Fashion Writer Becky Malinsky on 5 Things You Should Buy for the Holidays and Her New Alex Mill Capsule Collection

Summary

The Who What Wear Podcast: Episode Summary

Title: Fashion Writer Becky Malinsky on 5 Things You Should Buy for the Holidays and Her New Alex Mill Capsule Collection
Host: Cat Collings
Guest: Becky Malinsky
Release Date: December 4, 2024

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1. Introduction to Becky Malinsky

Cat Collings welcomes Becky Malinsky, a seasoned fashion editor, stylist, and trend forecaster, to discuss her multifaceted career and latest projects. Becky, the author of the popular Substack newsletter "Five Things You Should Buy," has garnered over 65,000 subscribers by offering curated fashion advice and trend analysis.

Key Highlights:

• Becky transitioned from the Wall Street Journal, where she served as the Fashion Market Director, to founding her own consulting business in 2022.
• Her Substack focuses on delivering highly curated fashion recommendations, emphasizing quality over quantity.

Notable Quote:

“Instead of showing you the top 75 t-shirts, she wants to show you how to style the single best t-shirt in 75 ways.” — Cat Collings [00:10]

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2. Becky's Journey into Fashion

Becky shares her lifelong passion for fashion, influenced heavily by her mother, who recognized her talent and encouraged her to pursue a creative career over the traditional path expected by her family.

Key Highlights:

• Initially intended for medical school, Becky’s internship opportunity at Cosmopolitan in New York pivoted her career towards fashion.
• Her persistence and passion led her to work with prestigious publications like Glamour and GQ before her tenure at the Wall Street Journal.

Notable Quote:

“It was my way or the highway. And it was my mother who opened my eyes that you could live a more creative life.” — Becky Malinsky [02:02]

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3. Transition to Freelancing and Launching Her Business

In 2022, amidst the post-pandemic shift in work attire, Becky identified a unique market need for everyday professional styling. This realization prompted her to leave a stable position at the Wall Street Journal to launch her own consulting business.

Key Highlights:

• The pandemic altered fashion dynamics, with remote work blurring traditional dress codes.
• Becky envisioned a service that assists busy professionals in refining their daily wardrobes without the hassle of excessive shopping.

Notable Quote:

“I just knew that I could figure out how to address that need. And it was definitely a risk. And that is scary.” — Becky Malinsky [06:17]

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4. The Birth of "Five Things You Should Buy" Newsletter

Becky explains how a simple request from a friend seeking wardrobe advice inspired the creation of her Substack newsletter. The concept revolves around providing highly curated shopping lists tailored to specific needs and occasions.

Key Highlights:

• The newsletter aims to reduce overwhelm by offering only the most essential and versatile pieces each week.
• Becky emphasizes the importance of being highly edited to maintain trust and relevance for her readers.

Notable Quote:

“How can I make it very edited and make sure that this is a trustworthy place that actually I'm only sending you out with something that I trust and know that I would put my stamp on.” — Becky Malinsky [09:20]

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5. Winter Styling Tips and Trends

Becky shares her top styling tips for the winter season, focusing on balancing showy pieces with practical layering to maintain warmth without sacrificing style.

Key Highlights:

• Incorporating sheer skirts with tights or leggings to transition summer trends into winter.
• Embracing a mix of traditional and contemporary elements, such as light-washed jeans paired with silky blouses inspired by Chloe.
• Utilizing color combinations like brown, navy, and black to create versatile and current outfits.

Notable Quotes:

“I think J. Crew has them now. Lisa Yang does them really well.” — Becky Malinsky [12:10]

“There is so much brown out there now and there are so many traditional ideas of what you are and are not allowed to do with brown.” — Becky Malinsky [15:41]

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6. Collaboration with Alex Mill: Holiday Things Collection

Becky discusses her exciting collaboration with Alex Mill, resulting in the "Holiday Things" capsule collection. This partnership merges her expertise with Alex Mill’s brand identity to create versatile and festive pieces for the holiday season.

Key Highlights:

• The collaboration focuses on filling gaps in Alex Mill’s existing lineup, especially for evening and special occasions.
• Emphasis was placed on fabric quality and functionality, ensuring the pieces are both beautiful and wearable.
• The collection includes standout items like purple velvet pants, a navy crepe blazer, and a distinctive navy suit, all designed to seamlessly integrate into existing wardrobes.

Notable Quotes:

“We decided, what if we could collaborate on a small collection of pieces and what would that look like?” — Becky Malinsky [26:17]

“This is the first time I've ever done a collaboration. I've worked with brands before, but this was from start to finish.” — Becky Malinsky [26:17]

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7. Trend Forecasting and Personal Favorites

Becky delves into current and upcoming fashion trends, highlighting her favorites and explaining why they resonate with her personally and professionally.

Key Highlights:

• Chloé Renaissance: Becky is captivated by Chloé’s blend of traditional beauty and modern relevance, noting its appeal to influential figures like Kamala Harris.
• Bally’s Wearable Collections: Applauding Bally’s accessible yet stylish pieces that balance preppy American ideals with European sophistication.
• Becky remains vigilant in observing global fashion movements, drawing inspiration from various sources including magazines, TV shows, and street fashion.

