What is happening, Fashion Besties? How fabulous have you had to look this week? As for Holly, she was HOME. ALL. WEEK. Don’t be concerned. It happens. 

 

So, with a little downtime, we started sifting through her DMs and emails and decided to share just a few of the questions we get from listeners and clients. 

 

Y’all have gotten so fashionably savvy and smart! Your questions remind us that we have many areas yet to discuss, and we are so proud of the listeners that check with us before they commit a fashion crime! #TRUTH

 

We love that you are reaching out and asking, because this is how you learn, and this is how your style evolves. #SoProud

 

First, some starters:

 

What to wear when you are home all day or working from home:

• NO CRAPPY PJs or SWEATS. Just because you do not step over the threshold for a day or two, you do not have the right to slob-out. Someone might come to your door and then you'll be diving behind the couch. Your dog needs to be walked. You probably need to get the mail. You may have a Facetime call with your mother. Who knows? What you wear to bed, and around the house, is just as important as what you wear out the door. More on this later.

1. 1. For Holly, she started wearing her stepson’s oversized and comfy T-shirts to bed. This quickly turned into a very unsexy fashion crime. So, she decided to up her pajama game with cute and comfy PJ sets and you know what? She quickly realized that a 'put together' look even for bed is better when you are trying to not look like a slob around the house.  A mix of practical yet comfortable with a splash of sexy – and of course - is machine washable. When you look good, you feel good; even when you are sleeping. 

 

What to do when you HATE shopping:

Sidebar rant: Some people like to shop. They evolve their style with their age. They're naturally excelling in life. Fashion and style are fun for them. They enjoy getting dressed. Just because you are a woman does not mean you automatically know from birth how to shop, or even like to shop or enjoy getting dressed. THAT’S OKAY!

 

1. 1. Women are supposed to have it all, including knowing how to look good, defy their age and continue working until they literally can't in their later years. But look, you're either born with a shopping gene or not. If not, this is a learned skill that you can master just like anything else.
   2. The #1 reason people hating shopping is you think nothing fits your body shape. First solution: Shop for the body you have today. Not the 10 pounds you are going to lose someday. And don’t wear what you wore 15 years ago. Face the facts, go into a store, try on current styles, and let a salesperson help you find your fit. ASK FOR HELP.
   3. The #2 reason people hate shopping is you don’t know what you're looking for coupled with being stuck in a style rut. Yes, you might take an occasional shopping trip out of sheer life-threatening circumstances. like getting divorced, or a new job, or you're going to an important event that’s going to force you into an overwhelming department store when you realize a). you haven't shopped in 10 or 15 years, or b). you try on 2 things and then come to the conclusion that nothing in the world fits you. From here, there's usually a "get me out of here" fight going on in your head with you and your inner voice saying, that you can totally do this, but by this time you're in the car already. This usually leads to an "See, nothing ever fits me..." freak out and bout of over ordering online...(FASHION CRIME), or opt out of the event altogether to avoid the stress of finding an outfit. Sound like someone you know? #fashiontragedy

 

Holly is here today to share real answers to real questions submitted by 2 of our fashion insider besties. Only the first question is in the show notes here. Make sure you listen to the full episode to hear all of the questions and truth bomb answers!!!

 

Question #1:

 

Dear Holly,

I usually wear basics and neutral colors. But recently I've been in the mood to try something more stylish. How do I do this without embarrassing myself?

Answer #1:

This question, to be honest, really hurts my heart. This is somebody who obviously has been in their fashion comfort zone most of their lives. But as we’ve discussed before, when you shop for color, or for price, this is called shopping backward. Do not do this. You want to shop forward, or shop with intention, which means you shop for FIT FIRST. Not color, not price, not sales, not, 'I'll find a place to wear this," shopping.

Shopping for color and thinking that this is a great way to get yourself out of your comfort zone is not a good idea. Because you don't shop for color, you shop for fit.

The best advice we can give is to go into a store, look at the displays and the mannequins. Look at department store websites to see what's trending, best sellers, and the newest styles. Ask for help and try things on. But do not buy something just because of the color or the price. #Iwillfindyou

 

Pro Tip: Listen to Episode 97 | How to Dress Right for Your Body Type

 

This answer leads us to a TON of other issues about how to shop:

 

1. Calm down, you're not looking for a ball gown. You are simply looking for a change. You want to be more on trend, you want to feel confident at an upcoming event, you want to evolve your style and you want to try something new! Don’t overthink it or try to spend a ton of money on designer clothes thinking that this will solve all of your problems. Start small. 
2. If you work out a few days a week, it will pay to invest in your workout clothes. Try to plan your days around outfits that will carry you from pickleball to the pick-up line with ease. Plan your wardrobe-it will pay off. 
3. Don’t overspend or shop for clothes at cheap, big box stores. Think about CPW, which is Cost Per Wear. If it fits you perfectly, your confidence will go up. If that costs a little more, just think about how many times you will wear something you love. If it is a cheap trend or color, and fits you poorly, you may only wear it once (FASHION CRIME).
4. When you don't shop for a long time, you have no idea what things cost or why they cost so much. And you also don't see the value of spending money on clothes. This is called a financial block. Don’t wait years to shop.
5. Don’t give up on your style. If no one dresses in your family, at your office or in your circle of friends, this is not reason to stop upgrading your wardrobe. Be the best dressed because you are going to get dressed, whether you go to the office or to the grocery store. Just becuase you are getting dressed doesn't mean you are "so dressed up...". You're just dressed.

To recap, wanting something new in your wardrobe is empowering. Do things in your life that do not deplete you. Because when you deplete, deplete, deplete all the time, you have nothing left to give.

Do something for yourself. Especially if you feel guilty about spending money on yourself. You need to fill your own cup, so that you can then fill others. 

Once you know how to dress in a way that makes you feel good (FIT), everything in your life is going to shift. People are going to start to ask you if you've lost weight, changed your hair, etc. There is something different about you because you decided to focus on you. The energy shift is inevitable. 

And you're going to want to keep continuing to feel that way, which will encourage you to keep your wardrobe rotating, which will keep you practicing how to shop, which in turn is going to get you to stop hating shopping, which makes you nicer. And when you are nice, you're going to be nicer to me. And when I'm nice, everything runs smoothly. 

Go shopping, get help in the store, try something new, make sure it fits. And, send us more questions!!

Listen to this full episode 117 to hear what our other fashion besties want to know about!

Keep them coming!

Your favorite personal stylist, 

The Only Holly You need to Know