← Her Style Podcast | Shopping, Color Palettes, Fashion, Wardrobe, Outfits, Clothing
Her Style Podcast | Shopping, Color Palettes, Fashion, Wardrobe, Outfits, Clothing
312 | "I Stopped Overthinking My Outfits" — Isabelle's Story of Confidence, Clarity, and Ease
00:28:53
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- [00:00]
Heather Riggs
Welcome back to the podcast.
- [00:02]
In today's episode, you're going to hear.
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From Isabel, a graduate of Her Style Collective. And what I love about her story is that it's not about a dramatic closet overhaul or buying a whole new wardrobe. It's about what happens when a woman who already has great taste finally gets the right support to translate that into outfits that actually work for her real life. Before joining the Collective, Isabelle felt stuck in that frustrating in between place of knowing what she liked, owning plenty of good pieces, but still, still feeling disconnected from her wardrobe and unsure of herself when getting dressed. In this conversation, we talk about what shifted for her once she stopped trying to figure it out alone. How learning to style what she already owned changed not just her closet, but her confidence, her relationship with shopping, and even how she showed up in her career. This episode is such a beautiful example of what's possible when you have both a system and a community supporting you. And before we dive in, I'll mention that enrollment for the February cohort of Her Style Collective is officially open this week. I'll share a few details at the end of the episode if you're ready to experience results like what you're about to hear. For now, go reheat your mug and settle in for my chat with Isabel.
- [01:16]
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.
- [01:36]
Let's get started.
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All right, Isabelle, my sweet friend, I'm so glad that you're here on the podcast. Thank you for taking time out of your busy week to hang out with me and share all about your experience in Her Style Collective. And you were just such a big support to our Shop your Closet challenge this past week and so always grateful to get some extra time with you. And before we dive into all things collective and your experience and success, I would love to just hear a little bit more. Why don't you introduce yourself to everyone and tell us what your life looks like in this season. And of course it's always fun to know how you came to find her style as well.
- [02:18]
Isabel
Thanks Heather. I'm happy to be here. I'm really excited to do this. My name is Isabel. I live in more of like a rural area of New Jersey with my husband and my now 8 year old son. I work in the medical field so I was wearing scrubs a lot of the Weeks, four to five times a week at the time. I have a very, very casual lifestyle. The area I live is very casual, so it's like even wearing jeans is dressed up, honestly. But I've always really loved style and fashion. It's always been a big interest for me, so. So it kind of, like, I always felt a little out of place because I was always a little more dressed up than other people in the past. But then I kind of got away from it because of my job and my lifestyle, with my son being younger, kind of not as much of a priority, really. So it really just kind of like, lost that sense of style after a while. So I really just wanted to get back into it. I always feel better about myself when I'm dressed better. So I started listening to your podcasts, and I started obsessively listening to every episode. And then. Yeah, and then you had the boot camp, and from there, I joined the collective.
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Heather Riggs
Yeah.
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And that was, like, almost exactly a year ago, but I feel like I've known you forever.
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Isabel
It was. It was a year ago now.
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Heather Riggs
Yeah.
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That's crazy.
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I mean, I guess that's a long time, but I just. I don't know. I feel like I can't remember a time when you weren't part of the collective world. So a joy to get to work with you. And also fun, because I think you and I have so many similarities. Like, our sons are about the same age. I'm also Jersey girl, and I also feel like I have to clarify that I live in the garden. Part of the garden.
- [04:14]
Isabel
Yeah.
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Heather Riggs
Yeah. And I know you're, like, north. So for me, I was like, you know, closer to New York. I didn't realize that it's so casual where you live, that even jeans are dressy. That's the challenge that you never really shared with me before. So now I kind of want to know what it's been like for you, elevating your wardrobe. I know a lot of times people have that challenge of, I want to wear these things, but I feel like I'm going to look really out of place and get to that, too, because I feel like that's a topic that is of interest to a lot of our friends listening. So before we jump to the after, tell us a little bit. You already kind of painted a picture of what getting dressed was like for you. Were there any other stressors or things that were kind of bogging you down with, like, putting outfits together day to day?
