1889: The Economics of Style and Fashion: How to Find Quality in a World of Cheap Clothing

Summary

---

Podcast Summary: So Money with Farnoosh Torabi

Episode 1889: The Economics of Style and Fashion—How to Find Quality in a World of Cheap Clothing

Date: October 8, 2025
Host: Farnoosh Torabi
Guest: Amy Salinger, Founder of Style Method Co.

---

Episode Overview

In this lively and insightful episode, Farnoosh Torabi talks with expert stylist Amy Salinger about the evolving economics of fashion and personal style. They discuss how to find genuine quality clothing in a marketplace flooded with cheap fast fashion, and why quality, comfort, and intention matter more than ever in building a wardrobe that works for you. The conversation is packed with practical advice, money-saving strategies, and candid reflections on the psychology of shopping, closet clutter, and making smarter style investments—even in a stretched economy.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Amy & Farnoosh’s Backstory and the Evolution of Personal Styling

• [05:10] The episode opens with a nostalgic look at how Farnoosh and Amy met two decades ago, at a quirky PR event in New York City.
• Amy recounts her shift from in-person styling to a fully virtual business after COVID, emphasizing her role now as a "confidence creator" who helps clients bring their "most authentic selves" forward through clothing.
  • “I used to come to you in person. Then COVID hit and I rebranded and redid my entire business to become virtual … I like to say: I’m a confidence creator.” —Amy [07:07]

2. Post-COVID Fashion: Comfort as Priority

• [09:41] Amy shares how both she and her clients now value function over fashion, underscoring that comfort is key:

  • "Function first, fashion second. We can make anything stylish, but if you’re uncomfortable … that’s the energy you’re putting out. Who the hell wants to be uncomfortable?” —Amy [09:41]

• The hosts laugh about “hard pants” (non-stretchy jeans) and the near-impossibility of transitioning back from maternity/stretch waistbands to buttoned pants [10:10–11:15].

3. Finding Your Style & The “T-Shirt Test”

• [15:03] Amy reveals her “T-shirt test” as a barometer for a client’s budget/attitude toward spending on clothes:

  • "I can tell an entire person's entire budget … by how much they would spend on a T-shirt." —Amy [15:03]

• They discuss the frustration of mid-market shoppers: traditional quality retailers like J.Crew or Ann Taylor have increased prices while lowering standards, making it tough to shop for good value.

4. Cost, Value, and Fast Fashion—The Psychology of Shopping

• [17:31] Farnoosh and Amy explore why fast fashion is addictive and the hidden costs of buying cheap:

  • Fast fashion’s “haul” culture is critiqued (“Okay, so you spend $5 on 50 pieces that are all a piece of crap.” —Amy [15:42])

  • The importance of understanding cost per wear and investing in basics that yield better long-term value is emphasized [18:29–21:22].

  • "There is a difference between cheap and inexpensive … It’s all about buttons, hemlines, seams, the way the garment is actually put together.” —Amy [15:58]

5. Investment Pieces & Wardrobe Building

• [18:29] Amy details items worth spending on—staples like black blazers, shoes, and bags. Non-foundational statement pieces should be purchased less frequently.

  • “Don’t spend $300 on a severely printed blouse. How many times can you wear it before people are like ‘She has that blouse on again?’ … You can’t build your fashion house without the foundation.” —Amy [20:09]

• The concept “own less, style more” encourages thoughtful curation over closet clutter.

6. Decluttering & Closet Psychology

• [24:42] They discuss how over-buying—the repeated purchase of the same item—often stems from lack of organization and familiarity bias:

  • “When you have so much, you don’t know what you have. And because you have so much, nothing is special.” —Farnoosh [25:16]

• Amy recommends organizing your closet by category and purging with intention, reminding listeners that emotional attachment and nostalgia are normal but shouldn’t block progress [26:59–28:00].

• Tips for reselling or donating unwanted items—RealReal for designer pieces, ThredUp for others, and the importance of ease versus profit in consignment [27:00].

7. Smart Shopping During Economic Downturns & Sustainability

• [28:34] Discount retailers (TJ Maxx, Nordstrom Rack, and the return of New York’s iconic Loehmann’s) are discussed as viable options—but only for certain pieces and only if you don’t get overwhelmed by the uncurated inventory.

  • Amy highlights the sustainability benefits and “thrill of the hunt” with high-end consignment shopping:
    • “I just got a belt I couldn’t find new, and I went on the RealReal and bought it … Yes!” [30:56]

8. Practical Advice & Brands

• Sunglasses: Suggests owning a “sporty” and a “glam” pair, names affordable brands (I-SEA, Le Specs), and personalities’ relationship with losing accessories. [33:31–34:25]
• Reading Glasses: Warby Parker, Peepers, and knowing your habits to avoid wasting on lost/broken items [34:25].

9. AI & the Limitations of Technology in Styling

• [35:19] Farnoosh probes the rise of AI-powered styling apps and subscription boxes; Amy is candid about their limitations:

  • “You pay for what you get … Don’t imagine that it’s like working with Style Method and myself. It is not going to be anywhere near the same thing.” —Amy [36:39]

  • Human stylists account for nuance—budget, body type, lifestyle, personal taste—in a way AI and generic intake questionnaires cannot.

  • “My consultations are an hour long because we are getting into all of it. Even when it sounds like we’re shooting the shit, it’s actually intake.” —Amy [38:11]

10. Navigating Closet Clutter and Sentimentality

• [38:52] Farnoosh confesses a desire to “burn [her] wardrobe to the ground,” while Amy encourages a methodical, forgiving approach:

  • Create toss, maybe, and keep piles.

  • Use a “maybe” pile with a time-limited review (if you don’t think about it for a week, it can go).

  • Invite a friend to make closet clean-outs less painful and more fun.

