← Her Style Podcast | Shopping, Color Palettes, Fashion, Wardrobe, Outfits, Clothing
Her Style Podcast | Shopping, Color Palettes, Fashion, Wardrobe, Outfits, Clothing
262 | August Q&A: Maternity Fashion Trends, Classic Outfits for Casual Settings, and Making Athleticwear Work for You
00:25:41
Hooray! Hooray! It’s Q&A day! I am a little bummed out that it’s already August, but at least that means it’s time for another round-up of amazing style questions straight from our community. In this episode of HER Style Podcast,...
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- [00:00]
Heather Riggs
Hooray. Hooray. It's Q and A day. I am a little bummed out that it's already August, but at least that means it's time for another roundup of amazing style questions straight from our community. In this episode of Her Style Podcast, I'm offering up my advice on several listener submitted questions including how to build a transitional wardrobe for pregnancy and postpartum, how to stick to your best colors and personal style preferences even while working out or lounging at home, and how to dress down without losing your classic elegant or feminine feminine edge. We'll also explore strategic ways to shift your wardrobe when you've shifted where you live. Let's get into it friend. We have a lot to cover. 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. Let's get get started.
- [01:10]
Carly
Hi Heather, it's Carly. Hope you're doing well. I have a quick question for you. I have really been enjoying your podcast and wanted to know if you could talk about athletic wear and how we can incorporate our style and colors into the choices that we wear for working out or going on walks in the neighborhood, and also wanted to see what your thoughts are as far as loungewear. I've been struggling with those two categories and would love your input. Thank you so much.
- [01:36]
Heather Riggs
Hey Carly, thank you so much for taking the time to record that audio question for me. I've said this before and I'm going to say it again. It makes me so happy to hear your voice memos, to get to feel like we're having a back and forth conversation and to air your voice on the show. So I appreciate you doing that. And I will also say that what you are struggling with is very relatable too. I think it's so easy to overlook our personal style in these wardrobe categories, but I'm excited that this is something that you want to say, solve and put more attention into because I do believe it's important to look and feel our best and to show up in a way that reflects our style goals, even when we're moving or resting or doing things all by our lonesome. So from a color standpoint, there's a lot that you can do to incorporate your best colors into your workout and loungewear for both. I'm kind of obsessed with a nice matching set at the moment just because it makes it really easy to get dressed and feel put together. So if you could find a coordinating sports bra or tank top and leggings, that is just such a simple outfit to throw on and run out the door with. But I will say if you have a higher personal contrast level. So let's say for example you have fair skin and really dark hair, or if you have a darker complexion and light hair or eye color, you might look better in variations of one color. So maybe instead you're going to opt for a soft aqua T shirt with dark teal running shorts and then maybe throw on a neutral shoe. Or if you don't like wearing monochromatic or one color outfits, you can also mix things up. Athletic wear is definitely an ideal category of clothing to have some fun with. You can wear brighter colors, especially in your sneakers, and maybe even experiment with some prints if that's something that you want to venture into. There's so many great printed leggings and lots of fun options that you can explore. I also think it's very smart to keep color psychology in mind. I love to choose athletic pieces in colors that uplift me and motivate me and that I feel excited to reach 4 in the morning when it's time to get out of bed and get my workout going. Because a lot of mornings I would rather just hit the snooze button like four or five or ten times and stay in bed, especially when it's cold out in the wintertime. But if I have a cute outfit laid out ready to go in, maybe my favorite butter yellow color or a deep periwinkle or a saturated sky blue, for some reason it just helps motivate me to get up and get moving. And I also like to reach for options that make me look and feel more refreshed because sometimes your girl can feel a little drained after a good strength training session or a long walk around the neighborhood on a hot, humid morning. So I will also opt for my skin tone beige and my natural blush colors, both of which will help to brighten up and refresh my complexion. And I also like to reach for my best reds, which for me are softer rosy reds, so they're a little bit more appealing to my feminine style versus a lot of women might look better in a bright, saturated vivid red. But again, those are just options to keep in mind if you think about what works well with your skin tone, your natural blush colors, which could be anything from kind of a cool rosy pink to a warm salmon or coral, and then maybe incorporating your best Reds, which will again just kind of energize you, make you feel a little bit more powerful and possibly refreshed as well. Now, for loungewear, you might want to go in the other direction. You might want to select some colors that help to calm you down