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00:00:01
Caroline Joy
123 Plays11 days ago
Thanks for listening to our episode with Caroline Joy.
To keep up with or connect with Caroline:
✨ Visit her beautiful blog Unfancy.
✨ Follow her on: Instagram, LTK, and Pinterest.
✨ Download her free guide with 28 days of outfit prompts.
✨ Or book a 1-to-1 no-buy styling session with her here.
To stay in touch with Meredith and Medbury:
Follow Meredith on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredith-farley/
Follow Medbury on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/medbury_agency/
Subscribe to the Medbury newsletter: https://meredithfarley.substack.com/
Email Meredith: Meredith@MedburyAgency.com
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Transcript
Introduction to Caroline Joy
00:00:00
Speaker
Thank you so much for doing this. I've been ah huge longtime fan of yours reading your content for 10 years. For folks who aren't as familiar with you, could I just ask you to say a little bit about who you are and what you do?
00:00:13
Speaker
Yeah. I'm Caroline Joy. i am a blogger. I v blog about fashion, personal style, capsule wardrobes, all things personal style.
00:00:26
Speaker
And I'm also a wardrobe stylist or personal stylist. So I work with clients one-on-one over FaceTime and we do like no-buy styling sessions where I basically create new outfits for them out of clothes that they already own.
00:00:45
Speaker
And I'm also a yoga teacher. So much to dig into there. What was your professional journey up
The Birth of Unfancy
00:00:51
Speaker
to now? Did you always see yourself doing this kind of work? Did you envision this for yourself or is it surprising you?
00:00:58
Speaker
It is a total surprise. I never imagined that I would be in the fashion space. Mostly because I think growing up I pretty terrible style, or at least I thought that I did.
00:01:10
Speaker
But you know what? Now actually that I look back on old photos, I'm like, no, I was trying to express something. Like, yes, this is kind of out there, but I was trying to say something with my clothes.
00:01:22
Speaker
But I never saw myself going into fashion. I actually went to school to be a teacher. and halfway through college, I discovered photography and I fell head over heels in love.
00:01:38
Speaker
And I just jumped in, started a wedding photography business. and by the time I graduated, i had a pretty solid business built up. And so I decided to just continue on with that because I loved it so much and did wedding photography for about 10 years and then pivoted into the fashion space. And Unfancy, was it 2014 that it launched officially? Yes.
00:02:06
Speaker
Yeah. It was such a different time. i feel like in the landscape of, you know, content creation and even fashion, that was like what inspired me to start the blog was that I just felt like at the time, the fashion that I was seeing felt really unrelatable. it was like high heels and like fancy dresses and kind of bloggers who were wearing like a brand new outfit every single day.
00:02:34
Speaker
and so i i just thought, i think I have something to say here. Like, I think I have a perspective to offer because i would like to style more casual clothes and i would like to also show that it's very normal to repeat clothes like over and over again.
00:02:53
Speaker
So I launched Unfancy based on the capsule wardrobe concept. And yeah I remember I already told you this before we started recording, but I i was a devoted reader when you're doing those every like daily posts, outfits of the days, which you still do.
Blogging vs Social Media
00:03:11
Speaker
but I have such memories of eating my lunch in the office I worked at in Boston in 2014. And i was a copywriter at the time. And i don't think I said this to in our last convo, but what you were doing was really aspirational to me. And sometimes I was like, oh, man, I wish I was writing cool stuff like Caroline instead of this, these stupid B2B copy blogs.
00:03:31
Speaker
This is weird, but certain posts of yours, I feel like it really stuck in my head, like at the end of one of the capsules, you were like, and we ended on a very unfancy outfit. And I think it was like denim on denim or a white shirt and jeans or something. But I like you've always been unapologetically authentic in a way that's so refreshing and compelling and and awesome from both a fashion perspective and also just a content creator perspective.
00:03:57
Speaker
Gosh, thank you for saying that. First of all, like that, that's my goal. But you know, it's like, it's so easy to doubt your own work. And you know, there are plenty of times I actually I know what post you're talking about. And it was it was like jeans and a white tee.
00:04:11
Speaker
And I remember when I was going to post it, and I was like, I should do more here, i should like, make a more visually compelling outfit. But what I wanted to wear that day was jeans and a white tee. And yeah, it's interesting. I feel like So often there are so many voices and influences outside of ourselves that are kind of telling us to do more.
00:04:34
Speaker
And i mean, for me, sometimes it's hard to like not believe those voices, but I always feel my best when I don't, I guess.
00:04:45
Speaker
So yeah, it's it's a process. I love the energy of all the work you do. So my next question was going to be about you've been blogging for a decade. What has kept you coming back to this particular format? I love that you're still on Unfancy. I love tapping in that yeah URL and having coffee and reading your stuff, but- what what's made you stick with it?
