You've Got This, Mama - Podcast

Jessica is a mom of one, soon to be two, a business owner, a writer, and a marketing coordinator navigating all things motherhood and trying to inspire other mamas with the real and vulnerable! She has been featured on Yet Mama, the Modern Day Psychic and Baby Post. She is a soon to be coauthor in You’ve Got This, Modern Mama and one of the founding members of The Boss Mama Mastermind.

Starting from a passion for creation and a choice to join YGTMama’s Boss Mama Mastermind. Using her skills in sewing to make scrunchies, she uses that platform to develop a community of moms that desire to Live Lightly. There is so much nonsense out there and negativity with trapping ourselves in comparison and guilt. Having the space to nurture authentic relationships with other mothers who face the same isolating struggles we face in modern motherhood. There is so much judgment from the ‘other side’ regardless of your perspective. Sacrifice has been held as a pillar of motherhood, often at the cost of their dreams. Scrunchie Mommie and YGTMama want to flip the script on modern motherhood and give permission for moms to take care of themselves and chase their dreams.

 

Jessica’s dream of owning a business and crafting handmade scrunchies seemed hard to reach, but she found strength in the community to arrange space in her life and her brain to allow the dream to manifest. It is important to give yourself permission to enjoy your dream and get to go to work, not seeing it as taking time away from your family but using it as a way to fill your cup.

 

Using turning 30 as a catalyst for change, Jessica chose to leave the chaos of her 20s for a more confident, accomplished and hopeful decade to come. Rather than letting other people judge and dictate how she felt about herself, she is stepping into her power and pulling other mothers up with her. With her new decade also comes a new baby! A new fall collection of scrunchies and a new baby, the upcoming months will be exciting for The Scrunchie Mommie. For Jessica, the best piece of advice she could offer her younger self would be to let go of the fear of the change, to go for it and not let it hold you back. You will never regret trying, but you will regret not trying.

"Let go of the fear of the change, to go for it and not let it hold you back. You will never regret trying, but you will regret not trying."

As an upcoming YGT Modern Mama coauthor, Jessica talks about her passion for work and entrepreneurship as a key facet to being a modern mother, feeling empowered to choose a more non-traditional role as a provider, not solely a nurturer. Rather than letting the feelings of isolation snuff her passion, she chose to chase her dream and found the strength and motivation to thrive.

 

For more information on Jessica’s company and blog, head to the amazing website for more info. Her shop page for scrunchies is here, and join the dialogue with her on her IG feed. And be sure to look out for her upcoming contribution to YGTModernMama.

Jessica is a mom of one, soon to be two, a business owner, a writer, and a marketing coordinator navigating all things motherhood and trying to inspire other mamas with the real and vulnerable! She has been featured on Yet Mama, the Modern Day Psychic and Baby Post. She is a soon to be coauthor in You’ve Got This, Modern Mama and one of the founding members of The Boss Mama Mastermind.

Starting from a passion for creation and a choice to join YGTMama’s Boss Mama Mastermind. Using her skills in sewing to make scrunchies, she uses that platform to develop a community of moms that desire to Live Lightly. There is so much nonsense out there and negativity with trapping ourselves in comparison and guilt. Having the space to nurture authentic relationships with other mothers who face the same isolating struggles we face in modern motherhood. There is so much judgment from the ‘other side’ regardless of your perspective. Sacrifice has been held as a pillar of motherhood, often at the cost of their dreams. Scrunchie Mommie and YGTMama want to flip the script on modern motherhood and give permission for moms to take care of themselves and chase their dreams.

 

Jessica’s dream of owning a business and crafting handmade scrunchies seemed hard to reach, but she found strength in the community to arrange space in her life and her brain to allow the dream to manifest. It is important to give yourself permission to enjoy your dream and get to go to work, not seeing it as taking time away from your family but using it as a way to fill your cup.

 

Using turning 30 as a catalyst for change, Jessica chose to leave the chaos of her 20s for a more confident, accomplished and hopeful decade to come. Rather than letting other people judge and dictate how she felt about herself, she is stepping into her power and pulling other mothers up with her. With her new decade also comes a new baby! A new fall collection of scrunchies and a new baby, the upcoming months will be exciting for The Scrunchie Mommie. For Jessica, the best piece of advice she could offer her younger self would be to let go of the fear of the change, to go for it and not let it hold you back. You will never regret trying, but you will regret not trying.