  • Limit sentimental items to a certain space; take photos of hard-to-part-with pieces as keepsakes (e.g., sorority sweatshirts) [40:58–44:19].

  • “If your sentimental items start to outweigh your actually worn items, we’ve got some problems. Take a picture, it’ll last longer… You don’t have to be mean to yourself—just be honest and make room for the evolved, better version of you, both mentally and physically.” —Amy [43:44]

---

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Fashion’s New Priority:
  "Function first, fashion second. We can make anything stylish, but if you’re uncomfortable...that’s the energy you’re putting out when you’re walking out into the world.” —Amy [09:41]

• On Difference Between Cheap & Inexpensive:
  “Buttons, hemlines, seams ... That’s the difference between cheap and inexpensive.” —Amy [15:58]

• On Investment Dressing:
  “Don’t spend $300 on a severely printed blouse. ... Bags, shoes, a good black blazer or leather bomber: these are the things we should be investing in.” —Amy [20:09]

• On Clothing Clutter:
  “Your closet is mocking you: ‘You used to be this size. You used to have this lifestyle.’ You’re fighting with it every day.” —Amy [41:52]

• On Artificial Intelligence & Styling:
  “You pay for what you get. If you’re doing a subscription box, talk to your ‘stylist’—strong quotation marks… It’s not like working with me.” —Amy [36:39]

---

Timestamps of Notable Segments

• Amy’s virtual styling business evolution: [06:53]
• The rise of comfort and “Zoom style”: [09:41]
• Barrel jeans, skinny vs. straight leg: [11:00]
• Quality in mid-market brands: [15:03]
• Cost-per-wear, investment dressing: [18:29]
• How to declutter and organize effectively: [24:42]
• Resale and donation strategies: [27:00]
• Consignment and sustainable shopping: [28:34], [30:56]
• Discount shopping and Loehmann’s nostalgia: [28:00]
• AI styling limitations: [35:19]
• Tackling closet sentimentality: [40:58], [43:02]

---

Tone & Energy

The episode is candid, warm, and energetic—with plenty of real talk and humor. Amy is direct, relatable, and passionate about demystifying style, while Farnoosh remains the curious, practical guide always eager to connect style with smarter money choices.

---

Practical Takeaways

• Embrace comfort and function first; style follows.
• Invest in foundational basics and staple items for best cost-per-wear.
• Don’t let fast fashion and clutter crowd out what makes you feel confident.
• Shop consignment and discount, but know your purpose before you dig in.
• Use “the maybe pile” and specific strategies to cut sentimental attachment to unworn items.
• Human stylists still outperform AI and generic subscription services for truly personalized results.

---

For more:

• Visit Amy Salinger’s site at stylemethodco.com
• Listen to Amy’s own podcast: The Style Method Podcast
• Farnoosh Torabi’s other episodes and resources: somoneypodcast.com

---

Transcript

[Capital One Bank Guy]

Banking with Capital One helps you keep more money in your wallet with no fees or minimums on checking accounts and no overdraft fees. Just ask the Capital One Bank Guy. It's pretty much all he talks about in a good way. He'd also tell you that this podcast is his favorite podcast too. Ah, really? Thanks Capital One Bank Guy. What's in your wallet? Term supply see capitalone.com bank capital1na member FDIC.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Every idea starts with a problem. Warby Parker's was simple. Glasses are too expensive, so they set out to change that. By designing glasses in house and selling directly to customers, they're able to offer prescription eyewear that's expertly crafted and unexpectedly affordable. Warby Parker glasses are made from premium materials like impact resistant polycarbonate and custom acetate, and they start at just $95 including prescription lenses. Get glasses made from the good stuff. Stop by a Warby Parker store near you. The best B2B marketing gets wasted on the Wrong People I kept seeing ads for extreme mountain bikes and I'm more of a city walk person. If Your goal is CFOs, founders or finance pros, LinkedIn ads let you reach the right decision maker. So when you want to reach the right professionals, use LinkedIn ads. LinkedIn has grown to a network of over 1 billion professionals and 130 million decision makers. And that's where it stands apart from other ad buys. You can target your buyers by job title, industry, company role, seniority skills, company revenue so you can stop wasting budget on the wrong audience. Spend $250 on your first campaign on LinkedIn ads and get a free $250 credit for the next one. Just go to LinkedIn.com somoney that's LinkedIn.com somoney terms and conditions apply. So Money Episode 1889 the Economics of Style and Fashion how to find quality in a world of cheap clothing. You're listening to Sew Money with award winning money guru Farnoosh Tarabi. Each day get a 30 minute dose of financial inspiration from the world's top business minds, authors, influencers and from Farnoosh herself. Looking for ways to save on gas.

[Capital One Bank Guy]

Or double your double coupons?

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Sorry, you're in the wrong place. Seeking profound ways to live a richer, happier life.

[Capital One Bank Guy]

Welcome to SO Money.

[Amy Salinger]

The quality of so many different brands has gone down. I'm like, what the hell is this? Like, I can't even believe that they have the cojones to be charging what they are for what the product is. And I have watched the demise as well, sadly. But what I will say is that I'm very specific, actually about different items being bought at different types of stores and different price points. I call it the T shirt test. And I can tell an entire person's entire budget like their idea of how much things should cost by how much they would spend on a T shirt.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Welcome to Sew Money, everybody. I'm Farnoosh Tarabi. What if you could open your closet every morning and feel completely at ease, confident, clear, ready to take on the world whatever your day looks like? I mean, some days for me, it's just kicking it around the house, but without that usual chaos and stress of having nothing to wear. My guest today believes that great style isn't something you're born with. It's something that you build with intention, curiosity, a deep understanding of who you are, and a smart budget. For more than two decades, Amy Salinger has helped people do just that. She's the founder of Style Method Co, a fully virtual styling business that empowers clients everywhere wear to align how they look with who they are. Amy has worked with hundreds of clients, including yours truly, helping them find confidence through clothing long before we were all working from home in those stretchy pants. I've known amy for nearly 20 years, ever since our meet cute at a quirky PR event in New York City. And since then, she's been my go to stylist through a lot of chapters in life. Career shifts, TV appearances, pregnancies, everything in between. Today, her business has evolved far beyond the fitting room. She's now a digital creator, educator, and host of the new Style Method podcast, where I recently joined her as a guest. Go check it out. In this conversation, we talk about what it really means to invest in your wardrobe, why most of us have closet clutter, and how comfort and confidence are the new couture. Amy Salinger, welcome to Sew Money. This is a little different for me, although I love fashion, but we don't talk about fashion on Sew Money all the time. But this is. I make an exciting.