00:05:06
Speaker
That's a good question. I think blogging my blog feels like my home. it feels like the home on the Internet that I own, if that makes sense.
00:05:17
Speaker
Whereas like, you know, I've been on different social media platforms and it's like that feels more like a space that I'm renting. Maybe I myself don't love to spend excess time on social media. I mean, listen, I do. Like my job content creation. I'm not going to be like, oh, you know, limit your screen time to like 30 minutes a day or whatever. i'm on social media a lot.
00:05:42
Speaker
But i do like being able to make my content available for people who maybe aren't on social media or just don't want to be on it as much. Yeah, I have a lot of people tell me,
00:05:55
Speaker
that they yeah they aren't on social, but they still read the blog. And kind of similar to what you were saying, it's like you type in the URL and then you're in this little insulated area. There's not a lot of distractions.
00:06:08
Speaker
if You're not like scrolling endless content. You're just kind of there to read one thing and then you might leave. And I think there's something kind of calming about that experience versus like when I open Instagram, I always am and opening it with a purpose.
00:06:22
Speaker
And then as soon as I open the app, I forget the purpose and I'm scrolling and then later realize, wait, oh, I was here to do this particular thing. i feel like a little like miffed with like the design because I'm like, you tricked me Yeah, no, I get what you mean. I feel like we're all constantly being tricked. It's like, I feel like opening Instagram, it's like when you walk into the room and then you forget what you you needed, but you're like, but I'll stay here for half an hour. i feel like you're so, just all your stuff is so grounded and your unfancy.com seems like a very grounded place to be bringing people. so
00:06:59
Speaker
Something that occurs to me about you, which you could tell me is not true, maybe I'm like misinterpreting, but I was thinking you seem to really like structure, like capsule wardrobes, a style blog, yoga, as a way to explore things creatively and that you're always evolving over time. Does that
The Role of Structure in Creativity
00:07:19
Speaker
ring true for you? are you like, no, not really?
00:07:22
Speaker
Yes, I'm like laughing and and nodding my head yes as you're saying this. I definitely need an element of structure in order to feel, i guess, safe enough to create.
00:07:33
Speaker
I think, of course, the creative process requires two things. It requires you to get out of your comfort zone, but it also requires you to have a space safe enough that you can create.
00:07:44
Speaker
So I think structure for me is that like yeah safe side. And I used to think that was a bad thing about myself, like being more structured. i used to be kind of self-conscious about it, but now I just realized that it's just something that is, it's not like bad. It's not good.
00:08:04
Speaker
It's just what I like personally need. And I feel like there's been so much freedom in that acceptance for me Yeah, no, I totally get that. So you've got these structures, you've been very consistent.
00:08:17
Speaker
How do you keep yourself ah creatively engaged with it long term? Is that hard for you? Is it really easy for you? Really the key, it comes down to being able to maintain belief in what I do.
00:08:30
Speaker
And I'm not going to lie, that's actually been hard for me because I work in the fashion space. I had a really wonderful childhood, but I definitely absorbed this belief growing up that fashion is frivolous, like beautiful things are frivolous.
00:08:49
Speaker
And so I've kind of had to like fight against that belief in my own self. But I also know from my own personal experiences, like times when I've been like in dark places, times when I've been depressed.
00:09:02
Speaker
The thing that has like pulled me out of my head for a minute is has been fashion and exploring my personal style and like putting outfits together, putting capsule wardrobes together.
00:09:16
Speaker
Like these things have brought me a lot of joy. And that's the kind of thing that just makes me go, okay there are still things to enjoy here you know, even when I'm in a dark season or something like that.
Fashion's Impact on Life
00:09:29
Speaker
So seeing the value of fashion in my own life, always that little like belief is still kind of like always operating in the back of my head that fashion is frivolous. But I think really tuning into like how fashion has impacted my life personally, that's what helps me maintain that belief in what I do.
00:09:47
Speaker
and I mean, I've also taken a lot of breaks from my work. To me, the breaks are vital. They're, I think, like similar to like negative space in good design or like winter even.
00:10:03
Speaker
Like when trees are not blooming, they're not putting on like any kind of like outward display, but they're going deep into their roots. And that is so beautiful to me.
00:10:14
Speaker
ah really resonate with that. Like, stick with me here. It's like the tree not blooming is part of its process of blooming. It's like the tree has to shed its leaves, go into like a restful state, draw nourishment from its roots.
00:10:33
Speaker
Then it can bloom in the spring, you know? So it's like, to me, I've tried to like reframe consistency from the idea of being a machine to sort of reframing it to part of being consistent is breaks.
