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Let's Get DressedHow Atiya Walcott Found Her Personal Style Through Theater, Movement, And Movie Wardrobes
Let's Get DressedHow Atiya Walcott Found Her Personal Style Through Theater, Movement, And Movie Wardrobes
How Atiya Walcott Found Her Personal Style Through Theater, Movement, And Movie Wardrobes
Update: 2024-11-12
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Description
Atiya Walcott is one of my fashion heroes, so her signature phrase, "I'm Atiya Walcott and I'm incredibly fashionable," couldn’t be more fitting. Based in Chicago, the fashion creator has built a following around her wearable yet eye-catching style, shot and shared in a format that will stop you mid-scroll and make you hit save within seconds. Her styling videos are cinematic, filmed in her stunning home with 20-foot ceilings, with each shot crafted with the precision and creativity of a seasoned film director. In this episode, Atiya and I dive into blending her love of theater, movement, and fashion, the journey of finding your niche, and her style inspirations that range from her mom’s closet to Pride and Prejudice.
Follow Atiya on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/atiyawalcottfits/?hl=en and TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@atiyacwalcott?lang=en
Love the show? Follow us and leave a review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. To watch this episode, head to YouTube.com/@LivvPerez
For more behind-the-scenes, follow Liv on Instagram, @LivvPerez, on TikTok @Livv.Perez, and shop her closet here https://shopmy.us/livvperez
Sponsored by:
Birdy Grey: You asked, and here they are - the perfect bridesmaid dresses! Visit www.birdygrey.com now to get your first 5 swatches for free with code LGD
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Produced by Dear Media
This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Transcript
00:00:00
- The following podcast is a deer media production.
00:00:04
(upbeat music)
00:00:07
- Hi guys, welcome back to another episode of Let's Get Dressed.
00:00:10
It's your host, Lib Press.
00:00:12
Today's guest is truly one of my fashion heroes.
00:00:15
Her name is Atea Walcott, and she is a Chicago-based fashion creator who has built a following around her wearable yet very eye-catching style.
00:00:24
But it's not just her style that will stop you in her tracks.
00:00:27
All of her styling videos are shot and shared in a format that I promise will make you stop mid-scroll and hit save instantly.
00:00:35
Her styling videos are beautifully cinematic.
00:00:37
They're filmed in her standing home with 20-foot ceilings, and each shot is crafted with the precision and creativity of honestly a seasoned film director.
00:00:46
Every time I see one of her posts, I feel like I'm seeing a gorgeous mini-movie about fashion.
00:00:50
If you don't follow her before you start listening to this episode, I highly recommend it.
00:00:55
She's one of my favorite follows.
00:00:57
In this episode, Atea and I dive into what goes into blending her love of theater, movement, and fashion.
00:01:04
The journey of finding her niche and building a brand that is instantly recognizable through 1,000 scrolls and her style inspirations that range from her mom's closet to even pride and prejudice.
00:01:15
I hope you guys love the episode.
00:01:17
Let's go get dressed with Atea Walcott.
00:01:19
Welcome to Let's Get Tress.
00:01:22
- Thank you so, so, so much for having me.
00:01:25
You are what I like to call one of my fashion heroes.
00:01:28
So I am absolutely thrilled to have you on the show.
00:01:31
Your content is content that I truly look forward to seeing every time you post.
00:01:37
It's just so creative.
00:01:38
And I really admire creators that like have a niche and like an aesthetic that's true to them, and you're one of those people.
00:01:44
So equally as thrilled to have you on the show today.
00:01:47
- Thank you so much.
00:01:48
I feel so honored.
00:01:49
That was like so sweet.
00:01:50
Keep casting me up, like I said.
00:01:51
- You say we've got 50 minutes of me casting you up.
00:01:54
So, that's what I'm good at.
00:01:55
That's what the show's about.
00:01:57
Gasting up my girls.
00:01:58
- I love the show and I'm so happy to be here.
00:02:00
- Thank you.
00:02:01
I mean, this outfit, I love, walk me through it.
00:02:04
What are you wearing?
00:02:05
- Okay, what I'm wearing today.
00:02:06
So the top is this blouse that I love and wear all the time.
00:02:09
It's from me and M.
00:02:11
And one of the best parts of this job is meeting new brands that I otherwise wouldn't have heard of unless they didn't reach out to me honestly.
00:02:19
Doesn't happen all the time, but with this brand it did.
00:02:21
So this is me and M with a little cash mirror ever laying scarf on top.
00:02:25
This hat I'm obsessed with.
00:02:27
It's like my current fixation.
00:02:29
I just throw it on every outfit and I'm like, now it's complete.
00:02:32
It's called, the brand is called Russ and they are out of Spain and they do knitwear primarily, but I love this hat.
00:02:39
And then what else is pleated skirt from Aritzia, fried and shrew classic.
00:02:43
And then some falsie Vita heels.
00:02:46
- So good.
00:02:47
Me and M is very underrated in my opinion.
00:02:50
- So underrated and so chic.
00:02:52
- So chic.
00:02:53
- But not pieces you would find everywhere.
00:02:55
You know what I mean?
00:02:56
They seem unique and just clearly designed there and I just love everything they do.
00:03:01
- Very design heavy.
00:03:02
Definitely a little bit higher of a price point, but you're paying for that design aesthetic.