"Let go of the fear of the change, to go for it and not let it hold you back. You will never regret trying, but you will regret not trying."

As an upcoming YGT Modern Mama coauthor, Jessica talks about her passion for work and entrepreneurship as a key facet to being a modern mother, feeling empowered to choose a more non-traditional role as a provider, not solely a nurturer. Rather than letting the feelings of isolation snuff her passion, she chose to chase her dream and found the strength and motivation to thrive.

 

For more information on Jessica’s company and blog, head to the amazing website for more info. Her shop page for scrunchies is here, and join the dialogue with her on her IG feed. And be sure to look out for her upcoming contribution to YGTModernMama.

Do you ever feel overwhelmed with all the stuff? Appointments, clutter, shopping, groceries, ballet, and summer camp registration. Every ball in the air leads to pretty tired arms. In this episode, we break down the struggles modern moms face when it all gets to be a bit too much. Sabrina is talking with Renae Fieck about how to simplify and declutter our homes and our heads. Renae is a mom of 3, an occupational therapist, and advocate for moms who desire more grace, space and rest within their lives. She has found strength beyond her own to navigate life's struggles.

Multiple miscarriages, life with 3 kids, working mom life, stay at home mom life, and a husband with a brain tumour and seizures. She now has a passion to connect with other amazing women and inspire women to uncover their own worth, live in the rawness of life, and let go of the constant chaos. She is the host of the annual More than Mom Summit, The Great Clutter Clear Out Challenge, and the podcast The Charis Project: Grace and Intention For Everyday life.

 

As a recovering multitasker, and overachiever, Renae has been lead through challenges that made her reevaluate the pieces of her life that were not fitting. She found that commonly, overworked moms try to do everything we were able to do before kids, after them. Struggling when comparing to other moms and women on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram and not being able to measure up to the collective Supermom phenomenon. We talk about the highlight reel frequently here, but Renae sees the complication of wanting to be a Supermom that wants to have the perfectly decorated life, the coordinated outfits and a craft room to rival Martha Stewart. When we understand that this is unachievable and unrealistic, we remove the burden of performing.

 

Struggling with motherhood, a traumatic brain injury, the mounting stress of balancing every need for her family, Renae faced the mounting disappointment of her life not following her intended journey. Taking inventory and investing in her personal growth, she built her community of postpartum moms around her for support. A journey of personal development and wellness lead her to declutter her space and her home in order to declutter her mind and her relationships. By simplifying the junk in the way, she culled all the items that stopped serving her. Little things that accumulate over years of accepting items that fit at the moment, but don’t serve our overall wellbeing. 

 

By examining the parasitic expenses, both with our time and our money, we can analyze our habits and interrupt the ones that no longer fit our ideal. Learning to let go of the things we hold on to for the “somedays” gives us room for the items we need now. The dusty guitars, golf clubs and the collection of jeans that no longer fit, are ready to be released. When you are ready for them in your life, you can welcome them then. Renae helps families break down the emotional needs when we sort through our overwhelming clutter. Breaking it down into one area and one task a day or week can remove the pressure of fixing everything at once.

 

The culture of instant gratification that has been building in our modern Amazon-fueled society has created a spending habit that ends with clutter we don’t really want or need in our homes. When we practice intentional gratitude, we shift the perspective from immediately satisfying that need to acquire, to practicing active gratitude for the things that truly matter. When we focus on gratitude, we simplify the wants and grow appreciation.

 

Each year, Renae hosts the More than Mom Summit, which is a month-long program to inspire, grow and collaborate with women and moms while navigating their journey to simplification and appreciation. Her goal with each summit is to provide a space for us to share our authentic real stories. By holding conversations about the real struggles and...

