Why You Have Nothing to Wear (Even With a Full Wardrobe)

Ever stood in front of a wardrobe full of clothes and felt like you have absolutely nothing to wear? You're not alone and this episode explains exactly why.

Molly sits down with Melbourne-based personal stylist Melissa Murgana to talk about how to build a wardrobe that actually works for your life, your budget, and your body, without spending a fortune.

In this episode we cover:

• Why most women wear only 20% of their wardrobe 80% of the time
• The 3-outfit rule that will change how you shop forever
• How to look polished and expensive on a tight budget
• The 5 winter capsule wardrobe essentials every woman needs
• Affordable brands stylists actually rate (Target, Uniqlo, Portman's)
• Whether expensive clothes are actually better quality
• How to get more longevity out of your clothes (including the jeans-washing debate)
• What a personal stylist costs and why it's a smart investment
• How to find your personal style when you have no idea where to start

Whether you're rebuilding your wardrobe after having kids, going through a body change, or just sick of feeling uninspired getting dressed every day, this episode is for you.

  

CHAPTERS

00:00 - Introduction: How to Look Stylish on a Budget (And Why Your Full Wardrobe Leaves You With Nothing to Wear)
01:42 - Meet Melissa Murgana: Melbourne Personal Stylist Who Makes Everyday Women Look Amazing
02:12 - Why Getting Dressed Affects Your Confidence More Than You Think
02:47 - The Real Reason You Have Nothing to Wear (Even With a Wardrobe Full of Clothes)
03:46 - Why We Hold Onto Clothes That No Longer Fit or Serve Us
04:07 - The Nostalgia Box: The Stylist Trick for Letting Go of Clothes You Can't Part With
05:31 - The Little Black Dress Myth and Why Your Wardrobe Needs to Move With Your Life
05:55 - Is It Actually Possible to Look Polished and Rich on a Budget?
06:36 - The Best Wardrobe Investment If You Only Have a Couple of Hundred Dollars
07:34 - How to Find a Bougie Blazer at Target (Yes, Really)
08:02 - Do Fabrics Actually Matter? What to Look For on the Label
09:14 - The 5 Winter Wardrobe Staples Every Australian Woman Actually Needs
10:36 - The Best Denim Brands in Australia and Why You Should Shop Specialists
12:31 - What Actually Happens When You Work With a Personal Stylist
13:37 - What a Stylist Asks You Before You Even Step Into a Store
16:00 - The Biggest Wardrobe Mistakes Australian Women Keep Making
17:26 - The Three-Outfit Rule: The Simple Test Before You Buy Anything
18:12 - Why We Only Wear 20% of Our Wardrobe (And How to Fix It)
18:52 - How Often Should You Actually Cull Your Wardrobe?
19:30 - Affordable Australian Brands That Are Way Better Than You Think
21:01 - Does a Higher Price Tag Still Mean Better Quality in 2024?
22:03 - How to Make Your Clothes Last Longer (The Washing Rules That Will Surprise You)
24:13 - Is Tailoring Worth It? When to Spend the Extra Money
25:19 - Fast Fashion, Shein, and Temu: A Stylist's Honest Take
27:08 - How to Figure Out Your Personal Style When You Have No Idea What It Is
29:05 - The ROI of Working With a Personal Stylist (Is It Actually Worth It?)
29:39 - How Much Does a Personal Stylist Actually Cost in Australia?
30:41 - Where Melissa Is Based and How to Book a Session With Her
31:17 - Wrapping Up: The Biggest Takeaway From This Episode

 

 

RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE

- Melissa is based in Melbourne and shops out of Chadstone Shopping Centre
- A 2-hour styling session with Melissa starts from $599 (includes consultation, research, and shopping)
- Reach out to Melissa directly via Instagram or TikTok to book

 

 

CONNECT WIT MELISSA MURGANA

Website: https://www.melissagotstyle.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissagotstyle/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Melissa-murgana/100054413022950/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mellssa-got-style/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@melissagotstyle

 

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TAKEAWAYS

SOUND BITES

"Wardrobes change with our lifestyle"
"Look polished on any budget"
"Do wardrobe audits every 8-12 months"

 

TRANSCRIPT

[00:00:00] Welcome back to another episode of Get Rich, the podcast that helps you do just that, get rich and stay rich. Now, just letting you know that we're gonna be dropping these fortnightly instead of weekly. I have another podcast called Gotta Go. Definitely check it out. But it is just getting a little bit too much with a small 15-week-old bub and running a company, only working a few days a week, so that we've just made the decision for obvious reasons to turn this fortnightly.

[00:00:30] But I love this episode because I always stand in front of my wardrobe and I think, "Oh my God, I literally have nothing to wear." I have a wardrobe full of clothes and nothing actually to wear. But I found out in this episode there is a reason for that. So I'm so excited. I really wanted to get Melissa Morgana onto the podcast, more for selfish reasons.