00:03:06
It's not just a simple pair of trousers.
00:03:08
It's like a pair of trousers with a great piping on the side.
00:03:11
There's something different.
00:03:13
I too have only heard about them because they reached out to me, but since then I've been a fried and shrew fan.
00:03:17
- Fried and shrew fan.
00:03:19
- And then also I agree the price point is pretty high, but I will say great quality.
00:03:24
So if you like one of their pieces, anyone listening, definitely save it.
00:03:28
And then I think it's a great investment.
00:03:30
What do you think?
00:03:31
- Completely agree, completely agree.
00:03:33
Like I saw just the other day they had this beautiful, their fall winter look look is really good.
00:03:37
And I was just looking through it the other day.
00:03:39
There's like a great like hunter green best moment with like a matching pair of like green corduroyes.
00:03:44
And I was like, yeah, that's exactly what I want to be wearing.
00:03:47
Like that's it.
00:03:48
They do a good job of curating the look completely.
00:03:50
I'm like, I'll take it exactly how you styled it.
00:03:53
Thank you.
00:03:54
- And you know what?
00:03:54
I find that really where these days.
00:03:55
There's not a lot of places that I'm looking and I'm like, I want that whole thing.
00:03:58
They do that very well.
00:03:59
- I agree.
00:04:00
And I work with a lot of brands.
00:04:02
That do a lot of like great basics.
00:04:04
And I do see, you know, some of them, of course, it's like the same piece on each website.
00:04:08
So I do think me and them is doing a good job of differentiating themselves in that department.
00:04:13
- You are not someone who I would immediately peg as like a basics girl.
00:04:16
I would love to know like where are you going for basics because I always come to you for like the look, the moment.
00:04:22
Like what am I wearing to like a fancy thing at night or like a place that I want to wear a standout outfit.
00:04:28
So where are you actually looking for basics?
00:04:30
- Okay, so I'm going to be really candid.
00:04:32
I don't even do much shopping right now.
00:04:35
Just because of the nature of the job.
00:04:36
But the basics that I love, banana republic, I love their basics.
00:04:40
They sent a cotton tea.
00:04:41
I'm like, this is the cotton tea.
00:04:43
Like this is thick.
00:04:44
It's so nice.
00:04:46
I put it in the wash and it's still nice.
00:04:47
And the stitching is the same and it's not falling out.
00:04:50
So yeah, I would definitely say banana republic or Ritzia.
00:04:53
So I counted this pleated skirt as a basic.
00:04:55
So that's not necessarily a basic, but it is just a gray skirt.
00:04:58
But it's really well made.
00:05:00
It's thick and it's nice.
00:05:02
But yeah, like, and I'm like this me and them.
00:05:04
Another basic, not a basic.
00:05:06
- No, the like, what's the word of the trim on the end?
00:05:10
Like a doily.
00:05:11
- Like a bull's-rooshing.
00:05:12
- Yeah.
00:05:13
Like not a mistake.
00:05:14
- But I also, I'm curious your thoughts on this.
00:05:16
Again, as someone who is like, you and I thrive on like the cereal overdressing.
00:05:20
I've found, as I've gotten older, that everyone has their own definition of a basic.
00:05:25
Like that is so true.
00:05:26
- To me, these like rich brown, like almost chocolate brown corduroy a basic.
00:05:32
But to someone else, they might be like that so far out of my realm.
00:05:36
I think as you get older and you like figure out what your closet is and like how it speaks to you, it's like figuring out what those basics are.
00:05:45
Definitely what your like core wardrobe is.
00:05:48
And then you build with accessories and stuff off of that.
00:05:51
- I want to get into how you get dressed every day because again, as a viewer, I get to see these like incredible, almost like cinematic moments that come to life on Instagram.
00:06:00
But for you, what is it like going into your closet in the morning, how are you getting dressed?
00:06:04
Are you picking a piece or is it like a vibe?
00:06:07
- I think it's both.
00:06:08
I think it's much easier to pick a piece.
00:06:11
And I hope I have a piece.
00:06:12
If I have a new piece, I'm like, yes, it's going to be so fun.
00:06:15
Today I got dressed just with all clothes that I have, no new pieces.
00:06:19
So I knew I went with the vibe.
00:06:21
I was like, I want to be chic and elevated, but still comfortable.
00:06:25
And so I started with this M&M top.
00:06:28
So that was like the piece that I did choose.
00:06:31
And then I tried on like 10 different outfits to like style around this.
00:06:36
And I'm sure at one point I even took off this top, put on a different sweater and it was like, go back to the first look.
00:06:41
It's always the first outfit that looks the best.
00:06:44
It's like completely agree.
00:06:46
It's always that first thing you pull out that you can try on a million other things, but you're always going to be like, why?
00:06:51
Why did I stray from that?
00:06:53
- Let's go back to that.
00:06:54
Why did I stray from that?
00:06:56
Your gut knows from the jump.
00:06:58
But you're always like, and maybe I can do something better.
00:07:00
But you know what a big pivotal moment for me was not having to reinvent the wheel every time you get dressed.
00:07:05
I think I saw that quote.
00:07:07
Someone was like, I don't have to reinvent the wheel every time I get dressed.
00:07:10
And I know I strive for that every time.
00:07:13
So I'm like, you know what, it's okay.
00:07:15
Take a skirt and a sweater and a scarf and go.
