The Liz Moody Podcast - Fashion Secrets To Look Good and FEEL Great with Celebrity Stylist Allison Bornstein

Episode Date: September 27, 2023

Wardrobe specialist and closet therapist Allison Bornstein teaches her famous 3 word method for discovering personal style, how to really dress for your body type, when to follow trends, and more. An exercise for using fashion to figure out who you are as a person How to look as cute as possible with the smallest amount of effort Why you shouldn’t strive for “flattering” and what to do instead How to have the style you want even if there are areas of your body you’re self-conscious about The comfiest shoes that are still fashionable The secret to buying jeans you’ll love Allison’s famous 3 word method & exactly how to try it yourself How to know when something is trendy vs timeless The stores that stylists love for bags, jewelry, T-shirts, jeans, and more When to splurge and when to save and so much more!  For more from Allison, you can find her on Instagram @AllisonBornstein6 and TikTok @AllisonBornstein6. Wear It Well: Reclaim Your Closet & Rediscover the Joy of Getting Dressed is available for purchase at major retailers. To join The Liz Moody Podcast Club Facebook group, go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/thelizmoodypodcast. Ready to uplevel every part of your life? Pre-order my new book 100 Ways to Change Your Life: The Science of Leveling Up Health, Happiness, Relationships & Success now!  This episode is sponsored by: Osmia Skincare: get 20% off your first order at osmiaskincare.com with code LIZMOODY. Reliefband: go to reliefband.com and use code LIZMOODY for 20% off plus free shipping. Olive and June: visit oliveandjune.com/LIZMOODY for 20% off your first Mani System. The Liz Moody Podcast cover art by Zack. The Liz Moody Podcast music by Alex Ruimy. Formerly the Healthier Together Podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello, friends, and welcome back to the Liz Moody podcast, formerly known as the Healthier Together podcast. We are the same podcast, but with even more of everything that you love. I'm your host, Liz Moody, and I'm a bestselling author and longtime journalist. This podcast is all about helping you live your healthiest, happiest life, whether we're discovering how to host the perfect get-together, learning the health effects alcohol truly has on us, or getting the sex and relationship advice that we need to keep our partnerships thriving. And yes, those are all real episodes, so if any of those topics sound good to you, scroll on back in the archives. Today, I am joined by the incredible Alison Bornstein. Allison is a celebrity stylist, wardrobe specialist, and closet therapist.

She has made huge waves on the internet with her famous three-word method and wrong shoe theory, and she's also just the most charming individual on the planet. This is an episode about how to dress well, and we get into so much of the nitty-gritty of that, but it's also about how fashion is a way to be our aspirational selves and to feel the way that we want to feel. It's this incredible tool in our toolkit, and I, for one, had not been leaning on it enough. We get into an exercise for using fashion to figure out who you are as a person, yes, really, how to look as cute as possible with the smallest amount of effort, aka my favorite section of the interview. Why you shouldn't strive for flattering and what to do instead.

How to have the style that you want, even if there are areas of your body, you're self-conscious about, the comfiest shoes that are still fashionable, the secret to buying jeans that you'll love, Allison's famous three-word method, and exactly how to try it yourself. We also figure out my three words in this episode, how to know when something is trendy versus timeless, when to splurge and when to save, the stores that stylists love for bags, jewelry, t-shirts, jeans, and more, and just so much more. If you're listening to this episode on release day, Allison's book, Wear It Well, Reclaim Your Clause, and Rediscover the Joy of Getting Dressed was released yesterday on September 26th.

It is truly an incredible book. It's gorgeous to look at and it is filled with practical advice. So definitely check that out wherever books are sold. As always, we would both love to hear your thoughts on our advice and your takes as you're listening. So definitely screenshot and tag us on Instagram. I am at Liz Moody and Allison is at Allison Bornstein. And if you love this conversation or if any of Allison's amazing words of wisdom really resonates with you, please share it with a friend or a family member. Sharing is the best way to support the pod. And Allison is just a gem and gave the most practical, applicable advice that I feel like we could all use to feel our best every single day. Before we dive in, I am so excited to announce that my book tour dates are live. This is a book tour unlike any other book. book tour. I have taken everything that I learned in the Priya Parker episode about throwing amazing

gatherings and I have created one night that will change your life. You're going to make new friends, solo guests are highly encouraged. You're going to laugh and you're going to learn a lot as we truly bring the tips in the book to life. Go to Liz Moody.com slash tour to snag your ticket because these will sell out. I cannot wait to see you there. Okay, get ready to look and feel phenomenal because here's Allison. Let's just dive right in. Do you have any tips for what is the most efficient way to get to looking cute if you don't want to put the work in? If you do not like style, like it is not your jam. You're not going to be browsing on Pinterest, whatever. You're just like, I want to look cute. I want to get compliments. I will say this. Style is not effortless for anybody.

It takes so much work, no matter who you are. Like, you know, when people are like, oh, like she just looks so easy, breezy. It's like, no, she probably tried way harder than you could ever imagine. So just going into it thinking like, okay, this might take some trial and error. Not everything's going to look perfect on me, nor should it. I have to put in a little bit of the work. I know. That's not what you want to hear. But I would say just think about what is it that makes you feel the most comfortable and the most like yourself, whether it's colors, silhouettes, materials, textures. Think of what are you wearing when you feel your best and kind of try to just work off that. And if it's like leggings and a sweatshirt, great. Maybe like a slim

leg gene and something like baggy you're on top. You know, like I feel like we can kind of take what we know and sort of then begin to apply it in a larger way. But it takes work. What if you don't know who you are? So I would have never picked out the outfit that I'm wearing. I would have never gravitated towards it. I never would have known that it would look cute. But then I put it on my body. And I was like, yes, this is me. It's captured. I find that so crazy because I feel like when I look at your Instagram and when I look at like your branding, it's like this look is that. But I wouldn't get there. So I think even with the three words, I've worked with you. I hired you to help me figure out my three words. And even now, I'm like, were those my three words or is that who I

was trying to be? There's so much identity wrapped up in fashion and style. Yeah. And I think you sort of nailed it. It's like if you don't know who you are trying to be or who you genuinely are inside, then it's really hard to get dressed because it's hard to project that style. My goal when I work with clients is to try to help them bring their style into alignment with their most genuine self. How do we know? How do we know? Fashion is something like it takes effort.

And it's also something that, I don't know, people do not really recognize or respect how deep of a process it is because they're the trauma and, you know, the challenge around getting dressed, especially as women. But there's also just that sense of you really have to ask yourself, who am I? Yeah, outside of who I'm being told to be or who society wants me to be. Or even like what looks flattering. Like that's a toughy tube. And again, I don't blame us as women. We're told that like, if you have this kind of body type, you're sure this. I mean, reading magazines like our whole lives, It's like, am I a pear shape or an apple shape? And then sort of going by those rules.

