Latest / Teacher Approved: Elementary Teacher Tips & Strategies / 245. How to Build a Teacher Wardrobe That Fits Your Life

Transcript

245. How to Build a Teacher Wardrobe That Fits Your Life · Teacher Approved: Elementary Teacher Tips & Strategies

0:00
Heidi: This is episode 245 of Teacher Approved.
0:05
You're listening to Teacher Approved, the podcast helping
0:09
educators elevate what matters and simplify the rest. I'm
0:13
Heidi.
0:13
Emily: And I'm Emily. We're the creators behind Second Story
0:17
Window, where we give research based and teacher approved
0:20
strategies that make teaching less stressful and more
0:22
effective. You can check out the show notes and resources from
0:26
each episode at secondstorywindow.net.
0:28
Heidi: We're so glad you're tuning in today. Let's get to
0:31
the show.
0:36
Emily: Hey there. Thanks for joining us today. In today's
0:39
episode, we're joined by our friend Lindsey, the owner and
0:42
senior stylist at Fashion Fix, to talk about a fresh way for
0:46
teachers to approach their wardrobes, and we've got a
0:49
teacher approved tip for looking good on school spirit days.
0:53
Heidi: But first, let's start with try it tomorrow, where we
0:56
share a quick win that you can try right away. Emily, what do
0:59
we have for this week?
1:00
Emily: This week, give each student a couple of sticky notes
1:03
and ask them to write down what they'd like to hear on a hard
1:05
day. Maybe it's, you can do hard things, or I believe in myself.
1:09
Once they're done, collect all the notes and tuck them away.
1:12
Then when you notice a student having a rough moment or just
1:14
needing a boost, you can pull out their own words and hand
1:17
them back.
1:18
Heidi: I love this because there's just something really
1:20
powerful about getting encouragement in your own words.
1:24
And if you want to try this, I promise you can eliminate a lot
1:28
of blank stares and the I don't know what to write comments, if
1:32
you spend a minute having class brainstorm message ideas first.
1:36
Maybe you even want to write them on the whiteboard, and that
1:39
way you're helping them put some actual thought into what they
1:42
write, instead of just writing down whatever.
1:45
Emily: I love when you can find a win that's so powerful but so
1:48
simple to implement. In about five minutes, you've got a whole
1:51
stash of personalized pick me ups ready to go whenever you
1:54
need them. Just double check that everyone remembered to
1:56
write their name on their notes.
1:58
Heidi: Yeah, the eternal struggle. If you like this idea
2:02
or anything else we share here on the podcast, would you take a
2:05
second and give us a five star rating? Ratings and reviews are
2:08
one way that new listeners find us, so every rating and review
2:12
really is a huge help to us.
2:14
Emily: Today, we're so excited because we are joined by our
2:16
friend Lindsey, who is the owner and senior stylist at Fashion
2:20
Fix to talk about a fresh way for teachers to approach their
2:23
wardrobes. And as a mom of three, Lindsey's body, weight,
2:27
and lifestyle have all changed many times over the years. She
2:31
knows that style has no size and confidence comes in all shapes.
2:35
Heidi: Lindsey has helped women of every age, stage, shape and
2:38
size, build a versatile and functional wardrobe that they
2:42
love. You don't need a lot of clothes to have a lot of wear.
2:45
You just need the right tools and planning to have a closet
2:48
full of clothes that make you feel comfortable and confident.
2:52
Emily: Lindsay, we're so happy to have you with us today.
2:55
Welcome.
2:56
Lindsey: Yay. I'm so excited that I get to have like, an act
3:00
two after getting to participate in the Teacher Winter Talks. I
3:05
was like, oh my gosh, this is such, like a bonus. Like, I get
3:07
to come back again!
3:09
Heidi: And your session was so powerful and inspiring, like,
3:12
it's, I've approached my closet in such a different way in those
3:16
two weeks since you taught. Like, it's totally shifted.
3:19
Unknown: I genuinely had, like, takeaways of like, wow, I had
3:22
never thought about that before.
3:24
Lindsey: Good, well, you know, I really try, you know, especially
3:27
when I'm presenting, which is just all the time, because I'm
3:31
always talking to people from all over the world, right,
3:33
whether it's on Instagram or we're doing, you know, when I
3:35
talk to your teacher group, you know, nobody is living the same
3:39
life. Nobody's going to have the same wardrobe.
3:41
And so when we're talking about these ideas on how to build a
3:46
wardrobe that feels good, that is fun, that is authentic to
3:52
you, you just, you can't have the advice of everybody should
3:56
have this thing. Everybody should have that thing. Because
4:00
this thing and that thing, like, is, it might not make sense for
4:03
certain people. So really like being able to approach the idea
4:06
of like, what are the practices that you want to put into place
4:09
with your wardrobe, and what is sort of the tools to build a
4:13
wardrobe that is good, specifically for you. So that
4:17
everyone, no matter where you're living, no matter what your
4:19
lifestyle looks like, you walk away with application.
4:22
Heidi: That is such an empowering reframe of how we're
4:25
normally taught to consume fashion. Like, I am not a little
4:28
black dress person. Like, that's not my lifestyle. But I've
4:32
always felt like, well, fashion doesn't apply to my life,
4:34
because I'm not that way.