or bring you some comfort at the end of the day. I know I'm always a sucker for lounge sets that come in my eye color and I also like to wear my best whites, especially in the cooler months. I don't know why, but I love snuggling up in a soft ivory sweater and slippers. So think about which colors you either hear the most compliments on or that make you feel your best and maybe your most comfortable. I am a big believer in wearing flattering pieces, even if you're the only one who gets to see them. You will smile whenever you walk by a mirror around your house or go to pull a cozy outfit out of your drawer and you have options that you feel excited to wear. Now, as far as representing your style in these types of outfits, it's all about the details and how you put them together. So if your style is natural, you might want to prioritize comfort, breathability, organic fabrics or things that are soft to the touch. And some functional elements like pockets are always helpful, especially when you're working out and you want a place to tuck your phone or your keys piece. Also, classic styles are probably going to want to look for pieces with clean lines, fitted silhouettes and minimal branding. Just kind of keeping everything really timeless and neutral. I think elegant elements could include high end fabrics, some intricate detailing and designer labels. Of course, anytime you can slap a designer label on something, that's probably going to make you feel a little bit more posh, even when you're just heading to the gym. Feminine styles might love the recent balletcore trend, so you could think about incorporating some wrap tops or curved hemlines or ruching, maybe some pretty details like bows along with softer colors. If you like to look alluring, I think that's a pretty easy one to accomplish with your athletic wear. You can just look for maybe leggings that have some cutouts or cropped and body contouring styles, maybe some bold attention grabbing details or colors. Creative types can have fun with print mixing, color blocking and of course some unusual silhouettes. So maybe you want to opt for oversized pieces or adding unexpected elements elements like extra accessories even while you're just working out or hanging out at the house. And then dramatic types are going to want to bring in some bold colors. This is where you can really play with unique color combinations. You could try some fun shapes or patterns again or maybe look for some architectural details in your garments. More fashion forward and trend focus pieces that are really going to help you finish off the outfit. And then when you're lounging at home, don't forget how far your finishing touches can go to change your whole look. The way that you accessorize and style your hair and makeup can help you fully step into your personal style. And sometimes I think that these elements can make an even bigger difference than your core clothing pieces. If you want to feel more feminine, maybe add some cheek highlighter and style your hair in touchable curls or a loose braid tied with a ribbon. If you want to feel more elegant even when you're just relaxing in loungewear, you could pull your hair back into a lot chignon or add a luxe looking gold stud and matching necklace. You could keep your squeak I was going to say your sneaker squeaky clean, but I said squeakers keep your squeakers sneaky clean or your sneakers squeaky clean. Either way, whichever feels better for you. And don't be afraid to grab that designer handbag on your way out the door. And then of course, if you like more of an artsy boho vibe, you could just pile on your rings or add some 60s inspired eyeliner. There are so many options. I'm not going to keep rambling on, but I want to encourage you to just have fun and take the extra step to make your athletic and loungewear truly feel like you in the way that you finished the outfit with your hair, makeup and accessories. Okay, our next question is from Annemarie and she wrote in and said I am 11 weeks pregnant with our first and as I'm finishing up my first trimester, I'm really needing advice on maternity clothes. What's in style for maternity clothes? What essentials do I need based on my personal style? Feminine and natural? Per your quiz, how do I spend money wisely on things I'll only be wearing for a season of my life? Conversely, how can I create a transitional wardrobe with items that can work for me in the postpartum months, seasons and years? So, Annemarie, first, congratulations on your pregnancy. This is such an exciting time for you. I hope that you're feeling well, especially coming out of your first trimester. I feel like for a lot of women the second trimester is the nice sweet spot. When you get a little more energy back, you're feeling good. So I definitely hope that is the case for you and I'm happy to give you a few tips to ensure that you look and feel your best along the journey to motherhood. And I appreciate how thoughtfully you want to approach your maternity shopping because you're right, this is a temporary season of your life, although it's possible that you could have more children down the road and so that might be one of the first considerations to make. Unless you know that you are one and done, you might be smart to invest in more timeless maternity wear that you're going to want to wear again during future pregnancies. If that could be the case for you, then I would recommend that you focus on bringing trends in through your jewelry and accessories rather than on