Do you ever feel overwhelmed with all the stuff? Appointments, clutter, shopping, groceries, ballet, and summer camp registration. Every ball in the air leads to pretty tired arms. In this episode, we break down the struggles modern moms face when it all gets to be a bit too much. Sabrina is talking with Renae Fieck about how to simplify and declutter our homes and our heads. Renae is a mom of 3, an occupational therapist, and advocate for moms who desire more grace, space and rest within their lives. She has found strength beyond her own to navigate life's struggles.

Multiple miscarriages, life with 3 kids, working mom life, stay at home mom life, and a husband with a brain tumour and seizures. She now has a passion to connect with other amazing women and inspire women to uncover their own worth, live in the rawness of life, and let go of the constant chaos. She is the host of the annual More than Mom Summit, The Great Clutter Clear Out Challenge, and the podcast The Charis Project: Grace and Intention For Everyday life.

 

As a recovering multitasker, and overachiever, Renae has been lead through challenges that made her reevaluate the pieces of her life that were not fitting. She found that commonly, overworked moms try to do everything we were able to do before kids, after them. Struggling when comparing to other moms and women on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram and not being able to measure up to the collective Supermom phenomenon. We talk about the highlight reel frequently here, but Renae sees the complication of wanting to be a Supermom that wants to have the perfectly decorated life, the coordinated outfits and a craft room to rival Martha Stewart. When we understand that this is unachievable and unrealistic, we remove the burden of performing.

 

Struggling with motherhood, a traumatic brain injury, the mounting stress of balancing every need for her family, Renae faced the mounting disappointment of her life not following her intended journey. Taking inventory and investing in her personal growth, she built her community of postpartum moms around her for support. A journey of personal development and wellness lead her to declutter her space and her home in order to declutter her mind and her relationships. By simplifying the junk in the way, she culled all the items that stopped serving her. Little things that accumulate over years of accepting items that fit at the moment, but don’t serve our overall wellbeing. 

 

By examining the parasitic expenses, both with our time and our money, we can analyze our habits and interrupt the ones that no longer fit our ideal. Learning to let go of the things we hold on to for the “somedays” gives us room for the items we need now. The dusty guitars, golf clubs and the collection of jeans that no longer fit, are ready to be released. When you are ready for them in your life, you can welcome them then. Renae helps families break down the emotional needs when we sort through our overwhelming clutter. Breaking it down into one area and one task a day or week can remove the pressure of fixing everything at once.

 

The culture of instant gratification that has been building in our modern Amazon-fueled society has created a spending habit that ends with clutter we don’t really want or need in our homes. When we practice intentional gratitude, we shift the perspective from immediately satisfying that need to acquire, to practicing active gratitude for the things that truly matter. When we focus on gratitude, we simplify the wants and grow appreciation.

 

Each year, Renae hosts the More than Mom Summit, which is a month-long program to inspire, grow and collaborate with women and moms while navigating their journey to simplification and appreciation. Her goal with each summit is to provide a space for us to share our authentic real stories. By holding conversations about the real struggles and...

Tracy is a corporate service analyst and solo mama to a spirited four-year-old. She is a certified life coach and the founder and CEO of TLK Empowerment Solutions — life coaching for single mums looking to move past the hurt and trauma of their abusive relationships, to find peace and joy to live their best life.

Over the years Tracy found herself attracting "damaged" —emotionally unavailable men who somehow always needed hand-holding and the fixing. It finally dawned on her when she found herself in a verbally abusive relationship with her then-fiance, with whom she also had a newborn baby. The abuse got progressively worse and she knew she needed to find a way out. Somehow. For her and her little boy.

It is her soul’s mission to help women understand their worth and teach them how to heal through a combination of practical tools, a ton of compassion, and a touch of ‘woo.’

The comparison trap we often talk about at YGTMama affects mothers in abusive relationships, too. "My abuse isn’t as bad as my neighbors, I’m just weak." But that is not always the best way to heal. Shame is shame, loss is loss, pain is pain. What causes our pain isn’t as important as coming together as a community and sharing their stories to protect and help one another. Talking about it isn’t bad, you need to talk about it to heal and to shine a light on the abusers, even if it doesn’t fix them.