[Amy Salinger]

Yes, I love that. And I'm so excited to be on the podcast right now.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Let's first give the audience our backstory. I have so many questions for you about the state of fashion investment pieces. What do we buy? How AI is impacting your industry and our relationship to clothing and style and styling. But I think it's fun to talk about how we met. I met you in my early 20s.

[Amy Salinger]

I know the exact moment I met you. See, it's ingrained in my brain Varnish. It was two weeks after I got to New York city. That was 20 years ago, girl. That's how long it's been. And it was at a beanbag toss. It was like a PR stunt by a PR company that you would get a year of free PR from the company if you won the beanbag toss. And you were the host. And one of the women that brought me to the beanbag toss was like, you have to go talk to this girl. She writes for AM New York. Throwback to AM New York. And I went up and I introduced myself, and it was the beginning of 20 years of knowing each other and working together, which is craziness.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Craziness. It was a meet cute. Yeah. So I was working in local news at the time. I worked at New York 1. I was writing a column for AM New York. And I was always trying to find interesting entrepreneurs to talk to. So small business owners. And this was like a small business event. So we struck up a conversation. I ended up writing about your business, and then I ended up becoming a client. Me a client. My husband a client. And those were the glory days in New York when you lived outside of your apartment and what you wore really mattered. This was pre Covid. Like, I had meetings and TV shows and all sorts of events and functions. And you have helped us even like pre baby, post baby. Like, you just. You've been there for us through all of our style tribulations. And I am so excited to now bring you to my audience. You have evolved so much too. You're not just this high end stylist, but also you have really become a content player. Tell us about all the things you have going on right now.

[Amy Salinger]

Oh, my. Okay, so as we just discussed, I used to come to you in person. We were both in the city. That was the way it was running around craziness. Then Covid hit and I rebranded and redid my entire business to become virtual. I do not see clients in person anymore. And when people are like, how do you do this? I'm like, it's certainly not for beginners in the styling world. I've been doing this for over 20 years, so I know the right questions to ask. I understand body type designers, and I ask you leading questions you might not even know. But I'm getting to the answers by hearing, translating what you're saying. Essentially. I've actually, I haven't even met in person, like 70% of my clients, and I haven't seen my former in person clients in over five years, which is nuts. But I've switched over to all virtual. So Style Method co CEO is where I'm blowing it up on social media and with my newsletter and just trying to get the word out there about how you can build confidence through what you wear every day. Really, what I do is making people feel like their most authentic selves and bringing what is confident on the inside to the outside. And then when you feel good walking out the door, that confidence seeps to the inside. So I'm a confidence creator. I like to say.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Yeah, our lives have changed so much, though, since COVID and even now, obviously, during COVID we weren't really leaving the home as much. We weren't going to functions as much. We weren't working in person person as much. What are you finding your clients? In what scenarios are they looking to find confidence with style?

[Amy Salinger]

My clientele are people that have to present a certain image. Time is money. That doesn't necessarily mean that you're like a CEO of a company. It just means that, like, you want to feel good in your own skin. You don't have enough time to do it. You're juggling everything everyone schedules. You're supposed to be the best at everything, and you know that, A, you can be the best at everything. That's just not possible. And B, outsourcing is the dream. And getting some experts into your life for these occasions where you are your own brand no matter what you're doing, no matter where you're going. And I would argue there has definitely been a swing in the pendulum to people. Definitely. They're going out again, they're traveling again, they're over at home stuff, which is ironic considering I'm a Zoom stylist now, meaning I. I only I style from the boobs up is what I like to say. That's Zoom style.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Okay. Yeah. People want to be more comfortable now more than ever. Like, we're not trading that in.

[Amy Salinger]

No, we're never trading that in. But I will tell you that even before COVID one of my taglines that I say all the time is function first, fashion second. We can make anything stylish, but if you're uncomfortable, like you're wearing shoes that are hurting your feet or your pants are cutting into your waist, guess what? That's the energy you're putting out when you're walking out to the world. Who the hell wants to be uncomfortable? Especially since we all had on some sort of stretch waist pant for three years straight. No, I'm sorry. I'm not going backwards. No, thanks.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

We call Them hard pants, we used to just call it jeans. Now they're hard pants. They are though.

[Amy Salinger]

They're the worst. It's funny that actually, and like you said, we work together through both your pregnancies, actually, that once a client wears maternity pants, which is stretch waist pants, there's no such thing as they're so hard to get rid of. You literally are like, I am not putting on another pair of button waist pants after you have the baby. And it's like a very slow transition even if you get there. So I'm a master of knowing brands that are non maternity yet feel like maternity pants because I get it. I had a baby button waist. I don't want to be uncomfortable either. No way.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Quick question. Barrel jeans versus skinny jeans versus straight leg jeans.