maternity specific items that could be out of style by the time you have your next little one on the way. If you're not so worried about that and you really want to be up on the maternity trends. And the number one of the moment style for mommies to be is showing off that baby bump. Rihanna, I think is single handedly redefining maternity style and she is the queen of flaunting her pregnant physique. But even if celebrity inspired style isn't your thing, don't be afraid to show your shape. You can pair a crop top with maternity leggings for kind of a casual natural look, or you could opt for an easy form fitted dress to reflect more of your feminine style. Fit and flare silhouettes are also a really popular choice right now and I love how a peplum top would help give you some nice shape and structure while also leaving you some ample breathing room in the belly and some good time and space for that to continue to grow. Flare and wide leg jeans are still in so you could look for some maternity jeans in those really current styles. And as another nod to your feminine preferences, you could also look for some romantic pieces with bows, ruffles, lace or bold floral prints, all of which are trending in maternity wear as well. And I would also search for nursing friendly dresses and just see which shops and styles catch your eye. That's a really smart way to go because dresses are going to allow you a lot of room throughout the different phases of your pregnancy and postpartum and I think that that would probably appeal to your feminine style as well. My vote is always to be in tune with what's current, but while making sure to stick to your signature style and what feels good for you, so definitely don't sell out to what's trending, make sure that you're picking and choosing wisely with pieces that really feel good for you and resonate with your personal taste. And let me just mention too, if I were pregnant again, I would definitely be renting trendy maternity wear from sites like Nuuly. Or I would be looking for gently used pieces on Thredup or Poshmark, so I wasn't paying top dollar for anything that was really seasonally current and not long standing. Like I mentioned before, you could also search for Facebook Marketplace or local consignment stores and resources for maternity clothing exchanges. I gave most if not all of my maternity pieces away to various local friends and I love seeing clothes get a second life. So this could also be a great way to help you save and still score some extra pieces that you might have hesitated to buy for yourself. But if you could find a really good deal or someone locally that wants to swap things with you, that could also be a good way to kind of double your maternity wardrobe without spending double the amount. But you did ask about essentials and so in my humble opinion, I think it's very wise to invest in maternity pants. Tops are often much more forgiving, but pants are the first thing in your closet that will start to feel uncomfortable at some point. So again, whether you prefer to wear leggings or jeans, or if you want to scrap that all together and just stick with some of your favorite flowy dresses, either way, make sure that you have some good bottom pieces that make you feel your best. And if you are planning to breastfeed, then you will likely be living in nursing camis. So I would also stock up on those. Now those will be great for transitional weather because you could wear them under a sweater or a cardigan, under a jacket or blazer. They would really pair well with anything that might already be in your existing wardrobe. And then to continue to build a good transitional wardrobe that you can wear beyond your pregnancy, I would stock up on layering pieces that you can wear open if you don't already have what you need in your closet. I'm talking button down shirts, jackets, cardigans because you can easily wear those open while you're expecting as well as postpartum. And these investment items aren't going to be impacted by fluctuating belly sizes. So you could also wear things like drawstring pants and ribbed dresses both during and after pregnancy. And then for the feminine side of your style, you might want to look for soft knits, empire waist and wrap dresses and then some more pretty nursing friendly tops to add to your collection. For the natural side of your style, I would again recommend some comfy maternity leggings or Lululemon's align Leggings are pretty amazing both pre and postpartum. You could also think about getting some stretchy cotton maternity tanks and T shirts, oversized sweaters and button downs that again, you can just wear throughout any time. And then easy layering pieces I think would be really great basics for you to consider. I also gave a whole lot of advice in episode number 139. It's called maternity wear 101. Revamping your wardrobe pre pregnancy through postpartum. That includes my suggestion to build a mini microcapsule one season or trimester at a time. I guess that's redundant, isn't it? We don't need to say a mini microcapsule, we can just say a microcapsule. But if you focus on what you need to get dressed for your normal week and then any special events that you have coming up on the calendar that'll be so supportive to you in shopping for your activities and not just for your bumps, you really have what you need to get dressed throughout the whole duration of your pregnancy. All right? So I hope that you enjoy this sweet time, my friend. I am so excited for you. Hi, Heather.