00:07:18
- We were talking about that two weeks ago on the board.
00:07:21
I can't have lost track of time.
00:07:22
But we were saying that I was like, you know, sometimes in the morning I feel like I really like feel that pressure to like put on a look or like look my best.
00:07:28
And it's like, it's fine.
00:07:30
Not every day is going to be your greatest hit.
00:07:32
I hate that feeling of going through 10 outfits in the morning.
00:07:34
We all have those mornings.
00:07:35
You had it this morning.
00:07:36
I'll probably have it this week.
00:07:38
But it's the worst feeling because then you leave the house feeling like stressed from that moment.
00:07:42
And it's like, in those moments I have to breathe and be like, it's okay.
00:07:45
Everything's fine.
00:07:46
Like worse comes to us, put the jeans and the tee on.
00:07:49
No one's like judging you while you're walking out the door.
00:07:51
It's okay.
00:07:52
- You know, Calvin Klein threw some jeans and a tee down the runway.
00:07:54
That's what we're doing today, you know.
00:07:56
- If they can do it, soak and wait.
00:07:58
- Yeah, exactly.
00:07:59
- They can do it, soak and wait.
00:08:00
But something gives me the feeling that like what you're wearing now is your versions of a jeans and tee.
00:08:04
- 100%.
00:08:05
You are so right.
00:08:06
And like, which circles back to what we're saying that everyone has their different set of basics.
00:08:10
This is like my basics.
00:08:11
I love an elevated basic.
00:08:13
And I actually have, we have a rack of clothes that are mine that lives in our living room because our studio is our condo.
00:08:20
So I feel so bad, Tim, such a trooper.
00:08:23
But we are about to like film a condo tour and we're gonna like hide all the clothes and the shoes that actually live out in the space.
00:08:30
- You gotta give people the fantasy.
00:08:31
I mean, come on.
00:08:32
Can't just be in the living room.
00:08:34
But I need to hear more about the space because I think that space for me was one of the first things that I was drawn to in seeing your content.
00:08:41
And something I really love is seeing creators on the internet have this thing that feels like they're staple.
00:08:46
It's like, okay, I'm swiping through.
00:08:47
And all of a sudden I see this like beautiful sage lime washwall and I know it's you and I'm like tapped in.
00:08:53
So is that your home?
00:08:55
Did it look like that before?
00:08:57
I know that you on YouTube have done a lot of renovations like talk to me about space that you're creating in.
00:09:02
- So we are creating in our home.
00:09:05
It's a condo and since this is our home, we can do whatever we want.
00:09:09
We're out of apartments, which is awesome.
00:09:11
And so we saw the condo online and we were actually living in LA at the time.
00:09:16
And then I was like, we need to live there.
00:09:18
Like if we created content out of that space, it would be iconic and the wall was white.
00:09:23
And it's just a normal condo in Chicago, which is sort of like an industrial style loft.
00:09:28
So that's the space.
00:09:30
The wall itself, I knew we were gonna paint that green since 2022.
00:09:35
I knew the paint, J H wall paints, lime washcolor 128.
00:09:39
If you want it, go get it.
00:09:41
It's a great paint.
00:09:42
And so we've had that picked out since 2022.
00:09:45
I saw it on TikTok.
00:09:46
I love you TikTok.
00:09:47
Thanks for all the inspiration.
00:09:48
And then I knew we were gonna paint it that.
00:09:51
And then once we did, I was like, we should add molding.
00:09:54
It would look better.
00:09:55
And Tim was like, these walls are 20 feet tall.
00:09:58
We can add molding and I'm like, we will add molding.
00:10:01
And then we did it together and lived with a scaffold in our apartment.
00:10:06
That was 20 feet tall for three months, which was chaos.
00:10:10
It was awful, but it was worth it because I really think now it's an established sort of look and set and is recognizable and more and more brands want to work with us because of it.
00:10:22
So it's like the greatest investment we ever did was building that wall, which probably took us like three to five months to complete between painting and putting up all the molding.
00:10:31
I love that you have that eye for seeing that because when I look at your content, you very much have an eye and a niche that you've fallen into.
00:10:42
And of course, whenever I've guessed on the show, I go all the way back and you weren't always doing that.
00:10:47
And that goes for everybody.
00:10:49
Like everybody has to find their footing.
00:10:51
I even think about Emily Mariko who was not posting what she's posting now two or three years ago.
00:10:56
She was posting something totally different.
00:10:58
And I get very excited when I see creators find their niche and excel in it.
00:11:03
So I wouldn't know what that experience has been like for you over the past three years of getting dressed, sharing your life, but there's a very strong artistry to what you're doing now.
00:11:13
Tell us a little bit about it.
00:11:14
- It definitely was a progression that evolved naturally over time.
00:11:20
It evolved to what it is today, which I would say is a fully functioning advertising business almost, but initially I was looking for something to do every day I was actually in grad school trying to find my way in life.
00:11:34
I knew I was an artist.
00:11:35
I studied film in undergrad and theater/acting in grad school.
00:11:40
And I started posting in my underwear at a t-shirt.
00:11:44
Okay, let's be fully candid.
00:11:46
My oldest TikToks are, the first OOTD actually is me saying, I just saw a quote and the person said, don't take yourself too seriously.
00:11:55
So I was taking content so seriously, but on YouTube doing a totally different thing.
