Back in the summer, I was asked to help on an interiors shoot by the interior stylist Hannah Cork. Truth be told this was my first styling experience, outside that of interior design, so I leapt at the chance to see how a professional interiors stylist, well, styles.
I know that if I am to continue with this styling malarkey, I have to learn to wear objective glasses, and think outside the box. I mean how often is it that we really, honestly look beyond how we would carry out a task, any task and be open minded? Well, I find it very hard. Indeed. I am always the first to look in a magazine and yell out “oh that’s gross”. Luckily I am usually talking to myself.
Anyway, back to shoot day. As vast rolls of over oversized wallpaper and gold stools made their way, via me, to the shoot site, I became slightly alarmed. “How can this ever look good, I mean it’s a gold stool in the shape of a tree trunk. What will they think of next, I mean seriously”, crossed my mind. Followed by “not so fast to judge, my friend, not so fast”.
I read somewhere that to be a successful stylist not only do you need to be super-organised but you must be knowledgeable on historical styles, and keep up to date with trends, but to stick to your own niche too. You basically need to know a lot about a lot in order to adapt to the required “look”, and not just stick within your safety zone. My limited styling experience has taught me already to not jump in and judge too quickly and to think outside the box. Just because I wouldn’t have a gold stool in my home, doesn’t mean it isn’t a groovy, immaculately-styled image that could be placed anywhere from a Bond baddie’s lair to an enchanted clearing the woods.
Well, turns out that gold stool shot is the top of my list.
Better go and do some reading.