Notable Quotes:

“Fashion has gotten to a point where a lot of Runway collections are very to dissect, but that collection you can dissect on the spot and you’re like, oh, my God, I love that coat.” — Becky Malinsky [22:07]

“I am never not looking. Like, my brain does not turn off in this sense.” — Becky Malinsky [23:43]

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8. Personal Shopping Philosophy and Wardrobe Curation

Becky emphasizes the importance of intuitive shopping and curating a wardrobe filled with pieces she genuinely loves and can envision multiple uses for.

Key Highlights:

• Becky avoids impulse purchases, opting instead for items that evoke strong affection before buying.
• Advises clients to consider versatility, ensuring new pieces can be integrated into various outfits and occasions.
• Shares her favorite wardrobe staples, such as high-quality T-shirts, light-washed jeans, and khaki button-down shirts, alongside treasured special items like vintage Prada pieces.

Notable Quotes:

“If it's a piece that you love, you make it work. Most people have a packed closet and say they have nothing to wear to the point that we have too much stuff that you can't see what you need.” — Becky Malinsky [16:51]

“I will wear that full suit to death, like, day or night.” — Becky Malinsky [32:26]

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9. Holiday Gift Recommendations

Becky offers a curated list of holiday gift ideas, blending functionality with aesthetic appeal to cater to diverse tastes and preferences.

Key Highlights:

• 45R Bandanas: Versatile, stylish, and unisex, perfect for adding flair to any outfit.
• Evening Bags: Metallic and sparkling options that complement holiday outfits without being overly flashy.
• Cashmere Beanies from Drake’s: High-quality, vibrant colors ideal for both men and women, suitable for Secret Santa or thoughtful gifts.
• City Meals on Wheels Donations: Encouraging giving back by including donations with holiday cards as a meaningful gesture.

Notable Quotes:

“I always say I don't discriminate. A good thing is a good thing and it could be from anywhere. You just always have to keep your eyes open.” — Becky Malinsky [35:00]

“Everything has to be beautiful and useful, which I think you get when you read the newsletter.” — Becky Malinsky [34:25]

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10. Conclusion

Cat Collings wraps up the conversation by expressing gratitude to Becky for providing invaluable insights and gift ideas for the holiday season. Becky’s expertise in fashion curation and trend forecasting, coupled with her intuitive approach to style, offers listeners practical and stylish solutions for their wardrobe and gifting needs.

Final Notable Quote:

“It's all in the mix.” — Becky Malinsky [36:11]

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Overall Insights: Becky Malinsky exemplifies the fusion of professional expertise and personal passion in the fashion industry. Her transition from a stable editorial role to freelancing illustrates the dynamic nature of fashion careers. Through her curated Substack newsletter and strategic collaborations like the one with Alex Mill, Becky provides accessible and actionable fashion advice, catering to the modern individual's need for simplicity and style. Her holistic approach to wardrobe curation—balancing basics with statement pieces—ensures that her recommendations are both practical and trend-forward, making her a trusted voice in the fashion community.

Transcript

[Cat Collings]

Welcome to the who, what where? Podcast, your direct line to the designers, stylists, beauty experts, editors, and tastemakers who are shaping the ever evolving world of fashion. I'm who what Where Editor in Chief Cat Collings, and today I'm chatting with the author of the popular sub style back 5 things you should buy. Becky Malinsky. Becky is a seasoned fashion editor and market director who spent seven years at the Wall Street Journal. In 2022, after seeing how much fashion and work attire had changed from the pandemic, Becky saw a need and knew she could fill it. So she quit her job and started her own business, offering executive and professional styling consulting, trend reporting, and more. At the same time, she launched her substack, which provides insightful, straightforward advice and fashion analysis. And now she has over 65,000 subscribers. What I love about Becky's point of view is that she knows her stuff. Instead of showing you the top 75 t shirts, she wants to show you how to style the single best t shirt 75 Ways. Becky's here to talk about the pieces she's most excited to style this winter and her exciting collaboration with Alex Mill, which drops today. It's all coming up on who, what where. Becky, thank you so much for coming to the show today.

[Becky Malinsky]

Thank you for having me.

[Cat Collings]

I'm so excited to talk with you. Your substack is one of my favorites to read, and there's a lot to dive into. So you do many things. You're a veteran fashion editor, a stylist, a brand strategist, a trend forecaster, and you're the author of the popular substack that I just mentioned called five things you should buy. So you work at the intersection of all these facets of the industry, and I'm curious how you first fell in love with fashion and got started on this path.

[Becky Malinsky]

I don't remember a time that I was not opinionated about fashion, and I think my mother would tell you the same thing. I think since I could have an opinion and voice an opinion, it was my way or the highway. And, you know, I wanted to wear something specific and I would save my allowance to buy specific like Gap kids and limited to. And it was just kind of always a part of me and I never knew that it was a potential career path until I was a little bit older. I was dead set. I was going to med school. My dad was a doctor. My stepfather is a doctor. My grandparents would introduce me. This is our granddaughter, Becky. She's going to be a doctor. That was going to be the path and it was my mom who said, maybe you should pursue fashion. Maybe you should look into this because you're really good at it. You're really interested in it. It's what you spend your spare time doing, sewing and making things for people. And she was the one who opened my eyes that you could live a more creative life. For sure.

[Cat Collings]

That's beautiful. Bless Mom.