00:12:00
And I thought, what do I do every day?
00:12:02
And I thought I wear clothes every day, like every day I'm in a t-shirt or something.
00:12:05
So I thought, okay, I'm gonna start posting my outfit in the very first outfit, which is still out there today, which is kind of mortifying is me in some haines, like box or brief underwear from Target,
00:12:17
and like a t-shirt.
00:12:19
And that's what my first like 20 videos were me in those haines underwear in a t-shirt.
00:12:25
How does that work?
00:12:27
Right, I just was forgetting to put on the rest of the outfit, but slowly over time, maybe after like 30 videos, I was like, let me try on my outfit.
00:12:35
I mean, I do have nice clothes.
00:12:36
Like, I don't have to wear pajamas.
00:12:37
Like, I could wear a sweater and some jeans.
00:12:40
So I started doing that.
00:12:42
And then every day I would just say, my name's Attia Walcott and I'm not, I wanna be in fashion, but I'm not that fashionable.
00:12:47
So I've decided to post an outfit every single day.
00:12:50
And I think I probably created about like 100 videos with that speech.
00:12:56
And after 100, the outfits were such that people were actually commenting, you're baiting by saying you're not fashionable.
00:13:03
Like, I didn't make the change to, I'm incredibly fashionable solely by choice, but people were reacting negatively because they're like, this is clearly a curated outfit.
00:13:12
Like, you're clearly trying.
00:13:14
Why are you saying you're not fashionable?
00:13:15
Is it just so people comment, you actually are fashionable?
00:13:19
So I made the switch to, I'm incredibly fashionable.
00:13:22
And it was so sweet.
00:13:23
The reactions, you know, the people who had been watching were like, I love to hear you affirm yourself now.
00:13:29
And now I work in fashion adjacent.
00:13:32
You know, I'm like an influencer.
00:13:34
So I wouldn't say, you know, I work at a fashion company, but it's really, really, really nice to get up and work as sort of making ads.
00:13:43
These wonderful artistic videos that Tim and I love to create or brands, it's truly a dream come true.
00:13:49
- A quick break from today's conversation to shout out the sponsor of today's episode birdie gray.
00:13:55
Winter wedding season is officially upon us.
00:13:58
And if you are still looking for some of those last minute items, like PJs for all the girls, maybe a little white dress for the after party, maybe something for your bachelorette.
00:14:07
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00:14:09
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00:14:12
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00:14:17
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00:14:20
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00:14:25
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00:14:35
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00:14:42
As I was mentioning, they're not just about bright made dresses either.
00:14:45
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00:14:50
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00:14:55
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00:14:58
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00:15:01
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00:15:09
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00:15:18
A quick thank you to our sponsor of today's episode, Cotton, Cotton's the fabric of now campaign, is challenging everyone to make the natural choice.
00:15:28
To give yourself enough room to breathe so that you can be more intentional in your everyday life and in what you wear.
00:15:34
To me, cotton as a fabric, it just feels like a giant hug.
00:15:38
It's the thing that I go towards every single morning when I'm getting ready to tackle my day because it's the thing that makes me feel most like myself.
00:15:46
It feels like a second skin.
00:15:48
Plus, it goes really well with everything in my closet and just makes dressing a breeze.
00:15:53
It's breathable and soft and comfortable.
00:15:56
And honestly, it feels like doing that thing that you need to do for yourself to get grounded after maybe say a really hectic month.
00:16:03
For me, that's going out in nature.
00:16:05
And whatever it is for you, it's that feeling of getting back to yourself.
00:16:10
I love to go out in nature, put my phone away, leave my laptop at home, be with my loved ones, and totally unwind.
00:16:16
I feel completely recharged after I do those weekends and it feels so natural for me.
00:16:21
It feels so good to leave those things behind and just get to the center of myself.
00:16:25
Maybe read a good book, play a couple board games.
00:16:28
That's really when I feel like my most self.
00:16:30
And it's the same way that I feel when I'm wearing cotton.
00:16:33
So cotton is asking all of us to recharge in your own way.
00:16:36
Maybe that means putting your phone down for a few hours a day or just going out with your friends for the night and being really present.
00:16:41
Whatever it is, you do you.
00:16:43
Find that thing that feels natural and makes you feel good.
00:16:46
Cotton is the natural choice.
00:16:47
Discover the fabric of now at thefabricofarlives.com.
00:16:51
Let's get back to the show.
00:16:52
I like the beginning that you said that you're an advertising.
00:16:55
I like that.
00:16:56
People ask me what I do.
00:16:58
And every time I find like with my husband and someone asks, I can see him look at me because he's like, how is she going to answer today?
00:17:04
[LAUGHTER]
00:17:05
That's like, and what do you say?
00:17:07
What do your normal like, she feels?
00:17:09
It usually depends on who I'm in front of.
00:17:11
If it's someone or age, I'll be like, I'm a fashion influencer.
00:17:14
I create a lot of content, a lot of educational content.
00:17:16
I have a podcast where I talk about styling and getting dressed every day and like, I'll go on and on and on until I feel good about myself.
00:17:22
[LAUGHTER]
00:17:24
If it's like someone that's a little bit older that might not, that might like make a face when I say influencer.
00:17:29
Sometimes I say I'm in fashion marketing.
00:17:31
And then they're like, oh, for who?