4:36
Lindsey: Oh my gosh. I wish, I mean, like, I'm gonna have to,
4:40
like, steal that audio clip from you, because I just feel like
4:44
that is 100% one of the biggest, I would say, drivers behind
4:50
Fashion Fix, is there's been so many barriers for women, whether
4:55
they are real or they make up and manifest themselves. Right?
5:00
Or they're the barriers are put upon them by other people,
5:03
right? Like social narratives or, you know, things like that,
5:06
that make women feel that's not for me. I can't be cute. I can't
5:11
dress cute, you know, like, I just don't get it. I must not be
5:14
fashionable.
5:15
And it's because we are looking at and comparing ourselves to a
5:21
standard or to an example that isn't meant for us, that's not,
5:27
you know, that's not relatable for us. And so then we
5:29
automatically just take ourselves out of the
5:32
conversation. And then that goes down the path of women feeling
5:36
invalidated, feeling, you know, they don't, like they should
5:40
just kind of, they don't take care of themselves because they
5:43
don't feel like, well, if I can't fit into this exact
5:45
picture of what it should look like then I'm not gonna do
5:48
anything at all. It just goes into a whole thing. I could go
5:52
on my soapbox forever, just a whole thing of like, you know,
5:55
again, how we value ourselves, how we value what we do, who we
5:58
are. It just, the whole thing, the whole thing.
6:01
Heidi: Yes, we're spending so much money trying to, like, fit
6:04
this mold you're taught, and you're like, this doesn't work
6:07
with my life, it doesn't work with my body, like, and then now
6:09
I have nothing to wear, but I'm also broke.
6:12
Lindsey: Yes, yes, exactly. I mean, we talk, we call it
6:15
overspending and under buying. That's kind of the frame, the
6:19
phrase that I use with clients is like helping you not like,
6:22
when you overspend. So you you've spent so much time and
6:25
money on these things in your wardrobe, but you actually under
6:28
bought, because the things that you purchased aren't adding the
6:32
value to your wardrobe that you hope them to. And so that's what
6:37
we call that. We call it overspending and under buying.
6:40
Heidi: Yeah, I've lived that.
6:44
Emily: I mean, I think all women can can relate to this to an
6:47
extent, but especially our teacher audience. I feel like
6:49
this is such a relatable problem to hear about of like, I just
6:54
don't even know what to wear every day. And you default to
6:58
whatever's easy, and you and you and you may not feel comfortable
7:01
in it, but it's just, it's whatever is easy. And that's why
7:04
I love your approach so much. So do you want to tell us a little
7:07
bit more about Fashion Fix and how you started?
7:10
Lindsey: Yeah, I know we kind of just jumped into the deep end.
7:13
So for anybody that's unfamiliar with Fashion Fix, we'll try to
7:15
catch you up here, because we, like, already, like went into
7:18
it. But Fashion Fix was started 12, 13 years ago, something like
7:23
that, and it came after a long career that I had working with
7:28
national retail brands. So you know, for about a decade, I
7:31
worked for many different companies and stores as a
7:35
personal shopper or in like management positions teaching
7:39
other people how to work with clients, and how to do personal
7:43
shopping and styling and all of this kind of stuff.
7:45
So I did that for a long time, and I kind of sort of had a
7:49
pinnacle moment where it wasn't fitting for me anymore, like the
7:53
dots weren't connecting, and I was not thriving in the position
7:58
that I had. And I had all of this experience with clients,
8:02
and looking at this idea that, you know, we were working with
8:05
them in the store, and then we were sending them home, but they
8:07
were kind of coming back every time with the same struggles and
8:10
the same, I would say, roadblocks or barriers in the
8:14
wardrobe, and being able to feel like they really had a complete
8:16
wardrobe, or a wardrobe that was functional or versatile for
8:20
them. And it's Like, well, we're sending you home with stuff
8:22
every month, like, what's going on?
8:24
And so just really kind of starting to think about, like,
8:26
what's that disconnect that's happening between women shopping
8:29
in stores or shopping online, then getting home to their
8:33
closet, and what's happening there? Like, in between, where
8:37
is that disconnect? And that is where Fashion Fix was really
8:41
born out of, was that idea of like, okay, let's let's bridge
8:46
that gap. Let's create some tools, some resources, some help
8:49
and support, so that women are more empowered with their
8:53
wardrobe when they go home with it, rather than feeling defeated
8:58
or again, they've overspent, under bought, like they're still
9:01
not hitting the target.
9:02
And that's kind of where Fashion Fix really came out of, right,
9:06
is like, let's give more empowerment in that in between
9:09
space between shopping and getting home with your wardrobe.
9:11
So it's gone through many iterations over the years. You
9:14
know, just even as like, the landscape of shopping and
9:16
fashion and and influencing and you know, all like, things going
9:21
virtual and digital, and the way that we can connect with
9:24
customers from all over the, you know, world now, rather than
9:27
just like local, which is really where it started. I only worked
9:29
in person with people, and now it's quite the opposite. Like we
9:33
pretty much only virtually work with clients. And rarely am I,
9:37
you know, working with somebody in person.
9:39
I live, like, I can look out my window and I can see the Mall of
9:42
America out my window, and so I used to do personal shopping
9:46
appointments at the Mall of America. And like, you know,
9:49
that's just like such a thing in the past, because we're
9:51
servicing people literally from all over the world.
