Have you ever looked in your closet and thought “I have nothing to wear”? If so, my guest is going to rock your world.
Angela Foster is a style coach for high-achieving women and has made it her mission to assist them in creating and claiming a consistent, visible brand image through their personal style. She shares an overview of the step-by-step process she takes clients through as well as the tools, tips, and exercises that will assist in re-narrating one’s style while keeping it authentic.
We dive into talking about trends, color pops and matching personal and design styles as well as the importance of visual expression before diving into shopping tips.
Finally, she shares the two recommendations she has for designers who want a brand wardrobe for photoshoots.
This episode is bursting with practical tips that we’re already planning her guest appearance in Designer’s Room by the end!
Find more about Angela Foster here and get the podcast-exclusive freebie here.
This episode is sponsored by Devix Kitchens.
Read the Full Transcript ⬇️
Rebecca Hay: Hey, hey, hey, it’s Rebecca and you are listening to resilient by design today. I have a really exceptional guest we are talking about Styling and your brand and how important it is to dress your brand This might be controversial. So I don’t know. I think it’s amazing and I share my own personal experience with Changing a little bit how I showed up With my clothing, as my company and brand evolved, my guest today is Angela Foster.
She is a style and branding expert. She has over two decades of executive experience in the fashion and beauty industry, and she specializes in empowering high achieving petite women, but it actually applies to women of all shapes and sizes to exude confidence by curating a wardrobe tailored to their unique needs.
Her clients consistently show up self-assured. Whether it’s during a keynote presentation, a high stakes board meeting, daily life on Instagram, all thanks to meticulously curated wardrobe that works with their short girl status. or their body type. She helps her clients accentuate the great aspects of their body to also reflect their personal brand.
Her expertise has been featured in magazines like Real Simple and Best Life and she has incredible programs where she teaches and helps creatives, business owners, and High powered women to dress to reflect their personal style. I think you guys are really going to love this conversation with Angela.
It’s really going to help you if you’ve ever been in that dilemma, which I share in this episode where you open your closet and you feel like I have nothing to wear. This is going to be a juicy one. I afterwards, after we recorded this episode, I actually invited Angela to join us inside designer’s room to take a deeper dive on putting together brand outfits for photo shoots for like a branding shoot.
So guys stay tuned for when we announce that incredible workshop inside designer’s room. But in the meantime, please go ahead and enjoy this episode with Angela. Welcome to the podcast, Angela. I’m excited to chat with you. I know me too. I’ve been looking forward to it for days. Before we dive into all things, why don’t you just briefly introduce yourself to my audience?
Angela Foster: I’m a style coach for high achieving women, primarily executives, founders, entrepreneurs, that type of thing. We talk about how to dress for your body shape, how to show up being visible, representing your personal brand or your business brand, and then just making sure they always feel 100 percent confident when they’re with clients and all of that in a nutshell.
Rebecca Hay: I love this. I feel like my designers listening are also going to love this. I don’t know, like you can speak more to this, but it’s definitely something that I’ve seen in like, probably more like the last two to three years, a real awareness of business owners, especially interior designers, a real awareness around how We show up like on Instagram on our website in person is a reflection of our brand and how because it’s everyone’s become so visible, perhaps, I don’t know, I’d love to hear your take on this sort of transition.
It does seem like that has become so much more important than it used to be
Angela Foster: completely agree. And, you know, it’s, it’s hard to say, is it because we’re all on social media more or we’re all speaking more, you know, and all of that, or whatever. Is it because it’s gotten so incredibly noisy out there, right?
Like you think about how many more people you’re competing with for business, for attention, for all of that today versus, I mean, I started in 2017. So I think about like in that chunk of time, you know, All of a sudden, you know, everybody’s a decorator. Everybody’s a designer and all of that. So absolutely.
So that whole visibility piece, the way I look at it and the way I talk to my clients about it is you have to see it used to be, you have to see somebody three to five times and then you would remember their name and you would remember what they do. But now when you scroll through Instagram or LinkedIn or whatever, you know, you’re inundated with 300.
People and it takes so much longer for clients to recognize your face and then realize what you do and then get to the point where, Oh, when I’m ready to hire a designer, I know exactly who I’m going to. You have to see them so many more, so much more often. So that whole thing of having a very consistent, visible brand image is critical now even more than it used to be.
Rebecca Hay: So like, how much would you say? Your wardrobe, your hair, your makeup is a part of your brand image. Like I think of branding, you know, pre 2017, which was really about your website, right? It was about your website. Maybe it was about your lawn sign as an interior designer, and maybe it was about the papers, like the PDFs that you would have or any of your collateral.
But I feel like it’s shifted, as you just said. And so how much of your brand appearance on your physical body matters?
Angela Foster: So when you’re speaking to the masses, it’s critical. If you are a decorator and you’re, you know, you’re like cheerful and bright and modern and all of that, and your brand colors are, let’s just say, You know, bright yellow and navy blue.