00:17:32
And I'm like myself.
00:17:33
Yeah.
00:17:34
And then they're like, I'm freelance.
00:17:35
You know, I run an agency.
00:17:37
No, totally.
00:17:37
That's exactly how I market it, you know, to my in-laws who are older, like my grandma, who don't really understand the social media space, I definitely say.
00:17:46
We essentially make advertisements or brands.
00:17:49
That's a great way of thinking about it.
00:17:50
I've seen so many incredible creators really run their social media accounts like a business.
00:17:56
And those are the ones that I gravitate towards the most, because you can see they're pouring their heart and soul into it.
00:18:01
And they really take what they do seriously and make it fun and make it engaging.
00:18:05
And I think it's important.
00:18:06
I love that resonates with you, because that's definitely how I am as a creator.
00:18:11
And I started this really with the intention of doing this as my job.
00:18:16
And I stumbled into fashion is what clicked for me.
00:18:19
I guess that's what I loved.
00:18:20
I didn't know it right off the top.
00:18:22
I feel like I've found something for the first time that I thrive in.
00:18:25
I've like, God, I went to film school.
00:18:27
I was not good.
00:18:28
Like, you know, some people make these movies and they could submit them to film festivals.
00:18:32
Mine was crap.
00:18:33
And then I went to acting school.
00:18:34
And I thrived in some areas.
00:18:37
Like movement class, A+ student, but like scene work, B-student, I just was not bringing my best self to other endeavors in life before this.
00:18:46
It wasn't the puzzle piece that fit.
00:18:48
Exactly.
00:18:49
And I remember when I was younger, and I genuinely, I really believe, and you're such a testament to that, like the power of manifestation.
00:18:55
You were saying, okay, I might not be fashionable, but then all of a sudden you got to be able to switch and say, I'm a T.O.
00:19:00
Welca, and I'm incredibly fashionable.
00:19:02
And I hear that every day on my TikTok and Instagram, and it's amazing.
00:19:05
When I was younger, I had so many odd jobs.
00:19:08
I worked at Teen Vogue in Entertainment.
00:19:10
I worked in the fashion closet.
00:19:11
I worked for Ryan Seacrest for a while.
00:19:13
I worked in PR, like I bounced around and nothing really felt like my thing 100%.
00:19:19
And now looking at my career and looking back at that, I took one little element from every single experience and put it in a blender and all of it applies to what I do today.
00:19:29
And it's interesting to hear you say, like theater and movement were things that you loved.
00:19:35
And like that, you said movement specifically was something you excelled at.
00:19:38
If you watch your videos, your videos are cinema.
00:19:42
There's something incredibly cinematic to them.
00:19:44
'Cause I'd love to hear how going to school for cinema and theater in the arts has played a role in your fashion career now.
00:19:51
- What I studied, studying theater, studying film, has impacted what we do so much.
00:19:57
And I think our end goal is actually still to be filmmakers.
00:20:01
And every day we add a little bit more filmmaking or a little bit more of a cinematic element to the video.
00:20:08
But I will say my husband who shoots all of my content, he is a movie lover.
00:20:12
When we met, he had this wall of DVDs and I just looked at him and I was like, we're gonna work out, like I've seen all of these.
00:20:19
We're just, we're both movie lovers.
00:20:21
And then I studied film.
00:20:22
So I think that's why that cinematic energy oozes through.
00:20:26
I think it has to do with the set design and I think it has to do with the lighting and Tim brings the lighting.
00:20:32
I feel like I brought sort of the set design in more of the vision.
00:20:36
But yeah, before I met Tim, I was shooting on my iPhone.
00:20:38
So I have to give props to my husband.
00:20:41
Everyone always asks, we shoot on a Lumix S1.
00:20:44
If anyone wants to know.
00:20:46
- Hope you guys are coming out.
00:20:47
- Which is the, I was like, - I know it's everyone.
00:20:50
- I think that is why it's so cinematic.
00:20:52
But I think because Tim and I are movie lovers, I think it oozes through.
00:20:56
It's not so intentional.
00:20:58
It's sort of something we can't avoid more so.
00:21:02
And then I think there was a time period where I was afraid to take myself seriously.
00:21:07
So I would try and be like, I don't know.
00:21:10
I was afraid to almost be like elevated to be chic to be refined.
00:21:14
I think I'm much more comfortable like acting goofy.
00:21:17
And so I think taking myself more seriously enabled the art to become more cinematic and to become more serious.
00:21:24
I wasn't trying to be funny.
00:21:26
I was trying to create art.
00:21:28
And it's okay if you take it seriously, even if it just lives on Instagram, quote unquote.
00:21:32
It's okay if it lives on Instagram.
00:21:34
That's a fabulous place to live.
00:21:35
But there just really is a new landscape.
00:21:37
So we do really make little mini fashion movies.
00:21:40
And so yeah, the combination of Tim's camera, our vision, and then taking ourselves a little bit more seriously has created more of this cinematic field that I think resonates with people and with brands.
00:21:53
- Something that keeps popping into my brain like you've said earlier in this episode that I wanna like dive into a little bit is that you said when you first started doing content, you didn't feel fashionable at all.
00:22:04
And then as you got into it, you now are addressing the way that you are right now, which is like impeccable.
00:22:10
Like truly refined, beautiful, elegant taste.