[Becky Malinsky]

Yes. Mom's for the win. And then during college, I came to New York for an internship. My cousin was at Brooklyn Law School, and I went for the weekend to visit him. I think my boyfriend had just broken up with me, and my aunt was like, come with us to New York to visit our cousin. And I had, like, met someone who met someone who he was friends with, who was a fashion editor at Cosmopolitan. And she said, why don't you apply to be my intern this summer? And I did, and I've never looked back. I was like, this is my path. This is so fascinating. I didn't even know that any of this existed. I just continued to come back in the summers during college, and I moved with no job after college, and I just hit the ground running. I took a meeting with literally anyone who would meet with me until I got a job and have been working ever since.

[Cat Collings]

Wow. That fateful trip to visit your cousin. That's amazing.

[Becky Malinsky]

It's funny how life works that way.

[Cat Collings]

Yeah, exactly. Like, this little thing happened. Like, maybe you broke up with a boyfriend, and I don't know if that's why you took the trip, but maybe they wanted to, like, get your mind off of things and one thing leads to another.

[Becky Malinsky]

Totally.

[Cat Collings]

So you started at Cosmo, but you've also worked at places like Glamour and gq. Most recently, you were the fashion market director at the Wall street journal. But in 2022, you decided to start your own consulting business. Tell me about going freelancer, working for yourself and how that shift shifted things for you. I imagine it opened up a lot of opportunities, but might have also been challenging in some ways.

[Becky Malinsky]

Yeah. I was at the Wall Street Journal for many years before I left. I was a journalism major in college. I had worked at lots of magazines, and the end goal was always a newspaper. I loved working at the Journal. I credit the Journal for teaching me how to package a story, how to edit a story, how to write, how to really think my ideas through, and I was really happy there. When I decided to leave, it was a year after we had gone back to work post COVID lockdowns, and I was hearing everywhere from everyone. It was becoming a part of every story we were writing. It was every podcast I was listening to. Everyone was talking about this new working world and how to get dressed for it. And no one could quite figure out how to get dressed. People didn't want to feel overdressed. A suit and tie was totally dead. But people still have jobs and they didn't want to wear sweatpants anymore, and they weren't wearing crop tops. And everyone was talking about this. And I just had this light bulb moment, thinking, I know what you should wear. This sounds like a job, this sounds like a service. We had all been reckoning with legacy media for a long time at this point, and I think we still are. And some sort of wave just came over me. I thought, this is it, this is a need, this is a path, and it has to be right now, because this is the moment everyone's talking about it. And I quit my job. And kind of shocking thinking back because, like, going back to my mom, I didn't even tell her. Like, I remember I was on the phone with her walking down the street and I was like, oh, yeah. And then I quit my job. She was like, I. I'm sorry. It was something that I knew I had to do. I wasn't sure how I was going to do it. I had never written a business plan. I just knew that I could figure out how to address that need. And it was definitely a risk. And that is scary. And so it was strange having those conversations with people too. Saying, well, I'm leaving people was like, you have the one sturdy job left in this industry. What do you mean you're going to do what?

[Cat Collings]

She's crazy.

[Becky Malinsky]

She's crazy. But I don't know. I just knew it. I was like, I want to help people get dressed for every day. There are stylists for red carpets, there are stylists for weddings. There are not stylists. To just put it all together for you in the morning so that you don't have to think about it because you have three kids and you're running a company and your appearance is important. And you're on Zoom now and you're talking on a panel. And every job is public facing in a way that it wasn't pre Covid and there wasn't a stylist addressing that. And I thought, this is the business. So I did know for many years of working with, it's funny term, I call them real people. So when I worked at Glamour, I was the front of book stylist. So that means I was the stylist that worked with different authors we would profile or teachers or senators or the real people that we feature in the magazines that were not models. And I worked with people who had all different kinds of body types. I knew from that process that working with people is very specific and you have to really be in tune with them and their needs and their insecurities, making them look the best. And that might not always be the most creative line of work. So when I was leaving to start this, I also recognized I was leaving a very creative job and I needed something for myself to keep my ear to the ground, feel like I was paying attention to what was still happening in fashion, that I had a creative outlet for myself. So I started the newsletter as a passion project for myself to keep me creative and keep me on a schedule going into this sort of unknown world of creating my own boundaries.

[Cat Collings]

Interesting. I just love how it was so much part of your, like, gut and intuition. On paper. You're like, I'm so happy, dream job. Why would you step away from that? But you just like had this inner knowing and trusted it, which is so cool.

[Becky Malinsky]

Yeah. And I'm actually a pretty risk averse person most of the time, so that's not like a normal path for me. I'm usually pretty obsessive and I overthink things quite a bit.

[Cat Collings]

But you were, you know, I knew it, you know, you know.

[Becky Malinsky]

So if you know it, do it right.

[Cat Collings]

Okay. So let's talk about your newsletter, which is so interesting that you started it as like a side creative outlet. I feel like Substack has kind of become this cool girls club for fashion experts. And it's such a personal and direct way of communication. And you've created, in my opinion, such a thoughtful, delightful, and useful format for years. So can you share and tell us about, like, how the five things you should buy idea came about and why you thought that would be the right way to anchor the newsletter.

