Webinar Replay: Empower Your Image: Master the Art of Strategic Dressing
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Rachael Sampson: Well, Hello, everyone! I'm Rachel Sampson, the National Director of Key for Women and Head of Community Banking at Keybank, and I want to welcome to you to our program today. Empower your image. Mastering the art of strategic dressing.
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Rachael Sampson: We all understand the power of 1st impressions.
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Rachael Sampson: Research shows they're formed in as little as 7 seconds in both professional and personal settings. How we present ourselves visually can speak volumes before we even say a word. Strategic dressing isn't just about style, it's about smart investments.
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Rachael Sampson: Studies have shown that physical appearance can influence income confidence and perceived competence, and in leadership a polished appearance can enhance credibility, authority, and influence, all of which are critical to career, advancement, and financial success.
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Rachael Sampson: Whether you're looking to sharpen your style, elevate your presence, or simplify your daily wardrobe decisions. This session is designed to equip you with practical strategies, to ensure your image aligns with your influence, your ambition, and your next level leadership.
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Rachael Sampson: We're honored to be joined today by Taisha Larue, a dynamic wardrobe and image consultant, who specializes in helping women in leadership and growth seasons align their personal brand with their goals, starting with what they wear. Taisha's approach is not just about looking good. It's about dressing with intention, reducing decision, fatigue, and making smart wardrobe investments that support your long-term success
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Rachael Sampson: before we dive in quick reminder. If you have questions during the session, feel free to drop them in the chat. Tell us who you are, where you're calling and attending in from. We're going to get to many of those questions as possible. I will say we always have great turnout from our attendees, and I am
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Rachael Sampson: glad to say we have received so many questions, even pre registration. We're going to try and weave them in and get in as many as possible to make sure that you walk away today with all your questions answered. So without further ado, Taisha, please take it away.
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Taissha LaReau: Hey? Thank you so much, Rachel. I'm still happy to be here. So I'm gonna just share my screen. Let me know.
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Taissha LaReau: Okay, sorry. One second.
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Rachael Sampson: No worries. Please take your time.
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Taissha LaReau: Let me know when you can.
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Taissha LaReau: Okay, are we all set.
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Rachael Sampson: We are all set.
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Taissha LaReau: Awesome, great, great. So hi, everyone. I'm Taisha Larue, also known as Ty. I'm a wardrobe and image consultant, working with professionals and leaders who want to show up in a way that supports where they're headed next. I'm so thrilled to be here with Key for women today. I truly believe that how you show up visually is one of the most powerful tools that you have for creating the results that you want for yourself.
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Taissha LaReau: So let's dive in a little bit about me. I was born and raised in New York City, and began my career in media sales and recruiting, conducting interviews, coaching professionals and seeing how personal presence impacts hiring leadership and career momentum. It was never just about the right outfit. It was always about showing up with intention, and then that lens shapes. How I work today, helping clients feel equipped, seen, and ready for what's next
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Taissha LaReau: little bit more about me. I'm also married a mom of an almost 2 of almost 3 year old, who keeps me on my toes, and, like many of you, I'm juggling a lot. That's part of why, I believe that style isn't just about clothes. It's about creating ease, alignment, and clarity in the moments where life feels anything but simple.
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Taissha LaReau: So I often say that style isn't superficial, it is strategic, and it's about being intentional. When your wardrobe is working for you. There's just so many possibilities, right? It reduces decision, fatigue and helps you show up align, especially during those busy seasons.
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Taissha LaReau: I know you've probably heard this before, but I really want to repeat this. You only have 7 seconds to make a 1st impression. That moment before you even speak, can shape how you're perceived, remembered, and respected.
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Taissha LaReau: I respect it. I want you to think about your wardrobe like a smart investment. Right? The return is going to be clarity, ease, and credibility, and the right pieces are going to reinforce your presence, reflect your expertise, and keep you focused on what matters most. And it's not just about being in the boardroom when you feel grounded in your everyday life, and that can mean whether you're meeting a client, whether you're just running errands.
