The Everyday Icon Style Podcast

Episode 170: Crafting a Wardrobe That Speaks Your Identity

• Tiffany Howard

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This episode empowers listeners to break free from the myth of the perfect wardrobe by embracing individuality and personalization in fashion choices. It emphasizes the importance of assessing personal needs, defining style goals, and building a versatile wardrobe tailored to one’s lifestyle.

• The myth of perfection in wardrobes is debunked 
• Personalization is essential for authentic style 
• Assessing daily routines helps refine wardrobe needs 
• Style goals clarify what your wardrobe communicates 
• Versatility enhances outfit options without excess 
• Actionable steps help in creating a unique wardrobe 
• Auditing closets ensures intentional shopping 
• Mood boards inspire personalized style evolution 
• The journey toward style is about expression, not perfection

Weekend Wardrobe Edit Guide https://bit.ly/3CusnCv

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Speaker 1:

Ignite your style with the Everyday Icon Style Podcast. I'm Tiffany, your style navigator and confidant, here to lead women in corporate America on the quest to discover. Hi everyone, and welcome back to the Everyday Icon Style Podcast. I'm Tiffany, your style coach, dedicated to helping you elevate your wardrobe and redefine your professional image. And today we're going to talk about something that is not talked about enough, and it is the perfect wardrobe myth and how to find your version of it.

Speaker 1:

I think, because of we're looking at different Pinterest boards and things of that nature, social media as a whole we feel that there is this perfect wardrobe and if we find it, we will be okay. But what if I told you that that is a myth and that is a lie, and that we are now to begin to find not the perfect wardrobe, but the wardrobe that fits and suits you? So let's dive right in. So first, let's go ahead and just debunk the perfect myth wardrobe right now. So the idea of a perfect wardrobe is everywhere we look at Pinterest boards, instagram feeds and even style blogs. They promise that if you just own the right pieces, somehow you'll magically feel stylish and just confident formula that works for everybody. What's perfect is subjective and it also depends on your lifestyle, personal style and career goals. Here's the easy way, excuse me, of saying this Style is personal. What looks good on somebody over here on social media isn't necessarily going to look good on you. What looks good on me isn't necessarily going to look good on you. What looks good on me isn't necessarily going to look good on you, and vice versa. Style is personal for us, and if everybody went through a personal style, everybody would probably be a lot happier and everybody would look vastly different and not the same. Because when we begin to chase these unattainable ideas, this is where frustration comes in. We begin to waste money and we have a closet full of clothes that don't feel right on you. So it's time that we all let go of that myth and just now, begin to focus on us, go back to individuality as opposed to being looking like everyone else. It's time to break free and step out and become the individuals that we are.

Speaker 1:

So here is the next point of the power of personalization. So your wardrobe should reflect who you are. We're not cookie cutter versions of what's trendy or appropriate, sort of like. When you go, look in communities and you're looking for a house, and all the houses look the same and people use that word cookie cutter houses, but then in reality it's like I want a house that's different. I want a house that has its own different, its own vibe. I want something that's unique, that stands out. It's the same thing with our personal style. So when your clothes align with your personality and your professional goals, you will more than likely highly likely, actually, I'll say you'll feel more confident and authentic. This is what personalization means.

Speaker 1:

One, choosing colors that flatter your skin tone and make you feel vibrant and make you feel confident. Two, selecting silhouettes that fit your body and comfort level. So if you see somebody in something that's really form-fitting but you're never comfortable with wearing that, don't buy it, because that's not you and you always want to feel good and comfortable in what you wear. And that also breeds confidence. And incorporating pieces that resonate with your unique style. So I'm going to use glasses for an example, because I wear glasses. So if you like how wearing funky glasses, go ahead. Find some jazzy, funky glasses that make you feel comfortable, cute, they can be conversation starters. Maybe even buy a few pair of glasses that you can interchange with different outfits or even your mood. Do different things like that that will definitely be unique to you, and see how much that actually changes your outlook on your style and how you feel.

Speaker 1:

Next, how to define your personal version of your perfect wardrobe. So, instead of us just chasing the perfection, we want to focus on finding what works for you, and these are a few tips to help you on how to do that. First, I want you to assess your needs. Ie, you got to go into your closet and do some work. I want you to think about your daily routine, your work environment and lifestyle. What type of colors do you truly need Now when it comes to color? If you're not good with color or you don't want to go through all that, like I am, stick with the neutrals and stick with the basic colors. You can go on Pinterest and you can find different color palettes that suit you. Not color analysis, because we don't believe in that around here, but I know a lot of people sometimes have a difficulty with colors, so I definitely want to notate that and bring that out. Just find color palettes that work for you, or just stick with something and then kind of grow from there.

Speaker 1:

Next, you want to identify your style goals. I want you to ask yourself what do I want my wardrobe to say about me? And I want you to use these goals to guide your decisions when we're identifying our style goals and when we have to assess our needs. This will help us with cutting down on spending money. It will when we are looking for inspiration on social media. It will help guide us and any. It will help filter out what we don't want and to keep what we need and what we're actually looking for, and, of course, we'll still filter down more and more from that. But it'll give you just a beginning space, a beginning spot of where to actually how to begin this.