You sit there and you see somebody, you know, like, Oh, that’s that girl. She has a yellow scarf on. And it starts to like, just subliminally in like, with your clients or your potential clients. You said, Oh, that’s that girl with the yellow on again. That’s that girl with the yellow on again, when you’re one on one with a client, it’s less important, right?
Because that’s just you and them. I mean, and you’ve gotten to that stage with them that they’re getting ready to hire you. But for that top of the funnel for that, trying to create brand awareness and, you know, Be exposed to potential audiences is that consistency is just critical. I can’t express it enough.
It’s so important.
Rebecca Hay: What would you say to the designer who has a certain taste for how they dress? Yes. But then how they decorate or design homes. Isn’t the same.
Angela Foster: I love that. I love that. And I just want to say, I have several retainer clients who are decorators and designers. They’re some of my very favorite people to work with, because I think there’s so many similarities between what you guys do and what we do.
So I think it just makes for like this Really beautiful relationship. So let’s just use an example. One of my retainer clients that’s a decorator. She has several different things going on. So she absolutely sees one on one clients. Mostly they’re more high end ones like her team takes care of some of the smaller projects and that type of thing.
But she also does stage presentations. She also has like a network of designers that she helps mentor and grow. So she has really three different buckets that, you know, she has to dress for and represent her brand for. So when she’s in that, I’m pitching my services. I’m getting the message out about what my brand style is and all of that.
It’s more important that there’s some sort of a connection. Your listeners are probably going to be like, Oh my God, what a horrible example. But say, for example, a designer is like, has, has a very modern aesthetic when she does houses, but then she dresses and she’s like, very like soft and feminine and all of that.
There’s absolutely some cognitive dissonance there where the clients are going to be like, I don’t know, like, I’m not sure she’s going to be able to decorate my house in that like modern clean style.
Rebecca Hay: Oh my God. Okay. This is so interesting. I think this is a great conversation. We have not had this conversation on the podcast yet that I’m aware of with such intention.
We did have an episode with Tiffany Lee design early on where she talked about when she started to dress in her brand colors and how it really shifted her branding, but we haven’t really talked to a stylist about this. So, so my experience, and I’m interested in your take on this for my own personal brand and interior design.
I’m someone who, who historically has loved to dress in colors, bright colors. You know, people have always said to me like, wow, that color looks great on you. And so I’ve always been someone who wants to dress in like lots of colors and casual. But then with my interior design projects, I was noticing I started my business back in 2014 as I started to hone in on my personal design aesthetic for clients.
It really was very Nantucket coastal Navy and white and green. Like it was like J crew, like super classic, very preppy. still is today. And that I started to recognize. And then I was intentional with my designs and my website, but what was happening in my brain, I realized like there was a disconnect and that I was dressing different than my designs.
And so tell me if this is. Good, but now I find I’m much more thoughtful about when I’m going to show up on my podcast, like the video here. If you’re watching on YouTube, you know what I’m talking about on my Instagram. When I go to a client’s house, when I do a stage, anything, I am now finding that I’m wearing more of a blue and white.
Like right now I’m wearing a striped collared shirt and I’m dressing and I love the look but at the same time I kind of miss all the pops of color. Like am I overthinking it or is that smart to be intentional like that?
Angela Foster: Rebecca, it’s a hundred percent brilliant. So there’s a couple things that popped up when you were talking about that, and I think it’s just a brilliant example.
So the first thing is, is that when we first start our business, right, we’re still trying to figure out, to your point, like you were figuring out what your design aesthetic was. Then also, you know, the more popular and the busier and the more successful you got, there was also more opportunities to be visible.
So those two things kind of like, Hold hands as that you’re walking down the business building path. But that intention, I think, is so critical. When somebody is attracted to your design style, and then they see you, there has to be some union there. There’s that. And then you miss your collars completely.
On the flip side, though, What I mean, you think about it like if you worked in an office, you would be wearing, you know, office where and then on the weekends, you would get to do whatever you want. So don’t miss those colors. But, you know, maybe that’s just like evening where when you’re going out with your girlfriends for a cocktail or when you’re hanging out with the family on the weekend, then you can use like all the color that you want.
Rebecca Hay: I love that. Okay. I feel very good. Thank you. I feel like a little pat on my back that I’ve been so intentional. Absolutely.
Angela Foster: Absolutely.
Rebecca Hay: It does take extra thought though, right? Like it does take a little bit of planning. And so it gets me thinking about this idea of that capsule wardrobe. You know, everyone talks about like a capsule wardrobe.
And every morning when I open, this happened this morning, I open my closet. Cause I don’t set my clothes out the night before I do set my gym clothes out though. So at least I do move in the morning, but then I opened the closet and I’m like, I don’t know what to wear.
Angela Foster: Yes.
Rebecca Hay: It’s like I have too much and it feels overwhelming.
Angela Foster: Yes.
Rebecca Hay: And so then I feel like I have this battle and someone listening might have this too, where I look at my closet and I’m like, okay, I feel like let me show up in the preppy stripes. Like I’m just going to gravitate to that. I know it works, but then at the same time, I’m like, well, what’s going to look good on me.