9:53
So it's taken a lot of different iterations, but the one thing
9:56
that has maintained and stayed the same since day. One is the
10:01
mission I remember sitting on my couch in my cute little
10:04
bachelorette apartment in the Twin Cities where I live, and
10:08
like, you know, pen and paper and writing it out, and I wrote
10:10
down this mission statement, and not a single word of it has
10:13
changed since day one, which is to empower women and build
10:16
confidence through a productive and style wardrobe.
10:19
And so even though we've gone through a lot of iterations of
10:23
services, we offer, products, we offer, how we work with clients,
10:27
everything has continued to be filtered through that mission
10:31
statement, so that we know that we're still aligning what we're
10:35
doing with what we believe in. And that goes from everything
10:39
from, again, what we offer, how we price things, the language we
10:44
use inside of our products and on our website, and, you know,
10:47
on our different social media platforms. Like, how is that
10:51
mission being accomplished through this? And that's
10:54
something that has just stayed strong this whole time.
10:57
So, you know, that's kind of how we got to where we are, and now
11:02
we're even going on like another segment of the journey. You
11:06
know, this year, we're really focusing a lot on not only
11:09
helping women with, you know, what's in their closet, but
11:12
their relationship with what's in their closet too, and really
11:16
taking, you know, even more of that holistic approach to how
11:20
we're helping women with their wardrobes.
11:22
Emily: Well, and I imagine that was informed by your personal
11:25
journey with your body and your wardrobe, which is what really
11:30
drew me to you, what you've shared about that, because I
11:32
find it so relatable. Do you want to tell us a little bit
11:35
about that?
11:35
Lindsey: Yeah. So, like I said, I had this really long, you
11:38
know, this career working in retail, which means I had access
11:43
to a lot of fashion and shopping and at a discount, which was
11:48
great. So, you know, I loved to shop. I loved to have fun with
11:52
my wardrobe. Also, at this time in my life, I was single, you
11:56
know, hadn't had any kids yet at this point. So it's like, your
12:00
girl was like, living the dream, right, living the dream.
12:03
And my life has taken so many different turns, and I've been
12:10
put into so many different positions over, you know, the
12:13
past 12, 15 years, from going to being, you know, single, no
12:19
kids, working in retail, having access to a lot of things, to
12:23
getting married and getting pregnant and not working full
12:27
time anymore, and having my budget change and having my
12:30
access change, and having my body change and having my
12:32
lifestyle change. You know, my wardrobe looked one way, and it
12:36
was so fun and it was so whimsical, because I was going
12:40
out to work every day, and I was doing all these things and that.
12:42
And then my life changed to staying home every day, full
12:45
time. And then it kind of went to, you know, like 50/50, and
12:50
that, you know, like it just sort of has taken so many
12:53
different turns.
12:54
And not only in the past 10 or 15 years, all the different
12:59
turns my life has taken, there was also that life beforehand,
13:03
of navigating, you know, messaging about what my body
13:08
should look like versus what it does look like, and messaging
13:11
about what I should be wearing because it's trendy or because
13:15
it's this, or because of whatever, versus like what I
13:19
could afford to wear or want to wear, or what I had access to
13:22
wear. So it was like there was also that whole pre-experience.
13:26
And so looking at that full scope of what I've gone through,
13:31
you know, even from a teenager to a 45 year old woman, is part
13:35
of what has helped me shape Fashion Fix, my experiences,
13:41
what I've gone through. And what also has been really neat about
13:44
that is we've created this sort of niche space that is a nice
13:49
soft landing space for women that find themselves struggling
13:54
with their wardrobe, struggling with their clothes, or their
13:57
body because of difficult things like body dysmorphia or
14:02
disordered eating or medical experience that has changed
14:07
their bodies, all of those different things.
14:09
There is nothing any fashion fix client could come to us and
14:14
share with us about what they have or our experience that
14:17
would, you know, make us be like, Oh, I don't know. Can we,
14:20
you know, I don't know how to approach this or handle this, or
14:22
kind of feel taken off, off guard by it, or taken aback by
14:26
it. Like, we have seen it all. We've worked with so many women
14:29
with different walks of life, and it's, it is something that
14:33
I'm really proud of. Because of my experience, I've been able to
14:35
train and coach my team on that, and then we are able to work
14:39
with clients really well in that space, too.
14:41
Emily: And I think teachers have gone through a lot of those
14:44
different, those same body changes you were talking about.
14:47
But also I know in my experience, and then the
14:50
teachers that I know, a lot of them, go through those body
14:53
changes because of teaching, because you're stressed out,
14:56
you're at school, you're not able to eat as healthy. And, you
15:00
know, just all these things.
15:01
Heidi: And you're so tired that like going to the gym.
15:04
Emily: Yes, yes, all these ways that impact your body. So I know
15:08
our teacher audience will relate to those experiences that you've
15:12
had.
15:13
Lindsey: Yeah.
15:13
Heidi: So I one thing I really like about your approach is that
15:17
you, the first step with you is not to jump in and buy more.
15:21
Like you're not pushing people to suddenly buy a lot of new
15:23
stuff, but you're also like helping them figure out what
15:27
they do need to get that's like a counter cultural messaging.
15:31
Can you tell us more about that approach?
