What Every New Fashion Stylist in Dubai Should Know About Pricing, Boundaries, Collaborations, and Confidence
- Macrida Joseph
- 5 days ago
- 5 min read
When I first stepped into Dubai’s fashion industry, I thought styling was just about taste. If you had the eye, the rest would follow. I didn’t realise I was about to learn a whole new language: pricing, boundaries, clients, “collabs,” confidence, and the kind of mistakes no one warns you about.
These are four lessons I learned the hard way. They shaped my business, my personal brand, and the way I show up now, not just as a stylist, but as a woman who knows her worth. If you’re a stylist trying to build your name in this city, this post is for you. And if you’re someone who’s hired (or thinking about hiring) a stylist, this will show you what goes on behind the polished image.
Lesson 1: Pricing & Boundaries as a Fashion Stylist in Dubai
In one of my first big shoots as a fashion stylist in Dubai, the client asked me to “just pick up a few things from Zara and H&M”, no budget, no stylist fee, and no discussion about what would happen if something couldn’t be returned. I styled the entire shoot with my own money, then sprinted around Dubai the next day, returning items. No invoice. No clarity. Just a vague “thank you.” At the time, I thought this was normal for a fresh fashion stylist.
Now I know: when you don’t define your value, someone else will, usually below your worth.
Myth vs. Reality
Myth: “If you do a great job now, they will pay you later.”
Reality: If you start free, you set the tone for how they value your work moving forward.
What I Do Differently Now:
Break my service into fundamental components:
Styling Fee
Sourcing Time
Transportation / Delivery
Fitting / Prep Days
Return Handling
Ask early: “What’s your wardrobe budget?” If there isn’t one, don’t assume you will cover it “just this once.”
Set boundaries with grace, not apology. You’re not being difficult, you’re being transparent.
Non-Negotiables I Stick To Now:
The styling fee is clearly separated from the clothing budget
I charge for returns, sourcing, or courier if needed
Clients are aware of cancellation and damage risks
I never front wardrobe costs unless contractually covered
“Styling is not a vibe. It’s a service, and services have value.”
Lesson 2: When Collaborations Cost You
I once said yes to a creative shoot that promised “great exposure.” No pay, no contract, no agreement on what I’d receive in return. I styled six looks. No one credited me. I never saw the final images. And when I followed up, I was told, “We’ll tag you when we post.” They never did. That was when I realised: “Collaboration” is often a polite word for “free labour”, especially when you are new.
Myth vs. Reality
Myth: “Saying yes to unpaid work gets your foot in the door.”
Reality: It gets you into a room where your time, taste, and talent are often taken for granted.
What I Look for in a Real Collaboration:
Is the value exchange clear? Will I receive high-quality images, credits, backlinks, or creative control?
Is this aligned with my brand and audience? Does it help me grow the right kind of visibility?
Is there trust and professionalism on both sides? If they don’t respect your time at the beginning, they won’t at the end either.
Red Flags to Watch For:
We can’t pay, but you’ll get great exposure
No mention of deliverables, credits, or usage rights
Last-minute planning or disorganisation
It’ll be chill, don’t worry about contracts
How I Protect Myself Now:
I ask: “What will I receive in return?” (and I ask that before I commit)
I only say yes to projects that reflect my aesthetic and elevate my positioning.
I outline my terms even for unpaid work. Clarity is not rude, it's professional.
“If you're not gaining something from a project, you're being used by it.”
Lesson 3: Client Boundaries Without Burning Bridges
Early in my career, I thought being “easy to work with” meant saying yes to everything.
“Yes, I can take a call at 10 PM.” “Yes, I’ll add one more look on shoot day.” “Yes, I’ll drop everything and re-style it by tomorrow.” I feared setting boundaries would make me seem “difficult” or “ungrateful.”But what happened was the opposite. The more I gave, the less professional I looked. The more I bent, the less I was respected.
Myth vs. Reality
Myth: “Saying yes to everything makes clients love you.”
Reality: It teaches them to expect everything for nothing.
What I Do Differently Now:
I set my working hours and stick to them. I don’t take late-night calls or weekend WhatsApp messages unless they’re urgent and paid for.
I clarify all deliverables before we begin. “Three full looks with accessories” means three, not “whatever we feel like on the day.”
I build in buffer time. If they want last-minute changes, it comes with a last-minute fee
Practical Boundaries I Use:
I confirm my availability hours in writing
I charge for extra looks, prep, or overtime
I don’t commit to vague or open-ended timelines
I protect my focus because rushed work is rarely my best work
How to Say No Without Burning the Bridge:
“I’d love to help, but I’ve committed my time elsewhere that day.”
“I can add a fourth look, my rate for that would be…”
“I’m offline after 6 PM, but I’ll respond tomorrow first thing.”
You’re not being rude. You’re being transparent.
“You don’t have to be available all the time to be valuable.”
Lesson 4: Building Confidence in Your Styling Voice
When I first started, I styled with one eye on the client, and one eye on approval. Will they like it? Is this what they expect? Should I change it just to be safe? I kept editing myself before anyone else could. And in doing so, I watered down my ideas, taste, and perspective. The shift happened when I started making styling decisions with conviction, even when they weren’t safe. That is when people started trusting me more. Not less.
Myth vs. Reality
Myth: “Confidence comes with experience.”
Reality: Confidence comes from trusting your eye and consistently doing it.
How I Built Creative Confidence (and Still Do):
I developed my signature by experimenting with my own looks first
I stopped chasing likes and started focusing on alignment
I prepared with intention, every item I choose has a reason
I permitted myself to stand by my vision, even when it was bold
Tools to Strengthen Your Styling Voice:
Start styling test shoots with your own creative direction
Reflect after every project: What worked? What didn’t feel like you?
Ask for feedback from those you trust, not everyone online
Stop seeking permission. Present your work as if it belongs
“Confidence isn’t a personality trait. It’s a habit.”
These lessons didn’t just make me a better stylist. They shaped the kind of business I want to run and the kind of women I want to work with. Styling isn’t about clothes. It’s about clarity, energy, boundaries, and confidence. If you’re in this industry, just starting out or years in, I hope this gave you something real to hold onto. And if you’re someone looking to be styled, I hope it showed you what’s really behind the look.
I created a free guide that goes deeper if you want the full breakdown of these lessons (plus a checklist I use before every client).
DM me "STYLIST" on Instagram or LinkedIn and I’ll send it to you.
Drawing from my runway experience and continually seeking fresh inspiration from fashion capitals like London, New York, Paris, and Milan, I help clients discover their unique style expression. Connect with me on @macridastylist to transform your image and Dubai shopping experience, into a journey of personal style discovery.