Wardrobe Wisdom: The REAL Secret to a Sustainable Capsule Wardrobe
Hazel Law shares her personal journey of challenging herself to buy no new clothes, pushing her creativity and outfit-building skills to new heights while embracing the concept of capsule wardrobes.
From debunking common capsule wardrobe myths, to the secret of building diverse outfits from existing pieces, she provides invaluable insights and practical tips for making your wardrobe more sustainable and stylish.
Guest bio:
I am a sustainable fashion expert based in Perth, specialising in curating wearable wardrobes using the clothes you already have. I offer online and in home styling services, workshops, and pre-loved fashion tours. I am on a personal journey to buy no new (or secondhand) clothes to push my creativity and outfit building skills to the limit and I want to share this lived experience with you to give you the knowledge and skills to build effortless outfits ever day from what you already own. I have a decade of experience shopping pre-loved fashion and I want to use my in depth knowledge of how to successfully shop second hand to help you buy beautiful, high quality garments that blend seamlessly with your existing wardrobe that you will wear again and again.
Connect with Hazel:
@curatedwardrobe.au on Instagram
Mentioned in this episode:
- Depop - Buy, sell, discover unique fashion
- Clotheshorse Podcast
- Stylebook Closet App
- Buffalo Exchange
- Remake 2023 #NoNewClothes Challenge
About the show:
This is Reloved Radio: Sustainable Fashion Stories, the fortnightly show that brings you inspiring stories from guests who are making a positive impact in the sustainable fashion space.
Want to know the BEST places to shop secondhand online in Australia? Download this EPIC list for free!
Join the Reloved conversation on Instagram.
Credits:
Music: 'Old Leather Sneakers' by PineAppleMusic
Transcript
The average Australian wears, we wear our clothes seven times on
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:average before we get rid of them.
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:We're buying as a country of people we're
buying 52 items each new per year, wearing
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:them seven times and getting rid of it.
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:Whereas like what you're going to
do by building a capsule wardrobe
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:or building, outfits out of what
you own is saving yourself thousands
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:and thousands of dollars on things
that you are not going to buy.
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:Chryssius: Hey, Relovers.
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:Welcome to Reloved Radio.
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:Today's guest is a sustainable
fashion expert based in Perth, Western
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:Australia, who specialises in curating
wearable wardrobes by harnessing
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:the power of what you already have.
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:Whether it's through her online and
in-home styling services, engaging
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:workshops, or immersive preloved
fashion tours, she's redefining
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:our relationship with clothing.
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:But here's where it gets
even more fascinating...
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:our guest is currently on a personal
journey; a challenge of sorts.
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:She's committed to buying no new or
secondhand clothes, pushing her creativity
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:and outfit building skills to the limit.
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:And today she's here to share
that experience with us.
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:With a decade of experience in the
world of preloved fashion, our guest
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:is armed with an in-depth knowledge
on how to successfully navigate
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:the secondhand shopping scene.
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:And she's here to guide us on selecting
beautiful high quality garments that
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:seamlessly blend with our existing
wardrobe, ensuring they're not just
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:pieces we wear once, but again and again.
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:Let's welcome our sustainable
fashion guru and advocate for
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:mindful wardrobe curation, Hazel
Law of the Curated Wardrobe.
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:Welcome, Hazel.
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:Hazel: Hello.
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:Thank you so much.
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:It was so lovely hearing, all of
those words come out of your mouth.
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:It was so great hearing that back.
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:I was like, oh, yes, that is me.
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:So yeah, thanks for having me.
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:Chryssius: My pleasure.
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:And I am really excited to have you here.
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:I have a lot of questions,
especially about this whole not
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:buying any new clothes thing.
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:So I'm going to start with that...
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:Hazel: Yes.
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:Amazing.
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:Chryssius: What actually inspired
you to start your journey
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:of buying no new clothes?
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:And also, I guess, how has this
impacted your personal style and
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:your complete outlook on fashion?
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:Hazel: Yes.
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:Okay.
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:Big question.
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:So I actually started doing
the, uh, Remake "30 Days of
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:Buying No New Clothes" challenge.
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:And they do allow secondhand
clothes, back in July last year.
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:And that was just for me, a bit
of a reset and I was like, this is
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:interesting because, I consider myself,
you know, in the slow fashion movement,
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:I consider myself someone who is very
sustainable with their fashion choices.
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:And yet this reset really showed me
that I was using secondhand clothing
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:as basically as fast fashion.
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:And I was getting through it in
that same way that we associate with
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:the consumption of fast fashion.
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:So, you know, I'd go to the op
shops every few, um, weekends.
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:It was a recreational thing that
I love to do with my friends.
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:I'm always looking for, new textures, new
prints, all of that stuff, which I love
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:and it kind of fills me with so much joy.
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:But when I really stopped doing that for
those 30 days, I realised that I was maybe
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:wearing those pieces once or twice, and
then donating them back to the op shop.
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:So, you know, that was a really a big
wake up call for me, in terms of my actual
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:consumption around secondhand clothing.
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:And then it led to, you know, I just
wanted to see how far I could push it.
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:So then in August I was
like, right, that's it.
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:I'm just going to do 365 days.
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:I am really dedicated
to see how this goes.
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:I'm really interested to see what
the journey shows me about, not
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:only about myself and my consumption
habits, but also about my styling,
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:about my ability to look great.
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:Be someone who people can look to.
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:And say, yeah, she looks
great, she looks cool.
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:And then I can tell them, "Hey,
I've never, I haven't bought
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:any new clothes in the last, I
think today it's like 148 days."
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:Which I believe is kind of like a
really good option for my clients.
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:Like I've got that lived experience
now when I say, "Hey, we're going
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:to build outfits that you love from
what you have," and they go, "Oh,
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:but how do you know that works?"
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:Like, 'cause I've done it.
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:And yeah, I've got more to
say, but I kind of, could just
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:repeat the end of your question?