And I want to feel confident in my body. And maybe I need to do an overhaul of my closet because the brand look that I want, I don’t have in the pieces that. I find her as flattering on me. So like, what do you do to suggest people kind of purge their closets? Like how do we get here so it doesn’t feel overwhelming?
Angela Foster: Rebecca, oh my gosh, so much goodness in that. So first things first, I have a five step process that I take all of my clients through. It starts with body shape. Because really, I mean, that is the foundation for a closet that you love. So you have to understand your body shape and then understand the styles and the silhouettes that are going to look best on it.
So that’s the very first thing. The other thing though, is when you were talking about purging and buying new things and all of that, one of the things that I asked my clients not to do is no shopping. I am not, I mean, I absolutely shop for some of my clients, but that’s not what this is about. Because when you shop without intention, when you shop without a plan, that’s when you get to the point where you have a closet packed with clothes and not a darn thing to wear or nothing that you love or all of that.
So after I take clients through those five steps, then we look at their closet and say, okay, now what do we have? What do we love? What needs to go? What can we gift to somebody else? Who’s going to get a lot more pleasure out of it than we do. And then we start that closet perch. So Yes, likely most women need to clean out their closet, you know, a couple of times a year on the flip side cleaning or purging or shopping without intention doesn’t really move us ahead at all.
Rebecca Hay: Wow. Yeah, it’s so true. I feel like I feel like I just went shopping and then I look at my, it’s almost like the more I have, the harder it is to edit.
Angela Foster: Absolutely. Absolutely. Very few women in the United States, in North America, Canada, have a lack of clothes problem. That’s not the problem. It’s the lack of the right clothes and also making sure that the pieces really work together.
And that can be, that can be a struggle for somebody who hasn’t gone through a process.
Rebecca Hay: This has got me thinking about re wearing outfits. Cause I don’t know, I have times where I’m like, I have a go to, I’m not wearing it today. It’s in my bag though. Cause when I record podcasts later, I’m going to change up my top.
So it looks like a different day. Secrets of a podcaster revealed right here. But it’s a great, like what do they call it? Like the boat neck, navy and white stripe. There’s a term for those shirts, Breton, like a Breton tea, I think it’s called anyhow. It’s my go to and I love it, but I, when I wear it sometimes now I feel like, am I over wearing this?
Okay. Like, should I be wearing something new, like every time people see me, the way a reality TV star does? I’ll be out
Angela Foster: here. Okay. We put a lot of thought into what we, and I do the same thing when I film videos and do short and things like that. I’m always like, now, the last time I saw this client, did I have this outfit on?
Like it goes through your mind. I’m like, okay. One of the things, though, is that especially when you get to a certain age and a certain success level, really, the clothes are about you. They’re not about everybody else. Like, you know, like, when you and I see each other next week, I’m not going to remember what blouse you had on.
I’ll be lucky if I remember what I had on. Right. So I’m You know, I think sometimes we put that whole, that like need for newness and, Oh, I hope I didn’t have this on last time I saw that make it more important than what it actually is. Right. So what people, potential clients, you know, that people who are seeing us for this first time, what they pick up on is our confidence level in the outfit.
That’s my little spiel about that.
Rebecca Hay: I love that you said that. Sorry. Because it’s like, it’s so true. We’re so, we assume everyone else is thinking about us. Really? Right. Like, I actually don’t remember anything that anybody else wears unless it stands out. I’m like, Whoa, that coat you wore. Like, wow, I want it.
Otherwise, I don’t remember. So why are people going to remember what I’m wearing?
Angela Foster: Right? No, absolutely. Now, the one thing, especially Especially in a situation like you with podcasting or with videos or on social media and things like that where you’re really seeing the person from the bust up. That’s where accessories can really make a big difference.
Like you have a gorgeous neck and decollete with a tee like that. Like mix up the scarves, mix up the earrings, things like that, that will give the viewer or the, you know, whoever’s, whoever you’re with will give them something different to focus on. And that can be fun too, and it freshens up your favorite tee that you love.
Rebecca Hay: Totally. I just love that you’re saying that because I literally didn’t put earrings on this morning and I was like, Oh, I feel like I should wear earrings. And then I forgot and I left the house and that’s, so now you’re calling me out on it. No, no, no, no, not at all. That’s so funny. I love that. What about trends?
Let’s talk about that. Because like, I don’t know, I feel like I go to school drop off. I have young kids.
Angela Foster: Yes.
Rebecca Hay: But you know, you see some of the other parents and I look over, I’m like, oh my god, look at that mom. She’s so hip and cool. Like she’s totally subscribed to like the baggy trend. Maybe I need that.
But I don’t know if it fits my body shape. So then like today I’m wearing this like loose shirt and these like loose pants, and it feels a little uncharacteristic, but at the same time, I feel like, okay, like I need to keep up with the trends. I mean, I’m in my forties. Most of the people listening to this podcast are women, forties plus, there’s a few of you young folk, and thank you for joining us.