[Amy Salinger]

Okay. Barrel leg. I'm sorry, I never hen they're heinous. I actually have a post on my Instagram and it's called why I hate barrel leg jeans. And I just tell you all the reasons I hate it. The way I explain it is that if something looks ugly off the hanger, like literally a barrel, we're widening your hips and your ass. Why do you think these are going to look good on you? Even Hailey Bieber, who's like a model, looks, excuse me, the best of the worst in these particular jeans. Skinny jeans. Just like we just said, we're not going back there because. Or for at least a really long time, because they just aren't comfortable. And when people find something that's more comfortable, even if a designer or a Vogue or something like that is, oh, these are back in. In fashion, you're like, I am no way putting those back on my body. So I would say that a version of straight leg or wide leg is here to stay. But again, another thing I touch upon a lot is that. And actually I just recorded a podcast episode about this, how hard it is to find the perfect straight leg jeans for your body type. Skinny was easy. There was only one fit. I didn't care if you were tall, small, wide, tiny, all the things in between. It was just skinny. Straight leg is totally different depending on your height, your curve, your size. It's definitely more complicated.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

My only my one requirement for any kind of pant that is not a jogger pant or a stretchy pant.

[Amy Salinger]

Yeah.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

And even in that category it has to be high waisted.

[Amy Salinger]

No shit am I allowed to say that?

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Why didn't we figure that out sooner? Like why was it post pregnancy trying to wear a low rise gene? What the hell was wrong.

[Amy Salinger]

I don't know anyone who wants to cut into their stomach in any way, shape or form. I'm old enough to tell you that I remember the Britney Spears era in the late 90s with the low rise and no pockets on the butt. Are you trying to kill me? When I shop for clients I use I'm a psycho filterer. Meaning that's how you should online shop. Use those filters as much as humanly possible. You don't want too much, you want to get to exactly what you want. I click on high waisted and only high waisted to start when I am looking for jeans for anybody, any size anybody. High waisted is just below the belly button too. Let's be clear what that is for. Everybody has a different height of high waisted. We don't want them to be so high that you're a shelf of boobs.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

I need. No, I want that. I want the waist right under my bra line. I want, that's what I want.

[Amy Salinger]

You want to tuck your bra into the top? Yeah, go for it.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

I want to get into more of your advice but I also want because I'm the wonky person at heart about economy and inflation. I just feel of course everything has gone up in price, but especially clothes. I remember listening to this radio interview I think was based on maybe like a fashion magazine article about how because of fast fashion, how that has pressured a lot of the non fast fashion clothing makers to reduce the quality. Like the margins are shrinking. So reduce the quality of their clothing and then raise the prices too. So I'll just. My mom and I, we were big on Ann Taylor and J. Crew and Gap even in the 90s and that was like where you went to get quality like crisp cotton shirts and sweaters and jeans that lasted and dresses that you could wear to all occasions. And now I won't even walk into these stores because I just know that the quality is not. I'm used to, I have a standard now that they set that there was a precedent that they set that they're not keeping up with. And the prices are also higher. So the frustration for shoppers like me where we're not necessarily into the fast fashion, we're not, we're not buying $800 shoes. So we're in the middle. And finding quality and a good price, a good value for that mid market I feel is really tricky. What's your thought?

[Amy Salinger]

I First off, I'm 100% with you. The quality of so many different brands has gone down. I'm like what the hell is this? Like, I can't even believe that they have the cojones to be charging what they are for what the product is. And I have watched the demise as well, sadly. But what I will say is that I'm very specific actually about different items being bought at different types of stores and different price points. Like, I actually, you'll love this. I don't know that we ever talked about this. I call it the T shirt test. And I can tell an entire person's entire budget, like their idea of how much things should cost by how much they would spend on a T shirt. Everyone buys T shirts and you could be like, oh, I would spend 20 bucks. Or there's a T shirt from the row that is $500. So you see what I'm saying? It's the idea of where you are on that sliding scale as to what you think is normal. I will say there is still lots of quality things out there. But the issue becomes, I mean, think about Sheen, right? The haul, that's a big thing on all the social media right now. Look at my haul, look at all the things that I bought. And I'm just like, okay, so you spend $5 on 50 pieces that are all a piece of crap. Like, that's the whole point. You're going to wear it one time, it's going to. First off, that first time it isn't even going to look cute and you're going to throw it away. You can buy something that isn't $1 million that still looks quality. There is a difference between cheap and inexpensive. And people need to be very clear. That is all about like buttons, hemlines, seams, like the way the garment is actually put together. And I always say to people, another, I have so many taglines, I've been doing this for so long. But another one is own less style, more you don't. If you're shopping correctly, you don't need to keep buying something every time you have an event because you're honestly just adding to the problem. You keep buying cheap shit that you don't really love. It's like a band aid on top of the issue. My sister in law is the worst at this. She'll wait until the last second, she'll be sending me Amazon links and I'm like, this is all garbage and don't you have something to wear already? And the answer is no, because she keeps doing this over and over again. That's a family member of mine that I can't even get to stop doing it. So it's an epidemic.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

It is. And yes, this interview that I was listening to got into some of the psychology of that person who always gravitates towards fast fashion. Yes. Maybe what they're buying is low quality and it won't last. And that's okay to them. They've justified. They're like, I'll just keep buying the $5 thing. Not realizing that maybe if they spent $40, they would have it and it wouldn't rotate through their closet many times. And also, it's not just money you're saving, but it's a carbon footprint of, like, constantly buying stuff. Anyway, I want to get into this idea of cost per wear and how cheap versus inexpensive. Distinguishing that. Are there examples of things that people will say, oh, that's too expensive upfront, but actually is a great investment and will pay in the long run. It could be an item of clothing. It could be a price point for an item of clothing that you think people gawk at a lot. What do you think?

[Amy Salinger]

Oh, my. I have a list of things that I think are important for cost per wear. I do want to say, and this is worth noting in terms of what we're talking about and how to get to the other side of actually investing in clothing. That is that you love capital. L O V E. Like, you open your closet and it goes, oh, everything fits. You know, it looks good on you. Rather than, like I said, just continuing to fill your closet with clothing. More clothing does not mean more outfits. Let's be clear. I always ask those people that are doing what this person in the article was doing. Let's discuss the reason you keep shopping. It's like a quick fix, right? Like they're getting some sort of boost emotionally from.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Oh, yeah, dopamine.