And I understand why those rules are attractive because it gives us guidelines. But I think also it's so limiting. And we're told what we can wear and what we can't wear. And again, what's flattering? What's the best color on us? Instead of just allowing us to experiment and play. And that's a lot of what my book is about. We usually approach our wardrobes with, I don't want to say hate,

but I feel like very few people look in their wardrobe. And they're like, I love it here. I love getting dressed. This is such a beautiful safe space. But I want my book to sort of inspire people to look at getting dresses a joyful process and a fun process and an expressive process. And it takes a lot of work to get there, but it's possible. Okay. I have so many questions about that.

I had a stylist on our other fashion episode and she said, fuck flattering. She was like the notion of flattering is based on basically all of us trying to work towards an idealized body type that doesn't exist. And tall. Yeah. You're like, oh, we're trying to go, we're trying to a long. your legs. Like anytime you're thinking those types of thoughts. But at the same time, I find when I put clothes on my body, sometimes I'm like, ooh, I don't like how that looks on my stomach. I don't like how that looks on my thighs. So how do we fuck flattering but still feel comfy and feel good

and feel confident in our clothes? Flattering should not be the first thing that we think or the only thing that we think. If there are things that we feel look better on our bodies, that's great. That's good information to know. But when it becomes limiting, that's when I think it's what the silo said, fuck flattering. You know, so for example, I've used this example before, but like I have a big chest and I feel like every magazine would always say, if you have a big chest, like, don't wear anything high-necked and just wear stuff that's like a little bit lower. You should only wear a V-neck t-shirt. And I don't like the way V-neck t-shirts look on me. And maybe it does make my chest look smaller or whatever it's supposed to do, but I don't like it. I feel like it mostly just like puts your

boobs out there. Right. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, it really does. But then I love wearing blazers. And I don't really love the way on me a blazer looks with a V-neck shirt. So if I only wore V-neck shirts, then I couldn't wear blazers, which I really love. And then it's like, I'm really limiting myself. And then it becomes like a puzzle and it becomes complicated and it's not fun. So I think that in that sense, it's like we just sort of have to identify what we like. And again, if we feel more comfortable in a silhouette that makes our legs look longer or like fits well on our tummy, like you said, then like that's fine, but it shouldn't be the only thing that we're thinking. We shouldn't let it limit us. So what do we do pragmatically in a situation where we're looking at a style that we like online,

but we don't like how that style looks on our body? That's a really good question. So for example, let's say you're super petite and you like a more oversized look. Let's say you're looking at the silhouette online and it's styled like a big oversized pant with a big oversized tee and a blazer. And you're like, that looks so cool on her. And I love this look, but like, I don't know how. Maybe it's about doing the big wide trouser, but then doing it with a more fitted top and then the blazer, just having something that's a little bit fitted. Or maybe you realize I actually love when I wear like a big jacket. So maybe it's about doing the oversized jacket with like a slimmer pant. So it's about instead of trying to do like a copy paste, taking those extra few minutes and being like,

what is it that I really like and how can I kind of apply this to my style, my lifestyle? my body, if that's something that you want to consider. That's super helpful. And then going back to the beginning, how do we know who we are? Okay. Well, that is a big question. I think that's a really good question. How do we know who we are?

I mean, just in terms of life and in terms of our style, I think it takes some work. So I think in terms of your style, I feel like from this day forward, every single day take a picture of what you're wearing. Just take a picture of your look. You're not sharing these. These are just for you. You can cut out your head. It can just be like of your look. Make a folder of things that you love, looks that you love, and then make a folder of things that are not perfect. And I feel like by looking at the things that you love and seeing it on you, you can kind of distill, oh wow, it seems like I really like tonal looks on me. Or I really love when I have something more fitted on the bottom and then oversized on top. Or maybe it's, I really like all the looks where I'm wearing sneakers. It's kind of doing like a little bit of work and figure. out what is it that is making me feel? Because again, there's no like right or wrong. I think the

pictures that you put in the photo that you might not like as much. It's not that they look bad. It's just like maybe they just don't feel quite as genuine as the others do. So I think that's something to sort of begin to figure out your style. I think, you know, creating like mood boards and Pinterest. And I know that takes work. Sometimes we'll think of it as like a task. I need to like make a mood board right now. That can feel really overwhelming. And then you're like looking for inspiration and then it kind of feels like a little force. I like to just every time I see something I like, I screenshot it. Even like if it's something that somebody's wearing on a TV show, like I'll take a picture and just put it in a folder. Again, it's only for you. It doesn't

have to be like aesthetically pleasing, but just start gathering things that you like starting today and create these folders or these mood boards. And you don't have to like set assigned time to like create a mood, but it should just be like an evergreen type of thing. And then it becomes more fun and less pressure. I do feel like that's interesting though because I see stuff I like and then I feel like I try. maybe I need to try more of a little version like you were saying of that on me. But it's like, have you seen those TikToks like, is it a fit or is it Gigi Hed? And I feel like it's always Gigi Hadid. And then I put it on me and I'm like, oh no, that doesn't work. Right. Because thank God,

you're not Gigi Hade. You're you. I feel like that's what makes social media sometimes challenging when it comes to fashion because we see so much. There's so much product. There's so much inspiration. Then we also see a lot of it is really similar. We're seeing so much at once, but again, sometimes it feels pretty same, same, same, same. So we kind of feel like, okay, like if Gigi and all these girls are wearing like these really oversized things, that's the thing to do. But again, we can figure out a way to make it work for us and, you know, kind of put our own spin in our style on it. How do you feel about looking trendy and modern versus being timeless? I thought it was really interesting with your book, for instance. A book is a book is. A book is.

is more timeless than like an Instagram post, but fashion is so cyclical. It's happening so quickly. People say that it's happening faster than ever, like something that was in fashion two months ago. It's now out of fashion. It's like you almost get whiplash. So how did you navigate that when it comes to your book? And then what can we take from that when it comes to finding our style and having it feel fresh and modern, but also timeless? I think the key there is that, again, like it's not really what people want to hear, but it's all very personal. So for example, something like, something that's timeless to me might not necessarily be like a timeless thing to you. You know what I mean? So almost I have these like timeless versus trendy questions and one of them is let's say like a motorcycle

jacket. You know, I feel like some people think that that's a very timeless thing. Some people are like, I would never wear a motorcycle jacket. But like if you ask yourself, if I buy a motorcycle jacket and I keep it in my wardrobe for five years, in five years, would I want to pull out this exact motorcycle jacket and wear it again or will I want the new, upgraded, modern version of this motorcycle jacket. And I feel like that's just kind of like a good way to think about it in general. How did you think about style in terms of your book? Like, how did you think about I'm going to capture what will make you feel really stylish now? You're not dressing in 1989. But like in five years, somebody will still be able to pull out this book and have it be usable. It just feels like it'd be

the hardest challenge of writing a book about fashion to me. You're right. You're right. No, because I think I was like, that was hard. No, but I think it's like to not be too specific. And also, again, to give people advice for them to apply to themselves. So instead of being like, you should wear, you know, high-rise skinny jeans, thank God I didn't say that. You know what I mean? Because now people are saying skinny jeans are out. So I feel like just saying finding the gene that fits well for your body. Advice is like personal and it's case by case. So I tried my hardest to give advice that felt timeless and something that everybody can apply no matter their lifestyle body type, gender race, anything. So in your opinion, can any shape of jeans look fashionable,

depending on how you style it in your body? Yes, 100%. I know people are saying like skinny jeans are out, but I feel like you could style skinny jeans to look really modern and cool. Like, you could do skinny jeans with those kind of cool, chunky, like, buckled motorcycle boots. You could do a skinny gene with that and a big oversized blazer and like a cool pair of sunglasses. You can style anything to make it feel modern. Going back to the motorcycle jacket, it's less about the piece and It's more about the styling. And maybe that's also why the book feels timeless, because I feel like this advice is advice that we've been hearing.