[00:00:51] I was like, "I just wanna know, how do we look stylish on a budget? And is it... Like, can we?" And we absolutely can. So she's this awesome Melbourne-based personal stylist. She's definitely one of the most stylish women we have had on the podcast. Which makes sense, because in this episode, we are talking all things your wardrobe, and what are the five winter wardrobe staples actually worth investing in.

[00:01:14] I also asked her what is the number one item every woman needs in her wardrobe, so you'll love the answer. She also has this great trick for letting go of clothes that you just can't bring yourself to donate. Also, how to figure out your personal style when you generally have, like, no idea what it is. So if you wanna feel more confident getting dressed, and don't we all, because you just feel fabulous when you have a great outfit on, or if you want your wardrobe to work harder without spending more, then check this one out.

[00:01:42] And again, if you're enjoying this episode, please hit like, subscribe, tell your friends, tell your family, tell your work wife, tell the lady at yoga. Please help spread the word. All right. Enjoy today's episode, and let's get fashionable. Fashionable. Hi, Melissa. Welcome to the podcast. I am so excited to have this conversation.

[00:02:04] Thank you so much for having me. It's only my second podcast, so I'm very much looking forward to it. Ooh, I love that. So

[00:02:12] what I wanted to start off with is, like, why does what we wear affect so much with how we feel about ourselves? You know, when you get, like, a brand-new outfit, you're like, "God, I feel sexy and cool and great."

[00:02:23] Yeah. But, like, how does it have such a big effect on us?

[00:02:26] I think it comes down to giving us confidence, doesn't it? Mm. Because when you put it on, it's- something changes within us. Mm. I can't really explain it, but it's a confidence thing that comes from within, and all of a sudden you feel like you've got this, I don't know, extra power, extra armor, extra something that makes you feel better to tackle the day, tackle what's coming your way.

[00:02:46] I love that.

[00:02:47] And why do so many women feel like they have nothing to wear despite having, like, a wardrobe full of clothes? Mm. Like, I'm guilty of this a lot.

[00:02:56] Yes. Look, I think that there's a few things going on. You know, like, some women have gone through a lot of changes, so I guess the wardrobe that once served them no longer does.

[00:03:06] And I mean, that's just a reality. It's not that their clothes were bad, it's just things have changed, and their body shape's changed, and their lifestyle's changed, and fashion has evolved. That's sort of part and parcel of what happens. And I feel like, this is just from my experience with working with clients, so many clients buy random pieces which they love, and then they struggle with, "Okay, how am I actually gonna style an outfit?

[00:03:30] So yeah, I've got a great skirt," or, "I've got a great jumper- Yes ... or coat," or whatever it is, "but how do I actually create a look?" Yeah. So it's a piece, but it's not actually forming whole outfit solutions. Mm. So that's why you often have a wardrobe full of clothes, yet nothing to wear, because it's actually not cohesive.

[00:03:46] Yeah. And before we get a bit more into how to look bougie on a budget- ... is there a psychological reason on why we hold on to clothes that no longer, like, serve us or fit us or suit us?

[00:03:59] Look, I don't know whether it's psychological, but there's definitely factors at play. Yeah. You know, sometimes if you'll spent a large amount of money, you find it hard to part with it.

[00:04:07] I mean, I have that too. It's like, well hang on, I bought that for $400 or $500, I don't wanna just give it away, so I'd rather just hold onto it. Mm. So I don't know whether it's psychological. Something that I do do when I go into wardrobes, so if I go into a client's home, is I say to them, "Get yourself a nostalgia box."

[00:04:24] So sometimes you've got pieces, and I've got one myself, I've got pieces that I don't necessarily wanna ever wear again- Mm ... but I don't wanna give away. So I get them out of sight, out of mind, but they're not actually out of my life. Yeah. So I just put them in this box. I know I'll keep them. I occasionally might just revisit it every couple of years.

[00:04:42] Yeah. But that's a good way to kind of remove it from the wardrobe, but you're not actually physically parting with it, if that makes sense. Yeah. That's a good thing to do.

[00:04:51] Yes. What you're saying is really ringing bells with me. '

[00:04:53] Cause

[00:04:55] I had this gorgeous cute dress. It was so... Like, I bought it on sale, but it was gorgeous.

[00:05:02] Yeah. Never fit me. I was like, it will fit me one day.

[00:05:04] Yes. And

[00:05:05] then I just gave it away, because now that I've had a baby I'm like, it's definitely never gonna fit me.

[00:05:09] Yes. I mean, it doesn't serve the purpose for your wardrobe anymore. I find that with a lot of clients that, you know, they had a very corporate wardrobe and maybe they were going into the city and they were wearing heels and- Yeah

[00:05:18] all this kind of stuff, and now it's, it's moved to something different. So, you know, you have to realize that your wardrobe have to s- has to sort of move with the times. It's not only the fashion times, I feel like it's the lifestyle times. Yes.