- [05:01]
Isabel
Yeah. So I would say it was kind of. Before I jumped into the collective, it was just very chaotic, my wardrobe, because I was really stuck. And I feel like we heard a lot of this, too, during the challenge week of, like, I was stuck between wanting something cohesive and, you know, building, like, a. A small capsule kind of thing, but not really knowing, like, what direction I wanted to take and really getting feeling like I needed to follow a guide, like following an influencer or a capsule guide or a trend list or something like that. So it really just put me in this place where I was just buying all these things that I thought I needed, and it made it very chaotic for me to get dressed and kind of lost my own style in that.
- [05:59]
Heather Riggs
I feel like you just brought up a really good point that we didn't really talk about during the challenge. We talked about that oftentimes we can oversimplify our wardrobe in an effort to create that capsule, or we're just doing what other people are doing and kind of copying and following what we think we should do versus what we actually want to do. But an aspect of that that you just brought up that I didn't really speak to is the fact that if you're trying to whittle your wardrobe down to that cohesive, quote, unquote, capsule wardrobe of just a few very carefully selected items, there is so much pressure to get that right. And if that's the mission that you're on, it can be really daunting to figure that out on your own. And so I think that's probably a big part of the reason that we just to copying the cap, like, the preset capsule things that we see out there. Everyone's like, here's your capsule for spring 2026. And it's like, oh, somebody did the hard work and put these things together that I know we'll mix and match. And so it becomes really tempting to just copy those things versus thinking about all. Are all of those things really the best choices for me? So I'm glad that you said that, because we didn't really talk about that last weekend. I think that's another area that we can get really tripped up. Yeah, that's kind of what you were trying to do coming into this process. Now take us through some of those early days inside the collective. How did that feel for you? And you've had massive success. But did you know right away that this was gonna work for you?
- [07:27]
Isabel
I. I think I really did, because I. I really joined the program because of the boot camp and realizing, like, okay, you're not trying to tell me that I need this set, wardrobe of things and, like, giving me a list of things to buy or anything like that. It was really just honing in on what my specific needs were and what I wanted it to be. So I really liked that about this program in particular. And then, you know, it was just so easy and organized, and it gave you, like, the space to see something and then, like, put it into action. So instead of just, like, watching all these things and then never doing anything with it, so that really, you know, was. Was something that I knew that I needed.
- [08:23]
Heather Riggs
I loved hearing that. It just felt easy and organized, and because it is daunting when you think about trying to revamp your whole wardrobe or streamline your whole wardrobe, you really don't know exactly where to start and what order to take things in. So it's nice to have that guesswork eliminated for you and also have so much hand holding through the implementation. So to your point, you're not just getting information, you're actually doing something with it so you can get those results.
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Isabel
Yeah.
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Heather Riggs
So what were some of the biggest aha. Moments that you had throughout your time in the program?
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Isabel
So I feel like I had a lot, like, even just right off the bat, like, the. The mood board. I remember going through the mood board, and again, I thought it was, like, all over the place and chaotic. And you and the coaches were like, no, no. It's very cohesive, actually, like, what you have. You can see, like, all these common threads and helping me point out what those were. And I was like, okay, like, so those are my signatures, and that's what I can take from it. Like, it doesn't have to, like, all look the same. It is really more showing different parts of my life than, like, actually just being a hot mess. So that was a big thing for me. Also just learning how to use my features to really give me an idea of, like, what scale to use for my clothes or, like, what pattern to pick, like, that I never would have thought about. But it really does make such a difference.
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Heather Riggs
It makes a difference in how you feel in your outfits. And also it eliminates so much of the decision making because you're looking at all the different prints. It's like, oh, I know this one's going to look way better on me than that one. And so it takes out a lot of the guesswork with those decisions.
- [10:11]
Isabel
Yeah. And it's like, you never think about it, and you're like, why don't I like this as much? And then once you hear or once you realize those things can Play into how it looks and how cohesive it is with you. It really just, like, clicks, and you're like, oh, okay. That's why I like more polka dot prints or leopard print than something like stripes.
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Heather Riggs
Yeah, It's. It's giving you the reasoning behind your intuition. Like, you know something's off sometimes when you put those things on, but you don't know know why until you know.
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Isabel
Yeah.
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Heather Riggs
Like, what the reason why is. And then you almost can't unsee it.
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Isabel
Yeah, exactly.
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Heather Riggs
And putting things on in the future.
