Evolving your style is the name of the game, and in this episode, we dive deep into the world of fashion, addressing the all-too-common wardrobe dilemma: feeling like you have nothing to wear despite a closet full of clothes. We chat about the importance of visibility in your wardrobe—if you can't see it, you can't wear it! Plus, we tackle the fun yet tricky terrain of trends, encouraging listeners to think critically about what to keep, evolve, or just say goodbye to. With insights from my fabulous supermodel friend Kathy Douglan, we explore the magic of accessories and how they can transform even the simplest outfits into something extraordinary. So, let’s not just reinvent but rather evolve our personal styles as we embrace who we are today!

Takeaways:

1. Evolving your style is more about gradual changes rather than complete reinventions every decade.
2. Feeling like you have a packed closet but nothing to wear is a common experience for many women.
3. Comfort should always take precedence over style; no one wants to suffer for fashion, right?
4. Shopping can be a confidence booster if approached mindfully, focusing on needs rather than impulse buys.
5. Accessories play a crucial role in personal style; they can elevate even the simplest outfits significantly.
6. The importance of editing your wardrobe regularly cannot be overstated; it helps you identify what you truly love.

It's not so much about, like, reinventing as much as it is evolving. As long as you feel amazing in it, wear it.

I feel like I have nothing to wear. So many women feel like that.

That's because you can't see anything. If you don't see it, you can't wear it. Let's not forget, like, I wear your accessories are just as important as, like, the clothing.

Do you like going shopping?

I can't be hangry. I have to have eaten and I have to have a coffee and I can shop all day long.

So my supermodel friend Kathy Douglan is back. Hi, Kathy.

Hi.

Are you ready to play a little game?

Always.

You are always up for it, my friend.

Okay, let's go. Let's do it.

Let's do it. Okay, this one is called Style Signals. Keep it, kill it, or evolve it. So I will give you a prompt. And so basically you keep it is like, great.

It's like, you know, you want it in the closet. Kill it, obviously, is like, bye, bye. And evolve it. You might give it a second look. You might see there might be some potential there.

Okay, let's go. This is good.

All right. Buying trends, because they're everywhere online.

Kill it.

Kill it. Like, don't just fall into a trend. Cause you see it somewhere, right?

Yeah. I mean, like, trends are fun. They can be fun. But like, if I had to give it one thing, I'd say kill it. But now I'm like, no, I'm gonna go with my.

It's hard. It's hard because it's fun to like, dabble with the trends. But I think you have to really know your limits. So I feel like you.

You have the opportunity to evolve it. Yeah, you can, like, calibrate. You got to calibrate, like, what works for you. Don't just buy the.

Don't buy the 4 inch heel because you think it's cool, because you're probably not going to wear it because it's going to hurt like a mofo.

Yeah, totally.

Or whatever. You know what I mean? Like, just know, like, your limits.

Yeah. What about, you know, when we get served all of these TikTok ads and like, Instagram ads for like, clothes and like, accessories.

Like, how do we even, like, wade through that? Because I feel like every time I open up my app, I'm like, you know, some.

A brand that I've never heard of pops up and it's like, you know, they're just showing all these pieces. Do you think it's ever a good Idea to like, you know, try one of those.

I mean, truth be told, I, I have, I, I very rarely do. I really rarely have. But I did once and I actually was like really pleasantly surprised. What was, was Rus Sophie?

Oh.

And it was actually awesome. And I, I like to look at, I look at that brand.

It's a young brand and you know, I, I love discovering new up and coming brands and not everybody can afford, you know, big splashy marketing campaigns. So like sometimes you can find a gem online, you know, so I think like, look at fabric content. Look, you know, like, like check it out.

Like you'll, you have to like consider all the, all the things, you know, what, what is it made out of? You know, what is the price point? What's the fit look like?

You know, if you have to look at a bunch of pictures and then trust your gut, you'll know if it's like, if it's a stretch, like, you know, I'd say pass, but I was like that I found this brand. So.

Feeling like you have a packed closet but nothing to wear.

Kill it.

Yep.

You've got to kill, kill, kill. Goes back to the first step. Edit.

God, why do we so many women feel like that? I, I do too. I walk in my closet, I'm like, I have so much but like, I feel like I have nothing to wear.

That's because you can't see anything. Yeah, you can't see anything when you can't see what you.

Trust me, if you took out every single sweater and you like, if you took out every single sweater, you'd be like, oh my God, I, I didn't even remember I had that sweater. And like, you know what I mean? Like, if you don't see it, you can't wear it.

It actually process too will really help with like over buying because all of a sudden you're like, wait, I have 14 striped T shirts. You're not going to like hit the add to cart on the next strike. Sure. When you see how many you have, you know what I mean?

And I never met a stripe I didn't like. Believe me, like, I love stripes. Like, I don't need 15. So yeah, I'd say edit. There's, there's so much good that comes out of getting rid of it.