I mean, my book's very special, but I feel like the styling advice, it's timeless. It's not necessarily based on, I don't have to see your exact wardrobe to tell you how to approach it. Okay, so let's dive into some of like the nitty gritty stuff around fashion, discarding the notion of flattering. People wrote to me a lot and they said that they wanted to like copy these trendy looks online, but they felt really uncomfortable with their stomach area particularly. And that's something that I've run into with fashion as well. I feel like crop tops are the thing now. I saw like,

here's how millennial would style something. Here's how Gen Z would style it video. And every single Gen Z video is just like the same thing, but a crop top. Yeah. And like maybe bag your jeans. Yeah. And I was like, okay, cool. So I'm not going to do that. Although I do like myself a crop tap now and then. What would you say to somebody who wants to feel really fashion forward, but maybe that's an area that they feel a little bit less comfy with? You can wear something that's maybe like a little bit, I call it like a boxy crop. So something that's not necessarily showing your stomach, but still has that shape that's going to give a little bit of distance between your top and your pants. Because the thing that I think looks like cool about a crop top is that you can see the waistband of your pants.

It gives like a really nice dimension. It gives a nice silhouette. But again, if you don't want to show your stomach, that's fine. Just go for something that's maybe like a little bit more boxy but not necessarily tight in showing your stomach. So that's kind of my work around there. I mean, I feel like we don't have to show our stomach. I don't like showing mine. I feel like jeans, though.

Like, I don't like how jeans ever look on my stomach. What's your favorite pair of jeans? I literally don't own a pair of jeans. Not a single pair. I have never found a pair I like. I like a wide leg, like silky trouser. Yeah. I'm way into that.

I literally don't own a pair of jeans. Are you okay? Oh, no. Okay, but the wide, like, silky trouser gives us some really good information. Just going off that, and this might seem counterintuitive, but like a pair of jeans that's maybe slightly more fitted on top, but then a wider, like, looser silhouette if you ever tried that. Could be cute, though, because it feels like that would be, like, very Gen Z crazy. But I kind of feel like that would work with the things that you already have because you already have pieces to style with your wide-leg pants.

It could be something nice to try. I'm just kind of like, why have a tight waistband when you could have like an elastic waistband? Also, like you don't have to have a pair of jeans. Yeah. Like, I feel like you're doing just fine without them. That kind of also goes into something I talk about in the book. there's a lot of talk about like capsule wardrobes and this is the one thing that everybody needs in their wardrobe. I don't think everybody needs like a specific pair of jeans in their wardrobe.

And if you don't like wearing jeans, I don't think you need to have jeans. Why? I've talked about this before too, but I feel like growing up, there was always that article about like how to have like the perfect French capsule and it's always like a crisp white button down. And I was like, okay, like I need a crisp white button down, I guess because I like that kind of French style. So like I would buy one and every single time I'd put it on. I'm like, oh, this is a not cute. Like, this looks horrible on me. But every time I'd go to purge my wardrobe or edit, that stupid crisp white button down shirt, I'd be like, well, everyone needs one. I got to keep it. So I would keep it. I would keep it. And it just didn't look good on me. I realized, like,

not everybody needs this crisp boy button down shirt. Like maybe for me, it's like a silky printed shirt, something that's like a little bit more 70s, or maybe it's a denim shirt, or maybe it's like a quarter-ray shirt, or maybe it's a white shirt that's like linen. So I feel like those types of capsules and rules are sometimes, again, there's no point for you have jeans. Do you think that there is anything at all that, like, everybody should have? And do you think that there's anything that's, like, probably more timeless and worth investing in? Yes, I think there are silhouettes that are really useful. So going back to, like, the crisp white button down, like I said, it doesn't have to be, like, crisp, it doesn't have to be white, like it can be silk.

But I feel like a button down is really nice because you can wear it open, you can wear it clothes, you can wear it over a bathing suit. You can wear it tucked in. Like, there's so much that you can do. there's a very versatile piece to have a new version. I feel like we all probably already have that in some version. I also think something that is helpful and worth investing in is a good jacket. It doesn't have to be a blazer, but something that feels tailored and just something that makes you feel amazing because I feel like you can put a jacket over like yoga pants or you can put a jacket over a really nice dress and it just elevates everything. To me, like a really good jacket is something to invest in. And is there anything that really good jacket is something to invest in.

And is there anything that right now you feel like is definitely trendy and there's no way that we're going to want to style it in like five years and feel good? Such a good question. It's so hard. I'm sure in five years, whatever I say is going to be back in style because the trends go so quick. It's going so fast. It's really quick. I saw recently on TikTok, I love a big oversized blazer. And then I saw recently the young kids were saying oversized blazers are over and you have to wear something like cinch.

And I was like, okay, this is the thing about the rules. That looks cute too. I like the cinch one too. Why does one have to be out? Why can't we both look great? So I don't know. I'm trying to think of something that I feel like we'll be out. Maybe it will be a big oversized. But no, I don't know. I don't have anything. Okay, wait. So if everything can be cool, when I'm looking at two outfits, why does one read as cool and the other one reads is not cool? Styling. So what does that? Like, break that down from what does that? Give me an example of like a look that looks cool and a look that doesn't. Like, I feel like, Like ballet flats with like kind of a fitted sweater and skinny jeans looks just like not that cool. Yeah. And then I feel like anything like Haley Bieber wears like feels cool. Okay. So like a ballet flat, I think, you're right. With like a fitted sweater, skinny jeans and ballet flat, everything is so slim.

So it's like the sweater is slim, the jeans are slim. And then the shoe doesn't really have that much substance or weight. So it's all just kind of slim. I think that to make a ballet flat feel interesting. and cool and modern. I feel like you want to add some tension to the look. So maybe instead of a skinny gene, you do it with a straight leg gene or even with a gene that's slim but is longer. And then the ballet flat kind of peeks out. And then maybe you do it with the slim sweater, but then you put like a blazer over it or like a leather jacket over it. Maybe you add a belt and you tuck in the front. I feel like

it's all about styling and it's all about proportion. And in my book, I talk about like the wrong shoe. And I feel like that's all about this idea of creating tension and using accessories to give a little contrast to the look. So if you feel like a ballet flat would be the perfect thing to wear with like a skinny gene, pick something else. You know what I mean? If you have headaches, allergies, brain fog, skin irritation, or you've been dealing with hormone issues, you are especially going to want to listen to this ad. Every single thing that I just listed has been linked to chemicals and household cleaners. One study found that regular use of cleaning sprays was associated with a lung function