But like, tell me, like, do we need to? Be incorporating at least some trends in what we’re wearing to show up publicly and be our brand.
Angela Foster: Okay. So I love this because trends are a hot topic, right? Like we all want to know what they are. And I think it’s good, especially for decorators and designers, because if they don’t know what the fashion trends are, are they going to know what the new design trends are?
So there’s always that, there’s that thought process. So yes, absolutely. I want my clients to be aware of the trends, but again, it goes back to if slouchy. Barrel jeans do not flatter your shape, then there is zero reason to feel obligated to participate in that trend. I mean, that is something that we do in high school, in college, when we feel like we have to look like everybody else and that type of thing.
When you get to our age, well, I’m older than you, but when you get to, when you get to this, this section, part of the joy of it is being able to say, no, I’m sorry. Like I love barrel jeans. I love how they look at Jennifer Aniston and you know, this person and that person. And they look like, you know, what on me, so I’m just good.
I’m okay with bypassing that. And then the other thing is, is when you do know the styles that look amazing on you, then you can say, okay, well, I can’t wear a barrel jeans, but I can rock a flared leg denim all day long or whatever. I
Rebecca Hay: love that. That’s back. I mean, hello. Like it’s so flattering, especially if you have hips.
Yes. Yes. Although I look like a teenager when I wear my flare jeans, everyone’s like, Oh, Rebecca, look at your jeans. I’m like, I know. Is that a good thing?
Angela Foster: No. And it’s funny that you should say that because that is exactly who I recommend flared legs jeans to anybody who has a curvier, you know, hip and thigh area because that balance is just so beautiful.
So gorgeous. So yes.
Rebecca Hay: Oh, my God. Totally. That’s so funny. OK, so as interior designers, there’s this trend happening and it’s been going on for a little while in our industry with color more aptly described as lack of color. And so there’s kind of been this this overarching trend of darker tones, neutrals, muted, maybe mustards are coming back.
Browns are coming back in decor like taupe. Very neutral. Blah. Colors.
Angela Foster: Okay, so can I just say, it’s hysterical that like taupe was like the pop of color in all of that that you just listed.
Rebecca Hay: I know, right?
Angela Foster: I was like, oh,
that’s not what I was expecting. Okay. It’s
Rebecca Hay: just like. It’s this like moody, muted, like Amber interiors vibe.
And it’s certain influencers that are doing a really great job at it. And now all lot of our industry is like jumping on that bandwagon, you know, for a while it was that studio McGee look, and now it’s this other vibe, but like, how much do we need to follow those trends? Like we see, like, I see my peers and I’ll run into them at a fabric or fabric showroom or furniture showroom.
And she’s wearing this beautiful like oatmeal cashmere sweater. I’m like, and I look at her and I think. Wow, you really look like a designer. And meanwhile, there I am in my blue and white nautical, which is not exactly on trend. And that’s like a different trend. Like how tied in do you think we need to be to the, I’m getting a little bit into design trends, I guess, for interiors, but is it okay to not?
Jump on that bandwagon and be one of the taupe people,
Angela Foster: right? Right. So, and I, well, and I don’t know if you feel the same way, but my decorator designer clients hate it. When I talk about HGTV, they hate it. They’re like, it’s
Rebecca Hay: like,
Angela Foster: and it also serves as a great example. You’ll look at the different designers on HGTV and they all have like that same like, Oh, we’re going to knock down all the walls and we’re going to do this, that, and the other thing, right?
If somebody said, if they had their own TV show and they said, you know what, I’m going to build a wall. I am going to paint the cabinets like bright yellow or purple or whatever. They would really stand out. And I think that when it comes to growing your business, anything that you can do to stand out is critical.
I mean, I think it’s a little bit similar. Like I look at other stylists websites and they are, they’re all very white. And like the, the brightest piece of color that they have is maybe not taupe, but it’s like, you know, like another, you know, another shade of white. And then I look at mine and it’s pink and I’m like, Ooh, is it too, is it too bright?
Is it too in your face? Blah, blah, blah. Well, you know what? They’ll probably remember me more than they will. The 20 stylists that they looked at that, you know, they were all, You know, black, white and beige or something. So no, I think standing out is imperative. And let’s be honest. There’s going to come a time when people are like, you know what?
I want some Navy in my life. You know, I want Rebecca to come in here and make me feel like I live in Nantucket.
Rebecca Hay: Yes, and then they can fly me to Nantucket to do their house in Nantucket. Yes, that’s a sidebar.
It’s important to stand out. Because you’re going to attract the people who want you, right? If you try to be somebody else with your design aesthetic or with your own ensemble, then you’re going to end up attracting the wrong people because you’re not being true and authentic to who you are. So me dressing up in like, I don’t know, a beige trench coat with like a mustard sweater and like taupe pants or trousers would look lovely.
Probably mind you, it doesn’t work with my skin tone. I would look dead, right? So there’s that. Yes. It would, maybe I would be attracting clients who want that. And then I would be having to design and work with someone who doesn’t actually have the same design eye as me. And so I think that’s also something that’s to consider, right?