15:33
Lindsey: Yes. Okay, so oftentimes, when there is an
15:38
approach to revamping your wardrobe, make you know, New
15:43
Year, New You, better wardrobe. It always starts with like,
15:47
let's get out your closet and get rid of all these things and
15:50
buy all these new things. We're actually like, editing at your
15:55
closet and shopping in our process does not come till step
15:58
like, three or four, like it is way down the line. We don't even
16:04
start there. Because my hope is not just to put a band aid over
16:09
something or give you like a quick fix with your wardrobe,
16:13
but really help you feel educated and empowered with what
16:18
is going to be best in your wardrobe. Because this is
16:21
really, like, the counter, like, cultural thing with fashion and
16:24
styling that I say, and that's there are better things to spend
16:28
your time and money on than clothes.
16:30
Heidi: Yes.
16:31
Emily: Yeah.
16:32
Lindsey: How can you say that as a stylist and, like, all this
16:35
stuff? And I was like, Well, let me explain this. This is kind of
16:37
the goal. So we actually start in the process with a body shape
16:41
analysis, and then after that, step two would be a style
16:45
analysis. Because I don't want a client or anyone listening to be
16:51
like, Okay, I'm going to start dressing better. I'm going to
16:54
start, like, wearing clothes that are more fun and feel more
16:57
trendy, so that I'm not frumpy. So then you just, you know, look
17:00
at whatever's on the mannequin, or what people are wearing on
17:02
Instagram or on Pinterest, and you go and, like, buy all that
17:05
stuff, right? You think, like, yes, this is gonna be, I'm gonna
17:07
do this, so this is gonna be so great.
17:09
And then you bring that stuff home, and it does not fit you
17:13
the same way that it fit that person on social media.
17:16
Emily: Oh, yeah.
17:17
Lindsey: Or that outfit that you saw completely put together on a
17:20
mannequin, when you put it on, it feels like a costume, like it
17:23
feels like you're dressing up as somebody else. So that's why
17:26
going out and just buying a bunch of stuff that feels fun
17:29
and new and trendy, and you're gonna, you're gonna just, you
17:31
know, start dressing that way, that is not going to get you to
17:35
a place of feeling comfortable and confident in your clothes.
17:38
So we start with, Okay, now this piece that you see, the shirt
17:44
that you see on that person on Instagram, right? It fits them
17:47
well, because this is their body shape, and this is the way that
17:50
that shirt is cut. Your body shape is not that. Your body
17:54
shape is this, so you want to wear shirts that are cut this
17:57
way instead.
17:59
So we teach women, okay, you know, you're seeing these things
18:03
on social media, on mannequins, you know, in stores or wherever
18:08
it might be, in magazines, and giving them the tool to say,
18:13
okay, that's not going to work for me. So I'm, I'm not going to
18:17
chase that one, right? I'm not going to go after buying that
18:20
shirt. We start to teach them, these are the cuts, these are
18:24
the fits that are going to be the most complimentary on your
18:26
body shape and feel the most comfortable to wear. So we start
18:32
with that education piece.
18:33
Then the second education piece is the style. So understanding
18:38
what each individual's personal style profile is, and really
18:41
helping them navigate and understand that. Like, you know,
18:45
these are words we would use to describe your style, and these
18:48
are examples of what those words mean, like picture examples of
18:52
that, giving them different ideas. Because that's what
18:56
happened, we want you to feel really empowered with that,
18:59
because it's when you buy that whole outfit as it's put
19:01
together on a you know, mannequin, and you wear it, it
19:05
feels like a costume, right? Instead of something that's
19:08
like, that's because it's not your style. Maybe that pattern,
19:10
that print, that way of mixing and matching things together,
19:13
isn't authentic for your style so it just feels like you're
19:16
playing dress up.
19:17
So we want you to be able to say, oh, okay, oh, I'm seeing
19:20
this outfit on here, and oh, those patterns really work for
19:23
my style profile, or those details really work for my style
19:26
profile. That is great. Now we're getting more value driven
19:30
purchases for your wardrobe. So we start with a body shape, we
19:33
start with a personal style, because we want you to show up
19:37
as your authentic self. We want to make sure that what you're
19:41
wearing feels like a true reflection of who you are on the
19:43
inside, on the outside. And we don't want you to change your
19:48
body to fit into certain clothes. We want to change your
19:51
clothes so that they fit your body.
19:54
So we really want to start with those two things, and then after
19:58
we do that, we're still not shopping. Still not, we're still
20:02
not. There's two more things we got to do, because again, I
20:04
don't want you buying stuff you don't need. I don't want clients
20:09
buying more of what they already have in their wardrobe. So we
20:14
are still not shopping.
20:16
So actually, the next step then is to edit and audit your
20:20
wardrobe. So we have a methodology that we use at
20:25
Fashion Fix where it walks women through the different steps of
20:29
editing, auditing and organizing their wardrobe so they can have
20:33
a really good, full, complete understanding of what it is they
20:38
already have in their closet, what they need to get rid of
20:42
that now does not reflect their style or fit well for their body
20:46
shape. Right? And then identifying, okay, where do I
20:51
need to make some additions, where do I need to make some
20:54
swaps for my wardrobe? So we really need to do that stuff
20:57
before we shop.
20:59
So after you know your body shape, after you know your
21:02
style, then when you've done the closet clean out, now we can
21:07
shop. So we've got a few things we want to go through, because I
21:10
want you to, I want you to spend your time and money wisely,
21:13
because there's other things that I'm sure you'd rather spend
21:15
it on, then on clothes that you don't like and never wear, and
21:19
that aren't going to get you any further to your goal of having a
21:23
really value driven wardrobe. So then we shop.