[00:05:31] You know? I think it was like, I was like, "Oh, maybe I'll wear that little black dress one day," because we've been taught our whole lives we need a little black dress- Yes, yes

[00:05:38] in the wardrobe. Yes. Which I never wore. I wore it once and I had to wear a jacket over the top because I couldn't do the zip up all the way up. Yep, been there. It's gone. So question, is it possible to look polished and rich, um, on a budget?

[00:05:55] Absolutely. I'm sure you've heard the term that you can look stylish and it's got nothing to do with how much you spend.

[00:06:02] Yeah. I think, I think that's what I do well with a lot of clients that I work with. Whatever budget they give me, we might pick some high pieces and then we might pick some low pieces, and it's about mixing the two together. You know, most women that I work with don't have a big budget that they can buy everything high-end.

[00:06:17] Yeah.

[00:06:18] But it's about doing it in such a way that you're being a bit more selective with pieces so that they, I guess they can look a bit more lux than what they actually cost. Yeah. That's one thing. And then piecing it all together. That kind of doesn't really have a price tag, yeah?

[00:06:33] Yeah.

[00:06:33] You have to know how to put it all together to create a cool outfit.

[00:06:36] Yeah, that I think- Yeah ... and that's I think the bit people- Yeah ... um, struggle with. So if someone had like, you know, a couple of hundred dollars and they were- Yep ... just wanted to give their wardrobe a bit of a refresh- Yep ... where would they start? Is there like a piece that you're like, do you know what? This is worth or this has got a good return on investment.

[00:06:53] As in that's the total budget that I had to work with?

[00:06:56] Yeah. And they just- Oh, okay ... wanted to do a refresh, so very tight- Yeah ... budget, but they just wanna give it a little refresh.

[00:07:03] Yep. Look, I think for me, I would probably go down the path of a blazer. Okay, yeah. I feel like a blazer, you can wear it with jeans, you can wear it smarter with, you know, maybe a slip skirt or even something shorter.

[00:07:16] The fact that it's got a collar, I just feel like it ticks a lot of boxes. Yeah. So I guess if I'm gonna splurge a little bit within- Yeah ... that tight budget, I think I would lean towards a blazer of some sort to really be able to drag you across various occasions. I actually did a video on my Insta recently.

[00:07:34] We bought a bougie blazer from Target, but it actually helped pull so many different looks together. Mm. So even though it was an inexpensive-ish buy- Yeah ... it helped create a lot more cool outfits just from having one very well-selected piece- Oh ... that didn't break the bank. That didn't

[00:07:54] break the bank.

[00:07:54] Yeah. No, I love, I love a good blazer. And how important is it the actual material we're buying? And should we be checking the material, like we're buying?

[00:08:02] Look, yes and no. When I do a consultation with someone before I take them shopping, one thing I ask them is about their non-negotiables, and part of that is talking about fabrics.

[00:08:13] Yeah. Now, I'm a bit of a fabric snob in terms of I just like to look at fabrics. It's the first thing that I'll do. I'll go and look at the tag, and that's not to say that I wouldn't buy it because it was a certain material. I just wanna know what I'm paying for what I'm getting.

[00:08:27] Yeah.

[00:08:28] Because just because I've spent a lot of money on trenches and blazers, yet they're still polyester.

[00:08:34] Yeah. Which if you think about it, is a synthetic man-made fiber, but majority of the blazers that I like and that I want to wear would be or have a composition that is polyester, so I don't think that there's anything right or wrong. Mm-hmm. But if you can afford to go natural fibers where possible, I think it's definitely a positive.

[00:08:53] Yeah. However, I will say that some things just aren't made in natural fibers. Yeah. Like, if you want a slip skirt, yes, you can go with silk, but the alternative is, like, a polyester or a viscose.

[00:09:04] Yeah. You know? So, so if you had, like, a bit more of a budget- Mm ... and you had, like, okay, these are, like, the five pieces I would definitely include in a wardrobe- Mm-hmm

[00:09:14] can you take us through what they would be? And then I would love to know as well, like, what do you do when you actually get a client? Like, can you walk us through that? 'Cause I'm just like, you get paid to shop, and I'm just feel like everyone's gonna be very jealous- ... of your, your career and your job.

[00:09:28] Yeah. Yes. Well, okay, so they're two very big questions.

[00:09:30] Very big. So- So we'll start with the first one. Okay. So sorry, can you ask me that again? Just so I- Yes ... can repeat. So the question was, like, if we had to put, like, together a bit of a capture wardrobe or, like- Yep ... the five must-haves, we maybe would have a blazer in there.

[00:09:44] Mm-hmm. What else do you think is really important?

[00:09:46] So I think when it comes to capture wardrobes- I think you've gotta think about it versus seasons, because a capsule wardrobe probably five pieces is not gonna get you through the whole year. Yeah. So if we just think about winter, which is the season that we're gonna be in, I think my top five would be a really cool pair of boots.

