Gettin’ Grown: "Lessons in Personal Style" (Feb 4, 2025)
Host: Jade & Kia (Loud Speakers Network)
Guest: Kelly Augustine
Overview
In this lively and affirming episode, Jade and Kia invite trailblazing stylist and content creator Kelly Augustine to the kitchen table for a rich, honest conversation about finding and refining personal style—especially as Black women and plus-size consumers. The trio unpacks the reality of the fashion industry’s promise of inclusion, the journey towards radical self-acceptance, and practical advice for curating a wardrobe that empowers you. Along the way, expect laughter, solidarity, and timeless wisdom for grown folk trying to embrace style that’s personal, sustainable, and joyful.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Community Check-In & Collective Self-Care
- The opening (05:51 – 10:50) centers on mutual support and strategic community engagement in tough times.
- Jade emphasizes:
- The need for Black women to return to safe spaces for intentional community building.
- Developing resilience through strategic action, not just reaction.
“We have to be intentional about preserving our emotional well being… not let it take us over. Because I mean, we not gonna make it that way.” (Jade, 09:31)
- Reference to Brittney Cooper’s idea: Information is not knowledge; knowledge is generated in community.
2. Setting Boundaries with the News & Self-Preservation
- (10:06 – 15:00) Kia openly discusses the ongoing fatigue from heavy news cycles, the emotional toll of advocacy, and the importance of unplugging for well-being.
- Encourages listeners to be strategic and avoid burnout:
"Otherwise we gonna be out here sleeping on a park bench with an unopened can of beans." (Kia, 12:45)
- Self-care through gratitude and daily routines: Acknowledging it’s normal to struggle, especially with focus.
3. Intentional Living & 2025 "Bingo Card"
- (15:04 – 18:24) The hosts advocate making an intentional "bingo card" of experiences and goals for the year.
- Prioritizing joy, rest, and authentic connections.
“If not intentional about that, you just sort of doom and gloom and sad your way through the days. And that’s not...what God wants.” (Jade, 16:14)
4. Kitchen Table Talk: Welcoming Kelly Augustine
- (26:23 – 28:51) Jade introduces guest Kelly Augustine:
- NYC-native, fashion and celebrity stylist, media personality, plus-size advocate, and community influencer.
- Pushing for diversity and inclusion in fashion.
5. Kelly's Journey to Style & Purpose
- (28:51 – 35:39)
- Kelly describes a path from business and architecture, to PR, to education, then falling into fashion blogging by need.
- Authentic about not having formal fashion training; career evolved through sharing lived experiences as a plus-size consumer.
“Fashion kind of happened for me. I did not…come out the womb…doing fashion. Like, I…it just kind of happened.” (Kelly, 28:41)
- Transition from "selling clothes" to wanting to create images and representation she needed growing up.
6. Body Positivity & The Evolution of Plus Fashion
- (36:44 – 39:43)
- Reflects on the shift from limited, shapeless plus-size options to a body positive movement with real impact—driven largely by millennials leveraging visibility on the internet.
“The image was not controlled anymore…Now I can see people every day that look like me.” (Kelly, 38:14)
7. The Pitfalls of "Inclusion" in Corporate Branding
- (41:47 – 49:45)
- Open discussion on performative inclusion, empty promises, and exploitation in fashion, referencing Kelly's experience with Old Navy’s “inclusivity” campaign (42:04).
“...over the next year those plus size was pulled from the store altogether. What was the point of wasting money?...For me, it felt gross. I felt very used in that situation.” (Kelly, 43:09)
- Importance of consumer choice, access, and being an informed, discerning supporter.
8. Access, Fast Fashion, and Shopping Ethics
- (49:50 – 55:01)
- Nuanced take on why many still use fast fashion due to affordability and access—even if production is problematic.
- Quality has sharply declined by design; intentional to drive consumption.
9. Cultivating Personal Style
- (60:48 – 65:43)
- Tips for closet clean-outs; one-on-one wardrobe editing as a transformative exercise.
