HER Style Podcast, Episode 291

"Fit-Proof Your Closet: How to Dress When Your Size Keeps Changing"
Host: Heather Riggs, Stylist, Image Consultant & Color Analyst
Date: November 17, 2025

Episode Overview

Heather Riggs dives deep into the emotional and practical challenges faced by women whose sizes are fluctuating. She reframes dressing and closet-building as acts of self-care rooted in self-acceptance—shifting the focus from chasing a number on a clothing tag to constructing a flexible, confidence-boosting wardrobe that moves with you through life's changes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Real Source of Closet Frustration

• Many women feel stuck with a closet "full of clothes and nothing to wear"—especially as their size changes.
• Heather emphasizes:
  • The problem isn’t changing bodies, it’s closets set up for stability, not fluctuation.
  • Clothes often tell silent stories that affect confidence and motivation.

Quote

"The real reason you're frustrated isn't that your size keeps changing. It's that your closet isn't set up for it. It's not built to support the natural ups and downs that every woman's body goes through." — Heather Riggs (01:09)

2. Emotional Weight of Clothes

• Clothes hold stories from different versions of ourselves (pre-baby jeans, tops bought to hide, etc.).
• Holding onto old clothes often prevents self-acceptance and forward movement.

Quote

"It's not just about the clothes. It's what those clothes represent. Every piece in your closet holds a story, and some of those stories just need to be rewritten." — Heather Riggs (03:45)

• Actionable Reflection:
  • Ask yourself: "What version of you is your closet currently supporting?" Is it the “past you,” “future ideal you,” or the “today you”?

3. Dressing for Today—Not the Past or Future

• Avoid waiting to "deserve" new clothes by hitting a goal weight or size.
• True confidence and showing up as your best self starts today, with the present version of your body.

Quote

"You can't feel confident in clothes that belong to someone you used to be. You need to dress for the woman that you are today." — Heather Riggs (06:00)

4. Letting Go of the Power of Size Labels

• Labels and clothing sizes are arbitrary and non-standardized.
• Don’t let a number dictate your mood or self-worth.

Quote

"The size on your clothing tag has zero power unless you give it some. What actually matters is how your clothes make you feel when you put them on." — Heather Riggs (08:05)

• Mindset Shift:
  • Focus on:
    • Does this outfit make you stand taller?
    • Do you smile in the mirror?
    • Are you comfortable (no tugging/adjusting)?

5. The Flawed “Capsule Wardrobe” Mindset

• Typical capsule wardrobes are designed for stability in size and life—rarely aligning with reality.
• When life happens (postpartum, hormonal changes, stress, etc.), a single-sized wardrobe leaves women feeling like failures.

Quote

"Your wardrobe isn't meant to be a museum of who you were. It's supposed to be a living reflection of who you are and who you are becoming." — Heather Riggs (13:10)

• Practical Solutions:
  • Own multiple sizes of staple items (e.g., jeans for bloat and non-bloat days).
  • Lean into stretch fabrics, adjustable layers, and styles that “give.”
  • Build a strategy and mindset for evolution, not perfection.

6. Building a “Fit-Proof” Closet: Pillars and Framework

• Craft a wardrobe anchored in strategy rather than static numbers.
• Focus on:
  • Fit over size
  • Versatility over volume
  • Confidence over comparison

Quote

"You don't need to fix your body. You just need to learn how to make your clothes work for you." — Heather Riggs (15:43)

• These are foundational principles taught inside her program, HER Style Collective.

7. The Power of Mindset and Clarity

• True transformation comes from shifting your self-perception and how you engage with your wardrobe—not from changing your body.
• Clarity about what works for you is the best long-term investment.

Quote

"The smartest investment that you can make this season isn't in more clothes—it's in clarity." — Heather Riggs (20:04)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Self-Acceptance:

  "When you start dressing for the body that you have today, you're also going to start showing up as her." — Heather Riggs (07:20)

• On Letting Go:

  "If your clothes could talk, would they tell the story of a woman evolving, or a woman waiting for permission to feel good again?" — Heather Riggs (15:14)

• On the End Goal:

  "It's a random Tuesday morning, you're getting dressed and every single piece in your closet actually fits... That is truly what a fit proof wardrobe feels like. That's what happens when your style stops depending on your size and starts reflecting you and exactly where you are today." — Heather Riggs (21:10)

Key Action Steps (22:51)

• Immediate Challenge:
  • Take one minute to look in your closet.
  • Identify a piece you’ve held onto that no longer serves who you are today.
  • Consider letting it go to make space for something that celebrates the current you.
• Core Lesson:
  • You are ready to show up now. Confidence and worth aren’t measured by clothing tags or phantom “goal sizes.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• The real problem with your wardrobe: (01:09)
• Clothes and emotional baggage: (03:45)
• Dressing for the you of today: (06:00)
• Why labels are meaningless: (08:05)
• Why one-size capsule wardrobes fail: (13:10)
• Strategy for a fit-proof closet: (15:00)
• Mindset shift and letting go: (20:04)
• Immediate action step: (22:51)

Final Takeaway

Heather’s approach is as much about mindset and self-compassion as it is about wardrobe planning. A “fit-proof” closet isn’t just about having clothes for every occasion—it’s about rewriting the story your wardrobe tells about you. When you stop waiting for the “right size” and start honoring yourself where you are, your clothes become a source of confidence, not stress.

[For women ready to take the next step, Heather invites listeners to check out HER Style Collective for more hands-on guidance and support.]