[00:10:03] Yeah. Now, whatever that is for you, whether it's something short and ankley, whether it's something knee-high. The second would be a really cool cardigan. Yeah. I feel like you can do so much with a cardigan in terms of having... Even what I've got, I've got a button through myself and I've lay- I've layered it.

[00:10:18] You can undo it and have it undone. Yeah. So I think a b- uh, some sort of a button down. I think a really great pair of jeans.

[00:10:24] Yeah.

[00:10:25] Like, it's always just going to take you across, across various occasions. Do you have a favorite brand of jean that you love, or...? De- depends who I'm shopping for.

[00:10:35] Yeah.

[00:10:36] Yeah. For me personally, um, no, I don't.

[00:10:40] I don't discriminate when it comes to denim. I like Levi's. I think what I do say to clients, if you are looking to invest in denim, go to brands that do denim well. Yeah. So regular department stores or stores that have lots of different types of clothes are probably not going to be specialists in their field when it comes to denim.

[00:10:59] Mm. But a Levi's, a Nobody Denim, a New Denim, a Rollers, they know denim the best. So I think if I was gonna start, it would be at a brand that, you know- Just

[00:11:09] specializes in-

[00:11:10] Yeah, that's their trademark ... denim. So I think I'd start there first.

[00:11:13] That's a great point. I've never thought of that, ever.

[00:11:15] Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's like if you're gonna go and, I don't know, buy a car, you're probably gonna go to place that sells the car that you want, not a place that has boats and bikes and- Yeah

[00:11:27] trailers. You just, you need to go to your specialized field. So, and if I keep going onto the capsule kind of versatile pieces that, for winter, we've said boots, we've said jeans, we've said button down. Yes, I'm gonna say blazer.

[00:11:41] Yeah.

[00:11:41] And maybe I would say a really good coat.

[00:11:44] Okay.

[00:11:45] Yeah. Yeah. Because I feel like they are important outerwear options that will solve a lot of layering solutions.

[00:11:53] Yes. What are your, like, favorite items you have, that you wear?

[00:11:58] Oh, I love so much of my wardrobe. And I think what I love the most is mixing the old with the new. Yeah. Like this trench is probably about, I don't know, six years old, but I still love the color, I love the shape, I love the fact that it's got a shoulder pad, and then I've put it with something that, you know, is a little bit more current.

[00:12:15] So I really don't have any favorites. I think the ultimate thing that I love is shoes and bags. Yeah. So I don't really have as much affiliation with the clothes, the apparel- No ... as opposed to the bags and the shoes, which I probably invest more in because I wear them to death.

[00:12:31] Okay. Love that. So let's say I called you up and, Melissa, I was like- I need your help Yes My wardrobe is the pits.

[00:12:39] And right now it currently is. I'm between sizes. Yes. Nothing fits me. I, all I'm looking for at the moment is can I breastfeed in it really quickly? Yep. But- LBD ... for someone who's like completely like, "I'm sick of my wardrobe. I've got nothing to wear."

[00:12:54] Yep. "

[00:12:54] I just feel like everything looks bad." Yep. Where would you start

[00:12:59] with

[00:12:59] a client?

[00:13:00] Yep. So like I said before, I always do a consultation. And I think for most people they're thinking, "Oh, what is she gonna ask me? An hour? What are we possibly gonna talk about?" But there's so many things to cover, and we need to cover them before we hit the shops. Yeah. Because if I shop with someone for two, three hours, you might think to yourself, "Three hours, what am I gonna possibly like do in that time?"

[00:13:20] The time flies. Oh, no. So- Oh, no ... I would- I'd be like, "Are we only doing three hours?" Yeah. Well, I know, but it's actually very tiring for the- Oh, so tiring ... for the

[00:13:28] client

[00:13:29] because there's not only the trying and the walking, I'm asking a lot of questions. Mm-hmm. So I'm really trying to solve their problems. So I think it's a bit mentally draining as well.

[00:13:37] Yeah. So if I go back to the consultation part, so I have a one-hour consultation. So we're asking questions, you know, about coloring, colors that they like, styles that they like, what's their lifestyle, what's their budget, where they're currently looking. Because often people are, are on a bit of a mouse wheel- Mm

[00:13:54] because they go into the same stores, and a lot of the times the same stores deliver the same type of product every year. Like, I can tell you what the Country Roads and the Witcheries and the Seeds, year on year, every winter they're gonna do the same thing. They might update the color and the style. So if they're looking to refresh, I need to think broad, broader than what they are currently looking at.

[00:14:15] So that's why I ask that question. I talk about non-negotiables. And then the other part of that consultation, and I'm sorry to keep going on about it, but it's that important, is what is your style?

[00:14:25] Mm.

[00:14:26] Most people look at me blankly- Yeah ... or they say, "Oh, I wanna be comfortable," or, "I want to be casual," or...

[00:14:33] Which is fine, and they're great things, but they're not styles. Yeah?