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slash Liz Moody. That's 15% off at Masterclass.com slash Liz Moody. Masterclass.com slash Liz Moody. So what would be some examples of like the right shoe and then a wrong but really right shoe that we could swap into an outfit? Okay. Yes. A really easy one is, I mean, this is maybe like basic at this point, but it's a good example. A trouser, you know, like normally you think like, okay, I'm going to wear a trouser. It's kind of a more like dressy pant. like maybe I'll wear it with a heel or maybe I'll wear it with a loafer. But I feel like the kind of wrong shoe would be maybe like a sneaker or like a chunky boot or something that feels kind of dissimilar to the idea of the trouser or like another classic one is a dress with sneakers. Like I feel like that's a good illustration of the idea because normally when you think,

I'm going to wear like a pretty floral dress, then I'm going to wear like a nice like block heel sandal or even a ballet flat. So I think that, you know, doing a sneaker or something that feels like a little bit more sporty gives it that contrast. What sneakers are, I mean, I guess we're like, nothing's cool right now, but I do feel like sneakers cycle in and out and I want to get a sneaker, but I have no idea what to get. I mean, people love the samba's, the Adidas. I feel like a lot of people will do. But are those like too trendy and then like next year they're not going to be?

Maybe those have been around so long. I feel like those are the kind of things that at least to me feel timeless because even if other people aren't wearing them, it's not like, whoa, like that shoe is still last year. It's like that's like a timeless choice. Like if somebody's still wearing Stan Smiths, remember that was huge a few years ago. Like I'm not like, ew, lame. I'm classic. You know what I mean?

Or on the other end of the spectrum, like, remember those like big chunky Belantiaga shoes? To me, those don't feel as timeless. If somebody was wearing those, I'd be like, oh, vintage. You know? I want to dive into the shoe thing for a second because shoes are my nemesis. I feel like my outfits die at my shoes. Like I want comfy shoes because I want to dance. I want to walk.

I want to like get my 10,000 steps in throughout the day. But I feel like there's no real comfy shoes that you can do that in. So literally every day I'm like, I'm going to wear a cute shoe. And then I wear my plastic black Birkenstocks. Those are cute. And they are. But they're not elevating my look. I feel like they're neutral to my look at best.

You know what I mean? So what do you feel like is the best balance of a comfy shoe that's also going to elevate your look? Okay. I had a client who was saying the exact same thing, but she was saying it was sneakers. She lived in Amsterdam. So she's like, I bike everywhere. Sneakers are the only thing that I can wear. So then she's like, okay, sneaker and then I have to wear it with leggings or have to wear jeans. And she was making really sporty looks. And she was like, these looks don't really feel like me. I'm just kind of styling around the sneaker.

So we were like, okay, let's create looks that feel like the best version of you, even if they don't match with the sneaker and then put on the sneaker. And then that becomes wrong shoe. Then it becomes like a more interesting look. So she's like, okay, like if I wasn't wearing the sneaker, I would love to wear my favorite pair of trousers. love to wear like a silk slip skirt, but like I feel like I can't wear that with the sneakers because it feels wrong. But actually then when you add the sneakers, that's what personal style is. Then the sneakers become interesting and cool. Should your shoes match your bag? Does it have to? If it feels like really dissimilar, like we're saying with a beautiful silky pant and then a Birkenstock, I feel like we almost want to add one other element that's the same as the shoe to just kind of bring it all back because we don't want the look to feel like

bisected where it's like cute, cute, cute, what? We want to maybe bring the, the casualness of the shoe into the bag or the black of the shoe into the bag. So it all feels a little bit more cohesive. Because if we're looking at your beautiful silk set and then you have like a cool black kind of like sling fanny packish type of bag and then the shoes, then it all makes sense. Do you see what I mean? Can you picture it? I can. I can totally picture that. What about jewelry, purses, sunglasses, other accessories? Are you investing in those? Where are you buying them? How are you thinking about them when you style. I feel like jewelry is so slept on. We internalize the idea of take one thing off. We all want to be like so minimal, but what makes the look feel complete

and personal is jewelry. I feel like people don't believe me because it's too easy to be true, but it's so true. Like if I was just wearing just this whole black thing that's all the same texture, it would look not that cute, but I have the earrings and the necklace and the rings and now it feels like me because these are like my personal pieces. So in turn of it. In terms of shopping for jewelry, I feel like take your time, collect things, put different textures and different things together, because then you're creating more of a personal story as opposed to, you know, something that feels like maybe a little bit more trendy or something that feels, again, maybe similar to the wrong shoe. If you keep your jewelry consistent, you kind of have

like a through line throughout all your looks, and it doesn't feel like you're like, okay, this is a fancy dress, so I'm going to wear like my fancy jewelry. I love the look. of a t-shirt with like a lot of jewelry or even when people at the mecgala will wear no jewelry. You know, I like that contrast. I feel like getting dressed is all about that juxtaposition and that kind of tension. I also noticed that you're wearing gold and silver mixed. Do you like to mix metals? I do. I think it gives a more personal feeling. It makes it feel more like a collection as opposed to like something that feels really not contrived, but it feels very meat. Like these really are things that I've collected and that I've kind of built on and it feels personal. And

anything I wear when I have my jewelry on, it feels like me. Thoughts on color theory? Similar to flattering. I think that it's really interesting information to know. And I think it's really cool. Like, I would love to have my color. Do you know yours? No. Do you know yours? I do. I have a cool summer. Is that like what you're wearing now? So my stylist that pick these clothes also doesn't really believe in color theory or she doesn't think it should dictate how we dress. So I don't think she took that into mind, but I am a cool summer. I mean, love that. Taylor Swift. Yeah, that's what I immediately think every time. And I'm like, okay. Again, it's great information. But if it's going to limit you, then I don't love that as much. But it seems like you're not letting it limit you because you're open to wearing whatever.

But I have clients who will be like, well, I used to always wear black. And then I was told that black is not my color. So now I don't wear black. So it's really hard. It's like, well, did you like the way looked in black? Because if you're going to let that limit yourself, then it's actually not like a very useful tool. It's interesting because your answer makes me think about that fashion is sort of two things and there's a tension between those two things. One is it's my personal expression. It's almost artistic. It's creative. And one is I want to look as hot as possible and have the world receive me as such. And I think that color theory and what you're saying about like my client liked black, but didn't want to wear black illustrates that where their artistic expression might

want to make them want to wear black, but they're, I want to be perceived as hot, would make them not. Yes. A similar thing is that I feel like fashion is both all about rules, but then there's also no rules to it. And that's what makes it so hard. Because we're looking for these guidelines. We're looking for these dues and don'ts. We're looking for these rules. We're looking. There's so much to see. So it's like, just give me my guidelines so I know what colors at least not to wear. We're all looking for that. But that, again, is putting us in a box. It's making it not. as fun. Like you said, fashion is almost artistic. It is artistic. It is like an expression of who you are. So, yeah, when we're kind of like limiting ourselves or putting ourselves into a box, I understand

how that can be easier when it feels overwhelming. But then in the end, it's just, it's limiting our expression. How do you deal with that with clients, though, that I want to look really hot, but also I want to express myself. And sometimes those feel at odds and they feel like they would lead you in different directions. I know what you're saying. But I feel like when you are dressed in a way that really feels like yourself, whether it's the most flattering or most, like, sexy or hot thing ever, I feel like you're confident. And I feel like that's hot. You know, when people say, like, the best thing you can wear is confidence, that's really freaking annoying. But, like, it's kind of true because I think people who have amazing style

aren't necessarily people who are wearing their colors or dressing for their body. You can tell when you see somebody and you're like, whoa, that person, like, knows who they are. I don't think I ever am like, wow, that person's, like, really knows how to, like, make herself look really thin. I'm like, wow, you can tell that, like, that's who they are when you see them. Okay, so let's dive into your very famous theory on helping us figure out who we are. For people who are not familiar, can you explain three words? Yes. So the three-word method is essentially just distilling your style down to three adjectives.