21:26
But even then, I have parameters for clients when they shop. So
21:31
this is too where it gets a little of that counterculture
21:34
when we talk about fashion and styling, you know, I'm not just
21:37
saying, Oh yeah, go buy all this and go buy all of that. You
21:39
know, we really look at a strong method of what do you need to
21:43
add, update or replace? So coaching clients through, what
21:47
are the gaps and holes in your wardrobe? What are some of the
21:50
updates we want to make that better reflect you know, your
21:53
style, fit your shape better? And then what do we want to
21:56
replace of like, your ride or die essential pieces?
22:00
So we walk them through, like a coaching strategy of, here is a
22:02
great way to shop. And we really, you know, the shopping
22:06
strategy was really born out of one of the biggest things we
22:10
hear all the time from clients, is shopping feels so paralyzing.
22:16
I'm sure you can relate to that.
22:17
Heidi: Been there!
22:17
Lindsey: Right, right. Like, where you walk into a store, and
22:21
you're just like, I don't even know where to turn, like, what
22:23
department do I look at? What am I looking for? You go to a
22:26
website and you're just doom scrolling, like, like, what,
22:30
what category should I be shopping in? What should I be
22:32
looking for? So it really helps, again, where you feel paralyzed,
22:36
you don't know what decisions to make, you don't you should be
22:38
looking for. And when you have the strategy of add, update,
22:41
replace, it gives you focus when you go shopping, so it feels a
22:45
less intimidating and less overwhelming. So, yeah, we don't
22:49
shop till quite a bit further down, and even then, you know, I
22:52
really try to coach people on having some good boundaries on
22:55
what it is that they're shopping for.
22:57
Emily: And this process is actually going to save you a lot
23:00
of money and time because you're not wasting time hunting because
23:04
you don't know what you're looking for, but it's also going
23:06
to save your money because you're going to stop buying
23:07
things that aren't right for you, that you're never going to
23:09
wear. Because you talked about that, having things in your
23:11
closet that then you never want to wear because they don't feel
23:14
like you. I have half a closet full of things like that because
23:19
I don't want to wear things that don't feel comfortable, that I
23:22
don't feel comfortable in.
23:24
Lindsey: 100%. And that's when we, you know, what I say is like
23:27
women, you know, if you find yourself standing in front of
23:30
closet full of clothes, there is plenty hanging in there, but you
23:34
look in your closet and it's full of clothes, and you say to
23:36
yourself, I don't have anything to wear it, you know, it's
23:40
because we don't have the right pieces for you. Whether it's
23:43
pieces that fit you well or pieces that even like work
23:47
together.
23:48
Because part of the idea, also of understanding your personal
23:51
style and having a value driven wardrobe, is being able to mix
23:56
and match your pieces together really easily and really
23:59
effortlessly, because they all complement each other, and they
24:02
all go together. And if you have things in your closet that are,
24:06
you know, multiple different styles or not, in the same color
24:09
palette for you, then again, you're going to be looking at a
24:12
lot of stuff in your closet but struggling to wear a lot of it
24:16
together. So that's also something we really coach our
24:20
clients on is building your best wardrobe. Also it's giving you
24:23
value, but also versatility in your wardrobe.
24:27
And going back to the idea of like, where it's going to save
24:29
you money in the long run, is the other thing we coach clients
24:33
on is you don't need to have a lot of clothes in order to have
24:36
a lot to wear, right? So it's not like a badge of honor if you
24:41
have a closet bursting at the seams, or never enough hangers
24:45
to hang your stuff up on, right? Because we say you don't need a
24:48
lot of clothes in order to have a lot to wear. So when we really
24:51
focus, you know, on these steps of building your best wardrobe,
24:55
it gets you to a place too, where you're not really having
24:58
to buy a lot on all the time, and that's saving you a lot of,
25:03
you know, energy and money as well.
25:06
Heidi: I loved your outfit formulas in your Teacher Winter
25:09
Talk session. It was such a fun reframe. It made me think of the
25:12
real life version of, okay, Clueless.
25:14
Emily: Yes!
25:14
Heidi: You know, she like mixed and matched all her outfits, and
25:18
as a 90s girl, that was like a seamless dream. But this is like
25:22
a real life way to make that work with you know, the things
25:25
that I have, I don't have a cute little plaid mini, but being
25:30
able to look at my clothes and feeling like I have power over
25:33
them instead of them controlling me.
25:36
Lindsey: Oh my gosh. I wish people could see my face right
25:38
now, when you said that. I love that. They don't have clothes,
25:43
I'm gonna steal that, another audio clip I'm stealing from
25:46
you. Yeah, where you're like, the clothes don't have power
25:51
over you. You have power over them and how they're used. Oh my
25:55
gosh, I have goosebumps. That's so good.
26:00
You know, and when one of the other things that happens when
26:04
we walk clients through the build your best wardrobe system,
26:07
these steps that I'm laying out here, is they actually find that
26:12
they have a lot more to work with in their closet than they
26:15
thought they did. You have no idea how many times I've heard
26:19
women say, oh girl, you're gonna just like laugh when I show you
26:23
my closet, because I barely have anything in there. I don't
26:26
really have a lot. And when I teach them that the outfit
26:31
building blocks and the outfit formulas that you're talking
26:33
about, they actually start to see that there's a lot more for
26:37
them to work with in their closet than they thought. They
26:40
just never looked at it that way.