[00:14:37] Okay. You

[00:14:38] know, you can get a style that's casually done but that's classic, that's sexy, that's feminine, masculine, all of those. Okay. So I've got a couple of exercises that I will do. So that part is actually very important. Yeah. During that consultation as well, we piece together a shopping list.

[00:14:54] Mm. What's on your wish list? What are the pieces that are gonna make you- Solve your day-to-day problems. Say solve your, I need to go to, on a girl's night, I need some outfits for date night. So we talk about all of that, put together a shopping list, then they can leave me. Then I will go away and do all the pre-work and prep where I'm gonna take them, and then we literally go for a few hours and we work through that shopping list.

[00:15:18] So people always laugh at, you know, 'cause they see me carrying lists around. But I have found it to be very effective in the eight, nine years that I've been styling clients. Yeah. Having that list, asking them questions based on that list, even when we're trying things on, making sure that that's gonna solve the dilemmas that they're coming to me for.

[00:15:35] Ah, so good. And I haven't had anyone complain when they go into a change room and they just have to wait there, and they don't have to fiddle their way through all the stalls, all the racks. I've done all that for them. So I guess that's what they're paying me for, to do all that pre-research work- So good

[00:15:50] to make the shopping part a bit more enjoyable because a lot, for a lot of clients, they actually haven't had good experiences, so I'm trying to get them to be a bit more of a positive one when we shop together.

[00:16:00] And what are the mistakes you see people are making when they are kind of, when they've got their wardrobe?

[00:16:06] You've mentioned buying those random pieces- Yep ... but are people shopping the right colors? Are they shopping

[00:16:11] the right body type? Probably no to both of those. No. Often they're buying colors that they're just seeing around, that such and such was wearing so, you know, I better get that, or it's the most on-trend color.

[00:16:22] But it doesn't suit everyone, or you have to find the variant within the shade that is the right one for you. Mm-hmm. So yes, color is one. So that's a big one. A lot of women will come to me because their shape's changed, perhaps after kids, perhaps they've gone through menopause, and all of, any other things as well.

[00:16:39] Surgeries and lots of reasons. So they're kind of what they once went to w- and thought that that was their formula and their style that they would reach for-

[00:16:47] Mm-hmm ...

[00:16:48] now no longer suits them, or they're struggling to know what that best style is. Mm. And I guess with social media, just everything's so flooded with different styles.

[00:16:56] Yeah. They're feeling really overwhelmed to know which one's best for them. They're seeing lots of options, but what's actually the right one for their shape?

[00:17:04] Yeah, no, totally. And I guess that's why we do end up with wardrobes with bits and pieces all over the place- Yes ... 'cause we're just seeing these things and we're going, "Oh, that looks great.

[00:17:12] I'll buy that." Yep. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yep. And also we find as well, like some patterns will really happen for people when maybe they're feeling bored, they're feeling stressed, they're feeling overwhelmed. Yep. They will use shopping, but not mindfully. They'll use it as like ways to Just some retail therapy

[00:17:26] feel better about-

[00:17:26] Yes. Yeah. I always say to people, when in doubt, just don't buy it- Yeah ... and just mull over it for 24 hours. If you still feel like it's a worthwhile piece. And something else that I bring up a lot, you have to create at least three different outfits. For the piece that you're buying Ooh And if you can't do that, you shouldn't buy it That's a great

[00:17:44] rule.

[00:17:45] Yeah. So, 'cause I remember the most, the, the time I most loved my wardrobe, I went to New Zealand. I had this capsule wardrobe. Yeah. Everything went with each other. Yeah, yeah. I had all these different outfits, and every time I wore something I was like, "Oh my God, I look cool" ... in my terms. Yeah. I mean, I don't know if I did, but I felt like- Felt good, yeah

[00:18:01] everything looked good. So I love that. So it's gotta, every time you buy something, it's gotta go with three other outfits.

[00:18:07] You've gotta make three outfits from that one piece. Otherwise- Yeah ... it serves no purpose in your wardrobe.

[00:18:12] And I r- read a rule and it was like, well, not a rule, but a, I read this thing and it was like we wear, like, 70 or 80% of our war- no, we don't wear 70 to 80%- Right

[00:18:21] of our wardrobe. Yep,

[00:18:22] yep, yep. We wear 20%, 80% of the time. Yeah, 20%,

[00:18:25] 80% of the time. Yeah. So do we need to be doing wardrobe culls?

[00:18:29] I think so. Yeah. Yeah. I would definitely think that at least every, I don't know, eight months. If you can't do it every season, at least once a year would be a worthwhile thing just to kinda go over your wardrobe.

[00:18:42] Do a bit of an audit. I do that all the time in my pantry. Oh, has that expired? You know, haven't used that. It's been opened and it's gotta go. So I feel like the wardrobe is essentially the same thing.

[00:18:52] And when I was living in London, we had a stylist on the pod- cast once, and I remember she said she would get her clients to put all their clothes one way in the wardrobe- On the hangers?