And it is helpful because, as we're talking about, there are no rules, but sometimes it's nice to have personal guardrails, a framework to work within. So the first word is the kind of realistic word, and that's the word that you find by looking in your closet. And I have clients pull out the things that you wear all the time. Don't just look in your closet. We actually take out the things that you're wearing all the time and put them on the bed, on the floor, on a rack, someplace where they're kind of out of the context of your closet. And look at those pieces and ask yourself, how would I describe them? What if you hate everything in your closet?

That's okay. So your first word could be based on a bunch of clothes you hate, and that's okay? Pretty much, because it's giving us a starting point. Okay. Like you said before, when I'm not sure if my three words are right because I feel like maybe it was who I'm trying to be. We have to figure out where we're starting from. I've had clients be like, okay, cool.

All of my stuff is sweatpants and jeans that I don't like and sweatshirts and I don't like any of this. It's like, cool, maybe your first word is comfortable because even if you don't like it, like, that's clearly a priority for you. You know, that's why you're wearing these things because they feel comfortable. Or maybe it's functional. Maybe it's like, I don't have anything better, so this is what I'm wearing. So I feel like we can frame it like that. And don't worry because we can evolve. We can change. Your three words change. And this is just like kind of the realistic word. The second word is the aspirational word. And you find that by looking at your Pinterest, by looking at just things that you've screenshot. It doesn't have to be a huge Pinterest. Like you can just have four pictures of looks that you really like and just ask yourself, how would I describe these? And maybe for that same client that had really comfortable clothes, maybe it's like, okay, whoa, everything I'm attracted to is really tailored and

sharp, or maybe it's all really colorful and I don't have any color in my wardrobe. It's just good information. So let's say, like, your first word is comfortable and your second word is tailored. The third word is how do I want to feel in my clothing? Like you said, maybe it is hot. Maybe it's powerful. Maybe it's elegant. How do I want the world to perceive me? Or how do I want to feel? And so that's kind of how you find your three words. And now what's good about that is because if you are starting from that kind of comfortable place, like we said, like the sweats, the things you don't love, great. Maybe we look more to the second word, to that tailored word, and maybe our third word is powerful. So when we're shopping and when we're putting together looks, we're like, what do I have that's tailored? Or what can I get

that's tailored that I can add to these more comfortable looks? Give them just that little judge. Maybe it's honestly like a really cool, like structural earring or something, you know, or maybe it's like some jewelry, but like, what can I do to kind of infuse my looks with a little bit of that more powerful, tailored vibe. What are your three words? My three words, I feel like I'm maybe going through an evolution, but my three words are classic, just because I love a boring classic, simple silhouette, 70s. I find like everything that I pin or everything that I screenshot is always either an old 70s reference of, you know, Cher or, you know, Jane Birkin, all of the Bianca Jagger. And then my third word is elegant because again for me personally you saw the way I come in I'm a bit of a mess

sometimes so I feel like my third word is just like okay I want to consciously elevate I want to pick pieces that are going to maybe feel like a little bit more sophisticated and chic so that it can do the heavy lifting for me because I can be a little bit chaotic I just want to sit on that for a second because I do think that it is one of the things that I love so much about your approach to style and I think this comes through in your book so much, which is that it's not just what we're wearing. It's this incredible tool that we can use to be the people that we want to be and to feel the way that we want to feel. And the way you said that, you're like, I can be a little chaotic. I want to be elegant.

I'm using my clothing as a tool in the same way that we would almost use like meditation or eating a certain way or moving our body a certain way as a tool to be. Yes, 100%. You get it. That's the pieces of the book. Exactly. I just think that's such a unique approach and I absolutely love and I think it's so cool. Okay. So what do you think my three words are. Okay. Well, that's what I was going to say. Oh, I don't remember what we said on our call. We did. Comfortable was one of them. And then I think we did hard was one of them, which was kind of interesting because I was saying that I liked like harder lines. We also did it at a time that I was like. Oh, yeah. We didn't have your whole closet. I was not. I was nomadding. I was also kind of depressed. I was like, yeah. Like I didn't have anything colorful. I definitely didn't have anything in my closet that felt like. Like me, which I still think I'm working on. The things that you love to wear, the flowy pants. Yeah.

We have like the silk pants. What else do we like to wear? I love color. I'm discovering that about myself. I love a blazer. I love a leather jacket. My favorite, like, movies fashion-wise and TV shows are like Daisy Jones and the 6, almost famous. Like, I love that 70s energy.

But I also feel like the same thing of like, I feel like the styles I like when I put them on my body. I'm shorter. I'm curvier. I feel like I don't like the way they look in the same way that I like how they look on the people that I'm looking at them on. Give me an example of something that you've tried. That's like a little bit more 70s Daisy Jones vibe. Like she wears like a lot of fitted kind of like slinky to the body dresses with maybe like a halter and it's really thin material. And I just feel like that hugs my body in ways I do not enjoy.

So what if we like kind of took a little bit of that like 70s kind of would you call boho? Yeah. I get like that boho influence and use it in a different way. Maybe it's about a really cool suede jacket or maybe it's even about hair and makeup or jewelry, like adding like a really cool vintage like 70s necklace or a pair of earrings. I love in the series, there's like a point where she's wearing like a vintagey nightgown, like kind of like what you're describing, but maybe it's about getting a cool, more like roby type of thing to like put over some of your silk pants, you know? I feel like there's ways that we can kind of get that vibe without like having it be like one to one

exactly the same. Okay, so we said comfortable. I feel like there is a 70s. Maybe it's just because it's what you're wearing. But like I feel like vibrant or colorful or bold has to be somewhere in there. Yeah. And I would say maybe that's the last one because I do want to live a life that's like vibrant and colorful and bold. Yes. And so maybe that's like my aspiration. I definitely, I have no aspirations to be elegant. I feel like hot. I do want to be perceived in a certain way. And I think that that's an eternal struggle in my life. What makes you feel the most hot? Being naked. Okay. I love that. Okay. Fine. Great. Just be naked. When like my stylist put this together for me, I feel hot and I don't know. It feels ephemeral. Yeah. And maybe it is that the boldness and like that

vibrance is like what makes you feel hot. Maybe. So maybe we keep that as three. Comfy, boho, bold. Yeah. Another thing with the three words. And again, we were talking about. about like the tension and sort of, I feel like having three words that sometimes feel like contrasting or opposite is actually what makes for really, really good style because I will have clients be like, well, my three words are so different. Or like, my first word is sporty, but my second word is romantic. How do those work? And it's like they do.