Angela Foster: Absolutely. And there’s going to come a point where like, you know, that’s beige isn’t trendy anymore, and she’s going to have to switch. You know, like whoever that is. And you said something interesting, which I love the whole thing of, oh, she looks like a designer. So this comes up a lot with clients when they’re like, they have somebody aspirational, whether it’s somebody famous or somebody in their industry or somebody who’s just aspirational to them.
And we always try to nail it down and say, well, what is it about her that makes her look like a designer? Or what is it about her that when she’s on stage giving a keynote presentation that you feel like she looks so polished and pulled together? Sometimes I think we, you guys probably experienced the same thing when somebody like a client’s trying to design the aesthetic that they’re looking for in their house.
And you’re like, Yeah, that’s doesn’t say enough. Like, let’s dig deeper into those words and find out what that really means. Same thing with your style. When you’re looking at, I want to, you know, I want people to see me and see a designer or decorator. What is it about that person or that feel? In and of itself.
It’s going to make give you that feel. And then once we know what that is, whether it’s a great accessory, whether it’s very like clean, minimal lines, because that works with your body shape, whatever that is, then once it’s locked in, then you can really embrace it. And then to your point, build a closet full of those pieces that you love to wear.
Rebecca Hay: And I think also when you’re looking for a stylist, like someone like you to help you, because I have seen at least like in my city, there’s been a few stylists. Those sort of popped up in the radar working with a bunch of designers. Oh, it’s someone’s birthday. You’re not watching on YouTube. There’s balloons everywhere.
Thank you. Facebook or whatever. This is the same thing. Like when you’re looking for a style, like there’s so these, these stylists that have popped up in the last year or so that they’re doing beautiful work. And I’ve even my own mind thought, Oh, maybe I should work with them or maybe I should hire them.
But then the second thought I have is, Oh, but are they going to make me look like all those other clients? Cause that’s not my vibe. And so I’ve, I’ve, I’ve held back from doing that. Also, I think I’ve got a pretty good handle now than I did before, but. Because I realize I’m like, if that’s the only look that she does, and it’s not my look, then I don’t know, like, she might be, she might try to push, and I don’t know, I didn’t pick up the phone to call this person, but they might try to push their Tastes on you.
Like talk to me about that as a stylist yourself, like how much of it is you sort of directing, I don’t know, the look and the fashion and how much of it is you pulling it from the client and what they like, or is it a bit of both? Oh my gosh, this is so good. I think that sometimes happens with people who are newer to the industry.
Angela Foster: Like if they just started styling and it’s probably the same thing with decorators, like they just started decorating a lot of their stuff, looks and feels alike for. My clients, it’s all about them. If they say like, Oh, I like that dress that you had on, but I would never wear it for myself. That’s totally fine.
Your body is different. One of my five steps is really refining your style because once a woman can articulate what her personal style is, what her brand style is, it makes everything so much easier. So one of the exercises that I go through with my clients is they pick three adjectives to describe their personal style.
Now, when it’s Somebody who’s representing their brand with a visibility, then we really make sure we work with the brand the source that they have and their personal style and figure out where that meshes together. But say, for example, I have a client who says, I want to look edgy. and dramatic. That is going to look very different.
The clothes that I pick out for her is going to look very different than somebody who says, you know, I’m a lawyer and I need to look smart and credible and serious. It’s going to look very, very different. So it’s actually not about me at all. The other thing too is like, and I, I know I’m talking about body shape again, but it all comes back to their body shape.
So what looks good on me and what looks good on you or, you know, 10 other of my clients is going to be very, very different. So it’s kind of that like beautiful melding of what your personal brand is and your body shape and what you feel comfortable in because You go to sites for installs. You go to client meetings.
You do your podcast. So you have very, you know, very different buckets and the clothes that are going to work in those three different buckets are going to look very different. So we, we have to make sure that you feel confident and comfortable in all of the things that you guys do.
Rebecca Hay: I love that. I love that.
It’s so funny. As soon as you said, pick three adjectives, I wrote down. And then you said that edgy and dramatic. And I was like, Oh gosh, no, that it’s like the opposite. I wrote classic preppy and fun.
Angela Foster: I love
Rebecca Hay: that.
Angela Foster: See, absolutely. No, absolutely. Then, and this is probably my favorite process with clients is taking those words and then translating what those words mean to the client into.
actual clothes. And that’s where really the beauty and the magic of finding your personal style comes into play. Because fun for you is going to be very different than what I think of when I think of fun. And it doesn’t matter what I think of. It’s all it matters is what you think of. So you being able to visually express to me what fun means to you, that’s where we really start nailing it down.
Rebecca Hay: I love that. I love that you said that because it’s no different than as a designer, you know, I often say to designers, You want to find out what your clients, what style your clients want, right? Or they like, especially if you’re, you know, earlier on and they’re not coming to you for your style. And, you know, oftentimes you’ll get the client that says, Oh, I like modern farmhouse.