[00:19:04] and then- Yep, yep, yep ... at the end of the year, see what had actually been switched around- Yep ... and if there hadn't been, they'd have to get rid of it.

[00:19:11] Yep. Yeah, I do buy into that. Yep. Yeah. I mean, but just sometimes, you know, like, I've even got a couple of coats that I pr- I may not wear this winter- Yeah ... but I probably still won't get rid of them.

[00:19:21] Yeah. You know? Yeah. So I do appeal a little bit to that rule, but not 100% my s- Okay, yeah. But yes, I think it's got merit. It definitely does have

[00:19:29] merit. Mm-hmm.

[00:19:29] Yeah.

[00:19:30] And I guess what are some affordable brands people overlook? And obviously, like in Australia we have, I used to live in London and oh my God- Yep

[00:19:38] shopping in London, I just loved it. There was so, there was so much to choose from. Yeah. In Australia we're a little bit more limited, but I guess- Yeah ... um, you mentioned it before, Target. I was in Target the other day, and I was like, "Holy hell. Some of this- Yep ... stuff is great." Yep. Um, are there any more, like, affordable brands that you think maybe get a bit overlooked?

[00:19:55] Yes. I feel like Portmans- I feel like I'm always in Portmans. You know, I could always rely and have a really good sale. Mm. So yes, you know, if you wanna look at sort of, you know, more fashionable pieces but still appropriate for a lot of occasions, I think Portmans is a good one. H&M, you just have to kinda dig your way through it, but there's still some, like, really good options.

[00:20:16] We've spoken about Target. I feel like Myer. Yeah. There's so many brands, and often they're... and in there they've got some of their own, like, house brands. Yeah. And at the moment they're doing a bit of a rebrand in terms of strategy. But you can really start to pinpoint maybe the type of brand that's more to your style.

[00:20:32] Mm. So I feel like going to Myer and having a bit of a wander through the various brands is a, is a good place. Yeah. Where else? I mean, Decjuba's good. I feel like they're- That's a good, that's a good amount. Yeah. Yeah. That's a, that's a great place to start. Yeah. Like, it just depends what you're looking for.

[00:20:47] You know, there's Kmart. Yeah. There's Best & Less. Like most stores, you know, you have to do a bit of filtering to find the gems for you. You know, not everything's just gonna be staring out at you at a rack going, "Yes, buy me, I'll be perfect for you." You know, you do have to do some digging.

[00:21:01] Yeah. And I guess do you find that expensive clothes are generally better quality anymore?

[00:21:09] Like- No ... back in the day, like, feel like back in the- Yeah ... maybe 60s, 70s, like, the higher the price tag, the higher the quality. But are you finding that these days?

[00:21:18] No. No, I don't think so. And I think the customers have got savvier, and brands have started to realize that they need to be more competitive, not just on the style side, but also on the fabric side.

[00:21:31] One brand that I didn't mention before is Uniqlo. Mm. I feel like, again, it's a shop that's got lots of styles, so you sort of have to know what you're looking for. Mm. But they are doing, like, great, in my opinion- Yeah ... great knits and great outerwear options, and they're pretty affordable. They're also tapped into, like, cashmere now for $129.

[00:21:49] I mean, I know it's still a high-ish price point, but I would have lots of clients that are willing to maybe spend a touch over $100 for a knit knowing that they're gonna get multiple seasons from it, and that it's- Yeah ... actually gonna keep them warm. Yeah.

[00:22:03] And that actually touches on my next question, just about how do we get more longevity out of our clothes?

[00:22:08] Is it around, like, we shouldn't be using the dryer? Like, should we be tailoring? How do we do it?

[00:22:14] Yeah. So this is my favorite subject to talk about. Okay. I'm definitely not a dryer person. But I'm not saying that it's not good. I would just be very s- sparingly using it. Yeah. But I'm a big believer in not washing unless it's required to.

[00:22:28] Now, I know that it's probably a bit controversial. I did a video many years ago how I've, I've got numerous pairs of jeans that I've never washed. Some people were on my side, and others were like, "It's gross." But I feel like with the jeans, and especially with knitwear-

[00:22:44] Mm.

[00:22:44] I am not a washer. I use, um, like a, a refreshing spray, like a Febreze-type product under the arms.

[00:22:51] I don't spray perfume on my clothes directly. Mm. So I b- believe that the less times that I wash it, the more better that it looks. So I've got, like, jumpers that I've never washed, and they still look in perfect condition. Yeah. And it's because I haven't gone down the path of washing them, per se. Yeah.

[00:23:09] I've spot-cleaned them, I've refreshed them- Yeah ... I've aired them out, but I haven't actually washed them. And I know that that's gonna sound gross to some people. No. But honestly, you know, like, I've got knits that have got mohair and other sort of more delicate fibers. You have to be so careful, so I just- Mm

[00:23:26] prefer to try those methods, which, which I've found works perfectly for me.