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:Chryssius: How has it impacted your
personal style and your outlook?
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:Hazel: Yes.
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:So I I guess anyone who knows me well
will attest to the fact that I love
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:a challenge and, I felt like it was a
really great opportunity to stop buying
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:clothes the same month that I launched
my own styling business because like I
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:said, it gives me that lived experience
to go to my clients and say, we're going
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:to build these great outfits for you,
and I've got the key, I've got the
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:skills to show you how to do that so
that you've got those skills yourself.
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:For my own styling it, I've never
felt more like excited and, um,
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:satisfied with my own wardrobe.
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:Like it's such, now getting
dressed is really a delight
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:and I was so skeptical of it.
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:I have, you know, X amount of clothing.
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:I think when I did my audit.
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:I've got 120 pieces of clothing,
including accessories and
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:shoes in my wardrobe there.
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:I haven't gotten rid of anything in
the last, um, since I started this
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:challenge and I haven't added anything.
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:So really what I've got to work with
within that constraint has absolutely
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:pushed my boundaries on how I'm going
to look appropriate for different
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:occasions, how I'm going to really get the
versatility out of my own wardrobe and how
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:yeah, how I'm going to look like present
myself, to people who have never met me
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:in the way introducing myself as a stylist
and you know, in mainly just secondhand
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:clothes that are really just fast fashion.
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:Chryssius: I think that probably a
lot of people can relate to that too.
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:Especially when you first start out
thrifting or op-shopping, when you see
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:all the clothes and they're so cheap.
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:And it is a real mindset thing where
we're stuck in that rut of, um,
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:you know, we just want to consume.
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:I know that that happened to
me in the beginning as well.
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:So definitely have been making an
effort to be more mindful about what I'm
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:purchasing, you know, making a list and
sticking to it and that sort of thing.
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:The other thing I was going to say is I
imagine that the concept of going without
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:buying any new clothes is probably
quite foreign to a lot of people.
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:And quite challenging.
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:Do you have any tips, or what have
you learned so far in terms of
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:building diverse outfits or new
outfits from what you already have?
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:Hazel: What's been really surprising
is that I've absolutely embraced
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:the concept of capsule wardrobes.
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:And before I started not buying anything,
I was a kind of longtime admirer of the
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:concept, but also highly skeptical of
it because I think there's a belief or
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:that's kind of like pushed out by the
women, um, the stylists of Pinterest,
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:let's say, that a capsule wardrobe has
to be a new wardrobe that it has to
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:be, it has all of these rules and these
stipulations where it's like, you know,
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:it has to be two different colours or
three different colours, choose them.
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:And if you don't already have
those colours that you want in your
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:capsule wardrobe, you then have to
go out and buy all these new pieces
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:that are then going to go together.
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:And what I've discovered is that,
through the capsule wardrobe, it
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:really just ignites your creativity.
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:So yes, absolutely.
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:Those rules are very interesting and
very kind of, you know, when you're just
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:starting out, they're very important
to choose your colour scheme and choose
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:things that are a bit more neutral
and maybe don't have as much pattern.
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:But if you just use the clothes that
you have and choose 30 pieces, then
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:that is what's going to give you the
creative output that you're maybe
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:looking for if you fall into a style
rut when you're not buying anything new.
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:And it also has given me the, the same
dopamine as buying something new, the
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:same hit as buying something new in
putting together a new outfit from stuff
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:that I already own and stuff that I
have never worn necessarily together.
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:Or really put together or
like, thought about it.
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:And now I'm obsessed.
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:Like I go to, I go to bed thinking
about, okay, I've got these, like six
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:pieces that I haven't worn so much
in my capsule in the last two weeks.
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:Like, how can I incorporate them into
my outfits in the next week or so?
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:Chryssius: On the topic then
of, you know, rules, although I
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:say rules in inverted commas...
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:Hazel: Yes.
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:Chryssius: Those Pinterest rules, when
you're helping your clients curate
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:their wardrobes using their own existing
pieces, how are you approaching it then?
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:I mean, are you going down the
route of, you know, maybe a certain
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:number of base colours, or are you
restricting the number of items and
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:the total capsule, that sort of thing?
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:How are you doing it?
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:Hazel: So, I guess I'm going
to answer this in two ways.
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:So my first answer is that I
believe that the rules are there to
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:help, but then they can be broken.
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:So, for example, the biggest question
I get around capsule wardrobes is,
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:"What if I want to swap something in?
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:What if I am, I've got an
event that I need to go to and
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:I want to wear X, Y, and Z?"
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:And.
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:What I say to them is, it's your capsule.
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:Like it needs to work for you.
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:It's not, you know, no one on the outside
is looking in saying, oh, you're not
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:allowed to do this, that, and the other.
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:Like, I think if you want to swap one
item in and out every few weeks to keep
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:it fresh for you, absolutely do that.
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:And that will give you, you know,
even more outfit building capacity
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:within that capsule wardrobe.
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:The first time I did a capsule,
I, was very restrictive in terms
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:of my shoes and my accessories.
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:But actually now giving myself free
reign over what shoes I wear and what
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:accessories I wear can really give, you
know, different, layers and different
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:interests to pieces that I can then
wear in a more versatile way that I
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:can wear for work, that I can then
wear for my every day, my, you know,
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:if I'm going out or whatever it is.
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:It just, having say the 30 pieces and
being able to use that as a base, but
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:then, you know, just do whatever you
actually want to do and make it work for
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:you is what's really important, I think.
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:And then with my clients, often, my
clients will say, "Oh, I've got nothing in
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:my wardrobe that I want to wear like this.
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:I'm, you know, I really
just want to go shopping.
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:Nothing suits me or, this is not
the style that I'm really, want
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:to portray at the moment."