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Taissha LaReau: you're, you know, walking around casually on the weekends or picking up your children, you carry yourself differently. That type of alignment is going to open doors. It's going to open possibilities, and you're going to move with ease and energy, bring up space for your well-being, your growth, and your goals.
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Taissha LaReau: So what does this actually look like in someone's real life? Right? Here is a prime example, I worked with a busy real estate broker agency owner and a mom of 2 who felt overwhelmed by her closet and stuck, wearing the same few outfits that didn't reflect how she wanted to be seen.
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Taissha LaReau: Together we did a few things. We cleared out what no longer worked, and we built her wardrobe to align with her goals and her lifestyle. Now she walks into meetings she feels confident she feels prepared, knowing that her style matches the leader that she is, while also being able to show up fully for herself and for her family. And that is the power of strategic dressing.
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Taissha LaReau: So one of the 1st things I want you to do when you're offline from here today is to take a step back and assess your wardrobe. I look at this as the 1st step to building a well rounded, a functional wardrobe that is truly going to serve such a great purpose in your life. I want you to ask yourself a couple of questions right like, what do I actually wear? What do I feel good in
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Taissha LaReau: what's just taking up space? And what is missing in my wardrobe when your closet feels overwhelming, overwhelming. It's not usually about having too much, you know. I know. Sometimes you feel I'm sure you've heard many people say I have too many clothes in my closet. I don't really know what to do with it.
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Taissha LaReau: I always tell them it's really about not having the right system in place. You may have pieces that don't align styles that don't reflect who you are today, and clothes that are no longer fit your life or your body. And so this isn't really about
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Taissha LaReau: starting from scratch or doing a full overhaul either. It's really about being honest with yourself, about what's working. And what's not so that you can start making smarter, more strategic decisions from here. Think of this like your style audit, right? It's how you create clarity and make space for what's aligned with who you are now, not who you were a couple of years ago.
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Taissha LaReau: So most people feel stuck because they
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Taissha LaReau: have clothes in their closet that don't really mesh all together, you know. Some people say I feel stuck because I don't have enough clothes, and I really. And I really believe that it's about your pieces not working well together. So when your closet lacks that strategy, every outfit feels like a puzzle, and you try things on
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Taissha LaReau: you second, guess yourself. You default to the same safe looks, not because you love those looks, but because they're just familiar to you. They're convenient, and they're easy, and that's a lack of cohesion. The power of cohesion truly, is something truly important when it comes to building a wardrobe that works for you. So now here's the shift.
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Taissha LaReau: When your wardrobe is cohesive, right? Everything connects visually, functionally, and personally, the colors coordinate. Better the shapes flat of your body getting just becomes so much simpler. You're going to feel polished even when you're in a rush, and you're going to feel like the version of yourself even working toward. So the best part
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Taissha LaReau: of having a cohesion, a cohesive closet is that cohesion makes you a smarter shopper. You stop chasing trends or you stop panic buying, and you buy with purpose, and your wardrobe starts giving back
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Taissha LaReau: so a quick example on how to build cohesion in your wardrobe, and I want you to try this today right as soon as if you can. If you have the time, as soon as you get off the call, or if not, whenever you have time this week. A quick example is to choose 2 to 3 colors, let's say Navy camel and white, and people mostly go towards black. But navy is one of my favorite colors. It's really a great substitute for black.
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Taissha LaReau: So when you, when you choose these types of colors, right. You're building cohesion when your wardrobe lives in that color family, everything mixes and matches without effort, and that strategy made visible.
