Lifestyle curators, more popularly known as lifestyle consultants or image consultants, are the latest trend in the booming market of upscale personal services. Also known as trend consultants, they offer paid services to revamp your wardrobe, overhaul your living room furniture, arrange for sessions with the "right" hair and makeup professionals, give advice on what type of car to buy, what music to listen to, even what plastic surgeon to use. There are consumption curators who even advise their clients on the latest technology products or fitness and diet regimes. Lifestyle consultants can make as much as $150 an hour.

Get a bachelor's degree in a related field. There are no hard and fast guidelines on how to become a lifestyle curator, but a bachelor's degree in a related liberal or creative arts field will help you gain some expertise before stepping into the real world. A degree in fashion, fashion merchandising, interior design or business administration are a logical first step to begin a career as a lifestyle consultant. If you want to become a body image consultant you probably want to study cosmetology, dietetics or nutrition or become a certified fitness expert.

Find a temporary job or an internship. A job for few years at an upscale franchise outlet or a fashion house is probably the most important step in becoming a lifestyle curator. You can also intern or work for a popular fashion or lifestyle magazine. A job in design, marketing or writing for a few years will train you for the business. It will not just help you understand the challenges, dynamics and politics of the industry, but more importantly, it will allow you to begin developing a network of contacts with vendors, designers, clientele and peers.

Freelance or begin working independently. Even while you work at a lifestyle magazine or a brand name outlet, begin designing, writing or reviewing the latest trends. You can open a blog or a website. Over a period of time you will have a catalog of work that will position you as an expert in the field. You can also freelance as an event planner or offer to design themes for birthday parties or other cultural events. The idea is to get your name out there.

Move to a big city. If you already live in a city like New York or Los Angeles or are willing to move to the big metros, you have better chances of making a career as a lifestyle consultant. And if you can start your career finding a job or an internship in a cosmopolitan city, it's even better. Big cities will offer you the marketplace to find clients that need your services.

Open a consultancy. Once you acquire a degree of brand name for yourself, have a decent list of clientele and have sufficient financial and structural resources to start a business, you can open your own lifestyle consultancy firm. While some work as individual consultants, many others open a consultancy in partnership with other entrepreneurs.. You can even open a small business venture at home. More than an office space, you need someone to attend to all your business phone calls and, more importantly, you need a detailed, interactive and professionally designed website.