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:And what I found time after time
is that when we actually go through
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:their wardrobes, find the pieces that
they love, but they're not wearing
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:that often, and use those to build
their outfits, it's such a kind of
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:eye-opener and a game-changer for them.
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:Because normally these pieces
would be occasion pieces.
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:You know, they would wear them
to a wedding or to a, fancy
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:function at work or whatever it is.
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:And then by actually choosing those
items to build your wardrobe around,
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:you're not only getting more wears out
of those amazing clothes, but you are
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:ensuring that every single outfit you
put together makes you feel great because
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:that garment makes you feel great.
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:And the way that we do that is just
by, either layering that garment with
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:something that's going to make it more
casual or more formal, and just giving
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:it the versatility that it deserves.
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:It's just a new set of eyes.
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:My clients are just
like, "Oh my goodness!"
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:Like, I never knew I could wear
something like in that way.
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:And I think especially in Perth,
I'm not sure about Australia-wide,
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:but in Perth for sure, I've noticed
that people wear something one way.
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:They have one or two outfit options for
each garment that they own, and that's
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:the way they feel comfortable wearing it.
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:And then that's where they stop.
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:But actually to get the 30-plus wears
out of our garments, which is what, you
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:know, the number of times we have to wear
an item to make it sustainable, we have
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:to look for new ways to wear our items.
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:Chryssius: And do you track
your items or your, " per wear"?
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:Hazel: Um, so I probably should, and I
definitely advise my clients to do it.
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:So I would say, take wardrobe notes.
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:So I would say to my clients,
literally put a notebook into your
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:wardrobe or next to your wardrobe.
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:And every time you remember, just
write down what you're wearing, write
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:down what you're wearing, what you, if
you add anything new, and if you then
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:purge any of your items, just so that
you've got a kind of record of what
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:you have and what you actually wear.
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:Because that's going to really give
you, you know, before you start editing
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:anything out that's going to give you
a really good breakdown, a really good
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:run through of what you actually like
to wear and what you don't like to wear.
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:And so often at the moment,
there is a, I think there's this
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:culture of getting rid of stuff.
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:So it's the wardrobe edits that we
want to go through and we just want to
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:get rid of stuff you're not wearing,
which you know, in it, it can be a
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:good way of, evolving your style,
but also, you know, I like to ask the
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:question, why are you not wearing it?
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:Is it because you feel like it's too,
you know, usually the answer is people
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:feel like it's too nice to wear.
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:And then we look at the ways
that they can actually get
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:the wears out of those pieces.
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:For myself, I don't track my, outfits
in that way just because I'm such
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:like a, a visual, creative person.
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:I would never read it.
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:And so I just, I just take photographs.
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:I take a photograph every
day of what I'm wearing.
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:And it's, you know, it helps to create
content for Instagram, but it also is
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:a really good visual reminder for me of
what I am wearing and again, those pieces
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:that I'm not necessarily wearing, so that
I'm then focused on those ones that I'm
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:not wearing so much and seeing how I can
make them work for my everyday wardrobe.
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:Chryssius: Yeah, taking
photos is a great idea.
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:I have never thought to do that,
but I feel like I'd be able to
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:do that more easily than using
a notebook and writing it down.
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:Hazel: Yeah, absolutely.
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:And it's like it's, you
are already dressed.
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:It's not like you're doing
it specifically, you know,
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:with the notebook idea.
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:I think that does definitely work for some
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:people in the way that their brains work
and they want to have that tracking.
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:And there's also apps, you know, if you
use like the Stylebook app, to create
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:your, um, actually create your outfits,
then that tracks it automatically.
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:So I think it really depends on how, you
know, how deep you want to go with it.
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:But for me, taking a photo is absolutely
the easiest and the most consistent
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:way that I, that I found to do it.
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:Chryssius: Yeah, and then you could
just make a little album on your camera
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:roll, make a little album for outfits
or whatever, and that'd be great.
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:Then when you're not feeling
very inspired, I would do this.
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:I would go back and then have a
look and go, oh, I might just pick
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:that outfit and just go from there.
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:Hazel: Absolutely.
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:and that's exactly what I do for my
clients when we're building these outfits.
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:I'll take photo after photo after photo
of each outfit that we build and then put
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:that into a style guide for them so that
they've got that on their phone, whenever
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:they're getting dressed, whenever they
are out shopping, whether that's retail
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:on their own or preloved shopping with me.
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:Then they've got a guide of what they do
have, what they are wearing and what they
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:can, you know, it allows them to visually
see, oh, this piece is actually going to
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:go with these other pieces that I have.
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:Which takes all the
guessing out of shopping.
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:And that's, you know, to me
that is the key to buying less
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:is knowing what looks good.
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:And once you have that key, and
once you've got the tools to kind
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:of know what looks good, then.
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:It's no longer a guessing game and you
can reduce your consumption tenfold.
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:Chryssius: When we're talking about
capsule wardrobes, lots of people
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:will actually associate the term
"capsule wardrobe" with saving money.
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:How do you guide your clients in
building sustainable cost effective
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:capsules without compromising on style?
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:Hazel: So that's where, that's
where the outfit building part of
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:my, services really come into play.
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:And it is really just having the expertise
of how to layer things, how to put things
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:together in new ways and how to, I guess,
give my clients a new eye and a new
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:perspective on what they already have.
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:So I was working with a client last week.
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:She said, I've got about six
things in my wardrobe that I wear.
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:It's going to take us no
time at all to do this.
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:And then four hours later we had built,
I think 56 outfits that she absolutely
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:loved, that were giving her, you know,
making her feel bold, making her feel
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:confident, making her feel this way
that she hadn't felt since her twenties,
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:completely appropriate for work and all of
those things from what she already owned.
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:So that really is, you know, that's where
I'm working with my clients to get their,
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:the maximum like return on investment of
the things that they've bought, because.
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:I just want them to wear their clothes.
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:That's all I want.
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:And that's all they want.
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:Really.