00:22:14
Was there something in that time that was helpful to get you to narrow down to what your personal style is?
00:22:20
- That's a great question.
00:22:22
I think what has transformed my personal style from when I started sort of during the pandemic to now is really stepping outside.
00:22:31
So when I started, it was the pandemic, we were at home.
00:22:34
So I was creating outfits and art only to live on the internet.
00:22:39
So I could wear a pair of red tights and like a top and I could wear an outfit that you could never wear walking around in a store, going out to dinner with a friend, going to an event with your parents.
00:22:49
So now that I'm in Chicago in this 2024, I go to events with my parents, I go to the store, I go out to lunch, I have lunches with friends.
00:22:57
So the outfits I wear that I actually feel comfortable being seen in outside of the house are now the outfits I put on the internet.
00:23:05
So it's the combination of sort of that avant-garde style that sort of inspires me and speaks to me with wearable clothes.
00:23:13
So I think it's more of like a wearable art is what I do now and I think that's what is now resonating.
00:23:20
- Yeah, I feel like that first image that I shared in an AMA of you when you and I first connected, like I can immediately go back to it.
00:23:27
It was like a beautiful kind of like draped white top with you are wearing like a navy v-neck sweater over it and this beautiful, like black midi skirt.
00:23:37
And I totally understand what you're saying here where it's like have those pieces that feel really wearable but all you really need in an outfit to stand out or make a statement is one good piece.
00:23:49
Like it's one amazing piece.
00:23:50
- Amazing thing, it doesn't need to be like the most complex outfit where it's like you're putting on a crazy top and a crazy skirt.
00:23:56
Like I found that some of my favorite outfits are an amazing blazer or an amazing top and just a pair of jeans under it or like what you were like what you were style that day which was like this beautiful,
00:24:08
flowy, very romantic skirt with something that feels pull or opposite which was like a very traditional v-neck sweater.
00:24:14
- It was like cash wear.
00:24:15
- I know exactly I was wearing this little tank top underneath and the tank top is sort of like just a white tank top.
00:24:22
Yeah, but it has this odd neck.
00:24:23
It's from Meshki has sort of this asymmetrical neck with banana republic cash wear sweater on top super soft but that skirt which is sort of the hero piece of that look is my favorite garment of clothing.
00:24:35
It's from a brand called Matapal Lady.
00:24:37
They are from Turkey but I love that skirt and I love that you only need one hero piece.
00:24:43
It's sort of like this me and them blouse and I'm wearing that has like just these green pointed kitten toe heels with that look.
00:24:49
I just love that it resonated.
00:24:50
I love that.
00:24:51
- Well, I think for me and I loved what you were saying earlier about fashion being the thing that you do every day.
00:24:57
Like what can I share every day that I do?
00:24:59
And for me that's really why I fell in love with fashion and why even now my greatest passion is sharing how to get dressed every day 'cause we all do it.
00:25:06
I don't care if you're a fashion lover, you have to get dressed every day to represent yourself in the world no matter who you are.
00:25:11
And I think a look like that is so universally understood because things that everybody has in their closet and it's just like one tiny level up to make you that much more fashionable.
00:25:22
That doesn't feel like this crazy avant-garde trendy thing that I have to like sell you on or like share with you.
00:25:27
But it's like, hey, instead of a black pair of slacks, try a skirt, try a green pump.
00:25:31
Like try something that just feels a little bit more dynamic and interesting and see how you feel.
00:25:36
- See how you feel because you might not feel so out there in it, but it still is a strong choice, like the pump of greener or something simple, but a strong choice like that.
00:25:47
There are no rules in fashion and that is one of my favorite things about fashion.
00:25:51
- Where are you getting fashion inspiration from?
00:25:53
Even thinking about that era where you were finding your personal style a little bit, where people in your family fashionable, I always like to go back through someone's history and be like,
00:26:04
where did that spark come from for you?
00:26:06
- Definitely, I would say my mom is fashionable.
00:26:08
She has a more maximalist aesthetic than me, but she has a major aesthetic.
00:26:13
She is very well dressed and she really cares about fashion.
00:26:18
And I remember growing up, she would buy all these vintage shoes, like Vintage Manolo Blonics, Vintage, everything from eBay.
00:26:25
And it's because that's what she could afford.
00:26:27
She was a lawyer, she was doing well, but I think she wanted to present at work.
00:26:30
She worked in downtown Manhattan.
00:26:32
She wanted to present really well, like she wanted to look very fashionable.
00:26:36
So I definitely owe a lot of my fashion sense to her.
00:26:39
And as I hear you watch things like the Real Housewives, I'm thinking, oh, that's Stella McCartney bag.
00:26:45
Like she saw that back in 2005 on this show.
00:26:48
And that's why it was so popular.
00:26:50
So I just love the way that film and television has also informed my style.
00:26:55
And I see how it's informed my mother's style and just people style in general.
00:26:59
And for my style, I think that I used to watch a lot of period pieces.
00:27:04
So now I'm realizing how that influence is in my aesthetic.
00:27:09
Like I pretty much dress like modern clothes styled in the way that a woman from a different era would wear them.
00:27:15
- Okay, give me a movie.
00:27:16
Like off the top of your head, what's a movie that you're like, I dress like that?
00:27:19
- Like I want to say Pride and Prejudice, but like this hairstyle, which you can't see right now, for example, but lately I'm addicted to plopping my hair on my head.
