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Estelle Winsett Full EP 2_Audio Only
Heidi: Welcome to Styled by Estelle. Hello, and welcome back to Style by Estelle with Estelle Winsett. Estelle is a former attorney turned personal stylist who helps women lawyers build confidence, credibility, and presence through authentic personal style. I'm Heidi Mac, and today we're diving into a topic that might surprise you. Why those convenient style subscription boxes may be doing more harm than good. If you ever felt let down by a box of clothes that just didn't feel like you, this episode is for you. This is episode two. Subscription boxes won't save you. Why easy style solutions fail. Hello, Estelle. Welcome back.
Estelle: Thanks. Appreciate it.
Heidi: Thank you for joining us. So, hey, what exactly are style subscription boxes, and why do so many women turn to them?
Estelle: Style subscription boxes are, subscriptions that women can purchase that will send a box of clothes to them at different frequencies. It can either be once a month, once every few months. And the reason so many women buy them is because they do a really good job of marketing them. They say, this is the style solution. Do this, and all your style challenges will be solved. And so women do it and flock to it because, well, that sounds easy. It's 20 bucks, and I just fill out a survey and. Awesome. And I think more than anything, it's the promise of these subscriptions that is the worst, because I think women really get excited that they're gonna get this box. You know, the whole element of surprise, and then they get it, and it's not what they want, or every now and then they'll get it. Right. But it's just, a lot. I know we're gonna talk a lot about it, but there's just a lot of problems with it.
Heidi: Yeah. Because again, like, on the surface, they seem like an easy solution. so. So what's the downside most people don't see coming?
Estelle: Yeah, so a lot of these, subscriptions will have you complete a survey, and some people will get really, thorough in their answers to these surveys, attaching Pinterest board images, and they're really detailed. And then they get the subscription box, and something they specifically said they didn't want is in the box. So it makes you wonder, are they even reading the answers? Why am I spending this time with this thoughtful answer to the survey? An example for me is I, specifically put down a size that I had in one of those boxes, and they sent me the wrong size as well. That's not hard. It's literally right there. So that's really frustrating when they're not reading the answers that you Provide for them.
Heidi: So yeah, in your experience then what are the common frustrations which you were just saying about the size there, have with the other, you know, other frustrations they have with these style subscription boxes.
Estelle: Another thing that's really frustrating with these boxes is, a lot of times they're sending the same stuff to everyone. So they're trying to get rid of or they're trying to push a certain garment and sometimes they'll, they'll pitch like the same three garments as an outfit. And then you show up at work and someone's wearing the same head to toe outfit as you. That does not feel good. I'll tell me this. so they're not, they're wearing the same things as other people. the other thing that's frustrating is, one month maybe they'll send you something that is on the preppier side and then the next month maybe they're sending you something that's more of a moto edgy feel. And you're just showing up inconsistently every time because you're just showing up with whatever is in the box. And that may or may not be your specific style preference. And so that leads to that just not people, not people trusting you because you're not showing up with a way that's expected. And when you show up in an unexpected way, then you erode that know like and trust factor.
Heidi: Yeah. Because they're marketed as personalized. but what makes true personal style different from curated trends in a box?
Estelle: Yeah. So true personalized style. And what I do with my clients is we're offering a wardrobe solution. It's not just throwing an outfit here or a piece there, but really, a comprehensive solution of clothes that mix and match well together and create different looks for you. the personal aspect is it's going to be based on your specific body shape. That's one thing that I cover a lot in my one on one service. And not only that, I talk to my clients about their specific style likes and dislikes. Maybe you don't like corduroy or maybe you don't like V neck. Everyone has their own little particular thing they like or don't like. And when you work with a personal stylist, like I'm very, thorough in talking to my clients so that I know all of their likes and dislikes. So that when I'm shopping I have this little checklist going on in my mind of what is going to work for them. Oh, that they won't like this because that's not their body shape, that won't flatter their body shape or this is a color they don't like. And so it's, it's taking all of those personal preferences and finding those pieces that will fit them the best in their body shape and also for their lifestyle. So it's just a really more comprehensive process.