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:Like what we, you know, the
average Australian wears, we
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:wear our clothes seven times on
average before we get rid of them.
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:We're buying as a country of people
we're buying 52 items each new per
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:year, wearing them seven times.
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:So basically one a week, wearing it
for a week and getting rid of it.
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:Whereas like what you're going to
do by building a capsule wardrobe
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:or building, outfits out of what
you own is saving yourself thousands
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:and thousands of dollars on things
that you are not going to buy.
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:Chryssius: And I even would, would go
as far as to say that seven is generous.
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:There are plenty of outfits that I have
found over the last, you know, couple
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:of years of trying to be more mindful
where I may have only worn them once.
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:Some things I've bought, I
haven't worn them at all.
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:And I'm sure there are plenty
of other people like that.
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:They're sitting in the wardrobe with
their, with the tags still on them.
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:Hazel: Yes, exactly.
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:And I think for me, like what I
would say to that is that's kind of
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:the easiest way to tell if something
was an emotional purchase is that
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:you've never worn it because it
wasn't something that was necessary.
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:And it, it's not necessarily like
lifestyle appropriate for your real life.
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:And I think so often we buy things
that are lifestyle appropriate for a
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:fantasy version of ourselves and not
who we really are because it's all,
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:you know, that subconscious stuff that
ties into all of the illusions that
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:the fashion industry is selling us.
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:Chryssius: It is a dream.
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:They're selling us the dream.
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:Hazel: Yes.
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:A, a pretend dream, which leads to
nowhere except the breakdown of, you
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:know, the environment that we live in.
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:And basically making very
rich white men much richer.
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:So, yeah, from a cost, I just,
I just want to empower women
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:to wear their own clothes.
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:I want to empower women to save their
money and to spend their time and
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:energy and, you know, all of those
resources that are not necessarily
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:like, abundant in our lives.
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:To save them for something that
really matters and that's going
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:to really make them feel good.
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:And that's really going to give them
that intrinsic feeling of connection
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:and depth and all of those things,
because they already know they look good.
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:Like they look good.
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:They've got their clothes, they
look, they look good, they're fine.
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:Chryssius: And but the thing
is, it's so tough to resist
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:the allure of fast fashion.
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:We're constantly bombarded with
advertising, whether it be on TV,
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:in the magazines that we read.
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:I mean, and don't even get
me started on social media.
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:We have that in our face all the time.
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:And then you combine that with, you
know feeling a little bit emotional.
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:You, you combine those two
together and it's, dangerous.
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:So do you have any strategies that
you can recommend for avoiding fast
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:fashion, and staying committed to a
more sustainable clothing approach?
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:Hazel: Yeah, absolutely.
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:I started this journey because when
I was pregnant with my first child,
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:it was the summer of 2019, 2020.
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:And there was, was just, just
pre-Covid, but it was the Black Summer.
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:There were fires everywhere.
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:This huge, like, had this huge
overwhelming climate anxiety.
359
:And that kind of led me to exploring
a bit deeper about the impact of
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:certain things, in our everyday lives.
361
:So, the fashion industry, I'm sure
you, you know this, but just in case
362
:your listeners didn't, it's actually
the third biggest polluter in the
363
:world behind burning of fossil fuels
and farming and the kind of like
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:deforestation associated with farming.
365
:So, fossil fuels, we're getting there,
we're getting to a place where they
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:hopefully eventually will be you know,
put on the back burner, so to speak.
367
:But what I was really interested in is
in that third biggest polluter, the thing
368
:that I can have the direct action on is
what I wear, what I buy and what I wear.
369
:And that is like such an easy thing for
me as a, a human who's not necessarily
370
:in the climate activism world, who's not
necessarily got the time, to like do X,
371
:Y and Z to, to change the politicians,
you know, what they, what they're doing.
372
:Just a normal person living my life, busy,
got two kids trying to do everything.
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:But what I can do is I can control what I
buy, what I wear, and my relationship to
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:that, and it's the easiest thing I can do.
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:So I just, I now think about it
like, oh, I'm just, if I, I, I'm not
376
:buying retail and I haven't bought
retail for a long time, but if I
377
:was going to go and buy something
retail, I have two voices in my head.
378
:So the first voice is the one
that says, "You're not worthy.
379
:You need to buy new things to be worthy,
to fit in, to present yourself in the
380
:way that you want people to see you.
381
:You need to consume and you
need to buy new things 'cause
382
:you are not good enough."
383
:And what I've done is I've learned
to teach myself that that voice
384
:doesn't actually belong to me.
385
:That voice is nothing
really to do with me.
386
:That's the voice of, you know,
the ad execs and the, the
387
:people behind, the marketing of
fashion that have infiltrated...
388
:Chryssius: The ones that are
selling us the false dream.
389
:Hazel: Exactly!
390
:The ones that are like selling us
the false dream, and I was listening
391
:to, the Clotheshorse podcast, and
she is a woman who used to work
392
:in the fast fashion industry.
393
:And she talks about like her experience
and she's just like, it's all an illusion.
394
:And that, and we are telling ourselves the
illusion even when we work in that space.
395
:And we know it's not the truth, but we're
still telling ourselves the illusion.
396
:She says, you know, they're not sitting
around thinking, oh, we're going to fool
397
:these women into buying these things.
398
:They are sitting around saying,
this is going to be great.
399
:This next season is going to be excellent.
400
:The illusion is everywhere.
401
:But anyway, so I've taught myself
to try and catch myself and be
402
:like, that's not me talking.
403
:That is someone else.
404
:That is the illusion.
405
:Uh, sellers.
406
:Nothing to do with me as a human.
407
:And then the other thing I've taught
myself to do is to just not want to
408
:put my money, my hard-earned money
into the pockets of billionaires.
409
:I don't need to do that.
410
:I've got better things
I can spend my money on.
411
:Chryssius: We all do.
412
:Hazel: Exactly, we all do.