“Watching people realize something…break a system right there…is transformative. It changes how you dress, spend money, value clothing and material possession in general.” (Kelly, 62:01)
- Building a wardrobe is a skill, not an instant gift. Personal style is wisdom acquired over time, informed by self-confidence and life experience.
10. Practical Style Wisdom
- Personal Style Q&A:
- Developing style: Start by identifying what you feel best in, recognizing power colors, and what you reach for when needing confidence.
- Trends: Don’t feel pressured to follow every trend—know what works for your shape, your comfort, and your life.
- Wardrobe staples: Focus on quality over quantity; "older people are the prime example of keeping pieces, not just outfits" (Kelly, 72:22).
- Tailoring: Room for tailoring; find local tailors to make affordable adjustments for perfect fit.
Notable Quote on Body Acceptance:
“I'm gonna love and dress the body that I have. Like, I love it because I feel like for so long, I've been wanting to change my body to make it look like something else so that it will look like this in certain clothes. And it's like, I don't have time for all that now.” (Jade, 75:58)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On resisting capitalist burnout:
“We live in an information rich society but a lot of us are knowledge poor. So now it’s time for us to get our weight up...so that we know how to negotiate these times.”
— Jade (08:47) -
On work–life winds:
“I thought I was gonna be a backup dancer when I was little… or a video girl. I was gonna be in the club with it.”
— Kia & Kelly, tongue-in-cheek (29:36) -
On fast fashion and access:
“If you want to get the stretchy jeans that will disintegrate after three washes, do that. And, like, don’t feel bad about it… I shop at Fashion Nova, and I don’t feel bad about that.”
— Kelly (50:48) -
On over-consuming:
“Why do I have 25 hats? I don’t wear a hat every day. I don’t have 25 heads.”
— Jade (55:59) -
Closet clean-outs as revelation:
“It really makes me emotional…watching people realize something…because it not only changes how you dress, but it changes how you spend money, how you value clothing and just, like, material possession in general.”
— Kelly (62:09) -
Classic pieces for every wardrobe:
“A leather jacket, denim jacket, white button-down shirt…a good blazer…a turtleneck.”
— Kelly’s top five timeless staples (86:21)
Key Timestamps
- 05:51 – The importance of community and strategic engagement
- 10:06 – News fatigue and self-preservation
- 15:04 – Building a “2025 bingo card” for intentional joy
- 26:23 – Introduction of Kelly Augustine
- 28:51 – Kelly’s journey into fashion
- 36:44 – The evolution of plus-size and the body positive movement
- 41:47 – The reality of “inclusion” and being used by corporate campaigns
- 49:50 – Ethics and practicality of fast fashion
- 60:48 – Finding your personal style and wardrobe wisdom
- 86:21 – Kelly’s top 5 timeless closet staples
Top 5 Timeless Closet Staples (Kelly Augustine, 86:21)
- Leather jacket (moto or otherwise)
- Denim jacket
- White button-down shirt
- Good blazer (preferably one that pinches in at the waist)
- Turtleneck (navy/black, good fit)
Final Takeaways
- Building personal style is a process and a practice: Focus on self-acceptance, comfort, and discovering what makes you feel powerful and at ease.
- Inclusion in fashion must be backed by real action, not empty promises: Be an informed consumer, advocate for genuinely inclusive brands, and remember access and affordability shape people’s choices.
- Declutter and tailor: Let go of pieces you don’t love, invest in quality, and don’t hesitate to get things altered for the perfect fit.
- Style is both personal and political: It can affirm your identity, resilience, and joy, especially as a Black woman—claim it on your terms.
Connect with Kelly Augustine
- Instagram: @kellyaugustine
- YouTube: Kelly Augustine (search on YouTube)
- Website & Consults: kellyaugustine.com
- Offers 15-minute free virtual style consultations, wardrobe audits, and event styling.
“Prioritize your care, keep your mind and skin moisturized. Your Black will crack if it’s dry.”
— Jade (117:29)