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Isabel
That and a big thing. Also, the. I mean, we always talk about the colors, but it really was just eye opening for me. Like, the colors. I've been typed a couple times. I don't think we ever really said that before, but I've been anywhere from, like a summer to an autumn. And now I kind of know why. Because I was more of a blend of those things. But again, like, my wardrobe, I was buying all these things, and I was like, okay, those don't look great together. But then now having this cohesive mix of colors because they're all in the same depth and, like, the same, you know, level of intensity, and that really just makes such a huge difference.
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Heather Riggs
Yeah, it's really hard when you're kind of in between the classic seasonal types, because they. They do kind of have to put you into a box. And when you sort of straddle the line and neither one is exactly right, it gets so frustrating because you'll end up with a palette of colors that kind of work for you, but maybe half of them aren't your favorites or you don't really love them. So it can be tough when you're limited to just one or two set types. And so that's one of my favorite things, is really making it so custom to exactly what you need. And just to go back to your earlier point, too, about kind of getting that insight of, like, you did your mood board. You didn't realize how cohesive it was. We. We literally just got off a group coaching call where one of our members was like, I don't know what the gaps are in my wardrobe. And then in the next sentence, she started saying all of these things that she just. A couple things that she really wanted to pick up. And we were all like, you know what your gaps are. You just listed them. But sometimes we're so close to the project, we just don't see what's right in front of us. And that's why it's so incredibly helpful to have that mirror reflected Back to you what the coaches can, you know, maybe point out that you just missed because you're in it, and you're coming into the process thinking your wardrobe's all over the place. But you really did have such a beautiful direction for where you wanted your style to go. And let's talk about that, because you just embraced your style in such a big way through this program. And I know our friends that were hanging out with us at the challenge last week already got to see the pictures of us restyling that classic black blazer that you had. And I know you said it wasn't really working for you at the time because it was so classic. It was, like, a really traditional kind of professional piece, but we were able to restyle it in some amazing ways. So tell us what that experience was like, and then what you were able to kind of do on your own after we went through that together.
- [13:22]
Isabel
Yeah. So, like you said, I really just had this big mental block with the blazer because, again, bought it because it was on the must have list, and I thought I needed one, but I don't really have the lifestyle for a blazer. And, yeah, I kept seeing it as, like, stuffy and classic, and that's just not me or my style, so I couldn't get past that in my own head. So when we took the piece and we put it with some of my other things, like, I would have never thought to put it with shorts. Like, that just would have never crossed my mind until you put it together. And then I was like, okay, like, I can see where this can fit in, and it can make something, like, so dressed down, just, like, a little more dressy, or if I'm feeling like I need something to complete it, it really just finishes things off and. And, like, tones down if I'm. If I want to do something alluring, it really just makes it still, like, kind of in that place where I don't like it to be so alluring. I want it to be more elegant, so it really brings that in, and. And it really just helps me to see it in such a different way of how versatile it could be. Even though I'm not classic, I could still use it.
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Heather Riggs
Did that shape, then how you started looking at the rest of your closet and how you've been styling clothes since that point?
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Isabel
Yeah, definitely did. It's like. It's almost like a challenge now and, like, something fun, because it's like, okay, like, what can I put this with and see if it works? And, yeah, it just made me See everything as like, okay, like maybe I can use this button down shirt with my sweatshirt and see if that works. And yeah, it really just, it helped me to be more creative with the things that I have.
- [15:14]
Heather Riggs
And doing that in a way that still really aligns with your personal style goals, for sure. Like the photos that you post of your outfits. Now in the group, I'm just like, wow, my work here is done. Like, you got it, you figured it out. You really cracked the code on what works for, you know, your body type and your lifestyle and all of those things. So this is probably a good time to circle back on your earlier point of living in a really casual setting. How have you been able to integrate what you like to wear with, you know, the vibe of your area and the kind of things that you do on a regular basis? How is that maybe disconnect been and sorted out for you? Yeah.
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Isabel
So, I mean, it really just helps me to see that I can incorporate it even in little ways. Like you even show in, you know, some of the teaching and some of the trainings, like how to just incorporate your style in like a really little way. And it could be as simple as like, I have a hair tie with a bow on it and that brings in my feminine or like a leopard print in my sneaker or something like that. And it's like learning that you can just add these small little touches into outfits and it doesn't have to be like fully elegant or fully something fully dressed up. I can still put a blouse with jeans and make it. I really love high, low dressing now. It's like something like one of my, one of my favorite things to do now again with the blazer and with these things, it's like it really just adds that extra dynamic. And yeah, I mean it even like we go on side by sides and stuff like that. We're very outdoorsy, family and my husband was even, like, even riding in the woods, you look fashionable and you look like you're, you know, paying attention to your style. Like you, you still look stylish and you're, you know, doing something very active. So it's, it's really cool to see again, like, it feels like a challenge to like, like, how can I incorporate this into anything?