413
:Those two things combined have really
helped keep me on the straight and
414
:narrow, but also it's a creativity thing.
415
:Like I think it's so for all the
people out there who really love to
416
:love clothes, like I love clothes.
417
:When I lived in England, I, worked at
London Fashion Week and I interned
418
:for a big fashion photographer.
419
:And I absolutely, you know, I fell
in love with all of those things.
420
:And you can still have them
with what you already have.
421
:It's not like it's, I believe you
can have sustainability and style.
422
:It's not one or the other.
423
:I feel like I went on a
bit of a tangent there.
424
:Some things were said.
425
:Chryssius: Yes, they were.
426
:We are not editing them out.
427
:What are some of the more unique
capsules that you have been asked
428
:to create for your clients?
429
:Hazel: At the moment, I am just in the
process of working with a new client who
430
:has asked me to do a capsule wardrobe
for her menstrual cycle, which I am
431
:absolutely obsessed with the idea of, I
was so excited when she told me what she
432
:wanted and she's actually a finance coach.
433
:And she works with women to explore
their emotional relationship with money,
434
:pleasure, and what it means to be a woman.
435
:And so this is like so perfect for her
and such an interesting project for me.
436
:The way that I work with my clients
is I'll do a style consult first.
437
:We'll go through all of the different
things, you know, their wardrobe
438
:woes, what their real issues
are when they're getting dressed
439
:and all those kind of things.
440
:And then we'll come up with a bit of a
roadmap, on how to navigate that and how
441
:to get them to where they want to be.
442
:And so I haven't actually started building
these capsules with my client yet, but
443
:I'm, I'm like, yeah, so excited to start.
444
:And that really means, you know, for
all the women, I don't need to explain
445
:this, but the times where in week
two of your menstrual cycle, you put
446
:something on, you look amazing and
week four of your menstrual cycle,
447
:you put it on and it does not fit you.
448
:And
449
:Chryssius: I can relate to that.
450
:Hazel: Yeah.
451
:And it's just, it is, again, it's that
other, you know, it's an opportunity
452
:for those voices that aren't necessarily
ours to come into our head and say,
453
:oh, like, "You are not worthy this
week because this thing that fit you
454
:two weeks ago no longer fits you."
455
:Like, no, it's natural.
456
:It's perfectly normal, and it's something
that we all, you know, women of a
457
:menstruating age have to deal with.
458
:It's not something that we should feel
ashamed and feel less worthy and less,
459
:you know, I think so often women want
to hide in that week four of their
460
:menstrual cycle, week four and week
one, they want to hide their bodies.
461
:They don't want to wear nice clothes.
462
:It's like you still deserve
to feel good about yourself.
463
:You still deserve to feel, to
feel worthy and to feel good.
464
:So why not find those clothes that are a
little bit more forgiving and that are a
465
:little bit more, you know, they're going
to flatter you in the way that you want.
466
:And I hate that word "flatter", but...
467
:they're going to make you feel the
most confident, and comfortable with,
468
:and not like compromise on style, but
also not make you feel bad because
469
:your breasts are slightly larger
or your belly's slightly larger.
470
:Like, that is just what
it is to be a woman.
471
:Chryssius: Yes.
472
:I would love to know what kind of
things you are focusing on for this
473
:particular capsule in terms of making
your client comfortable during, those
474
:different weeks within the cycle.
475
:Hazel: Yeah.
476
:So I think it's, uh, probably what
we'll do is, we'll go, like I was
477
:saying, back to those hero pieces.
478
:So those pieces that she absolutely
loves, I should start calling
479
:them heroine pieces really.
480
:Maybe I'll do that.
481
:'cause
482
:Chryssius: Yes!
483
:Do it.
484
:Hazel: "Hero" is way too male.
485
:The "heroine" pieces in your wardrobe
that she really, really loves, that
486
:she can wear that make her feel great.
487
:But then also using - okay, so
I'll just digress a little bit.
488
:So, when you're preloved shopping,
it's a process like, because of the
489
:sizing aspect, you're not always going
to find something that you love in
490
:an op shop, in a consignment shop,
in a vintage shop that fits you.
491
:And so my number one, um, kind of tip
for that is to work with my clients.
492
:I say to them, it's about the vibe.
493
:Like what you're getting
from that piece is a vibe.
494
:It's not necessarily that exact piece.
495
:Take a photograph of
it, save it for later.
496
:And when we're looking in other shops,
if it's on the same day or whenever
497
:they're in those scenarios, they can
look for a piece that has that vibe.
498
:So then, for the capsule, it's about
finding the pieces that have the vibe
499
:for her, of those hero pieces that
she loves, or those pieces that she
500
:wants to wear when she's ovulating
and feeling amazing and her body
501
:and brain are like, yes, yes, yes.
502
:But...
503
:a bit more forgiving in terms of stretch
or in terms of the way that they fit.
504
:You know, you can use colour,
you can use pattern, you can use
505
:silhouette to really like still
give the vibes of what you want, but
506
:that can also give you the comfort.
507
:Like for me, if I'm in week four of my
menstrual cycle, like I just want to wear
508
:pants and I wear dresses all the time.
509
:And so about, it's about finding
those pants that give me the feeling
510
:of wearing my favourite dresses.
511
:Chryssius: It absolutely makes
sense, and I think that is such
512
:a fabulous tip about the vibe.
513
:The vibe is a thing.
514
:I've never really been able to, I
guess, put it into words as nicely as
515
:you have, but you have explained it
really, really well, and I'm going
516
:shopping now looking for the vibe.
517
:Hazel: The vibe.
518
:The vibe, and just take a photo.
519
:Like, because then you've got a,
again, as a reference, like our phones
520
:are such great tools in our styling
evolution, because you can just keep it.
521
:And also if you look on Depop or
whatever later, you might be able to
522
:find that exact thing in your size.