00:10:49
Speaker
Yeah, that totally resonates with me. I think there's like a lot of things we've all internalized about productivity and there are outward expectations around it. And I think to your point,
00:11:01
Speaker
There isn't a lot of patience for the rest cycles and other people like maybe you heard this. I feel like I was listening to a podcast so someone could fact check me on this. I don't know if it's true, but some study where they injected trees with some hormones that would keep them blooming throughout the winter and they all died. Oh, my gosh. Yes, I did hear about that.
00:11:21
Speaker
I'm trying to remember where it doesn't really matter, but I appreciate what you're saying that the rest of those are an imperative aspect of your creative process and having to like parse through that.
00:11:31
Speaker
And also, I'm so glad you're saying like what you're saying about fashion. I've also always loved it. Similarly, at times felt like, oh, it's frivolous, but I've been thinking about it a lot. And I actually have another content people episode coming up soon with this woman, Karen, who's a really like she's been an exec at these huge companies for 30 years. And she talks a lot about presentation, especially for women.
00:11:54
Speaker
It's such a hard line to walk because how we look and how we style ourselves it does impact how we feel. It impacts how other people think about us. But also we lean too hard into it or we're too interested, then it's a different type of like judgment around, oh, it's a little frivolous or should you really spend your money on that? And like,
00:12:13
Speaker
it's hard to know what to do or how to be around it. oh Yes. It's so true. It's like, yeah, you're kind of caught either way. You know, it's like, oh, you don't care enough about it. Oh, you care too much about it. I feel like that is a lot of things for women.
00:12:30
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah, totally. It's like the no makeup makeup. Yeah. everything Everything right. Like, Make it look perfect and effortless, but don't let us know you tried. Totally. To come back to that concept of like how structure supports you, what advice would you give other creators who do want to make something, but maybe they're in a place where they're like, I don't know what the format is that's going to be the container for my work.
00:12:54
Speaker
Yeah. Right now i am in this major phase. that i feel like the theme of my life is just try it. And i kind of think that's what I would say, like embark on an exploratory phase and try a lot of different things.
00:13:10
Speaker
And then you'll have like some data to go off of, you know, it's like you can notice what feels like it's coming more naturally to you or what feels like you really didn't like creating it.
00:13:22
Speaker
I think trying a lot of things is really important. And knowing that there's no no shame in the exploration process. I think also it's hard for us sometimes to, I don't know, it's like we we expect ourselves to have it figured out. We think we should know. But it's like if you haven't tried things, how would you know?
00:13:40
Speaker
So like giving yourself the chance to explore. And then I think as you explore, just like honing in on a type of content that feels natural to you.
00:13:51
Speaker
Like if it feels unnatural and if it feels like this heavy lift, you won't do it. But like maybe voiceover isn't your thing. Like right now in the Instagram reels that I'm creating, I'm just doing these text overlays because that's what I'm more comfortable with.
00:14:08
Speaker
And so it's like if you can – remove the blocks, I guess, to that creative process, it will flow. I don't want to say effortless because it's not going to be effortless, but it'll flow.
00:14:22
Speaker
And then I think also tapping into like the type of content that you like. And I think specifically it's important to tap into the kind of content that you like when you're just bopping around, like not when you are quote unquote, looking for content ideas, you know what I mean?
00:14:41
Speaker
but like in a content that just like fills you with joy when you're just bopping around, I think paying attention to that is a good idea. Yeah, I think that's all such great advice. Thank you. I do want to get in a little bit to capsule wardrobe specifically. And I'm really curious about what is your process these days for building a capsule wardrobe?
00:15:01
Speaker
Has it changed over the years at all?
Evolving Capsule Wardrobes
00:15:04
Speaker
Oh my gosh. Okay, this is a fun one Because yes, it has changed a lot over the years. And also ties in with another one of your podcast guests, Lisa Belmonte. Love Lisa.
00:15:18
Speaker
Basically, like how I used to approach capsule wardrobes was i used to conceptualize the entire wardrobe first yeah and then try to make outfits out of what I had chosen.
00:15:31
Speaker
But Lizza introduced me to this concept that she came up with that's the idea of like making seven outfits for a season. And essentially the idea is like if you want to make getting dressed easier, you just need to figure out the like the seven most common scenarios that pop up in your life and then come up with like a loose outfit formula that you can apply to each scenario.
00:15:56
Speaker
And I recently did this myself. It was a total game changer. Like when I would start with the entire wardrobe, it was so easy for me to get into like this obligatory checklist mode where it was like,
00:16:10
Speaker
I need a dark wash denim, a light wash denim, a black denim and a white denim. like But like I don't wear white jeans. And I mean, that's just me personally. And yeah, I feel like it was really easy to kind of get looped into the idea perfect capsule wardrobe instead of what you really wear and what your lifestyle really calls for.