- [17:24]
Heather Riggs
That is such a fun way to look at it and I feel like it's one of the most rewarding things when your loved ones see that transformation and can call it out to you and just say, wow, like, you are showing up in every area of your life as the best version of Yourself in a style that you love, and that makes you feel confident, and it just makes it so much more fun when you're like, okay, I can incorporate little touches into all of these different things and just feel my best no matter what I'm doing.
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Isabel
Yeah.
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Heather Riggs
Yeah.
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Isabel
I don't think I realized, like, how much those little details mattered until doing this and. And going through the program.
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Heather Riggs
I'm so glad that you've had that experience. And I also want to hear how the process impacted your relationship with shopping, too, and kind of what that was like before and how you look at it now.
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Isabel
Yeah. So, like I said, it was, like, all over the place. I felt like I was in this rut of just, like, buying all these things, thinking I needed them, and, you know, trying to kind of fit a certain mold. And now it's. I'm really more discerning with what I buy. Like, I'm very picky about what fabrics I like and what feels good and what's comfortable. And, like, I don't like super low cut tops, so I know to stay away from anything that's, like, too low of a V neck and really pay attention to quality. So I really just am a lot more intentional about what I buy. And now I'm also not as influenced by other people. You know, it's really just, what do I need that's actually going to make a difference in the rest of my clothes and what's going to work with that?
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Heather Riggs
Yeah, I love hearing that.
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Isabel
Very cool. My husband's very happy because it's really cut down my shopping.
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Heather Riggs
Okay.
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That's the best thing to me is, like, because I know that the program is an investment, too. And sometimes people are like, well, wait, I could spend that on. But you're really learning how to tighten that filter of what things make the cut into your wardrobe, which will save you so much, you know, shopping, investments in the future, and also, like, that regret that buyer's remorse. If I'm trying to fill that void and buy more and more pieces, and it still doesn't feel like it's all coming together. So I'm so glad that you were able to overcome the temptation of trying to buy what other people were telling you to buy or the things that you were seeing out there. And really now, knowing exactly what you need and what's going to serve you and what's not, that's like, the most freeing thing to be able to filter out all of that noise.
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Isabel
Yeah, absolutely.
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Heather Riggs
And I know that you've been very vocal about how this Framework gave you so much confidence beyond your wardrobe, too. So tell me a little bit more about what you mean by that, like, rediscovering that confidence in other areas and how this process has impacted you just beyond your wardrobe alone.
- [20:25]
Isabel
Yeah, so I think it's just like, starting with that little step of. It seems like such a simple thing. And we always, like, people take style for granted and that impact for granted. But it's like, if you're using that and trusting your instincts and, like, really paying attention to what you want, like, it's really reflective of your personality. It really shows you, again, just to, like, trust your instincts and to pay attention to those things and really lean into it. And using it in such a little way gives you the confidence to use that instincts in other areas of your life and carry that through, putting that out there to other people, that. That personality that you have. Because we. We go through the collective and look at other people's clothes and their styles might be the same exact style as you, but everyone has this different way of presenting it. And then you really start to see that, like, okay, like, this is the. How my unique interpretation of my style, and it really just kind of helps you to have the confidence to really just reflect that in everything.
- [21:44]
Heather Riggs
That is so beautiful, friend. I love hearing that. It's so nice to be able to celebrate everybody's individuality through the program. And like you said, somebody has the exact same style type, we're all going to interpret it in different ways because we're different. You know, even if you have the same taste as somebody, you don't have the same life as someone or the same personal coloring or the same exact body type. And so it's really cool to start to see all the individualism that comes by going through all of the foundational work that we do inside the program. And I know that by the end of your first round in the collective, you took on a new role at work. And I would love to know how, if. If at all, you think your wardrobe and your confidence that you really developed played a role in that.