00:27:27
It's like I want to wear my hair down or just in a ponytail, but I almost feel incomplete somehow.
00:27:32
But I'm realizing like, okay, if I watch Pride and Prejudice, I see that they all have their hair pinned up with sort of like the tendrils framing the face.
00:27:40
So that's why I'm obsessed with that look.
00:27:42
The scarf, I keep draping the scarf.
00:27:44
I love a tone mint, different era.
00:27:46
Love you, Karen Eilie, different era, but like the fashion in actress changed my life.
00:27:51
- The green dress?
00:27:52
- Change my life, never forget it, never forget it.
00:27:54
- Goosebumps, I'm so glad you got it and relate.
00:27:57
- And I actually think that to this day, every time a new season comes out, I feel like a designer is trying to iterate on that dress in a new way.
00:28:05
They're always trying to get back to the essence of the green dress and a tone mint.
00:28:08
- I'm big on costumes though.
00:28:09
- I can see that and I can feel that in your ethos.
00:28:12
I do think that's so much of what we wear as inspired by what we see in TV and film.
00:28:15
- It's that mixed with how we want to feel.
00:28:18
I think I used to get inspiration actually from other influencers and I used to feel like inferior because they would dress more avant-garde than me.
00:28:26
I'm like, how can I do that?
00:28:27
Like, when I realized, know what?
00:28:29
You grew up how you grew up.
00:28:30
I went to like boarding school.
00:28:31
It outside of Boston.
00:28:33
My mom's a lawyer like I do, I am drawn to a corporate like a button up to a pleated skirt.
00:28:39
I'm drawn to that sort of business attire.
00:28:41
So I just sort of accepted like I am who I am.
00:28:43
My influences are my influences.
00:28:45
My aesthetic is my aesthetic.
00:28:47
There's value there.
00:28:48
It will resonate with people.
00:28:50
You don't have to be.
00:28:51
You don't have to dress like people who's aesthetics.
00:28:53
You love, you know?
00:28:54
I could appreciate without replicating.
00:28:57
- I actually feel like after this conversation, I'd start telling people to watch old movies and look at the fashion and see what inspires you and see if there's something that you can pull from there.
00:29:07
That isn't just maybe a copy paste of what you're seeing in the world today.
00:29:09
It's like everybody has something that resonates with them.
00:29:13
And I remember seeing Audrey Hepburn and that Givenchy dress for the first time and being like, oh my god, my whole world has changed.
00:29:21
And the way that I see myself in the mirror is forever changed.
00:29:23
The grace that I want to show up in the world as, that's it.
00:29:28
So I think everybody-- - I love that word grace.
00:29:30
- I think everybody needs to have one word that they feel connected to as they're getting dressed and showing up in the world every day.
00:29:37
It can be whatever it is.
00:29:38
Everyone has their own mind as grace, whether it's in the way that I dress, the way that I greet people, the way that I make people feel.
00:29:43
Like that's what I always want to embody.
00:29:45
- You definitely exude a graceful energy.
00:29:48
I see that.
00:29:50
My word is chic, which is funny because I'm not always chic.
00:29:53
I just want to feel chic whatever that is to me.
00:29:55
And I like that word because you can, that can be something different to every person.
00:29:59
I always feel like if I want to look chic but I'm always trying to level up, that I always want to feel my best self.
00:30:04
- 100%.
00:30:05
That's like me all the time.
00:30:07
My husband and I are going to go work on our condo after this, always renovating.
00:30:11
And I'm going to put on like a sweatsuit.
00:30:12
I still want to feel chic like I-- - It's going to be a chic.
00:30:14
I was going to say, wait.
00:30:15
- I still want to look cute.
00:30:15
- What's your chic sweatsuit?
00:30:17
Tell us now.
00:30:18
- Oh gosh.
00:30:19
I just got this like little Calvin Klein sweatsuit, which it just matches.
00:30:23
If something's matching, I feel more elevated.
00:30:26
- Monochrome, keep it matching.
00:30:28
Keep it slim.
00:30:29
- Monochrome.
00:30:29
- It's going to be the same color as this.
00:30:31
It's a monochrome little sweatshirt.
00:30:33
- Which is like a dusty- - And then we're all put like a cute sports bra.
00:30:36
And then I'll wear my PPE mask.
00:30:38
And then when my husband comes around, I'm like, okay, I'm just painting.
00:30:40
Like I'm so extra.
00:30:41
I thought bless him because I really am so extra.
00:30:45
I'm so much personality.
00:30:47
- I appreciate that so much.
00:30:49
I love people who embody their full personality.
00:30:51
I love when it comes out in the clothes.
00:30:53
And I appreciate that so much.
00:30:55
I think we need more of that in the world.
00:30:57
- Heck yeah.
00:30:58
- Yeah.
00:30:58
- I want to go back quickly to this Pride and Prejudice way of dressing because I love that you said that because you know that I'm always obsessed with.
00:31:05
You are like tights and sock selections.
00:31:07
You always have like beautifully colored, that's your thing.
00:31:10
Like every time I'm on your channel, you've got, yeah.
00:31:13
You've got like an epic pair of socks on.
00:31:15
You've got like a beautifully colored pair of tights.
00:31:18
Where are you finding all these?
00:31:19
I'm sure people will want to know.
