Writing job applications is one of the least glamorous aspects of being or becoming a fashion stylist. Let’s make it quick: here’s how to get your fashion stylist resume right.
Job openings for fashion stylists are few and far between. Especially given that many employers advertise sales assistant vacancies as ‘fashion stylist’ jobs in hopes of making them seem more glamorous.
But bide your time, make connections, and the right opportunity will come your way. When it does, be ready with a bespoke fashion stylist resume that fits you like a glove.
In this guide:
A fashion stylist resume sample better than most.
How to make the perfect fashion stylist job description for resumes.
How to write a resume for fashion stylist jobs that stands out.
Expert tips and examples to boost your chances of landing a fashion stylist job.
I had an interview yesterday and the first thing they said on the phone was: “Wow! I love your resume.” Patrick
I love the variety of templates. Good job guys, keep up the good work! Dylan
My previous resume was really weak and I used to spend hours adjusting it in Word. Now, I can introduce any changes within minutes. Absolutely wonderful! George
Driven fashion stylist with 9+ years of experience, excellent creative thinking skills, a broad network of contacts in the San Jose area, and a keen eye for detail. Eager to apply my expertise towards creating award-winning and sales-boosting photoshoots for Clothely’s catalogs, advertisements, and online content. At Brave Fashion, boosted sales of selected items by up to 15% by curating collections based on research. Developed and coordinated a photoshoot for a campaign that increased sales by 150%.
Work Experience
Fashion Stylist
Brave Fashion, San Jose, CA
February 2018–present
Choosing outfits and creating looks for models in 85+ photoshoots for social media, e-commerce, and 15+ print catalogs.
Researching and predicting trends and curating collections according to trending styles, boosting sales for selected items by up to 15%.
Coordinating with photographers and set designers to ensure outfits and accessories are displayed as intended in the final images.
Key achievement:
Ideated, organized, and coordinated a fashion photoshoot for a campaign that boosted sales by 150%.
Assistant Fashion Stylist
FIT Clothing, Stockton, CA
August 2014–February 2018
Assisted during 150+ photoshoots with up to 14 models of various ages and body types.
Assembled and prepared outfits for models based on briefs and instructions provided by senior stylists.
Conducted fittings and wardrobe preparation for photoshoots and for 15+ catwalks.
Researched competitor products and strategies in order to inform branding and styling decisions.
Education
BA in Fashion Design & Merchandising
Cañada College, Redwood City, CA
September 2010–June 2014
Key Skills
Assembling trend-setting collections
Industry insights
Visual composition
Photography & Lighting
Collaboration
Research
Problem-solving
Creative thinking
Leadership
Communication
Languages
English—native
French—fluent
Interests & Fashion Niches
Women’s alternative fashion—I run a blog with ideas, inspiration, and advice for outfits and looks in this niche (10k+ subscribers)
Fashion stylists provide fashion advice, choose and plan outfits, and select appropriate accessories while working with individuals, fashion houses, or clothing brands. A fashion stylist's resume should show attention to detail and creativity, alongside collaboration and leadership skills.
Here’s how to write a fashion stylist resume that turns heads:
1. Start With the Right Fashion Stylist Resume Format
Looks may not be everything, but the presentation is definitely important—
Choose a font that wouldn’t look out of place in Vanity Fair. The best resume fonts don’t stand out too much—a basic choice like Arial or Georgia will be perfectly fine.
Set the margins of your resume document to one inch on all sides, and use 1–1.15 line spacing to add some white space.
Create an eye-catching, professional resume header (or sidebar) for your contact information. You can use some color or a different font to make it stand out from the rest of the document.
Plan to include the standard resume sections: profile paragraph, work experience, education, key skills, and additional information.
As for the file format, keep in mind that employers sometimes have a preference—so check the job ad first to see if they requested a specific file type. If not, then default to submitting your resume as a PDF—as far as file formats go, PDF is a one-size-fits-all, universally compatible choice.
Expert hint: It’s okay to add some visuals to your resume—like small icons, a bit of color, or light graphics—but make sure that the style of your resume doesn’t interfere with its readability. Companies often use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)—software that scans incoming applications. Most ATS software won’t be able to read text that’s part of an image or table. So to be on the safe side, keep the design of your resume simple.
2. Fit Your Best Offer Into a Fashion Stylist Resume Profile Paragraph
Recruiters are busy people who usually don’t have the time to read every resume from top to bottom. Give them a reason to read yours by opening with a snapshot that shows key information about your application: a resume profile statement.