26:42
A lot of the pieces in their closet were really like siloed,
26:46
or really like structured. I only wear it this way, or only
26:48
wear it that way, or save this piece for that. And when I
26:51
introduced them to that outfit building blocks and the style
26:55
formulas, it is just like, you know, mind blown. Wow, I can do
27:00
a lot more with what I have than I thought I did.
27:03
And that's the final step, and build your best wardrobe. So we
27:06
talked about body shape analysis, style analysis, the
27:11
closet clean out, then strategic shopping. The final step is
27:14
styling, and that's where we play and have fun and do dress
27:18
up. And we do like mixing and matching pieces together. And
27:22
when all of it comes together, when all five of those steps
27:26
come together, you just really get to this place where, like,
27:29
your shoulders are like, they relax, because you're like,
27:32
Okay, I get this now I see how this all works together.
27:36
Because in that styling piece, then when you start to learn how
27:40
many different ways you can wear the items in your closet, or how
27:44
to use them differently, it also relieves that stress or that
27:48
pressure where you feel like you need more. Well, I need more. I
27:51
need more to be able to wear more. I need more to be able to
27:54
do more. I need more to have more variety.
27:58
You know, one of the things that I say, is a volume does not
28:02
equal variety. Just because you have a lot of clothes in your
28:06
closet doesn't mean you have a lot of variety of clothes in
28:09
your closet, because often it can end up being a lot of just
28:12
the same thing. And that's why you feel like you're wearing the
28:14
same thing all the time. Because you know, my perfect example
28:18
that I've been using for 100 years is, you might have 50
28:23
cardigans in your closet, but if, you know, 35 of them are
28:27
gray and five of them are black, and then 10 of them don't fit
28:32
you, you have like two.
28:37
Emily: Yeah.
28:38
Heidi: I feel called out.
28:38
Lindsey: So that's like, you know, when we, that styling
28:41
piece, when you learn those style formulas, outfit building
28:43
blocks, that's where you really start to learn, you know, you
28:47
don't need a lot of clothes in order to have a lot to wear. And
28:51
that's why the styling pieces last too.
28:53
So going back to the idea of how it's kind of counterculture, or
28:56
counterintuitive, how we coach clients through. It doesn't just
28:59
jump in right away to, okay, wear these colors this way, or
29:03
mix these patterns this way, or, you know, wear your cardigan
29:06
three different ways, this way. Because if the patterns you have
29:09
in your closet are not your style, you're not going to wear
29:12
them. If the cardigans aren't cut right for you, or the shirts
29:15
are cut, you're not going to wear them. So, so doing outfit
29:17
formulas, you know, doing the style formulas, doing the
29:20
building blocks, you're not going to be able to do that
29:22
unless your clothes fit you well. If your clothes do not fit
29:25
you comfortably and fit you well, if your clothes are not
29:28
your style, nothing else is going to work.
29:31
So that's why that even, like that kind of, quote, unquote,
29:34
fun part of doing all the different outfits, that doesn't
29:36
even come till last, because I want to make sure that your
29:40
clothes fit you well, that you're comfortable in them, that
29:42
you're confident wearing them, because then we can do all these
29:46
different outfits with them. So that's why that really comes
29:50
last in the process.
29:52
Emily: Oh, I love that, and it makes so much sense. It's such a
29:55
carefully thought out process, you can tell that you have
29:58
perfected this over the years. But tell us, what is your hope
30:03
for Fashion Fix in 2026, and how can our teacher audience be a
30:06
part of it?
30:07
Lindsey: Well, I would say that our big hope now and for the
30:11
future is just to introduce more people to the idea of building
30:17
their best wardrobe in the method and using the process
30:21
that Fashion Fix has, because we have really found that it has,
30:26
like, really freed a lot of women from some of the toxic or
30:32
negative thoughts or pressure or ideas or constructs or all of
30:38
that stuff that, again, has been put on them from social
30:42
narratives, from inner thoughts. It is really providing them with
30:47
a way to free themselves from that and have fun with their
30:51
wardrobe and feel good in their clothes.
30:53
And so we really, this year, just want more people to get
30:57
introduced to fashion fix and that this place exists, that
31:01
this is a soft landing spot for women that maybe previously have
31:06
really struggled to find a place that can help them with their
31:09
wardrobe in a way that feels, that feels good, that feels
31:14
supportive, that feels empowering, and is giving them
31:18
real life, practical, tactical tools and actions.
31:25
I think a lot too, in like the styling and fashion world, it
31:29
can be a lot of these big ideas, big like aspirations, but not
31:35
actualizations. And I will give you like, no, literally do this,
31:41
like do step A, B, C, D, this is how you're going to do it, so
31:45
that the math adds up in the end, and you're, you know, not
31:49
left feeling more confused, or did you even get anything done.
31:53
And so the more people that we can bring into Fashion Fix, we
31:56
just feel, the more women are going to be empowered, you know,
31:59
the more women that are going to be healed and helped, and that's
32:03
really what we want to be here to do. So spreading the word of
32:06
Fashion Fix is just a really big dream of ours for this year.