Speaker 1:

And next, you want to focus on versatility. We are very big nowadays around here on having a mix and match wardrobe where everything kind of goes together, so you want to invest in pieces that can be styled multiple ways, such as blazers, trousers and neutral blouses. It also helps us when you have a versatile wardrobe where you can find out guess what? You can wear sweatpants and blazers. You can wear sweatpants and you can even wear like blouses with them. These are the type of things that you want to be able to have versatility with, have fun with. You can wear trousers with a sweatshirt or an at-leisure wear shirt. You know different things like that. That's what a functional, versatile wardrobe should be able to do for you. It kind of keeps you and I'll use me as an example.

Speaker 1:

I think I want to build a wardrobe that is kind of that's in the middle, something that I've as an example. I think I want to build a wardrobe that is kind of that's in the middle, something that I've never had before. I'm either one extreme you know, gym clothes and baggy clothes that you wear bummy around the house to work clothes or church clothes or going out clothes, but nothing in the middle. Because even with being in the middle, I can still wear those to run errands, to go to work, to go to chapter meetings, to go out to dinner and things of that nature. So, trying to figure out how that versatility works and how that's going to work best for you and, lastly, I want to provide you with some actionable steps to build this unique wardrobe that we're moving forward to in 2025 and beyond.

Speaker 1:

One, of course, my favorite audit your closet. I need you to go through your wardrobe and remove items that don't fit, feel outdated or don't align with your style goals, notice how we are not spending money. I think people think that the thing you do is you go create a Pinterest board, then go buy these pieces. No, we have to lay the foundation first, even if this takes you like a quarter to do, right, this is what you do first, because now, when we do eventually go go shopping, we're going to go and we're going to be intentional and we're going to know exactly what it is that we need. So we got to edit that out because, also, you might have some things already in there that you don't have to buy. So we always want to take, of course, editing and auditing your closet. Two, we want to create a mood board. We want to use Pinterest. We want to create a mood board. We want to use Pinterest or you can even use a physical board and gather inspiration that feels authentic to you. This will go back to you defining your version of the perfect wardrobe for yourself, and this will also be able to create something as it becomes authentic to you, no matter what others say about it, it's you and it feels like you and it embodies you.

Speaker 1:

This isn't about everybody else. We do want to invest in key pieces. This is where the corporate capsule wardrobe idea for me came up with. These are your key pieces. This is your foundation. This is something that is only 15% of your wardrobe. That will go, even when you build on top of that the versatility of your wardrobe. These corporate capsule pieces will go with all of that. So you want to have, even if you create, as you begin to buy them, the pieces that you need, because you might already have them this piece, even if you just put them in a corner, make space in your closet for them, these will always go with. No matter what style you create for yourself, these pieces will always go with. No matter what style you create for yourself, these pieces will always go with that.

Speaker 1:

And, of course, we need to experiment and refine. It's a journey. It's not a destination. It's a marathon, it's not a sprint. So allow yourself the freedom to try new things and adjust along the way.

Speaker 1:

Have fun, and I think at some point we forget the fun in experimenting, like we used to do when we were kids and when we were teenagers and when we were in undergrad and we were in our 20s. We used to experiment with what we wore and we didn't care. We were having fun. Somewhere along the way, we lost that. So this helps with bringing that back for us, because, at the end of the day, your wardrobe doesn't have to be perfect, it just needs to work for you. That's it. Our wardrobes don't have to be these Instagram feeds. Your closet doesn't have to look like that, and if I have ever made you feel that way that it has to be perfect and curated to the T, I do apologize for that, because that's not how our closets should look Now. They should be neat and clean, but they don't have to be this over-the-top curated thing. It just needs to work for you.

Speaker 1:

So, with all that being said, are you ready to create a wardrobe that reflects your unique style and professional goals?

Speaker 1:

Because, if you are, I have something for you.

Speaker 1:

I've created a resource for you, and it is called the Elevate your Wardrobe in a Weekend Guide.

Speaker 1:

It will help jumpstart you with just the basic, simple things editing your closet, seeing what you have, incorporating, you know, a power piece, like I was mentioning glasses earlier To just get you jumpstarted and to get you on the path of taking the first step, because it just takes one step and then, once you take that one step, then you'll be ready to take another, and another, and another, and before you know it and before you look back, you will have created this wardrobe that is just like out of this world, tailored specifically just for you.

Speaker 1:

So if you're ready to take that first step, click the link in the notes below and grab and access your copy today, just so you can take the first steps towards owning your professional style. So I want to thank you, as always, for tuning in and enjoying me on the Everyday Icon podcast and remember that your wardrobe isn't about perfection, it's about progress and authenticity, and that is what we are striving and aiming for. And also, if this resonates with you, please be sure to leave, rate and review and subscribe to the Everyday Icon Style Podcast and, until next time, keep striving to be the everyday icon that you are. I will see you next week in the next episode.