- [15:24]
Trish
My name is Trish and I grew up in New York City, spent 42 years there, and a few months ago I moved to Southwest Florida.
- [15:32]
Heather Riggs
Florida.
- [15:32]
Trish
And it's been hot here basically since April. So I'm used to all four seasons and I. My wardrobe reflects that. But now I feel like I've worn every tank top and pair of shorts I own a thousand times and I don't know what to do next. Do I just buy three times as many shorts and tank tops to reflect where I live now? So any advice on how to shift a wardrobe when you've shifted where you live? Thanks so much.
- [16:04]
Heather Riggs
Bye. Ah, Trish, I am so excited that you sent this question in just in time to sneak it into this month's Q and A episode. And I'm really excited about that because August can be one of the hottest months in many parts of the world. And speaking as someone who lives in the Northeast, where we have the four distinct seasons, like you said, I'm sure it's been really tough for you to make that transition to a climate that stays pretty warm and unfluctuating year round, especially after 42 years growing up and living in the Northeast. So I have not been in your shoes, I have not moved out of New Jersey. But here's what I would do if I were you I would continue to take this season by season for your first full year as a Florida resident because I have a suspicion that you will experience some relief from the extreme heat in the fall and winter months. I know it certainly won't get to New York City level lows, but you might be happy to have some of those lightweight layers like cardigans, blazers, button downs on hand, especially if you are spending any time in chilly, air conditioned indoor spaces or if you're going out for an evening stroll from time to time. I know that sometimes there can be cool, cool weather happening in Florida as well, and you also might want to think about how you could reimagine some of those pieces in your new warm weather location. For example, could you pair your midi skirts with a sleeveless top or maybe a blazer would work layered over a tank top with linen shorts and strappy sandals for a dinner date. I do think it would be smart to see what you can utilize from your existing wardrobe in the fall and winter before you do a major overhaul. Unless you can swing it. If you want to try to revamp your wardrobe overnight, I know most of us cannot do that, so I would recommend that you try to keep the process a little bit more slow and strategic. And then as you start planning out your purchases, I would look at what you have on your calendar for the next several months. It'll be a lot less overwhelming if you're just looking at a smaller chunk of time and starting to plan for that, so consider what activities you're struggling to get dressed for the most. And I am curious too, if you're actually wearing tanks and shorts a majority of the time. If so, that's totally fine, but I would also encourage you to check in and make sure that it's working for your personal style as well. One of the exciting things about making a big transition like this in your life is the opportunity to reevaluate your style so you don't have to conform to what everyone else is wearing by any means. If you still want to bring in some of that New York influence, but you might want to take this opportunity to kind of regroup and dial in your signature style for this new season of your life, I would take some time to explore outfit ideas on Pinterest, maybe to look up some new brands, some local boutiques, and see where you might be excited to shop and dream up a vision of how you want to look and feel in your new home and your new surroundings. You might be inspired to try lighter fabrics or colors or maybe just to elevate your basics or incorporate more feminine or dramatic details. I don't know what the magic combination is for for you, and maybe your style isn't really changing at all. Maybe you do just need a greater number of what's already working. But I would take advantage and seize the moment and make sure that the next iteration of your wardrobe is one that you cannot wait to wear, even if it means dressing for a perpetual state of summer all year long. But before you know it, it's going to be freezing in the tri state area and I'm going to be wanting to hop on a plane and come visit you. So maybe leave a little room in your your closets for company too. But for now, start gathering some information, put together a shopping list and think about what would really make you feel the best and most excited to get dressed all year in the Florida heat. Okay, our last question for today was submitted by Analise in Australia. She wrote an email and said sending love all the way from Australia. I have a question for the podcast I hope you can help with My personal style is classic, feminine and elegant. My lifestyle calls for me to get dressed up fairly regularly. No, my lifestyle calls for me to get fairly dressed