32:10
Heidi: That is such a beautiful mission, and we're so excited
32:12
that you've been here to share it with us today.
32:15
Emily: And do you have a special offer for our listeners?
32:18
Lindsey: Yes, of course. Okay, so we have, if you want to get
32:23
started, if you listen to all of this and you're just like,
32:25
chomping at the bit, you're like, Okay, ladies, would you
32:28
quit talking so I can just go to fashion fix and get started? Let
32:32
me tell you where you're going to go. You are going to go to
32:35
fashionfixmn.com/secondstorywindow. And we have a page there for
32:42
your audience, for your listeners, that will tap them in
32:46
to a exclusive promo pricing on packaging together the body
32:51
shape analysis and the style quiz, because you have to start
32:54
there. You know, I know that sometimes it's hard and you want
32:57
to just like, race to the finish line or do the fun stuff first,
33:00
but starting with the body shape analysis and this style
33:03
analysis.
33:04
And then we're doing a gift with purchase, because, like, I want
33:09
you to also be able to get some traction, so we're including the
33:12
closet clean out when you purchase that bundle. So
33:15
typically, that's like a standalone, you know, workbook
33:18
that you have to purchase and download. But we're going to
33:21
give your audience a gift with purchase of a copy of that
33:25
closet clean out. So when they get their body shape results and
33:27
they get their style analysis results, they can kind of hit
33:30
the ground running with the next step without having to wait. So
33:34
they'll have access to that.
33:36
So fashionfixmn.com/secondstorywindow
33:39
is where you're going to find access to that exclusive deal.
33:42
And I'm sure you ladies will put it in the show notes and email
33:45
it out, because it's a very secret deal, because you won't
33:48
be able to find that page. You won't be able to find it
33:50
anywhere else on the website. So you want to make sure that you
33:53
save that link that that you get, because this is just for
33:56
your listeners.
33:57
Emily: Insiders only. And our team member Melanie went through
34:01
these exercises with you a couple weeks ago, and she had
34:04
such a good experience. She said that she was surprised at the
34:07
results. She thought she knew what her body shape was, and she
34:10
was surprised at what she got. And our she already found it so
34:13
enlightening. And I just am excited for our audience to get
34:18
to have that experience with you as well.
34:21
Lindsey: Yes, and you'll have to have Melanie share with the
34:23
audience that it's not scary.
34:25
Heidi: Yes.
34:25
Lindsey: Because that's, you know, which I get. That's
34:28
another thing I, you know, my entire team, we are all very
34:31
sensitive to. You know, especially when I was doing
34:34
in-person personal shopping appointments, I was like, okay,
34:36
these women are meeting a stranger at the Mall of America,
34:40
inviting that stranger to go into a fitting room with them,
34:44
to look at clothes that they're trying on and tell them what's
34:48
wrong with the clothes. Like that is a super intimate and
34:52
intimidating experience, and it is not lost on me. So you know,
34:57
just the idea that you're going to be sending in full body
34:59
pictures of yourself, like in leggings and a tank top. It's
35:03
not lost on us that that can feel like a little bit
35:07
intimidating. So I want you to know, like anybody out there,
35:12
like, it's not as scary as you think it's gonna be, and we are
35:17
so sensitive with what you're sending to us.
35:20
Emily: Yes, yes. That's pretty much what Melanie said. At
35:22
first, she was like, she said she wanted to do it, we asked if
35:24
she wanted to. And then she was like, wait, I have to send
35:26
pictures? But then she said, like, no, it was fine. It was no
35:30
big deal. And like, it was like, it was totally comfortable. She
35:33
wasn't even worried about it.
35:34
Yeah.
35:35
And Lindsey, we like to end our episodes with a Teacher Approved
35:38
tip. So do you have a quick, actionable tip that you could
35:41
share with our audience?
35:42
Lindsey: Oh, I sure do. Because do you know what I get from
35:46
teachers all the time? School spirit days and having to wear
35:52
school logoed apparel, and it may or may not be apparel that
35:58
is like unisex cut, so the t-shirts are super long, or the
36:04
sleeves are really long and boxy. Or the colors maybe aren't
36:09
ones that we love to wear for ourselves the most. So many
36:13
times I've helped teachers navigate this, and let me give
36:14
you my Teacher Approved tip for wearing your school spirit wear.
36:19
Number one, do not be afraid to cut or alter some of those
36:24
t-shirts or sweatshirts, whether it's cutting open the neckline
36:27
or cutting a t-shirt shorter, you know, something like that.
36:30
Because even if it has like a raw, that ends up having like an
36:33
exposed or raw edge when you cut the shirt, you could do like a
36:36
cute little front tuck in or something like that to make, you
36:38
know, make it look different.
36:40
And then as far as colors, if your school offers, you know,
36:43
obviously you have like your school colors, but if they offer
36:46
any of the spirit apparel in like a neutral option, so
36:49
sometimes they'll do like a black and white or gray and
36:52
white, or, you know, something kind of in a neutral option,
36:54
like whatever that third neutral color is sometimes, for your
36:57
your school, you know, opt into that. And then get, like, a fun
37:02
pair of sneakers in one of the bolder colors, or like a fun
37:06
pair of shorts or jeans. So that's not like up against your
37:09
face, but you're still feeling very spirit-filled by wearing
37:13
the team colors. Or do it in like a headband or hair
37:16
accessory, like tie like a bandana around your ponytail, or
37:20
a top knot, or something like that.