One of the most important lessons you can learn in your relationships with other people is that you have to accept that you cannot change another person. You cannot force them to heal or love them into loving themselves enough to grow. What you can change is your reactions to the situation, you can change your path and your decisions. You don’t have to resign yourself to what you have, giving up your dreams of happiness, however, that looks. If that means ending your relationship with the wrong partner, remember that it is better to come from a broken home than be in one.

Tracy Lynne is creating a community to give permission to other women that this is okay, and to give validation that stories like this can share that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. She shares her biggest struggle as a solo mom, with all the responsibilities of running her business. It is not for the faint of heart, but the biggest struggle is balancing her time, between work, her child, and her passions. Women have been socialized to put themselves last, and everything else first. But when we don’t take care of ourselves we are not able to be there for our kids. It is essential for us to find a balance between being a mom and taking care of ourselves. The biggest skill to learn is how to let things go. Find permission to give yourself patience and grace and not hold yourself to an unattainable standard.

Learning about how generational conditioning can help us heal past traumas based on how our parents’ parented. Our moms gave up their dreams and were conditioned to accept their situations when they weren’t given a choice to live differently. Healing, giving space for our experiences, can help to stop the pain being passed on to future generations.

By accepting mom-guilt and what it is, where it comes from and how to stop it. Embracing the emotions, analyzing the triggers and understanding the psychology behind why you feel that way can prevent the guilt from consuming you. Your children will not remember the 20mins you spent answering those emails or shaving your legs. They will remember the quality of the time you do spend with them when you can. Focusing on the minute details can overwhelm the bigger picture of motherhood.

Tracy Lynne shares the deeply personal story of her past relationship with the father of her child, and how she learned to take control of her journey and grow into the mother she wanted to be.

Tracy is a corporate service analyst and solo mama to a spirited four-year-old. She is a certified life coach and the founder and CEO of TLK Empowerment Solutions — life coaching for single mums looking to move past the hurt and trauma of their abusive relationships, to find peace and joy to live their best life.

Over the years Tracy found herself attracting "damaged" —emotionally unavailable men who somehow always needed hand-holding and the fixing. It finally dawned on her when she found herself in a verbally abusive relationship with her then-fiance, with whom she also had a newborn baby. The abuse got progressively worse and she knew she needed to find a way out. Somehow. For her and her little boy.

It is her soul’s mission to help women understand their worth and teach them how to heal through a combination of practical tools, a ton of compassion, and a touch of ‘woo.’

The comparison trap we often talk about at YGTMama affects mothers in abusive relationships, too. "My abuse isn’t as bad as my neighbors, I’m just weak." But that is not always the best way to heal. Shame is shame, loss is loss, pain is pain. What causes our pain isn’t as important as coming together as a community and sharing their stories to protect and help one another. Talking about it isn’t bad, you need to talk about it to heal and to shine a light on the abusers, even if it doesn’t fix them.

One of the most important lessons you can learn in your relationships with other people is that you have to accept that you cannot change another person. You cannot force them to heal or love them into loving themselves enough to grow. What you can change is your reactions to the situation, you can change your path and your decisions. You don’t have to resign yourself to what you have, giving up your dreams of happiness, however, that looks. If that means ending your relationship with the wrong partner, remember that it is better to come from a broken home than be in one.

Tracy Lynne is creating a community to give permission to other women that this is okay, and to give validation that stories like this can share that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. She shares her biggest struggle as a solo mom, with all the responsibilities of running her business. It is not for the faint of heart, but the biggest struggle is balancing her time, between work, her child, and her passions. Women have been socialized to put themselves last, and everything else first. But when we don’t take care of ourselves we are not able to be there for our kids. It is essential for us to find a balance between being a mom and taking care of ourselves. The biggest skill to learn is how to let things go. Find permission to give yourself patience and grace and not hold yourself to an unattainable standard.

Learning about how generational conditioning can help us heal past traumas based on how our parents’ parented. Our moms gave up their dreams and were conditioned to accept their situations when they weren’t given a choice to live differently. Healing, giving space for our experiences, can help to stop the pain being passed on to future generations.

By accepting mom-guilt and what it is, where it comes from and how to stop it. Embracing the emotions, analyzing the triggers and understanding the psychology behind why you feel that way can prevent the guilt from consuming you. Your children will not remember the 20mins you spent answering those emails or shaving your legs. They will remember the quality of the time you do spend with them when you can. Focusing on the minute details can overwhelm the bigger picture of motherhood.