[Becky Malinsky]

When I was leaving my job, one of my closest friends was starting a new job and she had been laid off during the pandemic and had a newborn at home. This happened on her maternity leave.

[Cat Collings]

Oh, no.

[Becky Malinsky]

It was her first time going back into an office. Post pandemic. Post baby. Her body had changed, office wardrobes had changed. And she called me and was like, I have been shopping for jeans for three days. I am exhausted. I have not bought any jeans. Can you just send me five things I should buy for this new job? And I will buy them and I just want to be done. And I did it I was like, oh, that sounds fun. So I sent her the jean. I thought she should buy a kind of cool sneaker, a fun top, a great blazer. I forget what the other thing was. I mean, I think it's the first newsletter. You can scroll back.

[Cat Collings]

Oh, well, yeah.

[Becky Malinsky]

And she called me. She was like, oh, my God, this is it. It's perfect. I don't know how you did this, but I'm buying them and I am done. And I was like, oh, maybe that's the newsletter. Like, the idea came from Truly a need. What I do in the newsletter is actually not different than what I was doing before. It's a blank page and it's just a new platform for the work I have been doing for 20 years. I have always worked in Service Journal. I started at Lucky, which is like the ultimate service fashion magazine. I went to gq, I went to Glamour, and then I was at the Wall Street Journal's off duty section, which is different from WSJ mag. So coming from that background, knowing that that is my strength, and then having that light bulb conversation with a friend, that there's just too much out there. I thought, well, I've been in the market for all these years. I've tried on every single pair of jeans. I've tried on every white T shirt. I can help people spend less time shopping and make it fun again and inspiring because I love that hunt and I love that search, and a lot of people do not. So that was the inspiration to make it a very edited place. Because anyone who has ever been edited before knows that it's much harder to do something short than it is to do something long. It's much harder to pick the five best boots than it is to pick the 75 best boots. And when I started the newsletter, we were at a place where in a lot of legacy media's online presence was like the 36 white T shirts to get you through the spring. And it was sort of like, well, no one actually wants to read about 36 white T shirts. So how can I make it very edited and make sure that this is a trustworthy place that actually I'm only sending you out with something that I trust and know that I would put my stamp on. So every story will come back to that, what sort of problem am I solving? How am I helping people? People are busy. Why should they stop for a minute and look what I'm sending them? So I always come back to the why every single time. And the five things. It was also kind of a very Abstract idea. Sort of like it could be five white T shirts, but it could also be five ideas for getting dressed for a certain occasion or five things. I love this week. It's very malleable, but at the end of the day, it always comes back to being very edited.

[Cat Collings]

That is the through line.

[Becky Malinsky]

The through line is not too much of your time, right? Yeah.

[Cat Collings]

Which is genius, especially in an attention span shortage. I would say that we're in now. One of your first hits was the piece you wrote on what to wear to dinner fall 2022. Since then, you've had a summer edition go live as well. For those who haven't read the story, the email. The original tips included using pants or skirts as the focal point instead of tops, adding metallic shoes to a more casual outfit. I'm wondering if the tips still stand from 2022 or if you have any additional suggestions for this season. We're in.

[Becky Malinsky]

Oh, my gosh. Okay. So for me, I've been playing with showing skin and covering up. So blazers with a shorter skirt, wearing a closed toed shoe with maybe something sheer and a sweater over it so that you're still kind of getting that airflow because it hasn't gotten cold here, which is so crazy.

[Cat Collings]

Yeah.

[Becky Malinsky]

I'm also welcoming jeans back to my closet because in the summer I don't really wear jeans. So wearing jeans with a really silky blouse, I'm really inspired by Chloe, and I'm really interested in the very traditional ideas of beauty that show has put out and how well that has resonated. So I've been playing a lot with simplifying, but still keeping that element of beauty and interest. So bigger volume in pants and smaller sweaters. If you have some sort of voluminous crepe or silk pant and then do a shrunken sweater, all of a sudden you feel like you're in this romantic proportional vortex that wouldn't feel the same if you switched those things.

[Cat Collings]

Yeah, absolutely. These are all good tips. I feel like I need to have a dinner party now. I feel like your talent in the styling sector is also unmatched. How to get sty much use out of it and versatility. Styling it different ways. Talking about that transition, you were saying warmer to colder. I was curious if I could share a couple items and you could share how you might still be able to wear that warmer weather item in colder weather.

[Becky Malinsky]

Okay.

[Cat Collings]

First is a trend that I think we've seen a lot this year, which is the sheer skirt, which some of the more daring of us have Bought into.

[Becky Malinsky]

Actually, I would argue that a sheer skirt is easier to wear in the winter because with tights, all of a sudden, you know it's not as sheer. Or you could do it with leggings and a ballerina flat. Or you could do it with black tights and a knee high boot. You're not actually showing very much skin and still get that weightless layer. So that's the way I would do it. I would do probably a big sweater, either gray or like, you know how they're all those fuzzy brushed cashmere sweaters now? I think J. Crew has them now. Lisa Yang does them really well. I would do the sheer skirt, tights, boots, and a fuzzy sweater. Yeah.

[Cat Collings]

Like a long sweater.

[Becky Malinsky]

Yeah.

[Cat Collings]

I love it. We were starting off easy on this quiz show.

[Becky Malinsky]

Thank you for starting me off easy.

