← Her Style Podcast | Shopping, Color Palettes, Fashion, Wardrobe, Outfits, Clothing
Her Style Podcast | Shopping, Color Palettes, Fashion, Wardrobe, Outfits, Clothing
258 | How Sandra Created a Clear, Cohesive Closet—And Stopped Hiding Behind Her Clothes
00:20:37
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by your closet or unsure how to create outfits that actually feel like you, you’re going to love today’s conversation. I’m joined by one of our incredible HER Style Collective members, Sandra Avila, who came...
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- [00:00]
Sandra
If you've ever felt overwhelmed by your closet or unsure how to create outfits that actually feel like you, you're going to love today's conversation. I'm joined by one of our incredible Herstyle Collective members, Sandra, who came into the program wanting clarity and cohesion and is about to walk away with so much more. Sandra still has an entire month left in this process, but I know her story will encourage you, especially if you're wondering whether real change is possible with within a short period of time, let's dive into what made the biggest difference for her and how you can experience a style transformation just like this, too.
- [00:40]
Heather Riggs
Welcome to her style podcast, where we're all about empowering you to show up and get dressed every day with confidence. I'm your host, Heather Riggs, a 15 year and counting certified image consultant and color specialist, ready to build a wardrobe and a personal style you love. Get started. All right, Sandra, my love, I am.
- [01:08]
Sandra
So excited to have you on the show, and I think it would be great if we could just start with a little snapshot and if you could share some things about yourself and, of course, what your style or your wardrobe really felt like before you came into her style Collective. Tell us all the things.
- [01:25]
All right, well, thanks for having me. This is fun. First of all, let me just start with. I'm 57 years old and I'm an empty nester, so anyone that's listening, it's sort of this, like, ship just sort of sailing without much direction. So I do hair full time, so I've always sort of been in this fashion industry, but my closet was a little disconnected, or I say it little. It was living a little adhdish. But I've always liked to push the norm a little bit. You know, people always tell me I'm a little bit more fashion forward, but I think I got lost in what that looked like and sort of got lost on who I was when it came to fashion. So you helped clarify a lot of that for me.
- [02:11]
Oh, it's been such a treat to get to work with you. And I will never forget you posted some of the most incredible outfits during our shop your closet challenge, and you have a really amazing innate sense of style. So I'd love to hear a little bit more about what you were hoping to get out of the program when you signed up.
- [02:28]
Yeah, I was definitely wanting clarity and cohesiveness. Like, that's something I was listening to some of your podcasts. I think I joined a challenge and there was just some, for lack of a better Word peacefulness that you presented that. I never thought that that could be in a closet. You know, I just thought the more you have, the more you can grab from, the more. And what you taught me was that's not necessarily true. And so I like that I can now have clarity on what my goals are, what my styles are, and then how to obtain them. That was really exciting for me because I just sort of willy nilly did my whole life. Like I said, having a full closet was the best.
- [03:13]
Yeah. It's nice to have options until you feel overwhelmed by them. And you did share recently that you feel now like your closet is clear, clean, and cohesive for the first time ever, which just delighted me to hear.
- [03:28]
Yeah, it feels very calm. Like, it's almost like when I open up my closet door, I feel like. Like angel should sing. It just feels so peaceful. Like, I just know I can grab and go. And you also sort of taught me to put a couple, like, emergency outfits together, and today was one of them. This was my summer emergency outfit in case I just ran out of time. And so it's just. It just has taken sort of the muck and the fog out of how to get dressed. And I, like you said, I do have a sense of style, but it was getting there that took a lot of time.
- [04:09]
Yeah. Although you still have a month left in the program, so I feel like you were on the fast track to achieving this clear, clean closet that you really wanted to have. And I want to say, too, you didn't lose your spark in that either. You still have color and life and fun and vibrancy in your closet. So it's not like you have this really simplified capsule wardrobe that we often think of.
- [04:35]
It's.
- [04:36]
It's infused with your personality, but I love that it's giving you the. The Angels singing feel and so much peace when you go to get dressed. And I would love to know, Sandra, especially since you really did achieve this very quickly through the process. And that's my goal for you. Right. Is that you can get everything accomplished in the time that we have together in the program. But what do you think made the biggest difference in getting you to this point so quickly?