Tracy Lynne shares the deeply personal story of her past relationship with the father of her child, and how she learned to take control of her journey and grow into the mother she wanted to be.

This episode features a very special guest for the YGTMama crew. Dr. Gillian Sawyer is a motherless mama of two girls, a women's health advocate, founder of The Postpartum Pilot, co-creator and co-host of Movement & Motherhood retreats, Creator of the Mama Reconnect Project, soon to be podcast host, doc at Mama & Me Chiropractic, coffee lover & forest dweller. Sharing life, as it is, one story at a time.

Gillian lost her mother to cancer tragically when her firstborn was six months old. Navigating the transition to motherhood while grieving the loss of her own, guided Gillian to sharing her own story. Finding the power to connect with other people. We all have a story, and knowing that you aren’t alone can lend strength to fight for yourself. Discussing the importance of really being true and authentic to dig into our story and share it with others, Gillian finds it is healing not only for the person sharing, but everyone listening. Finding that common experience with other people is so powerful. On her retreats, Dr. Gillian finds that in-person meetups truly connect her with other mothers. Building a community of support face to face to hold physical space for the women to create a space to heal together and know that we are not alone.

 

We bring up the importance of sharing your story. What is your real, raw story? What are you suffering from in silence? When we choose to be brave and share all of the ugly we don’t talk about enough, we find others struggling with the same. We don’t need to hide and isolate our pain and struggles when we can find strength in sharing and honoring those issues with other women and mothers. Sharing your story can lend someone else reading or listening, the strength they need to share their own to someone in their life, move forward in their healing, giving them permission to heal.

 

Motherhood is overwhelming, life-changing, and can be incredibly difficult to navigate. From body changes to mental load increases, Dr. Gillian shares that the one thing she wished she knew before becoming a mother is that it is okay to not be okay. When we compare our lives to the highlight reels on Instagram it can be easy to fall into self-doubt and question ourselves as mothers, spouses, women, and friends. This is why we believe so deeply in sharing the raw authentic mess that is raising these incredible tiny humans. We need to remind ourselves that our children love us so deeply and fully, we are their entire world and they won't be traumatized by not going to the park one day.

 

Sabrina and Gillian talk about how we all need to take care of ourselves in order to properly care for our children. You cannot fill from an empty cup. It is not selfish to take a little to fill you own. We all need a refill from time to time. The Postpartum Pilot was created out of a need to help navigate motherhood and give strength through the sharing of stories from mothers in all stages, a place to be seen and heard and validated. As a chiropractor, Dr. Gillian often sees mothers dealing with physical pain, but she also digs into the mental well-being and focuses on building a supportive environment for the new mother.

 

As a forest-dwelling, nature lover, Dr. Gillian and Sabrina delve further into exploring how the environment we choose to raise our families in, can affect the experiences of childhood. Letting children have natural unstructured play time can help them thrive. We could all use a bit of unstructured time to fuel our own growth.

Dr. Gillians #1 Postpartum tip: Learn how to breathe again to connect your breathing pattern with your core and encourage pelvic floor repair postpartum. Check her website for more information and tutorials.

If you’re interested in following Dr. Gillian and want guidance with navigating the mama journey, you can find her at www.gilliansawyer.

This episode features a very special guest for the YGTMama crew. Dr. Gillian Sawyer is a motherless mama of two girls, a women's health advocate, founder of The Postpartum Pilot, co-creator and co-host of Movement & Motherhood retreats, Creator of the Mama Reconnect Project, soon to be podcast host, doc at Mama & Me Chiropractic, coffee lover & forest dweller. Sharing life, as it is, one story at a time.

Gillian lost her mother to cancer tragically when her firstborn was six months old. Navigating the transition to motherhood while grieving the loss of her own, guided Gillian to sharing her own story. Finding the power to connect with other people. We all have a story, and knowing that you aren’t alone can lend strength to fight for yourself. Discussing the importance of really being true and authentic to dig into our story and share it with others, Gillian finds it is healing not only for the person sharing, but everyone listening. Finding that common experience with other people is so powerful. On her retreats, Dr. Gillian finds that in-person meetups truly connect her with other mothers. Building a community of support face to face to hold physical space for the women to create a space to heal together and know that we are not alone.