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Taissha LaReau: So let's talk about something that I feel doesn't get enough attention, and that is fits. It is a game changer. And why is that? Because you can own
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Taissha LaReau: great pieces right? But if they don't sit right on your body they won't feel right. You'll just keep adjusting them. You'll you'll keep covering up, or you'll swap outfits last minute, and that's something that I really really think that you should avoid. So fit isn't just technical, right? I see it as being
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Taissha LaReau: emotional. So when something doesn't fit well, we carry ourselves differently. We stop questioning our bodies and start focusing on the day we lead, we present, and we show up without distraction. But too often I find that most of us and and I'm guilty of it, too. Right we we settle. We settle for those good enough fits
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Taissha LaReau: or styles that kind of work, and that's when frustration really starts to creep in. Sometimes the hesitation isn't about not knowing what to wear. Necessarily it's the fear of doing it wrong. I worked with so many who've asked, you know. Is it too much? Is what I'm wearing too much, especially in, I would say, a male dominated space
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Taissha LaReau: where they're trying to feel powerful without losing their personality. So the goal isn't to tone yourself down right. I would never recommend that. It's to just feel like you without second guessing. So here's what I want you to remember.
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Taissha LaReau: You don't need a new body. You need better fitting clothes. It's not about the number of the tag, the number on the tag. It's about how your clothes hug, drape and move with you.
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Taissha LaReau: So when you start, so when you focus on fit, you stop impulse buying, which I'm sure most of us. And this happens to most of us, even myself. I will say I've caught myself impulse buying plenty of times, and I have to stop myself. I have to practice what I preach.
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Taissha LaReau: So when you focus on fit you shop with intention, and you start building a wardrobe that actually works for you. So the next time that you try something on, I want you to do me a favor. I want you to ask yourself, does this feel effortless to me? Do I have to adjust it constantly? Do I feel comfortable in it? Am I pulling at it, or am I second guessing myself? If the answer is yes, then that means that it's not the right fit.
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Taissha LaReau: and that's okay. I recommend just letting it go and moving on.
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Taissha LaReau: So let's talk about
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Taissha LaReau: shopping smarter, and why it's better. And why shopping for longevity is going to be crucial when you're building a wardrobe that you truly deserve. Right? So when we think about shopping, shopping strategically doesn't usually come to mind, especially for shopping when we're bored when there's a sale, or when something last minute comes up.
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Taissha LaReau: I always say that event shopping in particular is something that I always advise against, because in those rushed moments it's so easy to grab whatever is convenient, trendy, or unnecessary, instead of what's actually useful. So smart shopping isn't about buying more. It's about buying better. That means that you have a plan. You know what's missing. You know what's going to help round out your wardrobe. You understand the difference between a good piece and the right piece.
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Taissha LaReau: So
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Taissha LaReau: before you start browsing right before you go online, and before you decide to go in store, you start browsing. You start shopping. You're already thinking
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Taissha LaReau: I want. I want you to start thinking. What do I actually wear on? Repeat? That's currently in my closet now, right like that's that's that's a big question.
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Taissha LaReau: Think about what's missing. And I want you to also think about what would make everything else you own more versus zoom, and that's the shift I want you. I want to see you make
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Taissha LaReau: once you start doing that, and you start practicing this
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Taissha LaReau: building on purpose. So that you're you're not. You're gonna start building on purpose so that you're not scrambling last minute shopping with intention so that you can stop wasting time and money. And you're going to start creating a collection that works. Not a pile of just maybe's right. We don't want just maybe items. We don't want items that we
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Taissha LaReau: think we need. We want to focus on building with purpose and shopping for longevity. So when your wardrobe strategy is clear, shopping is going to become faster. It's actually also going to become more cost effective, which for me, I think, is the most important part right. And
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Taissha LaReau: it's going to become more aligned with who you are. You're actually gonna wear what you buy, and your closet is going to start returning that investment.
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Taissha LaReau: So you know, your style should evolve as you do the pieces that maybe work for you 3, 4, even 5 years ago, or that matched a past role, mindset or season in your life may longer may no longer reflect where you're headed, and that's exactly why building your wardrobe with purpose matters.
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Taissha LaReau: But he here's the key, right. So strategic dressing isn't about having the biggest or most expensive wardrobe. It's about having the right one. So for some that might look like
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Taissha LaReau: meaning that might that might mean rebuilding with a mix of new and quality consignment pieces for others. It's about editing down what they already own, and making sure each piece works harder in their daily lives that could look like filling in with thoughtful statement pieces, trying new silhouettes or shopping secondhand with intention. Whatever helps you feel aligned and equipped for where you're going next. So again.