Well, what modern farmhouse means to one person could be very different than what modern farmhouse means to another. And if you don’t have visuals to represent that’s why I find visuals really helpful. If you could show pictures to clients of different decors and they say, I love this. Okay. What about this?
Do you love? Right. Someone might think like traditional country is or French country is modern farmhouse or someone else might think it’s an industrial vibe. You don’t really know. So I love that you said that. And then you asked those questions. It’s true. Like as I was writing fun on the paper, I was like, Oh, what do I mean by that?
Do I mean like sparkly and glittery? Do I mean pops of color? Right. Do I mean flowers? And like, I think you would need to get specific about that.
Angela Foster: Absolutely. Does it mean mixed prints? I love to, like, mix a floral with a plaid and be, you know, it fun can be, that sounds
Rebecca Hay: bold.
Angela Foster: Yes. I’m not bold. Do you know what I mean?
It can mean very different things. It’s so funny that you should say that. So one of my clients, I think she picked the word, and this is the other thing, and you might experience this too. With my clients, we really have to get specific. So they’ll start off with the whole, like say they start off with fun and then we dig into that and what that really means.
And so with this one client I’m thinking of, and she’s super fun to shop for, but she refined fun down to quirky. And one, like her quirky thing was she loved bright colored tights. So. That is quirky. That is unique. That is super specific. Absolutely. And it’s such a signature for her. So now when I see her on social and she has bright colored tights on with every single outfit, I’m like, I completely noticed her.
I mean, of course I know, but I mean, but I notice her and I know her potential clients do too. And it’s just such a unique standout point for her.
Rebecca Hay: Okay. I have so many questions right now in my brain. I have one more big question I want to ask you, but then I don’t want to forget to talk about prepping for brand photo shoots.
Cause that’s something that designers are always like thinking about and how many outfits do we need and all the shots and all that. I want to talk about that. If we run out of time, I feel like that also might be something that would be useful for you to come. Inside designers room, which is my community of designers and talk about, because we do like workshops every month for designers.
And I think that would be a really great topic, like paired with like a brand photographer. Anyhow, my brain is just going at like, how can I learn more from you? So you said like you work with, and you pick outfits for clients. Like, are you physically with these clients? Like going to the mall, do you go for them?
Do you tell them what to buy? Do you need to be in person? Can you do things virtually? Talk to me about this process.
Angela Foster: Yes. So thanks for asking. So everything I do anymore is virtual. And that obviously changed in 2020, but before that it was probably half and half, but now it’s all virtual. So when I walk new clients through the five step process, at the end of it, they get a style look book, which is much like a branding book for their business.
It talks about, you know, like the different shapes, the different styles, the color palettes, the accessories that is your signature and how we put it all together. After that, they have the choice of becoming a retainer client with me. And when those that decide to do that, then yes, I shop for them. It ties in a lot into the brand photo shoot because with a successful brand photo shoot is all about planning ahead, same type of thing for these busy women who don’t have time to shop or flat out just don’t like to shop.
We need to know what you have on your calendar, what you need outfits for. By that point, we’ve already gone through a closet edit, so I know what they own, I know what they don’t own, and then I send them, it’s a fun, I think it’s fun, I think they think it’s fun too, but say for example, Rebecca, you needed a new blazer for whatever event you’re going to.
So then I’ll send them a shoppable page with several different options that work with your body shape that are in the, you know, the colors that we were talking about and then they can just click to buy and it’s a piece of cake. It makes it very easy. And especially when it comes to, cause I mean you, you were saying like a lot of your listeners are in that 40 plus range.
That’s when dressing for your body shape changes. Because of, you know, there can be hormonal changes, there can just be, you know, like, whatever, less activity, more activity, weight starts to shift around and things like that.
Rebecca Hay: Layers for hot flashes. Exactly.
Angela Foster: So so weight starts to shift around and things like that.
So it’s, it’s nice to be able to say, okay, well, this used to look great on me. This is what looks good on me now.
Rebecca Hay: Hmm. How do you edit someone’s wardrobe without like I’ve had I have a girlfriend in Toronto neighbor who’s really great with like style and fashion and she kind of dabbles in that a little and she in the past has come into my bedroom with me and helped me literally physically take everything out of my closet.
Decide, which is such a fricking big. I haven’t probably done it since cause it’s so much work, except for when I renovated and I had no choice, but, and like put the right things back in and she helped me put together some outfits. It was like probably six years ago and like, it was a very valuable experience, but I recognize you can’t physically be there.
Like, how do you do that aspect of like, how do you help people audit their closet? Are they like zooming with you? Face timing, sending pictures. Like, what does that look like?
Angela Foster: A little bit of everything. So many times women feel like, I don’t know how to dress my body. I don’t know how to shop. I don’t know all of that.
And it’s almost like women pop out of the womb and are just expected to know how to shop or what things are going to look flattering on them. And that’s one of the reasons why I like to look at what I do more as coaching versus shopping. Yeah. Because again, it’s not, we don’t have a shopping problem.