[Amy Salinger]

Yeah, exactly. So you need to stop and identify what exactly is giving you that hit of dopamine. And then what I do with my clients is I'm not trying to take away that hit. Like, I get it. It's fun to shop. Hel. I love shopping, but it's about putting it into the right energy towards the right things. And that has to do with being way more specific about what you need and really creating a list and focusing in on that list rather than buying willy nilly because then you're just again, adding pieces without any real rhyme or reason. As far as investment pieces go, I have this conversation all the time. This is cost per wear. This is, what are you gonna wear the most? So it ends up being like pennies on the dollar because it's the type of thing that you can wear over and over and nobody's any the wiser. Don't spend 300 on a severely printed blouse. How many times can you wear that blouse before people are like, yo, she has on that blouse again. It's taken. Let's so that should be blouse fatigue. Yeah, that should be on the lesser end. Things like bags, shoes, a good black blazer or leather bomber. Yes, please. These are the things that we should be investing in the I always say you can't build your fashion house without the foundation, so those people open your closet. If it's filled with print and colors, you've got levels two and three and you've missed foundation and maybe even level one. You can't build out a proper wardrobe and be able to style things endlessly, which is the goal if you have the proper wardrobe. If you don't have those good quality basics and a lot of people are like, oh, it's boring. And I'm like, well, you're so missing the point. Like my black ankle pants are far from boring. They're pull on tuxedo stripe on the side pants because those are representative of me and my life. But they're good quality. I've owned them for easily eight years and I don't need to keep buying new black pants because I capital L O V e these and I know that I can wear them over and over again.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

We have these neighbors who spend an entire month in Germany each year visiting family and friends. I'm only slightly jealous. They talk about wandering through the Christmas markets with a mug of mulled wine in hand and taking long train rides through Bavaria to soak in the castle and mountain views. But while they're gone, their house just sits empty. The financial expert in me can't help but wonder how much they could benefit from hosting their home on Airbnb. Thanks to the Airbnb Co Host network, you can connect with a trusted local co host who takes care of the entire process for you. Even if you are away or don't live in the same state as your property. They'll manage reservations, greet guests, even handle styling and support. It's like having a reliable partner who knows exactly how to make guests feel welcome while you get to focus on enjoying your own trip. So if you've got a house that's empty during travel or seasonal downtime, becoming a host could be a great next step for you. Find a co [e-mail] host. You know how fall has a way of slowing us down. The Days get shorter, the nights cooler, and at home it's all about cozy evenings, restorative rituals and making your space feel like a sanctuary. For me, that started with bowl and Branch. Their signature sheets are the perfect foundation for creating comfort this season. They're buttery soft right out of the package. And the best part? They get even softer with every wash. They're breathable too, so you can layer on blankets without ever feeling too hot or heavy. And they're made with the highest quality 100% organic cotton in durable designs. This fall. They're even available in limited edition seasonal colors that that instantly make your bedroom feel more comforting. I can honestly say I felt the difference from night one. The sheets just have this weight and smoothness that makes you look forward to bed. Start building your sanctuary of comfort this fall with Bolen Branch. For a limited time, get 20% off your first set of sheets plus free shipping at bolandbranch.com SewMoney that's Bolenbranch B O L L A N D branch.com SewMoney to save 20% and unlock free shipping, exclusions apply.

[Capital One Bank Guy]

Hey, what's up? It's Mario Lopez. Back to school is an exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming and kids may feel isolated, a vulnerability that human traffickers can exploit. Human trafficking doesn't always look like what you expect. Everyday moments can become opportunities for someone with bad intentions, whether you're a parent, teacher, coach or neighbor. Check in, ask questions, stay connected. Blue Campaign is a national awareness initiative that provides resources to help recognize suspected instances of human trafficking. Learn the signs and how to [e-mail] Blue Campaign Banking with Capital One helps you keep more money in your wallet with no fees or minimums on checking accounts and no overdraft fees. Just ask the Capital One bank guy. It's pretty much all he talks about in a good way. He'd also tell you that this podcast is his favorite podcast too. Ah, really? Thanks. Capital One Bank Guy what's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capital1.com bank capital1NA member FDIC.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Let'S talk quantity. Like how many jeans are a right amount of jeans? How many black pants should you have? I did a story once for Oprah Magazine and going back to like the psychology of a lot of this is like when you have clutter in your closet and you do have multiples upon multiple layers of a particular kind of clothing. Like maybe you have eight white blouses or 14 jeans. Guess what? When you go shopping, what's the first thing you're looking for another pair of jeans, another white blouse. Because. And here's why. Because you have so much, you don't know what you have.

[Amy Salinger]

Correct.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

And because you have so much, nothing is special. And, yeah, part of it is also you. Like, maybe that thing. Like, it's just part of your personality. You draw. You're drawn to black, you're drawn to white, whatever it is. But also you. It never once crosses your mind. Like, oh, I already have this, so I shouldn't buy more of it. It's just like, it becomes this.

[Amy Salinger]

I don't know, like, rinse, repeat, rinse, repeat, rinse, repeat. I was comfortable.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

It's comfortable.

[Amy Salinger]

Yes. And it's. Listen.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Familiar.