up quite regularly, which is fun and I find getting dressed for those occasions quite easy. However, for more casual settings, I really struggle. I want to dress appropriately for a casual setting while still feeling like I'm within my personal style. Any tips to dress for more casual settings? Thank you in advance and love the podcast. I appreciate that so much. Ann Elise and I'm wondering now if you listen to our last episode from Monday, it was number 261, style coaching behind the Scenes, where I gave you a sneak peek of the weekly group coaching calls that happen inside Her Style Collective. And I'm wondering this because one of our current members asked a very similar question about how to adapt her elegant and alluring style to her casual summer activities like golfing and running errands. And I feel like my advice would also apply really well to you. But I would love to know more about what it means to you to dress appropriately for a casual setting. Because I know for me personally I would always rather be overdressed than underdressed. And I admire women who dress according to their personal style preferences no matter the occasion. So if you adore wearing those classic feminine and elegant pieces, then I vote for you to elevate the room and just wear what makes you feel good, even if it's just to go to the grocery store or to a casual brunch with your girlfriends. Now, that said, if you want to dress down but you're just not sure how to still make those outfits feel like you, then I do want to give you a couple simple swaps that you could think about trying for a casual look that doesn't compromise your style. Maybe instead of wearing jeans, you could look for some good Ponte knit pants or Capri pants. If you want to think kind of that classic, effortless, Audrey Hepburn inspired style, I think that would look amazing for those casual days. You could slip on a ballet flat and just run out the door. Or you could try a simple crew neck sweater in place of a casual hoodie. Or maybe a soft organic T shirt that still feels comfortable but a little bit more elevated. So start to look for some outfit inspiration for those casual activities and look at little ways that you could elevate some of the details of them. Now, you could also take traditionally informal pieces like athletic or loungewear like we discussed earlier, and add some details to make your outfit feel more classic or feminine. Maybe you'll feel better pairing your lounge set with a pair of loafers for kind of a high, low look. Or you could add a string of pearls to dress up your everyday jeans and T shirts outfits. Or you could tie a silk scarf onto your gym bag or around your ponytail as you're running errands around town. You can find small ways to infuse your personal style into all of your outfits. And I think what would be key for you is to focus on fabric, to choose pieces and materials that feel a little bit higher quality, a little bit more polished. I would also encourage you to focus on fit. If you can look for pieces that give you kind of a tailored, more elegant feel, I think that's going to serve you really well. And then also don't forget about all of the finishing details, your accessories, kind of adding that piece de resistance in a way that you style your hair and makeup. So don't abandon your personal style. Just instead think about it as refined comfort. And I think you are bound to look appropriately polished no matter where you go. Okay, friend, I had so much fun answering these questions today. I hope that you enjoyed listening along as well. And if you have a question that you'd like me to answer in our next monthly Q and A roundup episode, please stop what you're doing right now unless you're driving. If you are and you have a second, maybe pull over safely and go ahead and send in your question for next month's edition. My favorite way to hear from you is via the Speak Pipe plugin, which you can find right on our website@herstylellc.com podcast look for the little orange button that's gonna allow you to leave a voice message just like Carly and Trish did today. Or you can send an email to supportherstylellc.com and we will get your top style challenge in the queue for the next episode. I want to give a big warm thanks to Carly, Ann Marie, Trish and Annalise for trusting me with their questions and for providing us with the topics for today's Q and A podcast episode. I absolutely love providing you with tons of free support right here on the show. And as a quick teaser, I have another free free Something something coming your way very soon, so make sure that you are following her style podcast wherever you listen to your podcast so you don't miss a thing. Goodbye for now. 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 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 eatherrigstyle to let me know how I can best support you on your style journey. I'm always here for you in style and service. Until next time.