sell. They don’t rely on vibes or wishing on a star to close clients. They understand the psychology of sales, they practice their pitch, and learn how to overcome objections - business owner sh*t.

I’ve got a lot more stats and a lot more to share, but we’ll save that for the next post. If you’d like to contribute to the report, click here.