- [05:00]
Okay, well, the videos that you send out are short to the point, but they're engaging. And then you give this homework that you just make it so simple. It really is like you just. It's like step one, step two, step three, and for someone, I need to be told what to do and how to do it. And you did that. But you did it in a way that you didn't. It didn't feel overwhelming. You just broke it down in such great, simplistic ways, but they were achievable. So for me, it was especially. I get bored really fast, so I like that I could just blast through the videos and then go do something, you know, just get in and start working on it. So I really like that. And just. You give just workable actions. You just help me understand where my holes were, what I was doing wrong, what I was doing right. You know, like I said, I love having lots of options. I love fun things. And you didn't take that away. You didn't put me in a box. You just showed me. And I think my biggest aha. And I think I shared this with you was I think I hid behind my clothes and my clothes spoke louder than me. Like, when I walk in a room, I wanted my. I thought my outfit should sing louder than my personality, so to speak. And what I like now is my clients are now noticing, like, more me physically and me emotionally versus wow, those are like crazy pants. It's. It's. It's taken me. It's almost like revealing who I was and who I was hiding behind in my sort of over the top outfits.
- [06:40]
Yeah, it's really the difference between hearing compliments on your clothing and compliments on you, on yourself. And I think that aha for you came largely when we figured out your best colors and realized, I think, you know, some of the boldness of the outfits that you were wearing were just overpowering you. And so I love that you are the first thing that people see now when you walk into the room and your outfit's working to enhance that and bring out your best.
- [07:06]
Yeah, I love it. I love it. And made me almost stop and pause and reflect on how I got there. Like, why did I start hiding behind clothes? What. What was I like? It actually brought up some insecurities, but in a good way. Like, I had to deal with some things because I'm like, what am I doing that? I feel like I need this neon line jacket with a crazy T shirt underneath. And so it. And then it just made me stop and pause and I. I just feel very at ease now. Like, I feel very comfortable in what I'm wearing, but I still feel like the fun me is still there.
- [07:44]
Oh, that's so beautiful. I think that's one of my favorite things too. It's. You come in to work on the wardrobe and you get to do a little bit of inner work on Yourself along the way too, with having some of those aha moments. And I'm really glad that you said too, that it was so doable for you in terms of the time and the process. And we really do try to break it down into just nice, simple baby steps in the right order so that everything comes together without having to do a ton of guesswork or spend hours and hours inside your closet because you're busy. You have, you know, career and family and a lot of things going on. And so I think it's really exciting for me to hear how well it fit into your life and how quickly you were able to get things accomplished just working through one simple step at a time.
- [08:25]
I, I agree. It was, it was for me, like I said, someone that gets bored fairly quickly. I, I was looking forward to the next video and doing another task. So I appreciate that.
- [08:36]
Yay. Absolutely. All right, so let's talk a little bit about shopping. I would love to hear what's changed about how you shop or approach new purchases now. Since coming through the collective before, I.
- [08:49]
Was just willy nilly, if I had a hour break at the salon, I'd run down to a local boutique and be like, I'll take that, I'll take that. I'll take that. And didn't really have a budget and it never got me in trouble, but it was wasteful, I guess. And now my shopping is almost non existent because I'm so happy with my wardrobe. I did in the beginning when I got my colors, which I suggest everyone get their colors done with you because you were so good about just, it's not just about your eye color or your hair color. You sort of have this whole theory and I don't know how to explain it. You could probably better explain it. And once I bought some key colors, it just, I was, I was content. I didn't need to go out and shop. So my shopping is almost non existent. And if I do go shopping, I have a list. I know what, what I need. And if it's something off my list, I also now think about like, can I wear this five different ways? What can I match us with? You know, instead of having all these one offs in my closet, I wanted to really, I want to bring something in that enhances some pieces I already have or fill a gap.
- [09:58]
Yeah, I love that you're content with what you have too. So shopping is not really a need anymore. It's just if you want something that's going to really enhance things or give you new outfit options, but you have contentment in your closet, which is so exciting. And I'd love to know, too, has your wardrobe transformation had any ripple effects into other areas of your life? You talked about the impact it's made and the conversations that you have with your clients, but anything around your confidence or maybe time, mindset, just any other surprising ways that this has impacted your life?