[00:23:30] Mm-hmm. And

[00:23:31] they're still in great nick all these years later. No, I love that. Actually,

[00:23:35] that makes me feel better about a jumper I had, because it was, like, this bright, hot pink, and I was worried if I washed it I'd lose some of that brightness of it.

[00:23:42] Yep.

[00:23:43] And, um, I think I washed it about twice.

[00:23:45] Yeah. I think that would be all you need. You know, of course, if you're gonna get sauce down the front of it, of course you've gotta wash it. But if I can help avoiding it, I'm definitely a big believer in that. And I always say to people, put something underneath the knit so that that item- Yeah

[00:23:58] will get washed a zillion times. Yeah. Not the outer wear piece that you're putting on.

[00:24:03] Yeah, I think that, that is such a good call, especially in the day of, like, where we're wearing more fake tan and things like that. Yes. Just bring that on. Put a little T-shirt on. Yep,

[00:24:11] yep. Love

[00:24:11] that. I'm a big believer in that.

[00:24:13] Yeah. Awesome.

[00:24:14] Okay. And on that, what about tailoring? Yeah, look, that's another non-negotiable that I ask clients about, whether they would consider a tailoring. Um, yes, I think it does have a place. I think it just depends on the piece and what you're actually doing to it. You know, if you're taking the hem up or if you're tweaking it a little bit at the waist to give it a bit more of a cinched look or, you know, often

[00:24:37] Not often, but every now and again we might even tailor the, um, sleeve so it's sitting- Ah ... at a neater point rather than covering the whole client's hand. Yeah. So it just looks like it's made for you as opposed to not. So yes, I definitely think, but they're not cheap, so I guess you've gotta consider that into the price of something- Yes

[00:24:55] if that's something that you wanna do to make it look like it's exceptionally made for you.

[00:25:01] Yeah. Okay. No, I love that. Any other, like, tips for getting longevity out of our clothes?

[00:25:07] I think just buying right in the first place. Yeah. Coming back to that can you wear it three different ways- Yeah ... should really go a long way in terms of you being able to wear it a lot of times in a lot of ways.

[00:25:19] Yeah. So- I think just bringing a mindfulness back to it as well, 'cause- Yep ... what ... Do you have any thoughts around these fast fashions, these Temus, these Sheins, where people are just, like, buying, it's ending up in landfill. What are your thoughts on the whole fast fashion?

[00:25:36] There's fast fashion and then there's fast fashion because the Zaras of the world, the H&Ms of the world, maybe to a degree the Targets of the world would- Mm-hmm

[00:25:44] are considered fast fashion. Yeah. I haven't personally bought from Temu or Shein, and I never plan to. Right. Because I am, even as I've gotten older and I, as I've worked with so many more clients, I've gotten fussier. I buy less. I buy even more smarter than before, and I'm even more pickier. So yes, there's a place for it.

[00:26:04] I still think it comes back to, but can I get multiple wears out of it if it was $50 or if it was $250?

[00:26:11] Yeah. You know,

[00:26:11] I think if it serves you enough, it takes the fast-paced out of it, so you feel- Yeah ... a little bit better that, you know, you are gonna wear it for a few years. I've got still jumpers from Zara that are a couple years old, and they're still going strong.

[00:26:23] Yeah. So I don't consider it as fast fashion. It was just an inexpensive purchase that's kept me going for a number of years.

[00:26:29] Absolutely. Yeah. I've got this amazing jumpsuit I love from ASOS that I got- Yeah ... literally 10 years ago. Yeah. Still wear it all the time. Yeah, yeah. Love it. That,

[00:26:36] that's right. So the price was inexpensive, but it's got the longevity to make it not feel- Not fast

[00:26:41] fast fashion. Yeah. Even though it was from a fast fashion retailer.

[00:26:45] Yes. Yeah. And I love

[00:26:46] that. Yeah.

[00:26:46] And I am with you there. I'm yet to buy from, or I don't, I will never buy from Shein or Temu. I just can't do it for- Yeah ... for ethical and environmental reasons as well.

[00:26:57] I, I'm the same, and I see all these hauls, but I just don't have the need to buy that amount of pieces in one go anyway, so that part, even just from that perspective, it's not appealing.

[00:27:07] Yeah.

[00:27:08] Yeah. All right. Final

[00:27:09] question. Yes. We've mentioned before about, like, your personal style, and you ask- Yes ... people, like, what is their personal style? Yes. What if someone is literally like, "I have no idea what my personal style is." Oh, most...

[00:27:21] I ask them the question, most people can't give me an answer.

[00:27:24] Mm-hmm. So there's one exercise that I will do- Mm-hmm ... which we run through a bunch of different outfits. Okay. From street style, from runway, from celebrities, you know, different shapes, different colors, different silhouettes. Yeah. And from doing that exercise- That's where we start to get a sense of what their style words look like.

