How much do you think about the clothes you have? How much time do you take when choosing what to wear each day? Do you have a specific wardrobe or is it more of a sprawling selection of items? I’ve had both, but find myself more organized and productive when I have a specific collection. That’s why episode 21 of The Positively Living Podcast is about capsule wardrobes!
Today I welcome Hanna Donnelly to the Positively Living Podcast to chat about capsule wardrobes.
But before we begin, I have to ask you how much you think about the clothes you have, whether when purchasing or when choosing what to wear for the day. Do you have a specific wardrobe or is it more of a sprawling selection of items added as time goes on either by choice or desperation? I’ve done both.
Confession time: I’m pretty sure there was a time I was the before picture of Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada (only the before, just so we’re clear). To be honest, when I had to pick a Spice Girl I was most like — yes, that’s a thing — I would pick Sporty. I lived in spandex leggings during my college years. Don’t judge me. I love the comfort and that would win out with almost every fashion choice along with simplicity. I can remember shopping with my mom and perfecting what she called the “Elvis Lip” when I’d make a face at the loud print material she’d suggest for me. I liked the simple colors and patterns. I favored blue to bring out my eyes. I knew what I liked and I wore what I felt good in, eschewing her horrid, if not well-meaning, suggestions. During my corporate years, I ended up in suits for work that fit well, looked sharp, and were neutral tones so I could mix and match easily with other pieces. Then later during my caregiver/mom/entrepreneur years, I opted for casual pieces that mixed and matched easily with fun accessories, like scarves. I was going for comfort and flexibility with a little flair.
It’s been quite a fashion ride over the course of my life and I haven’t even mentioned my 80s neon! But what does it all have in common? It expressed who I was at a specific time in my life and the style I chose worked with how I wanted to show up.
The spandex. The neon. And more that I might be blocking from my mind at the moment. All of that actually happened. And that’s ok. The Positively Living Podcast is a judgment-free zone and the whole point of what I coach and the conversations we have here is discovery and growth. And part of that process is exploration. Today, I’m chatting with you about what I would call a stronger place in my fashion life. I’m not quite at the capsule wardrobe I want, but I have made great progress over the years with some guidance and that’s why I wanted Hanna to share her wardrobe wisdom with us today.
Hanna Donnelly, owner of Hanna Lee Style, has been a personal wardrobe stylist for over a decade and has worked on sets of TV commercials with companies like Pepsi, McDonald’s, Kraft and more but now exclusively works one-on-one with private clients. Hanna helps professional women look put together quickly with curated capsule collections so they can spend their time where it matters most.
In today’s episode, Hanna shares stories about her grandmother — the woman who explored and embraced the fashion frontier and let her style speak for her. There are some super funny moments along with the tender ones and a ton of life lessons. We talk about what our style means for us and how clothes connect to confidence and productivity. Hanna then details the steps you can take today to turnaround your wardrobe: 1) use a pie chart to sketch out what you need and want from your wardrobe so you can see how much of one style of clothing or what types of clothing you need depending on what you’re doing 2.) Play and having fun by being a “designer for a day” and mixing and matching what you have already in ways that are new and speak to you 3) Find your favorite outfit and figuring out what makes it your favorite — Is it the fit, the color, something else? Let what works guide you to more of it.
Spending some time now curating your clothing and creating a capsule that fits your life will yield incredible benefits. And if you want to fast-track that process, even more, reach out to Hanna at www.hannaleestyle.com You can work with her directly or take advantage of her virtual outfitting service “Instantly Outfitted” which is the ultimate wardrobe remix! You get outfits at your fingertips via an app using the wardrobe you already own. No new purchases are necessary.
Again, it all comes back to how you feel…or want to feel. It’s about reflecting on who you are and how you want to show up. Iris Apfel said “Great personal style is an extreme curiosity about yourself.” So get curious and get ready to create a capsule wardrobe that speaks to your style and supports the life you want to live.
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Music by Ian and Jeff Zawrotny