00:16:34
Speaker
So doing Liz's process and working on the outfits first, like got rid of all of that. It like cut through the clutter. And instead, here I am looking at these seven outfits that I made and realizing if I take all of the pieces in these seven outfits, that would make an epic capsule wardrobe. So this has totally opened up my mind to how I approach capsules. And yeah, that's my thing now, starting with outfits and letting those populate the capsule wardrobe.
00:17:05
Speaker
That makes so much sense to me. i love Lisa's approach to it, too. And I feel like taking a lot of inspo from like your stuff and other capsule wardrobes, too, I feel like I would make these lists and then actually be trying to create outfits and realize the problem was, even though I had like to your point, like the perfect white button down and a gold watch and all. But like for the thing I that day or whatever activity I was doing, I was like, I don't really have anything to wear to like go hang out with my friend.
00:17:33
Speaker
Like yeah I love your approach. And I loved the blog post you did about it, i think a few weeks ago or maybe months ago. i will link to that in the show notes for anyone listening where you walked through like your winter seven outfit.
00:17:46
Speaker
Yeah. Was it winter or was it a different? No, it was winter. Yeah. And I think it was just a couple weeks ago. It was so good. So, okay. Do you ever get the urge to like throw out all of your clothing and start fresh? Because I always feel like that's something I struggle with. I'll be like, well, everything I bought till today is a mistake. But if I buy these 18 other things I've identified, then I'm good with your process there.
00:18:11
Speaker
I mean, I've definitely been there many times. I feel like As of lately, i have felt that less. But again, you've got to remember that clothes are my job. okay so yeah like for the past 10 years, I've been paying really close attention to my wardrobe.
00:18:28
Speaker
Like it's my job because it is. And so like with all that attention, I've been able to like really hone in on what works for me. But I think it's such a common experience.
00:18:40
Speaker
I mean, it's it's a reason why i love clothes. doing these styling sessions with people because I can help people view their clothes in a new way because I think we just get so familiar with our own clothes.
00:18:55
Speaker
And so sometimes it's important to have like a a third party come in and just allow you to see it with fresh eyes. Yeah, that makes total, that makes a lot of sense.
00:19:07
Speaker
Well, actually, I kind of want to jump to those styling sessions. So like, can you tell us about what they are? Who are they for What's the experience of doing one with you like? So I do them over FaceTime, first of all, so it doesn't matter where you live.
00:19:22
Speaker
And my focus right now is on helping people use what they have. Again, it's like so easy for people to feel like, oh, I just wanna throw everything out and start over.
00:19:34
Speaker
But like one of the coolest things that I've seen is that a lot of people really do have great clothes. They've actually done a really good job at coming up with clothes that work for their lifestyle,
00:19:47
Speaker
work for their location and they just kind of need some new ideas, I guess. So yeah, they're for people who maybe feel like they want to throw everything out and start over or for people who maybe feel like they are like fashion content overload and it's left them feeling confused or unclear about their own style.
00:20:10
Speaker
Also for people, I love this one. I love this one. Also for people who feel like they're stuck somewhere between dressing for their real life and dressing for like a fantasy life.
00:20:21
Speaker
I really love helping people like ground their wardrobe in their actual life so they get like good use out of things. And then also like the styling sessions are really valuable for people who have maybe experienced like a big life change and they just feel lost, you know?
00:20:40
Speaker
So yeah, the, like the meat of the sessions is creating actual outfits. Like it's very practical. You come away with actual outfits. You come away with like some structures, some formulas that you can use to build outfits in the future.
00:20:54
Speaker
But I am pretty obsessed with how clothes tie into like deeper themes in our lives, whether it be change or grief or the transience of life, not to get too deep, but I love it when our conversations go there too. And I naturally, they end up going there a lot of the times because yeah, clothes reflect, you know, our state of mind.
00:21:19
Speaker
They reflect just where we're at, at that moment. Well, I want to keep going on this bit, but can you say more about that when you say it's like how they reflect the transience of life, for example, like That sounds so interesting to me.
00:21:32
Speaker
what What are you seeing or what does that mean to you? But also, too, before you jump in, I want to say there's something like I would say for me, like Ben Barry and LinkedIn. Yes, we do. We're doing LinkedIn content and strategies, execs, teams, et cetera. I get to use my marketing background and work with really cool folks.
00:21:49
Speaker
But i feel like it helps me tap into deeper things that I'm super interested in, like Jungian archetypes and psychology. And I feel like sometimes to go back to our earlier conversation, I feel like the framework is the container that lets you like dive into the real thing or something. i don't know. You talking about what clothes do for you or what they help you see and explore me seems like, oh, man, you are so aligned. Like you are like tapped into the thing you're meant to be doing right now.