[Amy Salinger]

I was at a client's yesterday, and she had so much stuff in certain categories. Because I build out everyone's wardrobe by category, follow an itemized list that I created of. Here are the categories that you should fill. Start with the neutrals, like the foundational items, and then you can have the fun after that. But you got to start with the foundational of these categories before you get onto the fun. I've never seen so many bags that she's. I've never worn that. I've never worn that. I've never worn that. And these were, like, gorgeous, expensive designer bags. And then we got to her tops, and I'm like, you own one blouse? And she's, I don't like buttons. And I'm like, who said we have to put buttons on your blouse? Like, I'm talking about the idea of a silkier, dressier underpinning. And she's, I always wonder why I have trouble getting dressed. And I'm like, yeah, because you can't be naked with a bag, basically. And so it's this idea of identifying what those major holes are. And he keeps shopping. And as you just said, it's for the same things over and over. We got rid of so many bags yesterday. And where do you sell this stuff?

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

This is a good.

[Amy Salinger]

I always end up at the real real. Honestly, the real real is easy. For designer stuff, as far as the rest of it, I'll go to Thredup, because for me, it's not even about a lot of times consigning things. It's more trouble than it's worth. Find a friend. I donate. It makes me happy. I know it's going to have a good life. I know where it's going. Consigning takes effort. If you just want to get the stuff out of your house, which was a big deal in New York City because you don't have any space. ThredUp and RealReal will literally send you bags and you just shovel the stuff into the bags, they're prepaid and you drop them off. So it's really about the ease of to me more than like that you actually making any money at all.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

I was reading that as we get further into a troublesome economy, places like TJ Maxx and Nordstrom Rack and our beloved Lomans apparently is coming back to New York City. Oh my God.

[Amy Salinger]

I am telling you I will get in my car and drive there for another chance to hang out in Lomans because that was my mecca of happiness. And for those that don't know what it was, a Ming designer discount. But I don't know, they just did a better job than everyone else. And it was duration around for 98 years. Do you know that? 98 years and then it foreclosed.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

What happened?

[Amy Salinger]

I actually know stores like that should.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Be recession proof and should be, but.

[Amy Salinger]

It was privately owned. They never went public. So they had problems there.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

I think for so many reasons. Stores like that are a great place to shop and maybe not for your basics because I think a lot of that stuff that they carry is more of the printy stuff or the pops of color stuff. But maybe I'm wrong, but in this economy it makes sense. But also if you're eco conscious and you want to reduce your carbon footprint, it makes sense. And I think back to what we were saying about quality. Not that the clothes at TJ Maxx are from 10 years ago, but I don't know, maybe you can find better quality there for less. What are your thoughts?

[Amy Salinger]

I have so many thoughts on all of this, obviously. But first off, designer discount is depending on which one you're at, they do the buying based on where the store is. So like the Nordstrom Rack in New York City and Union Square was I brought all my designer bags there, the Nordstrom Rack where I am now, I can't even find a white T shirt. So it's not necessarily about the store, it itself. There is everything in there. But I think at the end of the day, the unmerchandised element of that store is too overwhelming for most people. So I always say if you're going to go buy an accessory of some sort or a pair of shoes, it's just a lot easier to manage than all of the clothing or you're going in there once you've built out your foundational level just to buy something for fun because that's the Other thing, once you built out the foundations, you can just, you don't have to go, oh God, what is this going to go with? It's going to go with anything because you own all of the right foundation pieces. But it really is, I think TJ Maxx, there is a designer section that I just go straight to that section, look at what they have from the contemporary designers, which is like an Ellie Tahari a theory, a DVF this level and you can get it at great prices. Again, TJ Maxx will always have that kind of stuff. I don't even bother raking through the rest of the stuff. Maybe like gym clothing, but aside from that, I'm not really looking at the rest of the. But also, you want to talk about reducing your carbon footprint. I am all about high end consignment. Like not just. I don't necessarily give stuff away, but buying. Oh my God. I just got, I just got a belt. I have been searching for that I actually couldn't find new and I went on the RealReal and bought it and I was like, it's brand new and I spend $50 less. So yes.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Oh my God. You want to go. One of my great finds. There were these sunglasses that I loved. They were from Celine. They were just beautiful. But they were like, I want to say they were like $600 retail crazy. And I was like, no, that's dumb. Because also sunglasses and I have really bad breakup relation. We've. We break up a lot.

[Amy Salinger]

Like, I will put them back in the case. I will leave them.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

I will leave them. I will, I'll leave them at the coffee shop, remember, two days later, go back and they have them. But I'm just a mess when it comes to accessories and leaving them all over the town. So I was like, I know me. Not only is this an exorbitant amount of money for sunglasses, but I'm also not the type that's going to be able to keep these intact. So I went immediately onto what was the site. I went on Poshmark and I found them for 150 bucks.

[Amy Salinger]

There you go.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Brand new. Brand new. And like they were random. They were like this olive green. I just was like, let's just see. And I think that's always a go to now when I see something really expensive. I don't even care if it's lightly used, but sometimes you can find new with price tags for half off or less. And do you know I lost those sunglasses?

[Amy Salinger]

No, I was about to ask that. I was like, because you Loved them so much. I was assuming you like, kept track of them.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

I lost them. I can't keep them in my. On my belonging, on my person. I can't.

[Amy Salinger]

Your face. And you put them in the case. That is the key to not losing sunglasses is really not for you. No.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Sure. That makes a lot of sense. That sounds perfectly logical. But I was probably multitasking. I probably had a child with me. I probably had a phone in my hand. I probably was carrying a coffee and. Yeah, rest in peace. I found knockoffs though. $60.

[Amy Salinger]

All right, now don't do it.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

That's.

[Amy Salinger]

You know what, that's the universe saying, girl. Maybe you aren't supposed to have these sunglasses.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Yeah, it's not. Yeah. You got to know yourself before you wreck yourself. Yeah.

[Amy Salinger]

But also know thyself. And I love that you lose sunglasses. And I have clients I have this conversation with. I'm like, okay, then I'm not going to get you expensive sunglasses. That's just stupid. There's a lot of mid level brands that you can get away with that you can tell, like in terms of the way they feel on your face, they're not like really nice sunglasses. But as far as the way they present to the world, totally fine. And no, let's again, know thyself. Function first, fashion second. The function of them is going to be lost because you lose them.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

I moved to the suburbs. All the cool moms would wear Gooders. G O. Oh, yeah.