And I think I. After experiencing the Palisades fire.

Oh, right.

And like not having my wardrobe, it actually becomes abundantly clear, like what I don't need and what I do need. Do you know what I mean? So like, I'd say edit, you'd be surprised how much you actually don't wear.

You know, just to touch on that briefly, because it is, you know, obviously a lot of people were affected by the Palisades fire. Were you able to go back in? And like, I know your house didn't burn down thankfully, thank God.

But like, were you able to salvage even what had been damaged by, you know, smoke and ash and like all that kind of stuff?

I mean, we were, I mean, I was able to take some things, but really it's tricky because you, you sort of are battling like insurance reasons why you can't take things out and then there's the remediation thing, reasons why you don't take things out. So like, and there's so much documentation that has to happen.

And so you sort of just like get to a place where you're just taking the things, you know, you need or really, really want.

So like, all the things that like you're, you would want to like, potentially have are just still sitting there and like, you don't, you don't know if it's going to get clean or not going to get clean or if it's going to like still smell like smoke or if it's, or if it is going to, you know, be wearable. So I don't know. It's kind of a. To be. To be continued. It's a process.

You sort of, you sort of had to start over with your wardrobe.

Right.

Like after you guys left the house, essentially.

Yeah. And then we did grab stuff. Like we've gone in a handful of times and grabbed some things.

And I think like, I got to a place where I'm like, you know what, I don't care. I'm just going to have a dry cleaned, have it like fire.

There's like a process that they, that they clean it because I love it and I'm not going to throw it out, you know, kind of a thing, but I don't know if it's the safest thing to do. But, but I did and. But yeah, you are starting over. And I feel like for many of my clients it was starting over. So that's an interesting.

That's a whole nother, whole nother conversation about, you know, starting a wardrobe over from scratch.

Yeah. I mean, the emotions, but it's also awesome. Yeah, it's kind of like you get a fresh start basically. Right.

I mean, you get a fresh start and it's so fun. It's really fun. And you can actually be like, you know what I want to do Things a little bit differently this time.

And, you know, I'm not going to just, like, buy to buy. I'm going to, like, really try to like, curate, like, special pieces and, like, really, you know, make sure that all the things that I.

That I buy make sense and that they're unique and that I can wear them. You know, I always try to encourage. There's, like, another process with that. But, like. Yeah, that's. That's actually been.

It's been a lot of work, but it's good work, and it's been fun for I think, the clients that have, you know, that I've worked with on that.

No doubt you've been super helpful, I'm sure. Okay, next prompt. Neutral Basics only.

That's. That's. Keep it. But not only. Right? Not only. No, I think, like, for me, base basics is like a. Is, like, a few things. Like, it's like white, black.

So, no, it's definitely not neutral. I mean, but black could be considered neutral.

Like, I think it's more like basics are basics, and there's, like, a handful of colors that kind of, like, are the basics. It's like the white, the cream, the gray, the black, the navy, the tan. That, to me, is, like, basics.

Yeah, that's, like, kind of the palette, I feel like. Right.

Yeah. Yes. Yeah.

Yes.

That's palette. So you keep that.

Yep. Feeling too old for something you love.

Kill it. I mean, kill it. You should definitely not. As long as you feel amazing in it and you. You, like, look like you feel great in it. Wear it. Wear it.

Why the fuck not, right?

Yeah, wear it.

Comfort over style or style over comfort?

Comfort over style.

Okay. Always.

I think, like, we've all worn things that were cool but super uncomfortable, and I think. I think it's just, like, you feel uncomfortable the whole time, and it's so annoying. Like, I think you can have style and feel comfortable.

I think you can have them both. You just have to be willing to look for it, you know? I don't. It's like buying a pair of shoes that you love, and you're like, ah.

But they didn't have the nine, so I'm gonna buy the eight and a.

Half and shove my foot in that thing. Right.

At what point is that ever gonna feel good? And then you know what? You're pissed because now they're in the closet and you don't want to wear them because they hurt.

Yes. But you don't let them go, though, either. And it's crazy, right?

Yeah. Because you just spent all that money on that beautiful shoe that doesn't fit. So I'd say comfort, comfort over style.

But I think you can have them both.

Yes. Yes, 100%. Shopping as a confidence boost.

I don't know. I don't know about that.

I feel like if you're shopping because you need things or you want to have a fun day shopping, like, I feel like it always makes people feel good so long as they're doing it for the right reasons. Right.

If you, like, can't afford to be shopping and then you shop, you might have confidence in the moment that you're at the store, but then you come home, you feel bad that you spent the money. You know what I mean? There's, like, a couple. There's, like, layers to that one.

But I think, like, buying things you need and buying the things that look good on you is definitely a confidence boost.

Do you like going shopping?

I love shopping.

It's so fun, right?