00:22:18
Speaker
Thank you for saying that. But anyway, so when you say like clothes mean transience, like what does that, what does that mean to you or represent the transience of life? Oh, I have like deep experience with this, deeply personal experience with this, that is.
Embracing Change in Style
00:22:33
Speaker
So in 2014, when I first started my blog, I started it with the idea, like the whole idea was that you will build a capsule wardrobe once and then it will carry you through the next like 10, 20, 30 years.
00:22:50
Speaker
ten twenty thirty years I think in my brain, i think I was 25 then. Was I 25? I can't remember.
00:23:01
Speaker
But in my younger brain, i was like, oh, I'm going to build a capsule wardrobe and then it will last forever. And looking back on that through the years, I've i've reflected on that a lot.
00:23:12
Speaker
And I see so much that me trying to build a perfect capsule wardrobe that would last forever was me trying to exert some control over life's many changes, life's unpredictable changes.
00:23:29
Speaker
And I just like I look back on that younger version of me and I just want to like hold her and hug her because like she was just doing the best that she could.
00:23:39
Speaker
But life changes. oh my gosh. I mean, life changes. It's like our bodies change, our jobs change, our personal lives change, where we live changes, everything changes.
00:23:52
Speaker
And i think I had to learn to like pry my hands off of this idea that I could somehow outsmart change changing Building capsule wardrobe, basically.
00:24:11
Speaker
Yeah, I think like the years since then have really just been a process of me learning to accept change. So yeah, its it was just interesting because I had this physical example of change in my clothes where it's like, oh, my body is changing. i need different jeans.
00:24:27
Speaker
Like, yeah, over time, it's like I'm seeing these pieces of my wardrobe change they need to be changed well yeah I had this real life example of a capsule wardrobe sort of changing in front of my eyes and through that that was one one thing that like imprinted on me okay like you gotta like release here a little bit you gotta soften the grip you gotta accept things and you gotta to flow yeah that was long and rambly but yeah No, it's really interesting. And I do think there's something to it. because I feel like most people, their capsule wardrobe in their mind, too, would be kind of like aspirational, like maybe even from a cost perspective. It's like great investment pieces. And it's this idea maybe that like the version of them that has that is somehow like a little more protected or insulated or
00:25:14
Speaker
things work out for that person. i don't know. That's so interesting. I really appreciate you sharing that. right. So I'm coming back to kind of like some of the questions I wanted to ask you about capsule wardrobe specifically.
00:25:26
Speaker
is there an item in your wardrobe right now that really surprises you? Maybe this relates to transience, something that you would a year ago or five years ago have been like, I would never wear that. Yes.
00:25:37
Speaker
And I just got to laugh a little bit because I think the thing that would be surprising me the most right now is A plaid miniskirt. I did not see that one coming for me.
00:25:49
Speaker
i think it's so easy to have ideas of what we like and don't like. And for some reason, I was always like, I'm not ah i'm not a plaid miniskirt person.
00:26:01
Speaker
i don't know what I imagined a plaid miniskirt person to be but whenever I put one on, i was like, wait, This is tapping into something. I'm not even sure what it is, but it's tapping into something and I love it. so yeah, that's something that I never would have worn in the past.
00:26:19
Speaker
Can't see myself ever wearing that. I don't think I ever had a plaid miniskirt in any capsule in the past, but now I have two of them. Really? Oh, man.
00:26:30
Speaker
That's super interesting. It's giving me like, i feel like, does Liv Tyler wear one? And did you ever see that movie? it's Is it like Empire Records? Yes, I'm pretty sure she does.
00:26:42
Speaker
i feel like you have some Liv Tyler vibes. I can kind of see that like 90s. and I'm gonna have to go back and look at the post where you talk about that now. It does feel really 90s to me. All right. So one thing I'm curious about is when you're doing all these styling sessions, are there threads that you're pulling out and you're noticing, oh, most people struggle with XYZ? Or is there a bit of advice that you keep giving over and over? i know you've talked already about how like most people have better clothes than they think they do, it sounds like. And they kind of just need to look at things a fresh way. so you've already given some themes. Is there anything else that comes to mind?
Challenges in Personal Styling
00:27:17
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. One thing that I've definitely seen from almost everyone is that at the beginning of the session, people are just feeling like they're not doing enough, like not doing enough style wise, or they don't have good enough clothes, or somehow they aren't dressing quote unquote right. I think, you know, our intake of social media has a lot to do with that because there's a certain art to making an outfit look good in a photo.
00:27:42
Speaker
There's an entirely different art to making an outfit that works for your real life and is comfortable. But I feel like so much of what we're seeing on social media is oftentimes like outfits that look good in photos.
00:27:54
Speaker
And so it's easy to think that like, i'm I'm not doing this right. Something must be off. Same thing with just, you know, the quality of the photo. The person is picking the best photo.