523
:Chryssius: Yeah - when we're on
the couch watching TV and scrolling
524
:and we move on to the online
shopping, Depop is where it's at.
525
:Yeah.
526
:We're going into it intentionally.
527
:Hazel: Depop is!
528
:Exactly, and you know, Salvos now
have a really great online store,
529
:and so do Good Sammy, actually.
530
:But just about, um, you know, searching
what you exactly want and if you
531
:found it and you've tried it on
already, that's half the battle and
532
:you know, you just need one size up
or one size down, like, easy peasy.
533
:Done.
534
:Chryssius: I want to ask a specific
question, around a particular
535
:style and that is athleisure.
536
:So athleisure is such a
big thing at the moment.
537
:Especially if you are, and I am not
picking on anyone here, but as a
538
:stay-at-home mum, having been there
myself, I know that that is generally
539
:what I would gravitate towards.
540
:But at the same time, I don't feel
like it is the most stylish of outfits.
541
:So my question around this is, how do
you approach creating capsules that will
542
:blend comfort and style for clients that
maybe have either a very active lifestyle?
543
:When I say active, I don't just mean
they're at the gym all the time, but maybe
544
:they are a stay-at-home parent and they're
running around after young children...
545
:Hazel: Okay, so a few, a few different
ways that I want to answer this question.
546
:Number one, if you love wearing your
athleisure and that's how you want to
547
:dress, absolutely a hundred percent do it.
548
:When I ask people the question, are
there any items in your wardrobe that
549
:you think you've worn 30 or more times?
550
:Usually it is...
551
:only, your yoga pants or your
leggings that you went to the
552
:gym or all of those things.
553
:Those are the pieces that
people wear consistently.
554
:And then my second question to them is
like, is this how you want to dress?
555
:And it usually isn't.
556
:And how, do you want to dress?
557
:So what I love about what I do is
giving people a new perspective
558
:on things that they already own.
559
:I have worked with quite a few mums
and they do live in their, athleisure.
560
:And it is just about finding items,
again, with the vibe of athleisure
561
:in terms of the durability, the
comfort, all of those things.
562
:Or usually they already own them, but
just putting 'em together in a new way.
563
:So, you know, absolutely if they
are comfortable and that's how
564
:they want to dress, then let's
put them in your capsule wardrobe.
565
:Let's give you all the reign of wearing
those items again and again, and
566
:get those 30-plus wears out of them.
567
:But if it's not, I would suggest
like a more casual pants.
568
:So like anything in a linen,
or like a, a light cotton, just
569
:like easy to move around in,
easy to run after small children.
570
:You know, I have, my kids are three and
one, so I'm definitely in that phase
571
:of my life, but I'm not wearing anymore
my active wear every day, which I was,
572
:before I kind of started this journey
into becoming a personal stylist because
573
:that's, you know, the easiest thing to do.
574
:Chryssius: Full disclosure, I am
currently wearing leggings and a jumper.
575
:Hazel: Yeah, it's just about, it's
kind of like that vibe, like what
576
:is going to give you the vibe of
that and the comfort of those items
577
:without, and making it more elevated.
578
:And that's kind of where the
versatility in your wardrobe comes from.
579
:It's like you could make something
more casual or more formal very
580
:easily by putting it with other items.
581
:So if you're going to wear, like ballet
flats are get, are coming back in.
582
:They're really like big on
the catwalks at the moment.
583
:And if you're going to wear ballet flat.
584
:It's just going to give you a slightly
more elevated look or if you're going
585
:to wear, do you know what I mean?
586
:It's layering things and
making them work for you.
587
:So, but I've actually completely
gotten rid of the, not gotten rid of,
588
:obviously I still wear them to the gym,
but I've just decided to wear my actual
589
:clothes and to not keep them for best.
590
:To just be like, okay, every day
I want to feel good about myself.
591
:And it's made such a difference
in my mental health to
592
:just get dressed every day.
593
:And it comes back to that, taking
photographs of your outfits.
594
:Like I look back at my outfits before
I kind of started this serious journey
595
:and I was like, yeah, just wearing
like drop sleeve grey t-shirts with
596
:a print, and my bicycle shorts.
597
:Like that is what I lived in.
598
:And I was, I was, you know, in that kind
of very freshly postpartum, time of my
599
:life, and it was kind of appropriate.
600
:But the minute I stopped doing that,
the feelings I had about myself
601
:and my capabilities as a human
in the world changed completely.
602
:And so I would never say to someone,
don't wear what you want to wear.
603
:Like always wear what you
want to wear, but branch out.
604
:Like, look in your wardrobe and maybe just
wear it, even if it's going to get dirty.
605
:Or look for fabrics that are more
durable, like a drill cotton you know,
606
:that can be washed and worn again.
607
:Like I've got the most amazing pair
of vintage Levis that I got from Depop
608
:before I stopped buying stuff that I've
washed maybe twice since I bought them.
609
:And I've definitely worn them more
than 30 times, but like, they're just
610
:so easy to wear and they just look
great, like effortless, easy to wear.
611
:Just put anything with them.
612
:Done.
613
:Chryssius: For anyone listening, then,
who is inspired by everything that you
614
:have talked about today in terms of
creating a capsule wardrobe and they
615
:want to have a go at creating their own
capsule, what are your tips to guide them
616
:through that process and empower them to
curate their own sustainable wardrobe?
617
:Hazel: Okay, so I'd just like to
start my answer by saying what I
618
:believe a sustainable wardrobe isn't.
619
:To me, a sustainable wardrobe
isn't a brand new wardrobe full of
620
:sustainably and ethically sourced
garments in linen, silk and cotton.
621
:It's just what you already own.
622
:The classic quote is, "the most
sustainable item is one you didn't buy."
623
:And for me, in the slow fashion
movement, the most sustainable garment
624
:is one you didn't buy again, which is
essentially what we do all the time.