 

We bring up the importance of sharing your story. What is your real, raw story? What are you suffering from in silence? When we choose to be brave and share all of the ugly we don’t talk about enough, we find others struggling with the same. We don’t need to hide and isolate our pain and struggles when we can find strength in sharing and honoring those issues with other women and mothers. Sharing your story can lend someone else reading or listening, the strength they need to share their own to someone in their life, move forward in their healing, giving them permission to heal.

 

Motherhood is overwhelming, life-changing, and can be incredibly difficult to navigate. From body changes to mental load increases, Dr. Gillian shares that the one thing she wished she knew before becoming a mother is that it is okay to not be okay. When we compare our lives to the highlight reels on Instagram it can be easy to fall into self-doubt and question ourselves as mothers, spouses, women, and friends. This is why we believe so deeply in sharing the raw authentic mess that is raising these incredible tiny humans. We need to remind ourselves that our children love us so deeply and fully, we are their entire world and they won't be traumatized by not going to the park one day.

 

Sabrina and Gillian talk about how we all need to take care of ourselves in order to properly care for our children. You cannot fill from an empty cup. It is not selfish to take a little to fill you own. We all need a refill from time to time. The Postpartum Pilot was created out of a need to help navigate motherhood and give strength through the sharing of stories from mothers in all stages, a place to be seen and heard and validated. As a chiropractor, Dr. Gillian often sees mothers dealing with physical pain, but she also digs into the mental well-being and focuses on building a supportive environment for the new mother.

 

As a forest-dwelling, nature lover, Dr. Gillian and Sabrina delve further into exploring how the environment we choose to raise our families in, can affect the experiences of childhood. Letting children have natural unstructured play time can help them thrive. We could all use a bit of unstructured time to fuel our own growth.

Dr. Gillians #1 Postpartum tip: Learn how to breathe again to connect your breathing pattern with your core and encourage pelvic floor repair postpartum. Check her website for more information and tutorials.

If you’re interested in following Dr. Gillian and want guidance with navigating the mama journey, you can find her at www.gilliansawyer.

This episode definitely excites us here at YGTMama. Have you ever stood in front of your closet and moaned, “I have NOTHING to wear!?” This episode is for you. Today, Sabrina is chatting with Mavis Huntley from Smithery, an online and by-appointment studio that helps women shop their shape.

New moms, experienced moms, women, and femmes, have pretty much universally stood in front of their closet and had nothing to wear that felt right. Or perhaps it doesn’t fit like it used to, it's worn out, holes in the crotch, and stains that you swore would come out in the wash. Especially those of us with young children, who has time to shop? Are you browsing Joe Fresh sale rack after your weekly grocery shop? How many times did you order from the sale online only to discover how much it doesn’t make you look like the model from the browser window? 

This is where Mavis comes in. Her experience as a woman led her to become co-founder of a company with her stylish business partner to help women find clothes that work for them. By making personal shopping attainable for women, Smithery guides women into feeling good about what they wear every day.  At Smithery their customer base is 80% "new moms", essentially moms who have kids between one and seven years old. Their bodies have changed, their lifestyles have changed and they have no time to shop. Smithery offers tips and advice for those ladies to gain their confidence back on this wild ride of motherhood.

Not only curating the most flattering cuts for each body shape, but Smithery also models the clothes on REAL women representing different shapes and sizes. Smithery’s proprietary Shape Finder and signature in-studio Style Sessions will teach you your body shape and the tips for how to dress for your shape. Mavis' mission is to make sure every woman who shops with them leaves feeling confident, empowered, and never feels like she has nothing to $#@%! wear again!

The first place to start is with your body shape. Most of us are familiar with the traditional fruit-based system, but who really wants to be compared to food when talking about their bodies? Smithery’s Shape Finder changes that dialogue with their letter system, which helps women better understand how to shop. Mavis goes into detail exploring how each letter is different and how to determine your own shape! If you can’t quite find your shape, or find the choices a bit overwhelming, Smithery offers in-person consultations. You can get a rack pulled just for you based on a questionnaire you answer prior to your consultation that focuses on your lifestyle, budget and style preferences. 