00:28:06
Speaker
that they got. And I think it's easy to compare your everyday, like what you're seeing in the mirror to these like images. But yeah, so I think that's been the number one thing that I've just noticed again and again is this feeling of like, I'm not doing enough.
00:28:21
Speaker
But yeah, kind of like I was saying before, it's really cool to be able to like, point out to them, and kind of like, gently get them to notice that, like,
00:28:33
Speaker
actually, you've done a great job here. Like actually, from everything you've told me about your lifestyle, from everything you've told me about your work, your day-to-day life, the clothes that you're showing me right now are working for that. Like maybe we need to get some you know, some different combos going on. Yeah, it's cool to see that like people actually have it. And it's so cool to see people's unique styles. This is ah again, my favorite thing.
00:29:01
Speaker
Listen, i'm I'm really not down on social media. I'm not trying to sound super down on social media. I mean, we're all aware of like, it's goods and bads, but have have seen such unique styles from every single person that I've worked with.
00:29:19
Speaker
And I don't know, maybe this is just more in the ether on Substack, but there's a lot of like discourse about how, quote unquote, we're all dressing the same. But one thing that I've loved to see from my clients is like, everybody is entirely different. And it's just so cool. Like their personal style is alive and well.
00:29:39
Speaker
That's cool. Okay. When you mentioned, sometimes it's just telling people like, actually, you're doing a great job. It reminded me of managing creative folks. And I feel like there's something really strong about affirming what people are doing well, especially I think when they're in the midst of like,
00:29:58
Speaker
trying to evolve because I've noticed with writers if sometimes it's a tough client and it's like, all right, it's taken a while for them to get there. But if I just make an effort to be like, these are the five things that you just like nail.
00:30:10
Speaker
i feel like it doesn't just shift their confidence or maybe it's just confidence is so important that then it it shifts their ability to keep getting better. I don't know if it feels related, but you're talking about, I'm like, oh, we all feel so insecure about our personal styles. And maybe sometimes just having someone like you who's an expert be like, here's what actually you're doing really well with gives them enough confidence to feel like, oh, OK, like I can trust my I guess it's like a self-trust thing, maybe perhaps where they feel like they can trust themselves more than they did.
00:30:40
Speaker
Yeah. I feel that way. Like it's one of the most beautiful things because again, yeah, you just like it's so easy to get down on yourself, but we really are all doing a lot better than we think we are.
00:30:52
Speaker
And so I love it's like really an honor to get to be a part of that process and like shine a light on what people are doing well. So you're also a yoga teacher. You mentioned that in the beginning.
Yoga and Personal Style
00:31:03
Speaker
I'm curious, do you think yoga influences your personal style at all or no?
00:31:08
Speaker
Entirely, actually. Really? Yeah. Because to me, yoga is just about like the essence of yoga is coming back to yourself and being present in your body, learning to listen to yourself, what you need that day, learning to honor those needs instead of like brushing them to the side.
00:31:31
Speaker
And I think getting dressed is exactly the same to me, like both, you know, if you think of like the high fashion world and if you think of like the Westernization of yoga, it's like both share this perception of like doing things the quote unquote right way, like the right outfit, the right posture.
00:31:53
Speaker
i know that when I first started doing yoga, when I was like, I think I was still a teenager, i was really fixated on making my poses look good. And it took me, I mean, it's taken me this whole time to learn that like yoga is so much more about the way that the pose feels internally than how it looks externally.
00:32:13
Speaker
And I actually think that the same is true for personal style because I think like what people are really picking up iron is your essence, your confidence.
00:32:25
Speaker
And so when you're wearing an outfit, Like, let's say that I like take all these steps. I go get my colors done. I go get my, you know, Kibbe body type done.
00:32:39
Speaker
and I have this prescription of like, okay, here are the colors that look good on me. Here are the shapes that look good on me. And I put together an outfit in those colors, those shapes. But let's just say i don't feel comfortable in that outfit.
00:32:53
Speaker
And yes, maybe this color is, quote unquote, flattering on me. But it also stands out too much for my preference. And so I feel conspicuous in it.
00:33:04
Speaker
So it's like I might be wearing all the right pieces, but I don't feel like that. fully embodied or fully confident. I'm a little bit like I'm fidgeting with my clothes. You know, I'm a little bit unsure versus like, you know, i wear kind of some bland colors often, but I love them. Like I feel so good in them.
00:33:29
Speaker
And my favorite jeans are these super baggy, low rise jeans, which please don't come for me. But I feel like I could take on the world when I wear those jeans. And maybe they're not like exactly the most flattering on me.
00:33:46
Speaker
But it's like, I feel like I'm in my power when I'm wearing them. And so like, it's just interesting, because the interactions that I even have in my day to day life, like when I'm wearing, for example, like the those baggy jeans that I love,
00:33:59
Speaker
The interactions are entirely different and more like open and flowing and interesting than when I'm wearing something that might be, again, quote unquote, right.