00:31:21
- You can get them from Mango.
00:31:22
I've got to wish it was so much more exciting because on Mango, you can get them in green, blue.
00:31:27
- Every color you need right now.
00:31:29
And then the other place that I've gotten them is Amazon.
00:31:32
Gosh, I wish I had, I wish it was like Woolford.
00:31:34
Like I just have like not any, anywhere interesting but really mango and then lately I've been, I want to wear my red and my blue ones, but I've been like just wearing these black ones.
00:31:44
They just feel more refined to me, but I'm like, I'm going to find a way to incorporate the colorful tights, but yeah, that's definitely like a brand.
00:31:50
I didn't eat.
00:31:51
I just feel more put together when I feel those tights on.
00:31:53
I can't explain it.
00:31:55
And then maybe I'm less self-conscious if I don't have a brush pedicure or something like that.
00:31:59
- You have me every day.
00:32:01
- It's always function.
00:32:02
I feel like a function is involved in all of my looks like this hat.
00:32:05
It really is raining today, but I still wear it.
00:32:07
What is that raining?
00:32:08
- I want to ask you because you do live in a colder area than I do.
00:32:12
I'm in Los Angeles, but do you think that you're not styling the red and blue tights as much because it's harder to wear color in the winter?
00:32:18
A lot of people haven't asked me about this.
00:32:20
Like how do I keep color in my wardrobe without having to invest in like a really expensive coat that like has great colors to it?
00:32:27
How do I keep the colors going for the winter or colder others?
00:32:30
- Well, definitely the tights.
00:32:31
Definitely keep the colors going in the tights.
00:32:33
It's the perfect like pop of sunshine in the winter.
00:32:36
But you know what?
00:32:37
I've realized since moving from Los Angeles to Chicago, my entire color palette of my wardrobe has changed.
00:32:44
I wear only like graze, blues, blacks, and whites and like, earth tones now.
00:32:49
And it's so interesting.
00:32:50
And I guess part of it is not wanting to stand out.
00:32:54
I think that does play a role like when I just moved here, I remember I had like a lime green like all clava that I was wearing and I'm like no one is dressing like this.
00:33:03
So I'm standing out like a sore thumb.
00:33:05
So I think on a subconscious level, you don't want to stand out.
00:33:09
And then yeah, brands don't make a lot of non-expensive colorful outer coats and stuff like that.
00:33:14
So I've never thought about why in the winter you just wear dreary colors?
00:33:20
I don't know if it's like your mood is a little more dreary.
00:33:23
So you dress, you know?
00:33:24
I also think like obviously whether, whether permitting like wearing black, it's like if you get stuck in the rain or snow, like it's just the easiest color.
00:33:31
But I'm very pro like throwing a colorful scarf, throwing a colorful pair of tights.
00:33:35
Like do something to keep that color therapy going 'cause I really think that that if you are someone who gets like the seasonal depression and doesn't want to wear black all the time, it's like keep the colors going in your wardrobe will be really helpful.
00:33:46
Definitely, I love to throw in colors with my glasses.
00:33:49
And I feel like my mom has so many colorful glasses.
00:33:52
And yeah, that's another good way to get a pop color in there.
00:33:56
- We always close out the show by asking if there was one thing in fashion that you could change right now, what would it be?
00:34:02
- I feel like everyone says this, but slow it down.
00:34:05
I know eventually one day I want to start a brand.
00:34:07
It is not conceivable to me for me to show two times a year or even more than that, any resort or anything like that.
00:34:14
With like 30 pieces or 30 outfits, that is insane.
00:34:19
And on the one hand, I understand there's a market in a clientele that they're specifically marketing to and selling to who will buy a new outfit for every dinner.
00:34:27
But on the other hand, how do people have the creativity?
00:34:31
And I think that that's why a lot of burnout is happening and a while out of the big fashion houses.
00:34:36
They have a creative doctor for two years and then they're leaving because like us millennials and then the Gen Z, that's older.
00:34:42
We grew up with a different energy, which is not just like hustle and work through the pain.
00:34:47
It's sort of stop and self-care.
00:34:49
So that's what I would say is just slow it all down.
00:34:54
Why are we making so many clothes?
00:34:57
- How many?
00:34:58
- I could find 50 versions of one thing at any given point of time in the day.
00:35:02
- I sell them.
00:35:02
I'm saying all that just to go home and sell like 50 versions of the same gray sweater.
00:35:06
But you know, we're all trying.
00:35:09
- I'm gonna refute that by saying that there's something for everybody.
00:35:13
Everybody needs to get dressed every day.
00:35:15
Everybody needs to find a style that works for them and fits them and is in their price range.
00:35:20
And I think if you're being of service to people and helping them get dressed.
00:35:22
- Beautifully putt and I'm glad that you and I get to help people and be in service of that way because you know, your outfit can really impact your confidence and your mood.
00:35:32
So I just love what we get to do.
00:35:34
And thank you so much for having me again.
00:35:37
It was the best time.
00:35:38
- So glad that we got to do this.
00:35:39
Thank you so much for being in studio all the way in Chicago.
00:35:41
I appreciate it so much.
00:35:43
- Oh yeah, thank you for having me.
00:35:45
(upbeat music)
00:35:47
(upbeat music)
00:36:16
Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services.
00:36:43
Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.
00:36:50
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00:37:00