- [22:28]
Isabel
Yeah, I mean, I think it did. Like I said, it just allowed me to trust my instincts and knowing that I wanted to pursue something else. It is pretty different from what I used to do, but I felt like I could tackle that because I trusted myself, too. And when I interviewed, I knew how I was showing up, how I was presenting myself, and I knew that it was matching my skill set. So it really just. It did, you know, impact how I showed up for that interview and how I really allowed myself that opportunity.
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Heather Riggs
I think for a lot of women, when we are kind of at that crossroads with our wardrobe and we're not really satisfied with where it is, and we're looking to all of these external sources for what we should do, we kind of lose touch with who we are. And sometimes because we've gone through a big transition, maybe motherhood or a career change or entering a new season of life, and you just kind of have to have that time of reset and reflection. And the cool thing about the collective, I think, is obviously, we're focused on your wardrobe, right? But through that journey, you're doing so much self discovery in the process. It allows you, like you're saying, the opportunity to reconnect with who am I, how do I want to show up? And then it just inevitably does really ripple out into everything that you have going on. So I'm really excited for you that you were able to not only transform your wardrobe and how you put your pieces together, but also your career and how it's just impacted, obviously, your family, not only from a budget standpoint, but even your husband's commenting like, you just look great. You're like, you're happy. The way that you're showing up, it's like it's fully you. So looking back, Isabel, tell me, what do you feel most grateful for in this process?
- [24:22]
Isabel
I'm so grateful for a lot of things, but I feel like a big thing is the clarity and the self awareness, you know, really, again, getting that intuition back and trusting that intuition, and then also just the connections that you make in the collective. It's again, it's just such a supportive community. You, the coaches, the people that you are in a cohort with, you're all going through it together, and it's just such a welcoming and encouraging community. And that is just everything when you're, you know, trying to learn and trying to grow.
- [25:02]
Heather Riggs
So, yeah, it's nice to be able to develop those skills alongside other people who are in the trenches with you and knowing that you're not alone and you don't have to struggle or feel awkward trying new things. It's like we are right there to hold your hand through it and give you whatever support and encouragement you need to keep going. So, Isabel, is there anything else that you really want people to know about the program, or what would you tell anyone who's kind of on the fence? We have, like, an amazing opportunity for people to jump in with us right now for our February cohort. What would you want them to know or what kind of last words would you want to leave them with?
- [25:36]
Isabel
I would just say if you're thinking about it, then go for it. It's definitely worth it. It's. You learn so much, you're surrounded by so much encouragement, and if you're feeling like you're stuck, there's a way easier way than just doing it by yourself.
- [25:54]
Heather Riggs
Absolutely. Yeah. We will give you the exact system and like you said before, the organized, step by step way to go about it. So you can just save yourself a ton of time and headaches in the process and end up having just like Isabelle wardrobe that you love and you know you can show up at your best every single thing on your calendar. So, Fred, thank you so much for sharing your experience with us. I'm so glad it's not over. We still have more time together in the program and I appreciate you being here today. Thank you.
- [26:22]
Isabel
Thank you.
- [26:23]
Heather Riggs
All right, friend.
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If you just listen to Isabel's story and you're like, yes, I want the easier way. I want the steps and the encouragement and the feedback to bring what I.
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Know my wardrobe can be into reality.
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I want to know my style and I want to dress in a way that makes me feel good. For all the big and small moments in between, then this is an amazing time to join us inside Her Style Collective when you enroll in our February cohort. By this Friday, February 6th, you'll get to enjoy an extra month inside the Collective to work through the entire process at a pace that fits your schedule. You can revisit key lessons as you apply them and experience four full months of personalized style coaching. You'll also be invited to join me for a live welcome call that connect, connects you with your collective cohort and shows you how to navigate the program.
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In a way that saves time, builds.
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Confidence, and helps you see results sooner. Plus, for the next 36 hours only, you can save $100 on our base tier membership, which is exactly what Isabelle enrolled with. Or you can take $250 off our brand new VIP tier if you want.
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Even more high touch one on one.
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Level support throughout the process. Either way, the financial savings end this Wednesday, February 4th at midnight Eastern.
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The rest of the bonuses go away.
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This Friday, February 6th, and we kick.
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Off our February cohort live on Monday.
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So head to Herstyle LLC.com Collective for all the details and to grab these special savings and perks when you join our next group. Again, head to Herstyle LLC.com Collective for all the details and to grab your.
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Spot in our February cohort. I can I can't wait to support.
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You with building a wardrobe you love.
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In the season ahead.
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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.