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Taissha LaReau: this isn't about chasing trends. It's about making smarter choices, reducing friction and showing up with clarity and ease because your wardrobe was built on purpose. So what does this look like in action? Right. Let me show you a couple of strategies that comes to life through real outfit formulas and examples.
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Taissha LaReau: So this is where everything we've talked about kind of comes to life right? So these outfits may look totally different. And that's what I really love about them. Right? Each photo targets, you know, different age groups, different body types and different styles, as you can see. But they all have. They all follow the same smart formula. Right? So what does that look like, whether it's an oversized vest
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Taissha LaReau: or a crisp button? Up?
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Taissha LaReau: Each look includes an anchor piece that adds shape.
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Taissha LaReau: and it's paired with something more fluid to keep things effortless. So each layer here, as you can see, it's doing something right. It's adding dimension. It's shaping the silhouette or letting personal personality show, especially for the 3rd and the 4th images here. So it's not about hiding things on. It's about again. I'm always gonna go back to this. You've probably heard me say it a thousand times, but it's about that intention.
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Taissha LaReau: So whether you're taking, you know, a cropped Cardigan, whether you're wearing long line coats. Each outfit plays with length here, as you can see, and volume to highlight natural lines and bring that visual balance to the overall. Look, you also see various color palettes here.
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Taissha LaReau: textures, mixing textures, mixing silhouettes, so each look connects in a way that feels seamless like everything just fits right? Right? So when you build your wardrobe
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Taissha LaReau: with these types of strategies in mind, getting dressed gets so much easier. And you're not just putting on clothes. You're communicating something real and getting dressed actually becomes fun again.
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Taissha LaReau: So yes, that kind of concludes. My the session on wardrobe building. And why being strategic is so so important?
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Taissha LaReau: Obviously, you know, if something here made you pause, if it made you reflect, or even look at your day to day a little bit differently. Let's connect. I'd love to hear from you. You can reach me by phone. You can reach me by email or Linkedin and if you want a deeper dive into some questions, we're about to jump into a fireside chat right, Rachel, so we can talk through some of those in real time. Now.
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Rachael Sampson: For sure. So thank you so much. That was super helpful. We already had a ton of questions. Now I have a whole list of my own questions, too, so I'm pleased to be going into that Q&A portion. And, as Ty said, please submit your questions in the chat box. We'll get to as many as those as possible. Also, if you haven't already joined key for women. Please, please.
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Taissha LaReau: I love key for woman.
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Rachael Sampson: We love it, too. Thank you. And please feel free to go to key.com forward slash join K. For W. That gives you access to our latest events, invites insights that'll be updated, sent directly to your inbox or newsletter as well as recordings like this. That will be sent out post event. So with that, let's hop in. Okay. So
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Rachael Sampson: quick questions. A couple of things you said stood out to me in terms of what hugs, drapes, and moves with your body. So when you think about
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Rachael Sampson: how that looks, how do you best actually know what that actually should feel like, and what are some tips that people can use, especially when you think about petite sizes all the way to extended sizes? Is there like a formula that people should be thinking about in terms of what looks good, like, how much movement they should be, or how much it moves. Your body moves with your body.
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Taissha LaReau: Yeah, sure, great question. So a couple of things here. So I would say.
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Taissha LaReau: I really think it's important to focus on balance and proportions. So what does that look like? Right? What does that mean? So some of the things I really tend to focus on when I'm styling someone, or where I'm creating outfits for someone. And this works for anybody, whether you're petite, whether you're straight size, mid size plus size, right? I mean, there's so many, right. We have so many different body types. And there's so many different variations. So
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Taissha LaReau: I think that what what happens is what I notice is that people struggle with.
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Taissha LaReau: They struggle with wanting to cover themselves up right, or cover up certain areas of concern for them and for most of us, I would say, that's our mix, right, our dominant part. Like we we want, we, we try to hide area of concerns. And when we do that we don't realize that we're doing a just, we don't. We're doing ourselves a disservice. So what I mean by that. So when we're talking about balance and proportions, I really like to focus on
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Taissha LaReau: various different checkpoints. I would say the 1st checkpoint is going to be waists our waistlines.