[Cat Collings]

Okay, one more like a striped button down shirt, which I feel like, I mean, my answer is going to be layering. And I'd love to hear your layering answer.

[Becky Malinsky]

A striped button down shirt. There's two things I think you could do. One, lately I've been switching out a white T shirt for a black crew neck T shirt under a button down shirt because it's feels like it gives it a little more weight. So if you are used to wearing your stripe button down with like a little silk midi skirt or like a jean short, maybe you could put a black T shirt underneath and then a corduroy pant. And that gives it sort of a richer backdrop.

[Cat Collings]

And the default has been that sort of white crew neck pulling out.

[Becky Malinsky]

Yes. I remember I went to lunch with a couple friends and they were like, what are you wearing? I had buttoned a cardigan up, like as a sweater, a light pink one. And then I wore a flannel button down. Or I guess we could do a striped button down in this story over it. Like a jacket. Layering it as the outer layer instead of the inner layer.

[Cat Collings]

Yeah. And then it kind of works on two levels because the cardigan, which is sometimes an outer layer, is like the shirt and the shirt is like the jacket. So it's kind of this fun flip situation.

[Becky Malinsky]

Yes, flip them.

[Cat Collings]

Clever. I love it. You can never be mad at a turtleneck under a button down. Like that is just. That's classy sophistication at its. Any other outfit formulas or styling tips that you think our audience could put into practice for this season that are especially impactful?

[Becky Malinsky]

The first immediate thing that comes to mind is there is so much brown out there now and there are so many traditional Ideas of what you are and are not allowed to do with brown. And so I would like everyone to take that list and throw it away and wear your brown pants with a navy blazer or a navy sweater. Put on your black loafers. You can take your black big tote. Just enjoy all the neutrals living together, because that feels very current to me right now of, like, just really embracing the black, brown, navy mix.

[Cat Collings]

Yeah. Okay. I love this. Giving us a little freedom. And I feel like if you did want to add a pop of color, like, a little red or a little yellow could complement those neutrals really well.

[Becky Malinsky]

Definitely. And, like, a great base for jewelry.

[Cat Collings]

So from your newsletter where you model your own clothes, I know that you have an incredible wardrobe and a closet that I'm envious of.

[Becky Malinsky]

Thank you. I have a problem.

[Cat Collings]

You're like, it's indicative of some deeper problems.

[Becky Malinsky]

Yeah.

[Cat Collings]

But I'm curious, when you're shopping, how do you determine whether or not a new piece is going to make the cut of checking out and it deserves to be in your closet? What's the litmus test for you?

[Becky Malinsky]

I'm a very intuitive shopper. I think if it's a piece that you love, you make it work. Most people have a packed closet and say they have nothing to wear to the point that we have too much stuff that you can't see what you need. So for me to bring a piece in, it has to be something that I like, really love and keep thinking about lots of times, and I know I will figure out the way to wear it. So I don't really shop with event or occasion in mind. It's just this piece feels like me. I do sometimes think, like, God, all my coats are long. I really need a short jacket. All of a sudden, the shapes are changing, and then I start searching for a new shape. But in that same way, it's sort of like, oh, I just love this, and it will become a part of me.

[Cat Collings]

Well, I always try and remind myself that when you're buying something and you've had your eye on it, the level of love that you have for it, at least for me, in my experience, will be at its peak before you actually own it, and it will only slowly trickle down from there. So, like, if you're not infatuated, you have a new crush on this item before you buy it, and you're just kind of like, oh, that's nice. Yeah, don't do it.

[Becky Malinsky]

I will say for some of my clients that work in an office, and there is a specific Dress code. And all of a sudden they're like, wait a second, I don't have any shirts to wear under my blazers. I always tell them when they're making an investment purchase to think about three ways that you can immediately put that on before you buy it. So can you picture three different pair of pants or like a dress and two pair of pants that you can wear that blazer over? What shoes are you wearing with those pants? Like, can you imagine yourself wearing this either to three occasions to sure that you feel like it's something that you're gonna reach for.

[Cat Collings]

I know. It's kind of the saddest heartbreak when you buy something and then months go by and you haven't worn it once and you're like, oh, I know.

[Becky Malinsky]

Happens to all of us.

[Cat Collings]

It does. I know. You're also an advocate of mixing basics with more special pieces to create a balanced look and, you know, add a little bit of personality. So I'm curious, what are your everyday heroes of your wardrobe and then the more special razzle dazzle that are really precious and amazing?

[Becky Malinsky]

Well, if you read the newsletter, you will know that I'm obsessed with T shirts from this underwear brand called cdlp. They just make the best crew neck T shirt. I don't know how they do it, but it is so good. So that's like a hero in my closet. I buy at least one new one each year in white and black. I've also been very into light washed jeans for winter. Now that the leaves are turning, I've been gravitating more to my light wash jeans as opposed to black. So I have two pair that are constantly in the rotation. One is by this Japanese brand called Orally, and it's kind of baggy and a little bit flared, and I wear it with flats. And then I have the Madewell 90 straight in a light wash. It's just like the best fitting jean.

[Cat Collings]

I've not tried this jean on.