- [10:31]
You know, I was thinking about this, just knowing this was coming up. And a word that just keeps coming up in my brain just over and over is calmness. And I know it sounds so silly, like, we're talking fashion, and I know so many women want to dismiss fashion, but there really is this calmness about knowing who you are and presenting your best self without any fluff or smoke and mirrors. It's. I. I can't explain it. There's just, like I said, it's opening up my closet and just a smile, and I'm just, like, so happy to pick out things that are just. They complement me, and they're just so calming. I don't know. I get energized from that, too. And it. And that sounds sort of like an oxymoron by saying calm, but it just sort of ripple effects onto everything else.
- [11:20]
It's excitement around the options that you have, but also calmness and that, you know you have what you need, so there's no stress around it anymore or the feelings of overwhelm that you had with too much in your closet.
- [11:32]
Well, and you just help, like, if. If it's in your closet and you're not wearing it, you're not, like, get rid of it and taking all the clutter, so to speak, out of my closet. I know I could pull out anything on my closet except going to fit. Well, I'm going to like it because I've already weeded everything out. I'm not hanging on to anything emotionally. And then if I choose not to wear it, it's only because I chose not to wear it, not because it didn't fit. It doesn't match. It doesn't do this. It's just because, like, meh, I don't want to wear this today. And I know I have five more options immediately to pick from.
- [12:06]
That's huge. Absolutely.
- [12:07]
Yeah.
- [12:08]
And so, all right, if we're talking about the woman who's feeling overwhelmed by her wardrobe, I'd love to know what advice you would give to someone who's in that same place that you were. Maybe they're feeling unsure if they can really change it. I mean, you're just such a Great case study for this, but what would you say to encourage someone who is in that spot right now?
- [12:27]
You have to be open to do the work. Like, you give clear stuffs, but it's not going to happen on its own. So you really have to let go of some stuff. Let go of that concert T shirt that doesn't fit you, but you think you're going to fit into it someday and it's okay. I think as women, we were just sort of taught, like, the more clothes you have, the more I don't know what the word is impact you're going to have. And we just sort of get in this cycle, like buy more, but then we're not wearing more. It's almost like you taught me less is more. And that's so cliche, but it's so true. So if you're that woman with feeling overwhelmed in your closet, you probably just have too much in there that isn't cohesive and that isn't complimenting other things in your closet. So you just need to get rid of stuff.
- [13:15]
Yeah, get rid of stuff. And trust the process and something rewarding on the other side of letting things go if they're not serving you.
- [13:24]
Yeah, I don't have three closets worth of clothes now. Now that my kids. I thought, I thought it was like impressive to tell my clients, like, look, I have my daughter's closet, my son's closet. I'm a walking. Well, actually, I don't have a walk in. I have a step in closet. But now I'm like bragging that I. I only have my closet other than my winter jackets. Now let me tell you something I've also learned this was huge for me. You know, you have your winter clothes other than textures and weight, but colors I thought were like, put your winter clothes away, bring out your summer clothes. I don't know how many things I pulled out of my fall and winter because they're in my color palette. And I'm like, I could wear these all year round. Like, that's more bang for my buck right there.
- [14:04]
And yeah, that's the thing. When you're wearing your best colors, they're seasonless because you know you're going to bring out your best. You can always find pieces that are going to be a little bit heavier weight in those colors or, you know, what have you layer makes it so much easier to mix and match everything and know it's going to bring out your best. So Sandra, if someone is on the fence about whether her style collective is the right next Step for them. What would you want them to know about this program?
- [14:33]
Okay, if it's about the money, I'm going to tell you right now. You're going to save money in the long run. So that alone has, you know, I was, I was on the fence. I was that person and not wanting to change. So sometimes we just resist because we don't want to put the work in because you may dig up something that you have to deal with. So if you're on the fence, do it. You're not going to regret it. You are so helpful and so generous with your time and everyone in the private Facebook group. Yeah, it's just, it's fun. It's like girl power. Everyone's just helping each other look and feel their best. And then you just build these little friendships along the way because who doesn't want their personal own personal cheerleaders in the group? So it was worth it. Everything. Like I said, if you're on the fence because of finances, you're going to make that tenfold. If you are on the fence because you don't know what to do, you're going to make it super clear for them. That's what I love.