[Amy Salinger]

Those are really cheap, fun sunglasses.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

You're like 25 bucks. And they're great for summertime. They come in like neon with like tinted lenses and you just look like you don't care. They're playful and they have a really great warranty where if they crack or break, I think after the first, before the first year, they'll just replace them for you.

[Amy Salinger]

I love that.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Just plug in. Gooder. Gooder.

[Amy Salinger]

Yeah, exactly. I was gonna. I'll actually give you two brands for the. That would be sporty side of life because I think everybody should own at least two pairs of sunglasses. A pair of sporty and a pair of glam and sporty. I usually go the way of Wayfarer or aviator and glam. I usually go round or square and slightly oversized. In the glam world, I see like literally the letter I. And then sea or LE Specs are really great, inexpensive glam brands. My car sunglasses are IC and so I, I actually wear those more than any of my designer sunglasses.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Okay, but for the midlife women out there, how about the reading glasses? Because I feel like those also come in a wide range. There's the Easy Peasy's, the. The. What do you call them? The peepers. And then there's like the higher end where she can get, like, Parker.

[Amy Salinger]

But listen, if you have one pair of readers, like, if you're not like my mom, where she'll have three pairs of readers on her head at one time and go, where are my readers? That's me, Amy, you've already gone there. Wow, we're getting old. Remember when we were young, Farnooch? Yeah, it's a whole other level. If I'm not suggesting this to you because you tend to lose things. Glasses related. But I do get Warby Parkers for $99 for my clients. You wear. You pull out readers all day, everywhere. At a restaurant, at a meeting, wherever it may be. Make them nice, don't make them the $3 pair from CVS and don't lose them.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Noted. I want to talk about artificial intelligence, as I seem to be asking about this in every interview. Whatever it's pertaining to, there's always an angle. And I see now my friends in town who are like, I'm checking out these AI style sites where they will scan your closet and they'll tell you what you're missing. Basically trying to be Amy Salinger.

[Amy Salinger]

But chat.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Amy Salinger.

[Amy Salinger]

Salinger. I love it. New site.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

And I'm just like, okay, good luck with that. Let me know how that works out for you. Because I know the work that we did together. And yes, you can do it faster with technology, but it's not going to really be efficient. I will just say that the other day I went on a site and one of those companies that will. They'll deliver you a box of clothes every month. And there's many of them. And I've experimented with them in the past and I was curious to get into that world maybe again. And I shut the computer like immediately. Once they were asking me for my intake and the first question was like, which of these pictures looks like your body type? And for a lot of reasons, I didn't like that question. But I know it's necessary, but I just couldn't find myself in this sort of the six options they gave me. And then I was like, okay, how good can this even be if this is the first way that we're trying to figure out what to get me. I'll give you the floor to talk a little bit about why working with a human is still invaluable in this.

[Amy Salinger]

Department of our Lives without trying to sell myself because I am a human. Listen, the way I explain it is pretty simple. You pay for what you get. If you're doing a subscription box and you're only paying for the clothing that you keep. And they're like, talk to your stylist. Okay, Stylist has strong quotation marks around it. And again, this is okay. No harm, no foul. But you got to know what you signed up for. Don't imagine that it's like working with style, method, and myself. It is not going to be anywhere near the same thing. Same with A.I. listen, A.I. is very useful. It's useful in my business, but more from the marketing standpoint as far as it.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Like.

[Amy Salinger]

Like being able to understand the idiosyncrasies of your shape, your lifestyle, your budget, all of the things. It's just not going to. That's just the reality of it. But again, if you're looking for free, then go crazy if you're looking for efficiency. And so it's the idea of, are you gonna spend hours and hours trying to redo your wardrobe or even, for that matter, just. Just buy a few new pieces for the season, or are you going to work with me for a few hours, outsource that problem? All you do is show up for a fitting and a quick conversation, and I do all the rest of it and have it all delivered to your house. You don't even have to leave your bedroom. But how do you want to spend your time and money? Because also, it's going to be one and done with me. I'm executing it in an instant because I know what I'm doing. I'm the expert. That's the idea of outsourcing. I always say everyone's style is these things. Things. Your personality plus your budget plus your lifestyle plus your body type equals your personalized and customized style. And like I said, there's a lot of idiosyncrasies. So you. My consultations are an hour long because we are getting into all of it. I say, even when it sounds like we're shooting the shit, it's actually intake. Because I'm getting to know you.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Yeah, listen, I want to burn my wardrobe to the ground right now.

[Amy Salinger]

Be clear that we have not worked together in a little while because we have been separated by a location and we haven't gone to virtual as. You're saying you want to burn your wardrobe that is not Amy Salinger approved.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

No, I just feel like I want to reset, and I have a lot of hodgepodge in My closet, because I have. And part of it is nostalgic and like, part of it is not wanting to let go of the past. I know I have to Marie Kondo this asap, but there's things that I'm like, oh, I wore this on the set of blah, blah, blah, and. And fashion is cyclical, so I'm like, maybe this will come back into style. I've done a lot of. I have had some regrets where I've donated items of clothing simply because when am I ever gonna wear this again? This was like a fad. But then the fad comes back and, oh, I wish I had those X, Y and Z shirts or blazers or whatever. So there's part of that to get over. But, yeah, I just, I feel it's also. Every few years, it's like you got. You're entering a new stage of your life. You really are. And with that that your wardrobe should match.