625
:And especially when people are thinking
about those capsules, those Instagram
626
:or Pinterest capsules that we see, like,
you don't need to buy those clothes
627
:again because you already have them.
628
:It's just about taking them
out of your existing wardrobe.
629
:So again, I feel like the overriding
belief within a capsule wardrobe is
630
:that, that is then your wardrobe.
631
:That's it.
632
:There's no other clothes in your life.
633
:You may only have these 30 pieces
that are all cream and beige.
634
:Like, no...
635
:create a capsule from what you own.
636
:And like for me, I'm lucky I have,
my office is separate to my bedroom.
637
:So I have my wardrobe in my bedroom,
and then I have a rail in my office
638
:where I put my capsule wardrobe.
639
:And so, I still have all the other
things and I look at them every
640
:day and I think, oh, I can't wait
to wear you again once I'm done with
641
:this phase of my 90 day capsule.
642
:But just having the clothes separate
gives you a bit of distance and that's
643
:what's going to keep you interested in
the clothes that you are not wearing
644
:because, literally if you put something
away for like a week, two weeks, three
645
:weeks, when you see it again, you get that
same rush of dopamine as buying something
646
:new because it's like, oh, exciting.
647
:Like it really feeds that pursuit
of the new without actually
648
:buying or getting anything new.
649
:Chryssius: It's almost like when you
go back to your, um, well, I will
650
:go back to my parents' house and
I'll look in my wardrobe and I'll
651
:go, oh my gosh, I remember this!
652
:I'm taking it with me.
653
:Hazel: Yeah, exactly.
654
:And like the number one thing
that I do with my clients is I
655
:just, if they don't want to build
a capsule wardrobe, that's fine.
656
:But what we'll do is just work on
putting all the seasonal items away.
657
:Because then when they get, I say
to them, we are writing a list.
658
:This is your seasonal items.
659
:Keep it on your phone.
660
:Before you go out and that you
get that urge when the season
661
:changes to go and like rush to the
shops and buy all these new things
662
:because it's too hot or too cold.
663
:Look at the list, remember the list.
664
:I'll text you when the season changes
that you're going remember that you've
665
:got this list and get those pieces out.
666
:And getting them out will be not only
a beautiful, reminder of all the times
667
:you wore those things, and all the
memories and the history of those items.
668
:But also it feels like you've got
something new and you haven't.
669
:And often people will find this as well
if they've put stuff away to take to
670
:the op shop if they re-find that bag
and sometimes go through it, they're
671
:like, oh no, I'm not getting rid of it.
672
:It's like, this is a great piece.
673
:And it is just 'cause we
haven't seen it for a while.
674
:And then neutrals are great
if that's what you want.
675
:If you want a very, basic colour scheme,
absolutely choose your colour scheme.
676
:I would say with colours, like, what's
going to give you a better illusion of
677
:cohesion in your outfit is if you choose
all warm-toned or cool-toned colours.
678
:Sometimes a clash of a warm tone
and a cool tone can just give,
679
:'cause our eyes and our brains
are kind of cleverer than we are.
680
:So if you see something and
it looks a bit off, it's
681
:sometimes to do with the colour.
682
:For example, my 90 day summer
capsule that I'm doing at the moment
683
:is all really, warm-toned items.
684
:And so they go together much easier.
685
:They're not necessarily in
the same colour schemes.
686
:I haven't chosen them because they're all
analogous colours or anything like that.
687
:But it just works because
they are all warm-toned.
688
:So if you're a beginner, definitely choose
a few base colours like that is important.
689
:But choose what colours you love to wear.
690
:Don't choose something that you're
not going to wear, but choose colours
691
:that you do love and then choose
those heroine pieces that you've got
692
:in your wardrobe that you never wear.
693
:Choose five of them and just add layers.
694
:Like, add some t-shirts, you
can put over the top of dresses
695
:to make them more casual.
696
:Add your favourite accessories, and
then let your creativity run wild.
697
:And like I said in the beginning, there
are no rules, if something's not working,
698
:just swap it out for something else.
699
:It's your capsule.
700
:Make it work for you.
701
:Chryssius: So when we are talking about
maybe filling in those gaps within
702
:our wardrobe, what are your tips,
for successful secondhand shopping?
703
:Like how, how are people going to go
in there and spot the quality items?
704
:Because we all know what op shops
are like, especially, I feel like
705
:especially after Covid, it's just insane.
706
:So yeah, how are we going to
go in there and find the gems?
707
:What are we looking for?
708
:Hazel: So it really comes from having an
understanding of your existing wardrobe.
709
:So going through and looking at
your wardrobe, and then when you are
710
:out shopping, you want to be asking
yourselves the questions around, is
711
:this going to go with what I have?
712
:What are three items in my existing
wardrobe that I can pair this back with?
713
:Or three different ways that I can
style this item so that you know
714
:it's going to go seamlessly into your
existing wardrobe because you've already
715
:considered what you can wear it with.
716
:And it's such a game changer in terms of
thinking about something as an element in
717
:an outfit as opposed to a standalone item.
718
:And when that clicked for me, I was
like, oh, shopping has been unlocked.
719
:Like, haha, people who are trying
to get me to buy all these things,
720
:like, now I've got the secret.
721
:And the secret is basically just
if it's not going to go within an
722
:existing outfit or with something
that you have, then just don't buy it.
723
:Or if you need to get a new bra
to wear it with, or a new pair of
724
:shoes to wear it with or something
that you don't already have, then
725
:ask yourself, do I have the budget?
726
:Do I have the time?
727
:Do I have the resources to get that thing?
728
:If I don't, I'm not going to
buy this one piece because
729
:it, takes more work to buy it.
730
:And then also the guilt of not wearing it.
731
:And then like that lifestyle thing that
we were talking about, is it lifestyle
732
:appropriate for me or is it lifestyle
appropriate for the fantasy version of me?