[Becky Malinsky]

It is a fantastic jean for like going out and feeling a little bit more put together. It's tight in the hips and straight down the legs, but doesn't make you feel too curvy in the hips, which I find is a huge challenge in straight jeans. So that's an everyday thing for me. And a khaki button down shirt I always find is a good styling element. Khaki is such a good color and fabric to tone down fancy things to make casual things feel a bit more polished. So I have two khaki button downs. One is a men's todd's cotton button down. And the other one is like a papery thin cotton by Kull K U L E. The striped T shirt brand. They do a really good, really thin khaki shirt. It comes in white and black and all those colors too. So those are everyday things. Special things in my closet are usually things I've collected that I've obsessed over for years and then found secondhand when I was too late because I've obsessed too long. The spring 2020 Prada collection came into stores during the COVID outbreak. That was the season of of the European shows that I missed because I was on maternity leave. So I was not there. But that was my favorite Prada show of recent memory. And I remember loving it and being so excited. And then it was sort of like the collection that never existed because the world shut down, right? So there was a very specific look. Look 39. It took me many years because it's now end of 2024. But I have over the course of time collected the entire look. Like the skirt, the jacket, the shoes, the necklace. So I now have that full look. And it's. It's probably my most precious thing. I wear it all the time. I do not save it for special occasions. So that spring, summer 2015, Celine with all the different mixing of the florals, I have four pieces from that collection because like, when I see it, I have to have it because it's my favorite collection. And then I have from the first season, Chanel did the two tone slingback, the tan with the black grosgrain toe. When I saw that shoe come out, I freaked out. I was like, oh my God, that is the most perfect shoe of all time. Now, of course, it's a classic and they do it in every color and every material. But I have that shoe from the season that it launched, but I keep it in the box. I love it so much that most shoes are just thrown in the closet and that pair of shoes lives in the box.

[Cat Collings]

I love that you also offer trend forecasting as part of your consulting services. You're obviously very aware of trends. Are there any for the year ahead that you're excited about at the moment? Any predictions for us?

[Becky Malinsky]

I think I mentioned it already, but I'm really interested in the Chloe Renaissance. It just feels very relevant with the traditional idea of the beauty of it. It was also a wardrobe of choice of Kamala Harris. It was so well received in Europe and the mood around it is so infectious and so energetic. I'm not naturally like a very girly Girl. But I'm really drawn to it. So I'm also mentally trying to process, like, why am I so drawn to this? I would not usually wear chiffon layers and, like a high waisted bell bottom. So I spend a lot of time trying to figure out why do things resonate when and how they do. And then I'm also, which I think a lot of people probably already know, obsessed with Bally, which has been under its current designer for three seasons. At this point, it just is such an unbelievable collection of things that look interesting but are incredibly wearable. And fashion has gotten to a point where a lot of Runway collections are very to dissect, but that collection you can dissect on the spot and you're like, oh, my God, I love that coat. Look at those jeans. Look at those boat shoes. It almost feels like a little bit Gucci. The designer did come from Gucci. He worked under Alessandro Michele. But it feels like it has that preppiness with a little touch of Europe. It's not totally American, but it looks like it's pulled from these American ideals of preppiness. It's dressed up with a little bit fancier fabrics.

[Cat Collings]

It's very specific, Very specific.

[Becky Malinsky]

But I'm very into those styles and silhouettes to see how those are going to play out.

[Cat Collings]

Yeah, a thousand percent. And I'm curious also how you find shopping and style inspiration, like resources when you're feeling a little bored or uninspired in your closet.

[Becky Malinsky]

Well, I'm never not looking. Like, my brain does not turn off in this sense. If I'm walking down the street, I am watching what you are wearing. If I'm looking at a magazine, if I'm riding on the subway, if I'm looking online, if I'm watching a TV show, I am making notes in my notes app. Like, I am never not looking. And I think part of this comes back to, well, one, I have a long history working with clothes. But also, when I started at the Journal, I used to joke that this is an idea factory and I'm never gonna have enough ideas. And everyone was like, no, you'll settle in. Your brain will just work that way. I was responsible for four stories a week. So four ideas and full concepts a week. It was the hardest job I ever had to settle into because just the sheer amount of work and the ability that you had to have to defend your work and your idea was so intense. My brain is now totally changed because of that. I'm constantly writing down ideas. Like, I have a working Google Sheet of ideas for the newsletter, like, through the end of the year. I mean, it changes quite a bit, but, like, I can't stop it.

[Cat Collings]

When you shared about your time there, I was thinking that's probably at training, unlike any other, in terms of the muscles that you develop there and the skill sets. And I love that you're just always on.

[Becky Malinsky]

It's probably not great, to be honest, for, like, mental health, but. But it is a part of who I am, and it's something that I love. So it doesn't feel hard and it doesn't feel like work. I mean, I have trained myself into it, and, you know, I work on a weekly schedule. I like that pace and I like the work like that. So, yes, I'm always looking. I just subscribed to this new French magazine, Letiquette, and I love that magazine. So I'm always looking for new, interesting things to look at. I'm always paying attention when I'm watching different shows. Like, I just finished the most recent season of My Brilliant Friend, which is, like my favorite book series of all time. But, like, the wardrobe in this season took place in the 80s, and it was not like the wild 80s. It was sort of preppy. It flowed from the 70s, and you could see that flow in the timeline of it. And it didn't feel really dramatic, and it didn't feel like metallic and neon makeup. It just felt like this is the life real people were living in the 80s, and that's like, the age of my mother. I was born in the 80s, so, like, looking at pictures of me as a baby and seeing my mom in her jeans and her sweater, so I'm feeling really nostalgic for that era. So I'm always watching.