37:21
But if that's not an option, and you still got to wear, like that
37:24
royal blue t-shirt that isn't quite great for your complexion,
37:28
do a neutral layer over it that will tame it down, like a denim
37:32
jacket, or any of your dark, like a dark neutral in your
37:36
color palette that might work with that, like, I'm thinking
37:39
royal blue. So if you do, like a gray or a black, or, you know,
37:41
something like that, that might, you know, tone it down. So do a
37:45
layer over it in one of your neutrals that might be more
37:48
complimentary towards you.
37:50
Emily: Oh, I love that.
37:50
Heidi: So good.
37:51
Emily: Perfect. Lindsey, it was a pleasure having you, and we
37:54
will have the link to learn more about you and your special offer
37:58
for our audience in our show notes. And where else can they
38:01
connect with you?
38:02
Lindsey: You can find us, all of our socials are at fashionfixmn,
38:05
because I am based in Minnesota, so fashionfixmn, that's going to
38:11
be all of our social channels, and it's going to be our website
38:14
too. So if you look that up, you can find us anywhere.
38:17
Emily: Perfect. Thanks so much, Lindsey, it was great chatting
38:20
with you.
38:21
Lindsey: Thanks for having me again, ladies.
38:24
Heidi: To wrap up the show, we are sharing what we're giving
38:26
extra credit to this week. Emily, what get your extra
38:28
credit?
38:29
Emily: I'm giving extra credit to my new favorite mascara. So I
38:32
prefer a tubing mascara, and the one I'm loving right now is the
38:35
tartlet tubing mascara from Tarte, and I like the XL one,
38:41
and I have been wearing brown, which I find looks nice with my
38:45
eye color. So looks great, it doesn't flake, and it washes off
38:49
really easily. So it's a win all around.
38:52
Heidi: Well it's so funny that you're saying this because,
38:53
like, a half hour ago, I was just thinking, I have got to
38:56
find a new mascara, because I don't wear mascara every day
38:59
because I work from home. But when we were doing Teacher
39:02
Winter Talks, we were on camera every day for like, four days,
39:05
and by the fourth day, my eyes were so irritated.
39:09
Emily: I remember.
39:10
Heidi: So I was looking up, like, best hypoallergenic
39:12
mascara, and that was the one that came up. I was like, oh,
39:15
I'm ordering that.
39:16
Emily: I love it. I love it. And I also try not to get, like, too
39:20
close to my actual eyelid, too if, like, I find that I feel
39:24
itchy, then I try to keep it more to the ends of the lashes,
39:26
so that might help you, too.
39:29
Heidi: It's too hard. It's too hard.
39:30
Emily: What gets your extra credit, Heidi?
39:32
Heidi: Okay, well, my extra credit goes to the brain game
39:35
sticker by number books.
39:36
Emily: Oh.
39:37
Heidi: This is not something I've ever considered doing
39:40
because I just thought it was like something for kids, but I
39:43
saw their Valentine book and it was so cute, so I just ordered
39:46
it for myself, like the grown up I am, and I think of a fan. If
39:52
you're not familiar, it's just like paint by number, but you're
39:54
putting stickers in little numbered boxes. It doesn't take
39:57
any skill, it's minimal clutter, and unlike, you know, a hobby
40:01
like crocheting, you know, I'm not left with some item at the
40:04
end of it that's like, well, everyone in my family already
40:07
has hats. What am I doing with this one? You know, this can
40:10
just get tossed or recycled or, you know, out of my hair.
40:13
And the pictures are cute. I love that. It's spiral bound so
40:15
it stays open. And I noticed, you know, as someone who's
40:19
taught a lot of preschool over the years, I've become a
40:21
connoisseur of stickers. These peel off really easily, and if I
40:26
have to move them on the page, I can move them without them
40:28
tearing. Like it's really nice. And I've just loved having
40:32
something to do in the evening instead of scrolling my phone.
40:34
And as I guess, a bonus extra credit. So I have really bad
40:38
arthritis in my thumbs, and so holding small things like
40:41
stickers can be really painful.
40:43
Emily: Yeah.
40:43
Heidi: So I knew I needed something, and I found something
40:47
called reverse tweezers. Now, normally tweezers, you have to
40:51
pinch to close them and then you have to hold them shut, but
40:53
these are the opposite. You pinch to open and then they hold
40:57
themselves shut. It's been a game changer for my poor thumbs.
41:00
So I will link to the book and the tweezers in the show notes.
41:04
It's just been a really nice little side hobby.
41:06
Emily: I love it. I'm going to give it a try.
41:09
Heidi: That is it for today's episode. Remember Lindsey's tips
41:12
for reclaiming your closet, and if you want to check out that
41:15
special offer she has for our listeners, head to
41:18
www.fashionfixmn.com/secondstorywindow, or follow the link in the show
41:25
notes.
41:28
We hope you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Approved. I'm Heidi.
41:31
Emily: And I'm Emily. Thank you for listening. Be sure to follow
41:35
or subscribe in your podcast app so that you never miss an
41:37
episode.
41:38
Heidi: You can connect with us and other teachers in the
41:40
Teacher Approved Facebook group. We'll see you here next week.
41:44
Bye for now.
41:45
Emily: Bye.