[00:27:43] Do they like something more timeless? Do they like something a bit more trend-driven? Sometimes it's in the middle. What kind of silhouette? Are they a bit more feminine, shapely? Do they prefer a bit more like baggy, oversize- Mm ... which, you know, then swings them another way. So I think that exercise is a really awesome one.

[00:28:01] Yeah. So if you don't use a stylist but want to get a feel of your style words, I think look at lots of inspo and really try and even bring it down to, say, five or six that you really like, and then find the common ground in those items. And it's more than just saying, "Oh, I like sporty," or, "I like girly." I feel like it needs to be broken down, which is something that I, I do when I do consultations, is I break it down a step further to actually say, "Okay, what does that actually mean?"

[00:28:28] You know, because it's just- Yeah ... otherwise it's very generic. 'Cause, you know, a lot of people come to me and they go, "Oh, you know, I just wanna look put together," or, "I wanna look polished," or, "I wanna look effortless." However, I feel like that's the end emotion. How do we get there? Mm. 'Cause I wouldn't just pick a blazer off the rack and go, "Oh, that looks put together."

[00:28:44] I would see a jacket or a pair of pants and go, "Oh, that's a classic cut," or, "That's a more trend piece 'cause it's got a split hem," or whatever it is. Yeah. I feel like you need to find the words and then actually take it one step further and actually know what those words mean, so 'cause that will help you actually filter down when you get to store or you're looking online- Mm

[00:29:04] for them to make sense for you.

[00:29:05] And you know, we love talking about return on investment with- Yep ... Ladies Finance Club, and I really do believe the people who can afford that styling session is gonna be... They're gonna get that return on investment because they're gonna save so many hundreds of dollars- Yep

[00:29:20] of not buying, or thousands probably- Yes ... on clothes and styles and colors that just don't...

[00:29:26] Yep. I think I'm not gonna disagree with you, and obviously that's why I have a job and I'm very busy. I feel like the two biggest reasons clients come to me is they are time poor- Yeah ... and, B, they've wasted money in the past and they don't wanna continue to do that.

[00:29:39] So, you know, having a specialized list, going and finding the pieces that suit you and gonna serve you is efficient in time and also, like you said, return on investment. So, Melissa, are we talking thousands and thousands of dollars to work with a stylist? I feel like that is a bit of a misconception.

[00:29:55] Right. So just in terms of my pricing, for a two-hour shop with me, it's $599, and that's the shortest- Oh, wow ... time. But that does include the consultation, it includes the research component, and then it includes the shopping part. So I feel like, yeah, back in the day it was for, like, the rich and famous and, you know, the really wealthy women of the world, but now it's honest to God just everyday women that don't have the time- Yeah

[00:30:21] and/or just can't be bothered and feeling very overwhelmed with what's out in store. There's so much. Yeah. So I need someone to do all that filtering down and just show me one pair of great jeans, and if I'm happy with those, we're onto it. So- That surprised me. I had thousands- Well- ... in my head No Wow. And where are you based?

[00:30:41] I am based in Melbourne. I do all of my shops out of Chadstone, uh, Shopping Center, the, the fashion capital. Yeah. So it's great fun. I always say to people, "This is my office," and they love it, and we have a great time. And like I said earlier, I'm just trying to make it a lot more enjoyable. I hear so many kinda horror stories when women go to the shops.

[00:31:00] They feel really disappointed. They feel disheartened. They are. They can't find their size. They can't find their style. They've tried on 20 pairs of jeans, and they just feel like- Yeah ... I've given up here. So to really be able to transform a small part of their wardrobe is awesome. It really is awesome. I feel very- Absolutely.

[00:31:17] Coming from someone who cried recently in a change room, I totally feel that. Sorry. Next time I'm in Melbourne, I am booking an appointment, honestly. Hit, hit me up. I need, I need this in my life. Hit me up. Well, thank you so much. And where can people get in touch, follow, like? Oh,

[00:31:32] yeah. My Instagram probably or, or TikTok, melissagotstyle.

[00:31:36] Love it, and we'll put all those links in the show notes- Uh, thank you ... where you can get in touch with Melissa. Thank you so much. And might I

[00:31:41] say, our extra special guest has been super quiet.

[00:31:45] She has been. She's been starred by Bons today. Love it, yes. But yes. Gorgeous. Thank you for being such a good little, um, co-host.

[00:31:54] Oh my God, yes. Di- didn't add much, but she

[00:31:55] made up for it in

[00:31:58] cuteness. And all we can say is that the outfit is looking good, and that's all what counts.

[00:32:03] Much easier with a onesie. I wish we could all just wear onesies. All right.

[00:32:06] Thanks so much, Melissa. Thank you

[00:32:08] so much for having me. Bye.

 

 

KEYWORDS
wardrobe tips, styling on a budget, capsule wardrobe, clothing longevity, fashion tips, personal style, wardrobe refresh, sustainable fashion