[Cat Collings]

Anything can be an inspiration, I feel like.

[Becky Malinsky]

Yes.

[Cat Collings]

So I know you have some exciting news to share. Tell me about your Alex Mill collaboration that drops today.

[Becky Malinsky]

Oh, my gosh.

[Cat Collings]

How did you partner up? And, like, what was the concept?

[Becky Malinsky]

So I have a new Alex Mill collaboration. It's called Holiday Things, and I am so excited about it, and I am so grateful to the Alex Mill team for having me and for indulging me. And we've been working on it for a year. And I first had the conversation with Somsack and Rose from their team about potentially coming together to work on something in January, and I had done a newsletter partnership with them in December, and it did really well, and everyone was really happy with it. I was really happy with the final product. And Mickey Drexler, who is obviously an owner of the company he mentioned, it seemed like, why does it have to be this one thing? Why can't we do something else? So we were sort of brainstorming, what is something else that we could do. We decided, what if we could collaborate on a small collection of pieces and what would that look like? So I came in to look at their holiday delivery, and it was very sweater heavy. And obviously, Alex Mill has your, like, everyday uniform down. They do not need help in that. They do not need anyone else's advice or opinions. When I was looking at all of it and I was thinking about the time of year, I thought, what about when she's gonna go out at night to dinner, and what about when she wants to dress up or she's taking family photos? Where are those pieces? So how can we create a small capsule that can support the clothes that are already there? So this is the first time I've ever done a collaboration. I've obviously worked with brands for many years and given my advice, whether they want it or not, on things that should be in the line. But this was the first time I've worked from start to finish, and I really wanted to create something that that felt like me and that I could contribute, but also still felt really part of the Alex Mille brand identity and would feel like it made sense for the Alex Mille customer, which I am an Alex Mille customer, so that was natural. So it was really about creating the pieces to let her dress up a little and still feel like herself in a more casual wardrobe.

[Cat Collings]

That's so smart, kind of looking for the white spaces within the Alex Mille brand. I like what you talked about of, like, bringing together, like, your perspective and mixing it with what the core DNA of Alex Mill is to create this result. I feel like they're known for their quality and craftsmanship, so that was probably fun to sort through, like, swatches and pick things like that, Right?

[Becky Malinsky]

It was so fun, and we were so on the same wavelength for so much of it. So that was really helpful that, you know, I am a fabric snob. I am obsessed with fabric. Even when I'm looking for things at every single price point, I am touching it, I am making sure the seams look good before I would ever endorse it for someone else. So meeting with them, I had very clear ideas of how I would want a fabric to fall in the piece that we're designing. So, like, for the blazer, I'm like, I want it to feel oversized, but not like it's going to swallow you. So it has to be some sort of crate that will fall nicely. They totally understood those things and agreed. We were able to come to decisions, actually, very quickly. You know, our meetings would be, like, they would present these fabrics. I would say one or two things, but we were mostly on the same page. It would get done because we totally understood what the other wanted innately, which was. Was a bit strange, but one of the fabrics is a lame. It's like a sparkly, very sheer knit. And the first swatches came in, and they were just too compact. It was too thick. And I was like, well, this needs to feel like a paper thin T shirt that you can put under your blazer or you can wear on its own with a big skirt. They went back and said, okay, we're going to open up the weave and make it a bit flimsier. So they were able to, like, develop the fabrics based on what we wanted, which was really exciting.

[Cat Collings]

That's so cool. Especially for a fabric snob.

[Becky Malinsky]

Yes. Like, I'm obsessed with the touch of something. It's like, if you're going to spend your money on it, you want to know that, like, this is going to be something that you can add to your wardrobe and you're not going to want to throw away and that you're going to feel good and grown up when you wear it. I think that's another thing. I turn 40 this year, and I do feel like when you want to feel a bit more grown up and a bit more in charge and powerful, when you're wearing a flimsy fabric, sometimes that is a disconnect. So, like, I'm very sensitive to that, to fabrics and what they look like on your body and how they feel.

[Cat Collings]

So from the collection, I'm curious what pieces you're personally going to be wearing and re wearing throughout the season and if you have any styling tips for them.

[Becky Malinsky]

Oh, my gosh. Well, I'm obviously going to be wearing all of them, but my favorite piece from the collection is this pair of purple velvet pants. They have a double pleat front, and they pool perfectly at the ankle in a way that feels like there's the right amount of weight. So it's not baggy when it pools, if that makes sense. I love the color they go back to. A gray sweater can be dressed up with a black blazer and heels or a navy blazer, because the collection has a navy blazer, and that's probably my favorite piece. But the concept of the collection was that you can really wear all of these things together, and that you can wear them separately and add them to a wardrobe. You already have, like, the lame T shirt comes in navy and lavender, and you can just throw that on with jeans and a blazer and go and feel really dressy. There's a huge khaki taffeta skirt, and you could do that with the sparkly T shirt with the navy crepe blazer and have, like, a complete holiday outfit without feeling like you're dressing on the nose for holiday. So we want these fabrics to be a bit dressier, but then in shapes that feel like they're already a part of your DNA and the brand's DNA, so that they're really easy to integrate. When we were designing the full skirt and the anorak, I thought, this has to be khaki, because we're doing taffeta, which is, like, a very dressy fabric, but you want it to have that feeling of cool and ease. Everything has that balance. And the whole collection is in khaki, navy, and lavender, which are not necessarily colors you think of for holiday. But then when you put them in the fabrics and you put them all together and you put them with either cozy or tuxedo separates, all of a sudden they feel very dressy and very appropriate in December. I hope that these are pieces that people will wear throughout the whole winter, into summer and next holiday in new ways, because they are really versatile, even though they're not basic.