That's what makes the style personal. Doing like a cool pair of jeans with like a sneaker and like a more romantic top, you know, like that's what makes it interesting because somebody else might wear that romantic top totally different. And again, that's what makes style personal and that's what makes it yours. So having these words and this contrast and again, like the opposites, I think is cool. Not that bold and boho are necessarily opposites, but I like the idea of like these kind of maybe more like boho shapes and ideas and textures, but then with like the bold colors. I think that is what's going to make it like so Liz. And are our words changing with time?

I think they can totally change with time. I mean, just as we evolve as people, the words evolve too. If you're feeling like you're putting together looks and you're like, hey, these are expressing my three words, but like something doesn't feel quite right, then maybe it's time to kind of reassess and figure out if maybe your influences have changed or the way you want to feel is change. Maybe like your lifestyle has changed and that is kind of reflected in your words as well. They're literally also just for you. So you don't have to tell anybody. Like they really are supposed to just be like a helpful tool for you. And if sometimes it would be like, well, the word that I have like it doesn't really make sense, but it like makes sense to me. I'm like, great. It's only for you. It's only for you. It's like a mantra. Are there any other problems you see people running into and trying to pick their words that we could kind of troubleshoot for them? Yes. So I feel like a lot of times people will be like, ugh, my words are like really not boring, but like I feel like a lot of people, I mean one of my words is classic, but I feel like classic. Like, almost everybody's like classic or chic or something. But I feel like ask yourself, like, what does classic mean to me? Like, what does that actually mean? Do I mean preppy?

Do I mean timeless? Do I mean clean? Do I mean minimal? Do I mean there's so much that it can mean. So I feel like taking your words and maybe trying to like dive a little bit deeper and maybe even like writing a list of all the different like kind of associations with the word classic. And in the book, I have like a little word wheel where it has. But those are just my ideas.

It's kind of a fun exercise for yourself to be like 70s for me. Like I posted once on Instagram. are my 70s references and people are like, those don't like 70s to me. I'm like, okay, cool. That's what I'm picking up from these pictures or these influences, but other people, your 70s is a little bit more boho, you know? Yeah, there's like disco 70s and there's like boho 70s for sure. Another thing I loved in your book was the anywhere, any time looks. I just think that they simplified for the person who's like, I just want to look at it. I don't want to spend a lot of time thinking about this. Can you talk us through some of those combinations? Yes. I feel like there are just some very

easy formulas. And it's, again, I don't have to see your closet in order to, like, make these for you. Like, they're in the book. They're just very easy formulas and kind of like a base to start with. And then just easy things to put on top. So it's like a t-shirt, jeans, a cool pair of loafers, throw like a sweater on over your shoulders or throw on a cardigan, put on a great pair of hoops and you're good. There's like some easy formulas that, again, I can say that. And a hundred people can have a hundred different looks. And again, that's what's personal stylist. But there's some easy kind of formulas that I lay out in the book that I think will be helpful if you're like, I'm stuck. I just like need something. Here you go. Yeah, I love that. Do you have another favorite one other than like the

sweater over t-shirt jeans combo? Wear a great pair of leggings. Maybe like if you want like put like a little sock with it and your sneaker, throw on like a white t-shirt and then put on your sweatshirt just so there's like a little bit of contrast between the t-shirt and the sweatshirt. just very easy ones. I mean, I feel like I talk about this in the book, but always like adding jewelry. Again, almost the opposite of take one thing off. Add one thing. Add something that's going to make it feel personal. That's going to make it feel interesting. That's going to almost maybe push you a little bit out of your comfort zone. Because again, like getting dressed, it takes work. And we kind of sometimes have to push ourselves a little bit. Let's talk about shopping for a second.

Yes. I feel like you're maybe the most anti-shopping fashion person that I know. Yeah, maybe. I like that you encourage people to find things in their own wardrobe and you're not like you need to go out and run out and buy a bunch of different stuff. That said, what pieces do you think are worth spending more money on and what should we be saving on? Jackets and outerwear, I think, is a good thing to spend money on. If we're talking price per wear, a great jacket or a great coat, like you can wear that with

anything and it's going to make you feel amazing. You can throw it over like sweatpants or leggings and like you'll look great. So I think that's a good something to splurge on. I don't necessarily feel like you need to spend a ton of money on it, but I feel like it's a good investment piece, meaning a good piece to really invest time in finding and then invest time in styling. I'm big on bags and shoes because I feel like similarly to a jacket,

it's like that can just really elevate a look. And also shoes can kind of be like a tough spot for people. But I feel like if you were wearing sneakers with this, the look would be totally different. If you were wearing like a high boot, it would be totally different. So I feel like having like some good pairs of shoes, that are comfortable and that can totally change a look as a good investment too. And then bags. I just feel like that, again, it can make a look feel polished. It can really add in like one of your

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But a huge part of it is you're kind of just like paying so that somebody on the street can tell that you can afford to spend this much money on a bag, which just feels like weird. Like I'm like, why am I doing that? Yeah, you're so right. So I feel like the ones that are maybe a little bit less branded or something that, like you said, is really well made and therefore is expensive. I feel like that's something nice to us. But is it like $3,000 well-made effort? Probably not. Probably not.

I don't know. At the end of the day, like as much as I'm like, don't buy that kind of person, like, at the end of the day, I freaking love fashion. That's why I do this. So like, I love it. I really love it. And that's why I'm always like, don't buy that. Because I tell myself, don't buy that.

Are there places that you feel like are underrated to shop? I mean, for bags, consignment, the real, real, this other one, Relux has really good, like, so if you're looking for that kind of, like, designer bag for a lower price, I like that. But for not, this brand, P-O-L-E-N-E, it's a French brand, I think, but they do, like, beautiful, well-made leather bags that are not branded. They're really pretty. This other brand called DeMilleux does really beautiful bags. They also do, like, non-branded, just, like, beautiful leather bags. So, no, I don't think you need, like, a designer logo or a designer bag, but I think, like, having a bag that feels nice and that feels like it's maybe expressing,

one of your three words is always a good investment. Is there a silhouette of bag that you feel like elevates outfits? Like, do you like the little ones that tuck under your arms? Do you like a big boho one? Do you like a cross body? I think it depends. I really do. I always say that whatever of your three words that feels like it's almost maybe like the most

aspirational or like something that's lacking, I would look for a bag that you could describe using that word. So maybe the example person that's really has a lot of comfortable clothes but wants to be more tailored, maybe they should go for a bag that feels like a little bit more structured because that, no matter what, they add that bag to their looks and it feels like we kind of have that more tailored vibe. Yeah, I love that. So that's my advice there. I mean, I love a cross-body bag just because I'm kind of functional. I feel like that's always a good thing. I also like the idea of like using a cross-body bag to sort of like disrupt the line of an outfit.