733
:These are all like these kind of
concepts of how to do the shopping,
734
:but then when you're actually there,
don't be afraid to leave with nothing.
735
:It's okay to go op-shopping
and leave with nothing.
736
:That's fine because it's only
sustainable and it's only worth it
737
:if you're actually going to wear it.
738
:And also don't be afraid, like I did
my style tour - I had a style tour
739
:last weekend and what I'm looking
at in my client's wardrobe is to have
740
:around 70% wearable items that they
wear all the time that are really
741
:easy to style with different pieces.
742
:And then about 30% , you know, the fun
items that really give your, wardrobe
743
:personality and let people see who you
are and what, for me, and this client,
744
:one of these clients that was on the
tour, the problem for me was always,
745
:I had these like amazing key pieces,
but nothing to actually wear them with.
746
:And so that's what we
were looking at for her.
747
:We were looking at more basic
stuff because I think there is a
748
:tendency when you're op-shopping
to buy these fun and frivolous,
749
:like amazing pieces, but it's like.
750
:You need the base pieces to make them pop.
751
:And I'm not saying like the
basics in terms of like, "the five
752
:'must-haves' everyone must have."
753
:Like I don't believe in that it,
but it's what is going to make your
754
:wardrobe more functional and your
wardrobe work for you, work harder for
755
:you instead of the other way round.
756
:Chryssius: The everyday pieces.
757
:Hazel: Exactly, exactly.
758
:If your wardrobe is full of those
statement pieces, which mine definitely
759
:is, and now I just wear all my statement
pieces together and I don't care.
760
:Exactly.
761
:And it makes people take me more seriously
for some reason as a stylist, the more
762
:outrageously dressed, the more they're
like, oh yes, she knows what she's doing.
763
:Chryssius: So please, tell us
what is your best bargain brag.
764
:Either the best or the most unusual,
most interesting, or just your favourite
765
:piece that you've picked up secondhand.
766
:Hazel: Oh yes, absolutely.
767
:And it's always the piece that
I always tell everyone about.
768
:So as an avid op-shopper, I've got
this like decade or more of pretty
769
:much only buying secondhand clothes.
770
:Naturally, when I go anywhere
new, I always go to the op shops.
771
:Like that is like what I love.
772
:And it's quite upsetting for
me now because I am not buying
773
:anything, but I also get to go
op-shopping with my clients.
774
:So it kind of fulfills that
for me a little bit too.
775
:But I went to the States for my
best friend's 30th and we went to
776
:LA and across America, there's this
consignment shop called Buffalo...
777
:Oh, what's it called now that's
awkward, that I can't remember.
778
:Oh, Buffalo Exchange!
779
:Buffalo Exchange.
780
:And so it is a consignment shop in the
sense that people bring their clothes
781
:in and they sell them and they get a
percentage of the sale, but it has more
782
:of a kind of op shop vibe than a lot of
the consignment shops here in Australia.
783
:And I got this silk jacket from Guess
that says "Fantasy" across the back
784
:in these like bold, beautiful, kind of
like maroon colour and all these amazing
785
:hand-stitched embroidered beautiful bits,
like it's like a silk bomber jacket.
786
:And I had no space left in
my suitcase at this point.
787
:But I was like, I must have this
and it cost me 15 US dollars.
788
:And it is the most, like, that's
probably the piece I've worn,
789
:you know, 60, a hundred times
because it goes with everything.
790
:And I absolutely love it.
791
:And even to the point where when I
was working as event manager, I'd wear
792
:it to pretty much every event that I
worked and I got, I got this nickname
793
:as Fantasy Haze, which is what all the
people on the event site used to call
794
:me, 'cause they'd be like, oh, there's
Fantasy Haze with a silk bomber jacket,
795
:just walking around the event site.
796
:Um, but yeah, so that's the
piece that I love the most.
797
:And it's also the piece that kind
of makes me sound the most, um,
798
:oh, I can't, wanky is probably
not, but that's what I feel like.
799
:I'm like, this is the story and it's
a bit wanky, but also I just love it
800
:so much that I can't not tell you.
801
:Chryssius: It's perfect.
802
:I can't wait to see it.
803
:Please do send me a picture.
804
:And for anyone listening that would
like to see this beautiful piece as
805
:well, I will make sure that it is on the
Reloved Radio's Instagram highlights.
806
:Hazel: Amazing.
807
:Yes.
808
:I'll send you one, I have many
pictures of me wearing it.
809
:Chryssius: Oh, of course!
810
:I have no doubt.
811
:Thank you so much, Hazel.
812
:This has been amazing.
813
:I cannot tell you the number of
tips I have picked up just from
814
:chatting with you today, and I'm
sure that our listeners have as well.
815
:So, if anyone out there is keen
to find you online, where will
816
:they be able to locate you?
817
:Hazel: So I am a lover of Instagram.
818
:I'm @curatedwardrobe.au.
819
:And you can also check out my website,
which is thecuratedwardrobe.com.au.
820
:I'm always here for
talking sustainable style.
821
:If you've got a question, a burning
question about, op-shopping or
822
:whatever it is, you could also email
me hazel@thecuratedwardrobe.com.au.
823
:And yeah, like, this is my passion.
824
:It's what I love, it's what I live for.
825
:So I'm honestly always happy
to answer any, any question
826
:about that kind of thing.
827
:So yeah, thank you so much for having
me and letting me just talk to you
828
:about all the things in my brain.
829
:Chryssius: It's amazing.
830
:I feel like our brains are aligned
because all the things you want to talk
831
:about are all the questions I have.
832
:Yes!
833
:So good.
834
:Thanks for listening to Reloved Radio.
835
:You can find the show notes for
today's episode on the website,
836
:www.relovedradio.com.au And that's
also where you can download all my
837
:best sustainable shopping secrets.
838
:There's 45 of them, they're free,
and they'll walk you through exactly
839
:how to shop secondhand or like a pro.