[Cat Collings]

Yeah. It sounds like they hit a really sweet spot of, like, wearable but special, and I feel like you've nailed it in that sense.

[Becky Malinsky]

Thank you. Yeah, yeah. And then I think the other thing that I'm surprisingly excited about is there is a navy suit in the collection, and it's based off an Alex Mill suit that they had last fall. Just a black wool suit. They did. We made the jacket a little bit boxier because I really like a very strict. And then we kept the pant the same, but we made it in this rich, purpley navy crepe because our idea was, okay, everyone talks about a tuxedo for holiday, but how can we talk about a suit that feels dressy that is not that? So we came up with this sort of rich, purpley navy, and the end product is so wonderful. I'm so excited to wear this as a full suit. The fabric just lays so nice. That is a suit that I will wear to death, like, day or night.

[Cat Collings]

Sounds amazing. I'm going to be running and checking out this collab, and I know the listeners will be, too. To wrap things up. I Was wondering if you could give us a little taste of what you write about on substack with your five things and share five things you would buy for the holiday season. And it could be either like to wear or to gift things you have your eye on.

[Becky Malinsky]

Hmm. Obviously I'm going to start with my Alex Mill holiday things collaboration. I would definitely buy any of those pieces to make your holiday wardrobe easier. In terms of holiday gifts, some of my go tos are there's a store called 45R. They also have a website. It's a Japanese store, but they have two locations in New York. They make the most amazing bandanas. They have interesting dyes, interesting techniques. They have multiple different styles. They have cashmere ones, they have cotton ones. Those are a very go to gift for me because they're unisex and they can be used multifunctionally. So like I know people who will tie them onto their bag and it looks cute. I have friends who put them in their hair on a beach vacation to like keep their hair back. Or I know people who still use hankies. They're just kind of a fun gift that's pretty and feels very special. They're also very useful, which is like a part of who I am. Everything has to be beautiful and useful, which I think you get when you read the newsletter, of course.

[Cat Collings]

Yeah, I didn't know that shop so I'm very curious. I'm going to check it out.

[Becky Malinsky]

It's really cool. So go check it out. The bandanas are amazing. I you can do this locally for wherever you live, but every year for the holidays I do city Meals on Wheels donations. In New York City they give these little vellum inserts for your cards so that when you're sending your holiday cards you can do an insert. And for me that's very important to always be able to give back in addition to like giving beautiful things. So that's always a part of my holiday gifting every year. New York just happens to have very cute cards, but a donation is appreciated wherever you live. And an evening bag. I love evening bags. Some sort of metallic or sparkling evening bag. There's so much metallic out there right now. I jump Just ordered one from Tory Burch that looks like a little vanity case and it's gold metallic and it's on a really long chain strap.

[Cat Collings]

Gorgeous.

[Becky Malinsky]

I plan to use that a lot during the holidays.

[Cat Collings]

I feel like that little like makeup case shape is definitely having a moment.

[Becky Malinsky]

It's having a moment. So that's going to be my holiday bag. And oh, I know Cashmere beanie from Drake's. This is a men's store, but they make the best beanies and they make the most rich colors. So the best shade of orange, the best shade of purple. My husband and I both wear them. Those are a very good, easy gift for like a family member that maybe you picked at Secret Santa, but you have no idea what to buy them or what their style is. Those are great.

[Cat Collings]

Got it. I so appreciate that you have such a mix. Like going back to the Madewell jeans that you talked about before, but then also these shops that are local to New York but obviously have E commerce so anybody can shop from them but that are more under the radar and indie.

[Becky Malinsky]

I always say I don't discriminate. A good thing is a good thing and it could be from anywhere. You just always have to keep your eyes open. It's all in the mix.

[Cat Collings]

Well, thank you for setting us up for gifting season. It was such a pleasure speaking with you, Becky. I so appreciate you coming on today.

[Becky Malinsky]

Thank you so much for having me.

[Cat Collings]

A huge thank you to writer and substacker Becky Malinski. Make sure to subscribe to our show wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode. And while you're there, I'd also be so grateful if you'd rate and review us. If you have guest suggestions or any other feedback, drop us a [e-mail] or you can find us on social WhoWhatWare. See you next Wednesday on the who what Where Podcast. This episode was produced by Hilary Kerr, Summer Hammerhous, and Natalie Thurman. Our production assistant is Claire Schmidt. Our editor is Ko Takasuki Chernovin. Our audio engineers are at Glen Canyon Audio, and our music is by Jonathan Leahy.

[Becky Malinsky]

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[Cat Collings]

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