00:34:09
Speaker
But i don't feel entirely comfortable in it. So, yeah, bringing it all the way back around. i just think that like yoga is learning to come back to yourself.
00:34:23
Speaker
Personal style is also learning to come back to yourself. It's like, yes, in yoga, You want to learn the proper techniques. You want to practice safely. Yes, in fashion, you kind of want to know some of the like general guidelines about about things, but you can then use those to like support yourself, but focus on what feels good to you.
00:34:46
Speaker
Thank you. That's so fascinating. Well, okay. I'm really curious. so you're a yoga teacher, you do the styling sessions, you blog. I want to know, number one what is a day in your life like?
00:34:58
Speaker
And then I want to ask you to take us through the process of putting together ah full blog post. And if they blend in together in the same answer, that's okay. Because I realize maybe sometimes a lot of days you're probably putting together a blog Yes.
00:35:11
Speaker
So I took on an early morning yoga class. um It's a 615 class. And i'm I've really never been that much of a morning person, but it's actually been awesome for me. So I wake up really early.
00:35:24
Speaker
i teach yoga first thing. And then basically right after class, I just come home and start shooting content. And yeah, for me, that involves like putting outfits together.
00:35:35
Speaker
Yeah, I'll go more into in depth on that in a minute. But I usually try to work at a coffee shop just for like the social element and to feel connected to people.
00:35:46
Speaker
i definitely could sit at home in my sweats all day. But i feel like when I do that, I'm less happy. yeah I try to go work at a coffee shop every day. And then, yeah, at the end of the day, I try to make time for a walk if the weather's nice.
00:36:02
Speaker
And then most evenings I'm spending time with my people, my friends, my family. That became really vital to me after I went through like a really and unexpected and painful divorce a few years ago.
00:36:15
Speaker
And after that, I just, you know, kind of came out and was like, okay, who's Caroline? What are her values? i really want to get to know her. And my top value was just my people. So it's like, again, on the note of structure, a I have these like built in rhythms. So it's like Sundays are for friends.
00:36:35
Speaker
Thursdays are for my nephews. Fridays are for my parents. Like, and I just every week, like make time. and it's been awesome. Like it's transformed my relationships actually.
00:36:46
Speaker
But yeah, if I, if I am at home ah in the evenings, I do love to cook. That's another like new thing that I've recently discovered about myself, which has been cool. You just never know when you're going to surprise yourself. I have never been a person who likes to cook, but now all of a sudden I do.
00:37:04
Speaker
and then. To wind down in the evenings, I just watch stupid TV shows and try to go to bed early. When you say that, that structure is super appealing to me too, where it's like, this is the day of the week I do or see this person, et cetera.
00:37:17
Speaker
When you say it's transformed your relationships, what do you mean? Like, that sounds very interesting. I mean, so I'm really lucky because I have a group of friends. We are all so dedicated to showing up for each other. And it's just, again, that once a week, Sunday night dinner kind of situation.
00:37:33
Speaker
And, you know, there are so many times when like, I i'm not in the mood, or I've had a really hard day, or I feel like I can't show up and be chipper, you know, but it's like, we've all prioritized just showing up.
00:37:48
Speaker
And i mean, first of all, what a gift I am aware of like, what a gift this is. This is something that I have actually not had in my life up until a couple of years ago.
00:38:00
Speaker
And i think what made me value it so much was going so many years without strong friendships or just like I had friends, but it's just life happens. It's hard to like, it's hard to make time. It's hard for, you know, things come up, but yeah, these just knowing that like, I'm going to see these people at least once a week, you know, I mean, it's transformed the relationships in that they are really real relationships now.
00:38:30
Speaker
And it's like we go through hard things together, show up when we don't feel shiny. Yeah, they're just they've transformed into like real relationships instead of just, you know, more surface level relationships, which also surface level relationships have their place. Don't get me wrong.
00:38:47
Speaker
Yeah. And then what type of food are you cooking? As you're talking, I'm like, is there sweet potatoes happening? For some reason, I'm getting sweet potatoes. yeah You're like picking this. Wow. Okay. Isn't it true that if you eat sweet potatoes, like your skin turns a little bit orange or something?
00:39:02
Speaker
Or like tan? I heard that about sweet potatoes and carrots, but still has not made me commit to eating carrots. But allegedly, it's a benefit. You like look tan if you're This is crazy. And actually, I'm upset because I should look more tan than I am. i'm pretty pasty, but I eat a ton of sweet potatoes. no I really like like in the ether around you or something.
00:39:23
Speaker
Seriously. Yeah, I really like my my little go to meal right now is roasted sweet potatoes and cauliflower with couscous and like this little like homemade creole sauce.