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Taissha LaReau: I'm really big on not covering our waistlines, right? I mean, think about it. That's the mid hat, right? That's the mid.
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Rachael Sampson: Had children tied.
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Taissha LaReau: Yeah, no. And and I have. I'm actually, I have a 3 year old. And I'm also expecting I'm also expecting right now. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And so yes.
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Taissha LaReau: and and I know that. That's the 1st thing we think about. We think about. Well, we have to hide we have to cover. It's gonna make us look better. But it kind of does the opposite in the way that
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Taissha LaReau: when we're creating balance of proportions in our office. We need to make sure the waist is one of the most important parts of our body. So we need to be intentional. We need to be a strategic about. Okay, how are we going to create outfits around that right? People are afraid to tuck in? But there's different ways to tuck in a top. There's a half tuck. There's a front tuck. There's a side tuck right? There's so many different ways that you can tuck in. It's about finding the finding
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Taissha LaReau: that balance and finding the tuck that's going to work for you specifically right, we always want to show waistline. So whether that is, you know, maybe purchasing tops that not clap tops per se, but tops that kind of hover right over the waistline so that you can see the waistline which doesn't really allow for tuck ins
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Taissha LaReau: you know, if we have something a little bit oversized, maybe tucking in just the middle, tucking it in on the side instead of the front, right? We just want to show waistlines in some way, shape or form, because that's really gonna create that balance. Another checkpoint that I really like to focus on is
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Taissha LaReau: our wrist.
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Taissha LaReau: So you know, there are times where I say, if you're showing your risk, especially if
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Taissha LaReau: this is for someone. Let's say someone who wants to dabble into the oversized fit right oversized is really popular right now, and I think people are afraid or intimidated by trying that, because it seems so overwhelming. I always say, in order to remove that extra fabric that feels so overwhelming, overwhelming, you know. Scrunch your scrunch your sleeves up a little bit, roll them in showing a waist, showing your wrist
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Taissha LaReau: is going to really be helpful in terms of creating that balance of proportions to making your body look a lot more flattering, and then a final checkpoint that comes to mind for me is the ankles.
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Taissha LaReau: I can't tell you how many times I've seen. You know, most of us wear the wrong length, and we don't realize that we are wearing the wrong length, so we need to make sure that if there's extra fabric that's draping
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Taissha LaReau: and it doesn't look well, we need to make sure that we're purchasing the right lamp so that can be anything from, you know, just cutting your jeans and like using fabric scissors and doing it yourself, or taking it to the tailor. People. Underestimate tailors and tailors are
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Taissha LaReau: great to have, because they can really make changes to pieces that work for your specific body type. So I hope I answered your questions. I know that there was just like a lot there.
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Rachael Sampson: Yes, no. And and we're the chat is amazing. 1st of all, I love that everyone is helping everyone. I think that's the power of our key for women community. Okay? So when we think about some of that, let's talk about color. I know funny story. My team years ago, used to tell me, Rachel, you only wear 5 colors, beige, brown, black, white, and red. It's too hilarious. I didn't realize it, and it was not the cutest thing. Let's just say
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Rachael Sampson: but now there's just a lot of color. How do people figure out what color works for them? I know we talk about cool tones, warm tones, and then also, like, when you do go into those colors, how do you not get drowned out where people are like? Okay, you wear that again like 20 times, because the color is really the same.
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Taissha LaReau: Okay. So this is a great question. And I'm probably gonna go on and on and on. So please sort of stop me. So we can. So it's interesting. You brought this up because
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Taissha LaReau: when most so, so, most of my friends and family members tell me that I they're like, you don't like color. You don't like color. You're always against color, like bright colors. And I'm not. I'm truly not. I am about again. Strategy. What is going to make it easier right to get dressed. So a couple of things here, I like to label this as
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Taissha LaReau: so core colors. When I talk about core colors. I think everyone should have these core colors in your closet. I don't
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Taissha LaReau: I? I don't think it to me. It doesn't matter your complexion whether you're olive skin, fair skin or not. Everyone needs these core colors, and I can't tell you how many times I've gone into someone's closet, and I've noticed that they don't have these colors. So the core colors for me are going to be navy.