One adjective that describes you or your work ethic (detail-oriented, creative, motivated, driven)
Your job title (fashion stylist)
Years of experience (2+, 8+)
How your skills can be useful to the new employer (eager to apply my expertise towards showcasing XYZ Company’s products in professional, high-end shoots and shows)
A couple of your most relevant professional achievements from previous jobs (met 100% of deadlines across 2 years, coordinated 100+ photoshoots, curated 15 collections that boosted seasonal sales by 10%)
If you’re on your way to becoming a fashion stylist but have little to no experience at this point, go with an objective:
Follow the same structure, but lean on your experience from other jobs, volunteering, education, extracurriculars, personal projects, and anything else that’s relevant plus shows off your skills.
It’s normal to hit writer’s block at this point—if that happens, just leave the profile blank for now (plan enough space for 2–4 sentences) and come back to it once you’re done with the rest of your resume. It’ll be easier to write it once you’ve put your experience on the page.
3. Tailor Your Work History and Skill Selection to the Employer’s Expectations
No one looks their best in an off-the-rack, generic shirt from Walmart. They may look okay or even good, but it certainly won’t be their best.
Generic doesn’t work for excellent resumes, either. If you want your application to truly shine, you’ll need to tailor it to the employer’s expectations.
Re-read the job ad and look for the employer’s requirements—what specific skills can you identify?
Think back to your previous jobs. When did you get the chance to use those skills to overcome an obstacle, complete a project, or otherwise impress your colleagues or supervisors?
Turn those examples into impactful bullet points—each bullet should start with a verb and read more like an achievement than a ‘responsibility’.
Take a look at the sample fashion stylist resume up top to see examples of bullet points written in this way!
…and this is how you end up with a targeted resume that’s also ATS-friendly. ATS, or Applicant Tracking Systems, are a type of software used by most mid- to large companies to scan incoming resumes. We mentioned them already up top when talking about resume layouts and designs.
If a resume contains words and phrases that match those from the job ad (known as resume keywords), it’s more likely to get a good score from the software. A resume that’s ATS-compliant has a better chance of being reviewed by a recruiter.
So, boost your resume keyword count by including relevant words from the ad in your resume skills section as well—
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4. Outline Your Education
Vogue (or Instagram, or both) may have taught you a lot, but for your resume, a more traditional recounting of your education will be in order—
In your resume education section, you’ll need to list the details of your highest completed diploma or degree. Include the name of the program and the school, plus your years of attendance.
If you’re writing a resume with no experience, you can expand this section with a few bullet points that outline your key academic achievements or activities. For instance, you could mention your GPA (if it was 3.7 or higher), scholarships, competitions, projects, relevant coursework, or extracurriculars.
5. Wrap Up Your Fashion Stylist Resume With a Few Optional Sections
Accessories can make or break an outfit. Your resume’s accessories—the non-essentials—are additional sections containing information that’s not obligatory, but closely relevant to your application.
Consider mentioning some of the following, each in its own short section:
You can also list your interests on your resume, but only do so if they’re relevant to the job. If they don’t add anything to your application (reading, traveling, cooking, yoga), they don’t belong on your resume.
Examples of relevant interests for fashion stylists include fashion photography or running a blog/vlog on fashion-related topics. Alternatively, you can mention your area of interest within fashion, provided that it aligns with the role.
And that’s a wrap—Now all you need to do is write a cover letter that’s as good as your resume, and the job will be yours in a flash!
Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.
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Key Points
Here’s an XS recap of how to write a fashion stylist resume:
Apply standard formatting to your resume, taking care to make it readable and easy to navigate.
Open with a profile paragraph—a short pitch highlighting the key elements of your application.
Outfit your work history section with plenty of achievements and skills relevant to the job at hand.
Complete your resume with an education section tailored to your experience level and a couple of additional sections.
Submit a cover letter with your resume to maximize your chances of getting hired.
Thanks for reading! Still not sure about something to do with writing your fashion stylist resume? Perhaps you have some tips of your own you could share with your fellow stylists? Start a discussion in the comments section below, we’ll be sure to join in!
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Mariusz is a career expert with a background in quality control & economics. With work experience in FinTech and a passion for self-development, Mariusz brings a unique perspective to his role. He’s dedicated to providing the most effective advice on resume and cover letter writing techniques to help his readers secure the jobs of their dreams.