00:39:38
Speaker
Yeah, it's it's like I love bowls, like any type of bowl, a lot of like Mediterranean stuff. Yeah, big on a bowl. Same. That sounds delicious. OK, so for a blog post, can you walk us through the process, like from choosing the outfit to taking the picture and getting it uploaded and written?
Authenticity in Content Creation
00:39:56
Speaker
What happens for you? It all starts with the outfit, which. starts with that like self check because it's really what I'm going to wear that day. And the self check in is not that serious. It's like, what's the weather? Where am I going?
00:40:10
Speaker
It does tap into like, how am I feeling emotionally? How am I feeling physically? Like, am I particularly bloated? And it's also fun. Like, is there a piece I'm excited to wear today?
00:40:21
Speaker
and then also just kind of wondering, like, how do I want to feel in my clothes today kind of thing? So once I've got the outfit put together, which honestly, it takes me a long time. Like, I think a lot of times it's easy to think that putting together outfits should be effortless or quick.
00:40:38
Speaker
And I do think it's valuable to like have some outfit formulas that you can put together quickly. But for me, most days it it takes me probably about 20 minutes and it's a lot of trial and error. So I don't know. i just kind of want to normalize that because for a long time I felt like it should be effortless.
00:40:59
Speaker
And I was frustrated that I was having to like constantly trade out pieces to get the look right. But now I've just yeah come to embrace the process. But once I've got the outfit, i immediately shoot like a little video of it and I take mirror selfie pictures.
00:41:14
Speaker
I think in my ideal world, I would take these beautiful, you know, stunning photos out and about. But going back to that original question about like finding like a container for your content or finding a way to like make your content like consistent.
00:41:32
Speaker
I think for me, keeping the photos really simple and just doing mirror selfies is key staying consistent. see yeah, I just snap little mirror selfies. And then I head to my coffee shop with my computer and I sit down and basically edit the photos, format the post, link the post, and then write the post.
00:41:53
Speaker
yeah Sometimes I feel really weird because I'm sitting there editing a photo of myself wearing exactly what I'm wearing right now. I'm like, please no one look at my screen.
00:42:04
Speaker
But then I'm also like, hey, this is my career. i'm proud of it. i love the work. I feel fortunate to do it. But there's a little bit of that weirdness there. Just wanted to acknowledge that.
00:42:15
Speaker
But yeah, that's basically the process of writing a blog post, which I do almost every single day. But right now I'm also doing more video, which has been really fun. I'm doing this little...
00:42:29
Speaker
series on Instagram where every day in February I'm dressing with a different outfit prompt. So these prompts are like very open-ended designed so that like anyone with any style can use them. And so I've been making little reels and I've had so much fun playing with storytelling in video formats.
00:42:52
Speaker
Like, how do I communicate this through video? It's something I've always wanted to learn and I've never been super great at video, but I've always been really inspired by like YouTube vloggers.
00:43:04
Speaker
But starting with reels, like feels more low stakes, you know, I can execute a 15 or 30 second reel jumping right into the deep end and trying to produce a, you know, 18 to 25 minute vlog is like not in reach for me right now, but I'm excited because I'm able to like get my confidence and skills up.
00:43:27
Speaker
in this shorter format and then hopefully be able to transfer that to longer format. So I downloaded and we can I can put the link to the PDF in, I'll put in like the newsletter send where we promote this for your 28 days of style prompts. I think it's so fun. And I was like, oh, should I do this for Medberry? Should we have like 28 days of LinkedIn post prompts or something? Like, I think it's so creative and cool.
00:43:50
Speaker
And I've been loving your videos on it. I think I said this to you before, too, but I'd be so down for a Caroline YouTube channel. And I feel like many, many, many people would feel the same. I hope to get there one of these days.
00:44:02
Speaker
All right. Well, I know we're like we're coming in on time for folks who want to follow you. i will. We can include the link to Unfancy and it's just Unfancy.com.
00:44:13
Speaker
Right. It's un-fancy.com. There's a dash in there. Where else would you direct folks who are interested to work with you or to read your stuff or follow you on Instagram?
00:44:26
Speaker
Yeah. I think Instagram is the other place that you can find me. And my handle is Caroline Joy Joy. Caroline Joy Joy. Yeah. And you can find links to my styling services,
00:44:42
Speaker
either on Instagram or on the blog. Super easy to find. i will put them in the newsletter too and in the show notes here as well too for anyone listening. Caroline, thank you so much. This was so, so fun for me and appreciate how much you shared, how cool and grounded you are. Just like, thanks for doing what you're doing. I'm happy there are people like you out in the world doing stuff like this.
00:45:04
Speaker
Thank you. Thank you so much.