The next big question is how can you build your closet without spending SO much money. Especially with families, many of us don’t have the disposable income to be purchasing new clothing every season. With body changes, weight fluctuations and insecurities, it's difficult to shop! 90% of the items on Smithery are under $150. The rest of the items are considered “Third Pieces”, like a denim jacket, duster style jackets, and blazers. The best foundation piece, however, is a good pair of pants. If you get the right pair, you can wear them multiple times a week. From there, try mixing and matching with what you already have and love from your closet and soon you will find your closet is full of pieces that all work together to create multiple outfits. What about those holes in the crotch leggings? Time to let them go.

Styling your wardrobe to suit you is about feeling good in your own skin. It’s not vanity to be confident. Exterior beauty can mean different things to everyone, people are attracted to different things. But to feel good about yourself is the most important. You’re not dressing to impress anyone else, you’re dressing to feel good. When you dress to feel good, you feel confident in what you're wearing and that makes you...

This episode definitely excites us here at YGTMama. Have you ever stood in front of your closet and moaned, “I have NOTHING to wear!?” This episode is for you. Today, Sabrina is chatting with Mavis Huntley from Smithery, an online and by-appointment studio that helps women shop their shape.

New moms, experienced moms, women, and femmes, have pretty much universally stood in front of their closet and had nothing to wear that felt right. Or perhaps it doesn’t fit like it used to, it's worn out, holes in the crotch, and stains that you swore would come out in the wash. Especially those of us with young children, who has time to shop? Are you browsing Joe Fresh sale rack after your weekly grocery shop? How many times did you order from the sale online only to discover how much it doesn’t make you look like the model from the browser window? 

This is where Mavis comes in. Her experience as a woman led her to become co-founder of a company with her stylish business partner to help women find clothes that work for them. By making personal shopping attainable for women, Smithery guides women into feeling good about what they wear every day.  At Smithery their customer base is 80% "new moms", essentially moms who have kids between one and seven years old. Their bodies have changed, their lifestyles have changed and they have no time to shop. Smithery offers tips and advice for those ladies to gain their confidence back on this wild ride of motherhood.

Not only curating the most flattering cuts for each body shape, but Smithery also models the clothes on REAL women representing different shapes and sizes. Smithery’s proprietary Shape Finder and signature in-studio Style Sessions will teach you your body shape and the tips for how to dress for your shape. Mavis' mission is to make sure every woman who shops with them leaves feeling confident, empowered, and never feels like she has nothing to $#@%! wear again!

The first place to start is with your body shape. Most of us are familiar with the traditional fruit-based system, but who really wants to be compared to food when talking about their bodies? Smithery’s Shape Finder changes that dialogue with their letter system, which helps women better understand how to shop. Mavis goes into detail exploring how each letter is different and how to determine your own shape! If you can’t quite find your shape, or find the choices a bit overwhelming, Smithery offers in-person consultations. You can get a rack pulled just for you based on a questionnaire you answer prior to your consultation that focuses on your lifestyle, budget and style preferences. 

The next big question is how can you build your closet without spending SO much money. Especially with families, many of us don’t have the disposable income to be purchasing new clothing every season. With body changes, weight fluctuations and insecurities, it's difficult to shop! 90% of the items on Smithery are under $150. The rest of the items are considered “Third Pieces”, like a denim jacket, duster style jackets, and blazers. The best foundation piece, however, is a good pair of pants. If you get the right pair, you can wear them multiple times a week. From there, try mixing and matching with what you already have and love from your closet and soon you will find your closet is full of pieces that all work together to create multiple outfits. What about those holes in the crotch leggings? Time to let them go.

Styling your wardrobe to suit you is about feeling good in your own skin. It’s not vanity to be confident. Exterior beauty can mean different things to everyone, people are attracted to different things. But to feel good about yourself is the most important. You’re not dressing to impress anyone else, you’re dressing to feel good. When you dress to feel good, you feel confident in what you're wearing and that makes you...