I feel like it adds something. It's like jewelry. It's like it's nice to have just like something else, like another texture with a look. What about shopping for shoes, jewelry? and clothes. Okay. My tips for shoes do not get a shoe that is not comfortable. Just don't. If you're somebody who's like, maybe I'll stretch it or maybe I'll wear it in. You won't. And it's going to be painful and you won't wear them. It doesn't have to be like a sneaker. It doesn't have to be an orthopedic shoe. But like something that does not give you blisters like immediately when you're at the store. I feel like comfort is very important. That's my tip there. There's a whole section in the book about shopping for denim because we said like that can be really, really tricky. Denim can be really tricky. Always for denim, I try a size bigger than

I think I am and a size smaller because there's been so many times where I've had jeans. I'm like, these fit. And then I get home, I'm like, these are so tight. And they do fit, but they're too tight. You have to compare and contrast and you don't really know until you try. So I always try at least three sizes of jeans. I do that for everything I buy, especially good. Ordering online. I order the size above, the size below and the size that I think I am for shoes, for clothes. And then now with Girl Math, I'm like, oh, I'm getting all this free money because I'm returning everything, which is amazing. Yeah, that is amazing.

It's the most lucrative thing I do. Wow, you are a real entrepreneur. But, yeah, because I know how it is. Like if you buy a pair of jeans and they don't fit and then you return them, then you get another pair and they don't fit, it's like that is so stressful and you want to give up. It's not fun. It's very frustrating. So I think helping yourself by at least getting more than one at once, maybe like setting up

a situation in your room. Maybe this is too woo-woo, but I think this is the place to do it. But maybe ordering from a few different brands, a few different sizes, lighting a candle, putting on some music, just trying them all on at once, taking a second in each pair, like sit down, walk around your room, walk to the kitchen, like, just do something to be like, okay, how do these feel? Take a picture, maybe take a video, and like sit on it for a while. Like, you don't have to return them that second. Just sit on it for a while, and then maybe look and be like, which one was the most comfortable, which one do I like the best, and kind of go from there. Again, it takes a little bit of work, but you're going to save yourself a lot of

frustration. And then what about stores? I would especially love to hear stores that you think have a good quality at like a reasonable price point. Like I feel like you introduced me to, is it dish. Their stuff is so cool. Really, really love dish. That's an Australian brand. Really cool. Dress is minimal. It feels like it's almost hitting that comfortable and boho vibe for you. That's a really good one. I also love a Neen Bang. I think that's a really cool brand. It's a little bit pricier, but I do feel like the pieces feel, I don't necessarily want to say worth it, but yeah, like, cool. It's not just like a regular blazer. Like, there's an interesting cut. There's almost a justification for, like, why it's a mean being as opposed to something else.

I love costs. I think that's, like, a really good one for basics that kind of is sometimes slept on. Honestly, Gap. Gap has some cute stuff. I've found some really nice stuff from Gap, especially if you're kind of into that more classic timeless vibe. I feel like there's nothing more classic and timeless than like a cool denim shirt from Gap, you know. For like the classic pieces, I love Gap. I love vintage, which I know is kind of some people love it. Some people hate it. I like vintage. I like going to the consignment stores. I love Beacon's closet and stuff in New York. I think that's also really fun. If you're somebody who doesn't like shopping, that's not fun. I'll put on a podcast and I'll walk. If you sort of again, reframe shopping as like,

I'm not looking for the specific thing. Like, I'm just enjoying. I'm seeing what I find. I know sometimes it's really good to be focused, but other times at places like that, you just kind of want to enjoy yourself, get a coffee, listen to like the Liz Moody podcast and just walk around, feel stuff, try stuff. It can be kind of fun. You don't believe me. I have like a 30 second tolerance for shopping. Like I'm like, oh, that store looks fun. I walk in and then I'm like, okay, I'm tired.

What is it? It's just like it's tiring. I just find it overwhelming. Like my favorite store is essentially the experience I had with my stylist, which would just be like a rack of clothing that was picked out for me. Okay. Yes. Then it's done. I just find it really overwhelming. Okay, I want to get into some listener questions. Okay. And this goes with the consignment store thing, actually. So here's one.

I want to dress sustainably, but it costs so much and I don't have time to thrift for hours. What are your tips? The most sustainable thing you can do is shop your closet. So I feel like the first place to look is in your closet, what do you have? And I think if you want to be like a sustainable shopper, I think it's more about, well, obviously it's about buying things that ethically made and if when you can vintage. But I think another part of it is being really thoughtful. And like even if you're going to buy something from Zara, you can approach it with the same thoughtfulness as you would approach buying something really expensive. We should not be looking at clothing as stuff that is like for one season or disposable, you know? So I think that

the best way is kind of just having like a thoughtful eye. And again, thinking of things as investments in terms of money, of course, but also investments in time. We have to invest time looking for the piece. Then we also have to invest time in thinking of new ways to wear it. So I think just approaching shopping in a way that feels thoughtful. Yeah, I love the idea of thinking of the cost of the item is less the physical price, but like this is a thing that was made that I'm consuming and treating it with that respect as such. Even if it's from like H&M and I know people have all different thoughts about fast fashion, but I do feel like, again, I have things from Zara that I've had for like 15 years. And it's because I bought them because I was like,

oh, I'm going to love this forever. Not just being like, oh, this is kind of a fun Zara thing. I'll just get rid of it. What are your thoughts on the clothing rental services? I like that. I really like that. Yeah. I like it too because I feel like it lets me play with my style in a way that I wouldn't if I had to commit to purchasing a piece. Yeah. You can take some risk and you can try it, wear it, play. And if you want to buy it, you can. But I like the idea that you can just kind of like experiment a little more. Yeah, I wear stuff. I would never. ever by. Oh, I love it. Okay. I feel uncomfortable in my body after kids. I don't know where to start and I don't know my style. Any advice it's appreciated. Yes, I find I have so many new mothers as clients because it's like

the shift in identity, of course, like the change in body and lifestyle. The things that were important to you, just priorities shift. Where I would start is looking at what is it that I'm actually grabbing every day, even if it's like leggings or even if it's like a look to go to the park, what is it that is feeling comfortable to me and comfortable with my body? Because I know people like, I have nothing to wear. It's like, well, you're not naked. So you're wearing something. So like, what are those things? And figure out again, how can I elevate these things, even in the smallest way, even if I'm just wearing leggings and a sweatshirt all the time, maybe I'm going to add like a sock with a sneaker and a cool necklace and like a cool crossbody bag. Then you'll

feel more elevated and you'll begin to start to find yourself and to kind of figure out where you want your style to go. But don't be hard on yourself. Give yourself time to settle into like that new identity and figure out what are my new routines. How does my body feel? Like, what feels great on my body and then kind of go from there? That reminds me. I didn't get your tips on where to buy jewelry. Oh, okay. Where to buy jewelry. I mean, jewelry is hard because there's like the majority kind of and then there's like the really, really expensive. Yeah. I mean, again, vintage is a great option. Some of my favorites are completed works. That's like a little bit more on the expensive side, but those pieces are so cool. And I feel like you would like them. There's a kind of like a slightly like boho, like organic kind of