We have a knowing what looks good on us problem and you know, and then not buying things that are outside of that little circle. So once you know, like just say for an instance, Rebecca, so say for example, you know that flared jeans look amazing on you. You also like a straight leg jean and something else.
So then it’s easy once you know that. And once you say, you know what, this is why those skinny jeans didn’t look great on me is because, you know, they’re not my preferred pant formula. It’s easy to get rid of those things. So initially, the client will start like just. mentally purging what she knows isn’t right for her closet anymore.
Then we make a list of things that like might be gaps and you know, like holes, like, okay, we definitely need more staple basics that make it mixing and matching easier for you. So we need this kind of tea, this kind of blouse, blah, blah, blah. So we start to make a list. Then they also do outfit audits. So they’ll say, okay, so I have this skirt and I have this blouse.
I’ve been wearing it together. It should flatter me, but I’m just not sure if it does. So we go back and forth a lot. They’ll take a mirror selfie. I’ll get back to them. I’ll send them a video and say, okay, I like this. Wear it. Try these shoes instead. I think that’s going to be more flattering with it. Try these accessories.
We go back and forth a lot that way. Oh
Rebecca Hay: my God. Okay, cool. Oh my God. Shoes. That’s the one thing I always feel like I never have the right shoes. Oh, I struggle with shoes. Isn’t that funny? Most women have so many shoes and I have like five pairs of shoes and they’re mostly running shoes because they don’t wear heels.
I don’t wear anything with a heel. I’m over that. I don’t do it. I did that when I used to run a restaurant and I had so many back problems that like, I just don’t do it anymore. But that is something I struggle with. It’s something I wouldn’t think. So you can help with shoes. That’s really good to know.
Angela Foster: It’s the full package. It’s funny though. You say that. Yes. Most women do have a bajillion shoes. You have five pairs and we’re all five pairs. They have a bajillion and we’re five pairs. So, right.
Rebecca Hay: Yeah, I just hate spending money. That’s a whole other thing. Okay. I have so many questions and we’re going to run out of time.
So let me just that then I would do want to talk about brand photo shoots. Okay, good. Let’s talk about the money. Yes, because clothing can be expensive. Are you able to work with clients who have different budgets and help them or does it all have to be investment pieces?
Angela Foster: No. And what we do is we look at the budget, we figure out what are our, and, and obviously, I mean, some people are like, okay, I want, you know, like, we want to pick out everything.
You know, everything that’s on my to do list, I want to get it all taken care of, which can bring some other issues to that. I’ll try to circle back to but say, for example, your budget for the quarter is 500. This is the list of things that we need. What are priorities? Like, what are the things that we need to mark off the list?
Now, when it comes to an unlimited budget, that just creates other issues, right? Because then you’re like, Oh, my gosh, I want to check off everything on my must have list immediately. And it’s not a race. Right. The majority of my clients are in the mindset of, I would rather have, you know black tea that’s going to last me for, you know, the entire season than one that I get at, you know, like Walmart and I wash it once and whatever, no offense to Walmart, but I’m just saying, you know what I mean?
So like, but we really look at the budget and what are the, what are the must haves and it’s okay. Like, like I said, it’s not a race, a race is what got our closet into a mess in the first place. So
Rebecca Hay: totally. Or you’re like, Oh, it’s such a good deal. I’ll throw in this and I’ll throw in that. It’s 50 percent off and all this clothing arrives and then you get it.
You’re like, you wear the sweater once and then it starts to pill and it loses its shape. And it’s like, well, you should have just saved all that money and bought one really nice sweater. Right. That’s going to last you 10 years. Anyhow. I digress. Okay. I want to talk about brand photo shoots. Talk to me about how people can prepare.
I have done several brand photo shoots in the time I’ve been in my business. I always struggle with what to wear in them. I have had my, the girl who does my hair color will sometimes help me style and she’s great with that. Okay. But. I mean, the only thing that I know about a brand photo shoot when it comes to clothing is have as many outfits as possible because then you can maximize the photos every which way.
But what are your tips for like preparing your brand wardrobe for a photo shoot?
Angela Foster: Yep. I actually have a whole workshop about this. So there’s a lot that goes into it. What I will say, the two pieces, I want your listeners to walk away with two things that, that they can do. The first one is, is they don’t, most women, especially when it comes to the clothes, they’re worried about how much do I weigh, what am I going to do with my hair, who’s going to do my, you know, they’re focused on that type of thing.
And clothes can sometimes get pushed to the very last thing. And it’s critical to start taking care of like, what am I going to wear? Not only does it go with your, you know, like your website design or your social media messaging, but that you get a chance to try it on. So if you’re going to order it online, that it’s going to arrive at enough time that if the brand is like the style and this brand happens to be running small and I need to like order a larger size or a smaller size or whatever, that I have time to try everything on it.
All together with plenty of time to make alterations, return anything that I don’t need and all of that. So really like start six weeks before the photo shoot and start thinking about what you’re going to wear and plan it out. That’s the first thing.