[Amy Salinger]

You are evolving. You're evolving, but your basics oftentimes stay very similar for a long period of time. And that's why I would invest in them. I would also say that I actually just filled and filmed another podcast episode about why to basically, cleaning out your closet is the first step to building confidence in your wardrobe. Nobody wants to clean out their closet. It's not like you're like, ooh, this weekend I get to clean out my closet. Yay. But I know what's waiting for you on the other side. If you follow these few steps is actually going to lift a massive weight off of your shoulders. All of my clients after just the initial closet clean out are like, oh, my God, it's amazing. I opened my closet. I know everything fits. I know I love it. And I'm like, we haven't even gotten to the fun part yet.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

We haven't even shot anything new or.

[Amy Salinger]

Recently, and you're already this excited. But that's. That's really what happens. As far as the regret, one of the things that I tell people is you have a full on. There should be piles. One of the piles is, what are you doing here? Get out of my closet. Toss. Bye, see you later. Don't need to think about you. The other pile is the maybe.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

I don't know.

[Amy Salinger]

And that's okay. Put it in a maybe pile. You're not sure. Maybe you love it and you've worn it too many times, but can you restyle you always wear it the same way? Or like, like you've never worn it, but you've always loved it. But why aren't you wearing it, There's a whole bevy of options and reasons in the maybe pile. Keep it somewhere accessible. I want you to look at it 48 hours after you put it together, and then 72 hours, and then one week later, if you have not thought about a particular item in that amount of time, like, you're like, okay, I am over this. Like, I can move on. Feel confident about getting rid of it. The other thing that always. I always say that's fun is if you have the ability, invite a friend over, get a bottle of wine. You have an honest judge there who also is. It becomes fun. It's like an activity, as opposed to wanting to rip your hair out. And if they can be similar in size to you, even better. Because then you are giving it to a new home. And a lot of times people have trouble giving things away because they're like, oh, but I spent this much on it. And it's. But you're not wearing it. It's taking up mental and physical space. Pass it on to someone who's going to love it. That could be someone you know or someone you don't. But at the end of the day, when you have too much clutter in your wardrobe, you're a cloth. You're fighting. You're in a battle every day with your closet. Your closet is mocking you. You used to be this size. You used to have this lifestyle. Like. Like, it's literally being mean to you. And you're wearing the same 10 the same way. And side note, probably can't find 20% of what you own.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Like, I have blouses from my Yahoo days in my closet. Guys, this is 12 years ago now. And those are some good times. And I think that I just. I've not worn them. And I'm like, but you know what? I think I might even got these shirts at Lowman's. So they're extra special. And I just feel like I'm. Yeah, I gotta kiss them goodbye. I gotta thank them and then I gotta go, yes, thank them. Thank you. And find a new home.

[Amy Salinger]

I always say. You say you. When I am cleaning out clients closets, I'm like, it's had a good life with you, and it's time to let someone else have a good life with it. And it's okay. It's a release. It's sometimes hard, but, oh, my God, is it freeing? And by the way, the sentimental thing you keep referring to, that's a huge thing I talk about with people when I'm not against sentimental items. I have Sentimental items like this is. It's okay. They bring me joy, which is the whole point of your wardrobe. If your sentimental items start to outweigh your actually worn items, we've got some problems. I tend to keep actual structural limitations on sentimental items, like this drawer. Half of the drawer is for sentimental items. Or this particular section in my closet. But. But once it starts to get over that, you need to take a hard look at it and go, okay, take a picture. It'll last longer. Like, I'm never putting this on again. I had three Champion Sorority sweatshirts. Oh, my God, I love an oversized Champion sweatshirt. And I was like, you get to keep one of these, Amy. You don't need all three. And it's okay. You don't have to be mean to yourself. Just be honest and make room for the evolved, better version of you, both mentally and physically.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Wow. Yes.

[Amy Salinger]

Doctor.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

So much more we could talk about. So much more we could talk about. I recently cleaned out my daughter's closet. She's 8, and I just love going into her closet. I'm like, oh, my God. And you know what? It takes her very little to get ready in the morning because she knows where everything is. She knows what she has. She's excited to get ready because she's, oh, I have this thing, like, I'm giving her the gift, hopefully, of organization. And you know why it's important? Because no matter your age, this is. We can all benefit.

[Amy Salinger]

Yes, we can.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Amy Salinger, thank you so much. Style Method Co. You have podcasts, virtual styling services. We'll be sure to put all of those links in our show notes and very exciting. I'm also on your podcast. We'll talk about my style journey, and I don't know what you're gonna ask me, but I'm ready for it. I'm ready for it. Thanks so much to Amy Salinger for joining us. Check out stylemethodco.com to learn more about working with Amy and her new podcast, which I am on today. In fact, go check it out, called the Style Method Podcast. I'll see you back here on Friday for AskFarnouche. And I hope your day is so money.

[Capital One Bank Guy]

Banking with Capital One helps you keep more money in your wallet with no fees or minimums on checking accounts and no overdraft fees. Just ask the Capital One bank guy. It's pretty much all he talks about in a good way. He'd also tell you that this podcast is his favorite podcast too. Ah, really? Thanks, Capital One bank guy. What's in your wallet term supply see capitalone.com bank capital1na member FDIC hey, I'm.

[Farnoosh Tarabi]

Paige Desorbo and I'm always thinking about underwear. I'm Hannah Berner and I'm also thinking about underwear, but I prefer full coverage. I like to call them my granny panties. Actually, I never think about underwear. That's the magic of Tommy John. Same. They're so light and so comfy and if it's not comfortable, I'm not wearing it. And the bras? Soft, supportive and actually breathable. Yes. Lord knows the girls need to breathe. Also, I need my PJs to breathe and be buttery, soft and stretchy enough for my dramatic tossing and turning at night. That's why I live in my Tommy John pajamas. Plus they're so cute because they fit perfectly. Put yourself on to Tommy John. Upgrade your drawer with Tommy John. Save 25% for a limited time at tommyjohn.com comfort See site for details.