feeling to them. And they feel like they're not cheap price wise or like material wise. Bagatiba is another one that's, it's sort of majori-ish, but like it feels like there's a little bit more kind of interesting feeling to them. Laura Lombardi, she's like a Brooklyn-based designer. She does incredible hoops, really good chain necklaces. Who else? Pamela Card, I think she's Canadian. And she does like really cool pendants. Ooh, Agmus, A-G-M-E-S. They do, like, for example, for our fictional person that has really comfortable clothes but wants something like a little bit more like sharper tailored, they have like really cool pendants and cool hoop earrings that feel like kind of sharp and like architectural. So those are all my faves. Where do you recommend starting if you

look in your wardrobe, you hate basically everything. You want to start up-leveling, but you don't have the money to just go buy a bunch of new pieces. How do you know which one is going to make the biggest difference. It's a really good question. I would really look at your regulars or the things that you wear all the time. And I would just like start to expand on that. Again, like sometimes when we look in our closet, it can be overwhelming because there's so much there. But if you really just take out the pieces that you're wearing all the time and be like, okay, these are kind of my formulas. This is what I'm wearing five days a week. What could make this feel a little bit more interesting? Maybe it's like a great belt. Maybe it's like a cool

sweater for the fall. Really, I want you to like look at what you're actually wearing to then figure out how can I elevate this a little bit? Maybe you're wearing like a ton of jeans and none of them feel quite right. Maybe that's a place that you want to invest. Like if you're wearing a bunch of jeans, they don't feel great. Maybe invest in jeans. Do you have any tips on like the flip side? I feel like I buy so many things and I'm like, this is going to be the piece I'm going to love forever. And then like in two months I'm like, what is this? I hate it. How do we avoid that? Oh, it's so hard. One thing I will say about that is I do that too and I beat myself up because I wasted money as somebody who loves I'll put a lot of pressure on clothes. Like you said, I'll be like, this is the thing that's going

to change my life, my wardrobe, everything. This is the piece that like, I'm going to get this and everything's going to be changed. It's like, that's never going to happen. We cannot put that much pressure on our clothing. And I feel like when that happens and we'll either get it and we don't like it and we don't like it and we still keep it, that's also really disappointing. I think that we have to give ourselves a little bit of grace there and be like, you know what, I'm not wearing this. I'm going to donate it. I'm going to sell it. I'm going to let it. let it go. I love clothes so much that I feel bad when I'm not wearing them. Like, I feel sad for them. So that makes it easier for me because I'm like, okay, I'm not giving this top the life that

it deserves. It deserves to have some fun. And it's just sitting in my stupid closet. So that makes me feel like a little bit more empowered to donate it or to sell it. So I'm like, somebody needs to wear it. And I know I'll get upset at myself sometimes if I spend too much money. But I feel like we have to kind of like take the L's and be like, we're moving on. Because again, I'll still. I'll see clients who are like, I have this and I don't like it, but like, how should I style it? But then they'll put it on. They're like, I'm like, I can tell you don't like it. You know what I mean? So it's like, let's just not, why do we have to make that work? We don't, really. Yeah, I love that. Okay. Can you leave us with just one homework assignment, something we can do when we turn off the podcast today to feel like

our most fashionable self? I'll give you a few. I'm a really mean teacher. We're going to have a lot of homework. First is from this moment on, gather inspiration. When you see something, screenshot it, put into like an inspo folder, you'll be amazed at like how clear your style becomes or your preferences become when you see all your inspiration together. The other thing I will say is clean out your closet, organize your closet. I think that a lot of times we feel really dissatisfied with our closet because we open it and it's messy and it's like not really aesthetically pleasing. So we'll open it. We're like, this all sucks. Let's close this and let's go shopping. But I feel like if we organize our closet, like a store that we want to go shopping at or like a place that feels beautiful and safe and loving and great, then we'll open up our closet doors and be like, I'm happy to see you. I will wear this shirt. I will also say you have great practical tips for the process of cleaning out your closet in your book. Yes. Oh, thank you. Yes. Because it's really important. And I know that we're busy and it's tough, but I really do think that like taking pride in this space because your closet, it is a space and it should be like a sacred space.

that you love. So taking pride in this space and the way that you clean it and the way that you take care of it. It should be like a reflection of you and it should feel like a safe and inviting space and not a scary and triggering one. Well, I'll give you one more. Okay, if you're not sure what your style is, starting today, just for one week, take a picture of your look every single day. That will be very illuminating. We'll learn something. You'll learn something. Yeah. Amazing. Can you tell us a little bit in your own words about your amazing book and also where to find you on the internet? Yes. So on the internet, I'm Alison Bornstein 6 on Instagram and on TikTok. Wait, who is Allison Bornstein one? Or do you just? I don't know. I don't know. Recently,

my friend was like, you know, I think you could just change it to Allison Bornstein. I'm like, I feel like it could be time. So on both TikTok and Instagram, Alison Bornstein 6 and my website's Alisonborncy.com. And you can get my book on my website. And I have all the different retailers where you can get my book. And my book is really a guide to help you approach your stuff. and approach your closet as a place of self-expression and as a place of joy. And all the things we talked about, like, really, this is a tool that you can use to feel like the person that you want to feel like every day. And I feel like your book breaks that down in such a pragmatic and actionable way.

And I absolutely loved it. I'm so happy to be here. Thank you. Okay. So many unlocks with this episode. First of all, I love my new three words. If you're listening and you create your own three words, please, please, please tag me and Allison on Instagram because I want to hear them. I love the idea of bringing pieces of the

vibes that you like into outfits while still feeling comfy and happy in the parts of your body that you're highlighting. I love all of the store recommendations. I've already browsed some of these online and they are such good stores, especially the jewelry ones. I love the idea of seeing fashion as a tool for self-discovery and self-actualization. If you enjoyed this episode, definitely check out Allison's beautiful book, wear it well, reclaim your closet, and redisement discover the joy of getting dressed. I cannot recommend it enough. And it would also be such a good gift book if we're already shopping for the holidays. And if you love the episode, please give it a quick rating review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or share a link on your social or with a friend or

family member. Friends, do not let friends not have the information that they need to feel as cute as possible. If someone shared a link with you and you are new to the podcast, welcome. I am so glad that you're here. Make sure you're following on whatever platform you like to listen on. All you have to do is go to the main podcast page. That's the one that lists all of the Liz Moody podcast episodes. And you'll see the word follow under the logo on Spotify. And then there's a little follow with a plus sign button on the top right of that same page on Apple Podcasts. This way, you will not miss out on any new episodes. They will appear right in your feed every single Wednesday. And you do not want to miss out because we have some very exciting ones coming up,

including an episode all about how we can get the best quality sleep of our lives, and another with the great Eve Rodski getting into the nitty-gritty of dividing up household labor and balancing mental load. And remember to go to lizmoody.com slash tour so you can come hang out with me on tour. It will be truly one night to change your life. Okay, I love you, and I will see you next Wednesday on the next episode of the Liz Moody podcast. I very rarely get jay. genuinely excited about skincare, but this is one of the most innovative products that I have come across in years, and I am so obsessed with it. I've been telling all of my friends to get it, so now I need to tell you guys. Here's some science first. Your skin isn't just getting older.

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