Rebecca Hay: So don’t leave it to the morning of and just grab a bunch of things from your closet because that’s usually what I do.
And then I start, you’re right, I get anxious because I’m like, Oh, this is, I don’t, I don’t feel, I don’t like, I don’t feel like I look good. And like, why is this like bulging? And Oh my God, the shirt that I want to wear is so wrinkled and I don’t have time to iron it. This is legit. My life, I never planned the clothing.
Like I just don’t, I feel like I’ve got so many other things in my brain. Yes. The outfits are not the first thing that I do. So this is really interesting. This makes sense.
Angela Foster: I ironic really, when you think about it, because the clothing is what’s going to have you taking great pictures, not because of how you look so much as how you feel, right?
The better, more confident that you feel during the photo shoot, the better the photographs will be. So it’s so critical, but to your point, Owning a business, having a family, having kids, like you do have a lot on your plate. So don’t like give yourself a little bit of grace on that one.
Rebecca Hay: Okay. So that’s the first thing.
Get your outfits in advance. Try them on. Oh my God. Such basic advice, but so brilliant. Well,
Angela Foster: and then the second piece is the second piece that, because I think this is another critical piece that sometimes women forget. is to take a mirror selfie, try the entire outfit on and take a mirror selfie. And it doesn’t have to be a brilliant mirror selfie, but just so that you can see yourself from head to toe, that’s critical because proportion in photos and proportion in real life are Two completely different things and what you feel comfortable in and what you think looks great in real life can look overpowering, it can look frumpy, it can look too busy, it can look all of those things.
So not to say that your mirror selfie is going to be to the status of your photographer.
Rebecca Hay: Hopefully not. Hopefully a photographer is better than that. But yeah,
Angela Foster: that’s right. But it gives you the idea of what it’s going to look like. And if you need to tweak it that way, you can. Those are the two things I want out of out of all of the steps.
Those are the two things I want your listeners to keep in mind.
Rebecca Hay: I love that. It’s so good. It’s so helpful. Oh my gosh. We’re totally going to have you into designer’s room. You and I can talk about that offline. I can’t wait. I love this. Okay. So the end of every episode, we always ask our guests to share a last nugget of wisdom.
Do you have a nugget of wisdom for us today?
Angela Foster: Oh my gosh. This was probably the most stressful part of preparing for your interview was coming up
Rebecca Hay: with. It’s just such a fun little thing.
Angela Foster: I like, I need it to be really, really good. So what I came, well, I came up with a lot of things, but the thing I want your listeners to really know is that what they’re doing is incredible.
And they are making such an incredible difference. In their clients lives and just to keep going because being an entrepreneur, you know, starting your own company, it is not easy, but it is so incredibly worth it. And just to know that there are so many people cheering them on, I’m cheering them on.
Rebecca Hay: That’s such great advice. Thank you so, so much. Thank you for being my guest on the podcast. Can you let everybody who’s listening know where they can find and follow you?
Angela Foster: Yes, absolutely. So I hang out on LinkedIn. And I do have a free gift for your listeners, which I think is funny because I talked about body shape for 30 percent of the time, but I actually have a body shape quiz and it’s super fast.
It’s not like one of those surveys that has, you know, 100 questions and it’s going to take you an hour and a half. It’s seven questions takes less than two minutes, and they’ll be redirected to a personalized video that says these are some things to keep in mind when you’re dressing to flatter your body shape best, and they can get that at Angela foster dot CEO forward slash Rebecca.
Rebecca Hay: Oh, I love that. Okay, guys, you heard that here. Go there. I’m going to go as soon as we’re done. Angela foster. co forward slash Rebecca. You guys can’t forget that. That is so good. And we will also include that link in the show notes so people can go and grab it. Thank you so much for joining me today. We will definitely be having you back.
Angela Foster: I can’t wait. Thank you, Rebecca.
Rebecca Hay: Did you guys like that episode? I really felt so reassured that I’m on the right path talking to Angela. It is amazing that transformation that I’ve seen other designers go through, where all of a sudden they started to dress more like their brand and it elevated the look of the Overall brand with intentionality.
It’s something that I’m constantly working on and I am now inspired. So thank you, Angela. I’m inspired to do a closet purge and guys, if you are with me and you felt inspired to go through your closet to hit me up on Instagram, send me a DM. I always love to hear which episodes resonate. And of course, please, please, please.
Please review the podcast, give us a five star rating, leave a comment, let other designers and creatives know what it is about this podcast that you like. Why do you tune in every week? Why do you listen and what episodes are you loving the most? But definitely let me know if you’re going to purge your closet.
I’m probably going to share this experience inside designer’s room because it’s a little personal inside my closet. And I can’t wait to have Angela join us for a workshop Inside Designer’s Room. If you guys want to hear more from Angela, definitely go find and follow her. Take the quiz. I am going to take that quiz as soon as I’m done recording today to figure out the best clothes for my body type and join us inside Designer’s Room.
Just go to RebeccaHay.com and you can find the link there. We’d love to welcome you. Thanks a lot. See you soon.