- [15:33]
Thank you for saying that. Yes, we have the most incredible community and we would love to welcome you inside for the journey with us. And yes, my goal is always to help you be able to buy less and make smarter investments so that your money is going to the right things to really move the needle for your wardrobe. So if you've been wasting money shopping, let's just stop that right now and you will help you figure out what you actually need. And it might be surprisingly less than you think.
- [16:01]
I, I 100 know that. Well, that's the truth.
- [16:04]
Yeah. So, Sandra, tell us what is next for you style wise, if you have any fun goals or outfit plans that you're excited about now that your foundation is in place, I would love to hear what's next for you.
- [16:16]
You know, I'm moving to. Well, I actually, with your program, I actually had to think about what seasons. I actually, I live in middle of California and so we really have like from spring till June, we. That's our. Or from like February till June is our spring. Summer is like until October and then we have a smidge of fall and then we have like two months of winter. So I really thought I don't need a lot coming up other than, you know, maybe a couple cute fall sweaters. So that's my next goal is maybe just think about how polished up Fall and. But my biggest goal is to be a minimalist traveler. I'm already a carry on only girl. Like, my friends think I'm nuts, but I will cram that thing so it's so full that I could barely lift it over my head. And then I can't get anything to bring back home. So my goal is to have a cohesive traveling system like my closet, so I could just sort of mix and match, and I don't have to take a bunch of different outfits. Everything's just going to be cohesive, and I could just pull anything out and go. That's. Yeah. My biggest goal is to figure out how to travel the way my closet is.
- [17:32]
Okay. That is so fun. And I know you have a trip coming up next week, and we are going to team up to get you all set and ready to go and have exactly what you need. No more. And feel confident and just make it fun and easy for you.
- [17:44]
Yep. I can't wait.
- [17:46]
Oh, good. Me too. All right, friend. Is there anything else that I didn't think to ask or that you wanted to share? I feel like you gave us so much good food for thought with all of this, and I really appreciate you sharing your incredible experience from start to finish.
- [18:00]
Oh, thank you. It's been a blast. Ladies, do not forget your loungewear and your undergarments. That is one area. I thought just wearing some boxer shorts and an old navy tank top that had paint stains on it was okay because it was comfortable. But let's up our game so we're not afraid to answer the front door.
- [18:27]
I'm wearing a sweatshirt right now, but it's in one of my best colors. And so I'm a firm believer that you can be comfortable but still wear pieces that are flattering and make you feel good.
- [18:36]
And I do CrossFit. And so I bought some teal and I bought some chocolate brown workout outfits. And everyone noticed in the gym. Everyone. And I'm like, I'm just wearing my best colors. When I work out, I feel my best. And it was like, that was so much fun to wear my best colors at a place that you. Everyone wears black.
- [18:57]
Oh, my goodness.
- [18:58]
Not my color. I learned that.
- [19:01]
And if. But to your point earlier, if it was a color that you loved and that you had to have, we would have figured out a way to make it work. Because we do consider not just what looks best on you, but also what matches with your personality and your preferences. And we really do take a custom approach to finding the right color.
- [19:18]
Absolutely. And I did learn how to wear black. It's just not right up against my face.
- [19:23]
Yeah. But I'm excited that you are rocking it out at CrossFit with your best colors and standing out in a sea of everybody else wearing black. So, yeah, that's my thing.
- [19:32]
Don't forget your casual stuff. That's just as important as walking out the door. Yes.
- [19:38]
All right, well, we've got a travel capsule to put together for you, so we're gonna wrap this up. But Sandra, thank you so much again for your time and for.
- [19:44]
Oh, thank you for your program. It is so good. It's so good.
- [19:50]
Heather Riggs
Thank you for listening to today's episode. If you want to stop copying everyone else's style and start dialing in your own swoon worthy signature look, head over to take my free 5 minute purchase personal style quiz, which you can find at the link in the show notes. If you've enjoyed our time together, please be sure to rate, review and subscribe to her style podcast so you never miss an episode. Finally, I invite you to make this a two way conversation and send me a DM over on Instagram eatherigstyle to let me know how I can best support you on your style journey. I'm always here for you in style and simple service. Until next time.