But I have to have. I have to be. I can't be hangry. I have to have eaten, and I have to have a coffee, and I can shop all day long.

All day.

I have opened Harrods, and I have closed Herods in London, and I've closed Demons.

That is so. It is, like, not a lot.

That's like. Those are some crazy days.

I mean, two of the best places. You could do that, too.

Harrison has a lot of ground to cover, and I literally, I. It was dark when I got there and was dark when I left. That is so weird. That is a weird thing to experience.

It's like an Olympic sport. I mean, when you're good at something, you're good at something, you know?

Just wear your sneakers, girl.

Oh, my God. Heron's alone. You could make that like a week. I mean, you could, like, stretch that out. There's so much to look at.

It's so much. But the food, the food. Little department section. Like, little. It's not little. It's like, oh, you just whiz by. Oh, my God. Chocolate.

That'll keep me going another, like, two hours.

Easy, easy. And then you have a little champagne break at the champagne bar for a minute, you know, and you get back on it. I mean, it's so good.

Yeah, I can shop all day, no problem.

The best. The best. Reinventing your style every decade.

Ooh, fun, fun.

Okay, so is that kind of a good guideline to have, like, do you think, like, every decade, you should kind of be looking into your personal style a bit and seeing what you can kind of play With.

I think it goes back to the edit. It goes back to, like, are these pieces that I like, like, okay, I'm wearing all this? Or, oh, I'm not wearing any of that.

I thought that was a good idea, but actually, I don't think it's not. Maybe I'm going to try this silhouette now, you know, like, so I think, like, I. I like to do an edit once a year.

You know, I like, just sort of, like, clearing things out. Can you imagine how much accumulates in 10 years? I think it's not so much about, like, reinventing as much as it is evolving. Evolving.

You know, like, I think style, like, your personal style evolves over time because your priorities change. You know, like, there's, like, things about your life that change. So I think it's a gradual. A gradual exercise. I don't think it's a.

It's, like, measured in decades, you know?

That's a good point, too. I like the. The way you're saying it about it evolving instead of totally reinventing.

Because there are certain staple things, things which I'm sure we all have that, like, you are always going to have in your closet.

Like, I'm always going to have, like, you know, a good jean and a good T shirt, you know, and, like, pieces like that or, like, a red lipstick or, you know, whatever that is. Like, there are certain things that are always going to be a part of your personal style. Right.

Also, like, let's not forget, like, eyewear.

Yes.

You know, like, these. These things. This is like, there's so much that changes over time.

And, like, you want to, like, your accessories are just as important as, like, the clothing. And, you know, I think also people. Actually, I think people underestimate the power of accessories.

You know, I think, like, you know, the, you know, the perfect sunglass or, like, or a lens or the shoe or the bag. You could be wearing, like, a simple sweater and jeans and, like, it changes the whole outfit. You know, like, there's a.

There's a lot of magic that can happen with the white accessories. So it's not just about the clothing.

I agree. And you know what? So many of us, we're readers now, too, so it's important. Right?

Yeah. And you can have fun. You can have fun with that.

Yes. I like all the different colors and shapes and, you know. Right. And people should not be. Yeah, right. Play with it. Like, try. See what works. Right.

Right. It's low commitment. Right. Because you can. Readers are, like, not as expensive. Well, you're lucky that you're still in a reader.

I have, like, progressive.

These are progressives. I was like, this is a game changer.

I know, right?

Yes, totally. I'm like, wow. It's like a whole new world.

Yeah, totally.

I can actually. Good.

I can see.

Totally, totally.

I know.

It's what we have to do. Post 40. The eyes start going and then they just don't come back.

I know, but yeah. So accessories. It's fun. Enjoy that. It's cute. I love your glasses. You always have cute glasses.

Thank you, honey. I'm like, these are like the little Warby Parkers. Great store to try, try out different, you know, colors and frames and all kinds of things.

So.

Yes, exactly, exactly, exactly. Well, my friend, I am so thankful that you came on the show. This has been so fun.

So fun.

So fun. Will you just remind everybody where they can find.

Find you Style V play Instagram or style v play.com. should we spell it? Yeah.

Yes. Yes, do.

Style, S, T, Y, L, E. You should all know how to spell that. And V play, V, P, L, A, I, T. Very French.

We love that. We love that. And you guys go back and listen to Tuesday's episode, the full episode with Kathy because it is great.

We, you know, personal style and reinventions and life changes and identity through style and just so many great things. And she gives us a little bit about her previous life as a supermodel. So you don't want to.

Not a super.

So supermodel.

No.

I love it. I love it. I love living through the stories. I'm like, so fun. The golden age.

Yeah. Some good stories, that's for sure. We don't talk about. Exactly.

That's offline.

Everybody out there, don't forget to rate, subscribe and comment on your favorite podcast app so more women can find the show and we can have more of these great conversations. Thank you for joining us for the iconic midlife.

Bye.

Bye.