Here by popular demand...
It's interesting that no one has admitted to hiring a consultant.
The discussion has all sorts of problems, starting with "style consultant." Stylist? Image consultant? An image consultant, one with actual training, is supposed to be objective and capable of perceiving the situation through just about anyone's eyes. (Maybe that contributes to the accusation that the company is lying about being male-operated.)
This being the real world, however, just anybody can claim to be an expert and charge too much for services. It does seem that most "consultants" out there are hacks when it comes to male style. Yes, “if the guy mentions complexion and whips out his color wheel” to a male client, that's probably a bad sign. (Color isn't very important for male image. By the way, there are sources that sell swatches.)
It's also true that much depends on the client. One who wants a ton of handholding, like personal shopping, is not going to make the kind of progress possible for somebody who wants to gradually develop his own style. A good consultation should target problems and provide feasible solutions, with room for the client to modify the advice and implement at his own pace. Building a framework, one might call it.
Advantages of consulting versus, say, asking a forum full of strangers: the person will receive help that is confidential (so that client disclosure is much greater, for starters), thorough, and respectful.