Heidi: Yeah. So like, yeah, with these boxes, like obviously not with you. That's why we're here.
Estelle: Right?
Heidi: With boxes there's also that risk of looking like everyone else. So, why can that be a problem? Especially in a professional setting?
Estelle: When you're trying to establish yourself in a law firm or in a law setting, you want to
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Estelle: show up, you want to stand out as an authority, you want to basically stand out, stand out as someone unique. And if you're wearing something that everyone else or something that everyone else is wearing, then you're not standing out at all. and I think it could also be damaging because you are not showing up, as we mentioned earlier, with the
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know like and trust. So if you are constantly changing and shape shifting your style, then people don't know what to expect from you. And that just, it's almost this disconnect that you create because you're not showing up authentically as who you really are, but as a different person each time they see you. And that's where you start to really erode that trust.
Heidi: I get that. I. Because when I'm out, not professionally, I am wearing all different weird things. But you know, in a professional setting that makes sense. You know, you do, you want to have a set style. So how does relying on that box take away from the deeper work of discovering your own authentic style then?
Estelle: A lot of women come to me because they feel like an imposter in what they're wearing. They don't feel like themselves. They, they're wearing what they think a lawyer should wear, but they feel like they're missing and there's something lost in them. And when you actually go through this process, process that I do with my clients, we start to uncover who you are at the core and the message you want to send to the world. And that's what you're going to be communicating with what you wear. And so it's a much deeper work of self expression but also intentionally curating the message you want to send to the world.
Heidi: So for women who feel overwhelmed by shopping, or decision making, these boxes might feel like a lifeline. what's the better alternative? That still makes things simple.
Estelle: Yeah, the better alternative is to have, a foundational base in your wardrobe of things that easily mix and match together so that you're getting dressed easier, or so that you want to have this foundation so that you could get dressed quicker in the morning and take less decisions and trying to figure out what to wear. And so you could do that by setting yourself up with the right pieces. And I have a guide on professional basics that I think most women attorneys should use. And I'll give you that link that could be helpful as a starting point of just having what you need to create a variety of outfits.
Heidi: Wonderful. Wonderful. Yeah. So if, someone's already using a style subscription, what are a few signs it's not actually serving them?
Estelle: Then, yeah, I would ask them to look at how many pieces of this box are they actually wearing. So often these subscription boxes will say, well, buy all five items. And you say 20%. And so the whole salesman's mindset is, well, I got to buy them all, so I can get $20 off. But if you're not wearing a piece, but you're just buying it because you wanted to get a discount, and you start seeing more and more of those pieces in your closet that you just bought because you wanted to get, save an extra $5, but it's actually taking up space in your closet, that's a sign for you that these boxes aren't really working for you.
Heidi: True, true. So to sum. Sum. Everything that we've been talking about, what would you say to someone who feels like they have no style or, and just want to be told what to wear? Is there a better way to find clarity without outsourcing their identity?
Estelle: Yeah. When you actually start to pay attention, and that's what I ask my clients to do, you'll start to notice that there are certain, styles that you like that you're drawn to. And sometimes that could be a TV character or it could be a, celebrity. And then you can start to really look at what they're wearing and figure out what you like. And I think if you just start spending that time paying attention to what you like, you'll start to figure out your next level style vision. And then you can start to try to bring a wardrobe together that is in that. In line with that style vision.
Heidi: I love this. You have so much information. We all. We all need this information. Myself, everyone. I hope everyone listens. So thanks for tuning in to Style by Estelle. If you've ever felt stuck with a pile of clothes that don't quite feel like, you know, that your style journey doesn't have to come in a box. To learn more about working with Estelle, visit estellewinsett.com that is E S T E L L E W I N s e t t.com and don't forget to like, subscribe and leave a review if today's episode was helpful. Thank you again so much for joining us. Estelle.
Estelle: Absolutely.
Heidi: Thanks for watching. Be sure to hit that like and subscribe button and leave us a review in the comments.
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