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Taissha LaReau: black.
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Taissha LaReau: gray, and white, right? Those are kind of the 4 4 colors. And it's interesting because black and white necessarily are tones and not necessarily colors when you look at the color scheme. But that's another conversation for another time. So these 4 colors are super important, and I want to bring up, maybe because I mentioned that a little bit ago. But I feel like people always kind of.
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Taissha LaReau: They go towards black, and trust me, I love black. I wear black pretty frequently, but people underestimate navy and navy. What I love about navy is navy
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Taissha LaReau: is a color that is a neutral. I consider it a neutral. It goes with so many different combinations. I can't tell you how many times I've combined, maybe with another color, thinking that it wasn't going to work. And long, behold, it looked beautiful right? And it's another substitute for black. So this is an example of you know, you're someone who constantly wears black and you get bored by it, and you kind of want to branch out. Maybe. Is that color that I recommend that you try. So so that's that with the 4 colors.
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Taissha LaReau: I always say, though, there should be an 80 20% balance
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Taissha LaReau: 80% of those neutral core colors. And you know, we can add more core colors in there. So I mean all shades of neutrals. Right? There's camel. There's Beige, there's cream, there's off white. We can go into that. Then there's grays right? There's charcoal grays, there's heather grays. I mean, there's so many different tones within these colors that people don't think to add to their wardrobes. It makes their wardrobe look
00:26:50.070 --> 00:26:55.820
Taissha LaReau: cohesive, but it actually adds color. It makes it different, and then the other 20%
00:26:55.820 --> 00:26:59.790
Taissha LaReau: or 20 to 30%, depending on how much you love color. I would say, color
00:26:59.790 --> 00:27:18.510
Taissha LaReau: and prints the combination of those 2. So I would say anywhere between 70 to 80% should be those neutrals. And there's a list of them that I just named off, and then that 20 to 30% should be the prints, and then the bright colors. It also depends on where you live. Right? I'm obviously based in the capital region in Albany. I'm in New York.
00:27:18.510 --> 00:27:30.310
Taissha LaReau: so our seasons are. You know. We don't get that. We get a couple of months where it's you know, where it's sunny or not. So I'm going to be more of a neutral person. But if you're someone who lives, you know, in the South, or a warmer weather
00:27:30.600 --> 00:27:44.510
Taissha LaReau: feel free to sprinkle in those bright colors. But I think if you stick to that, 80 20% kind of I wouldn't call it a rule, because I'm not about rules, but I guess that method. It's going to help you kind of build a a cohesive color scheme within your wardrobe.
00:27:45.190 --> 00:27:59.020
Rachael Sampson: Okay, that's great. Well, and I know we have a ton of allies that join our program. Any differences for our our male allies out there in terms of what you shared in in terms of the flow, and the ankles and arms and waistlines.
00:27:59.020 --> 00:28:14.959
Taissha LaReau: No, honest honestly, no. So so I work with I you know I've partnered with both men and women, so I would say a lot of the strategies that I'm taking. I know most of the pictures that I that I showed were were of women. Should have threw some men in there. Sorry about that. But
00:28:15.020 --> 00:28:35.550
Taissha LaReau: I work. I work with both. And the same strategies are T. I'm teaching, and everything I'm saying is really gonna apply to both. It's really gonna apply to both, I think, for men. When we're talking about length, I think focusing on the break there, right? You call the break, basically the length of like a trouser, so so to speak, or like a pant. And so you want to make sure that.
00:28:36.030 --> 00:28:42.310
Taissha LaReau: And it's it depends. It depends on preference. Some people like a full break. Some people, you know, like.
00:28:42.530 --> 00:28:56.849
Taissha LaReau: like a shorter break. So it's still gonna be that same balance about ankles, and you know how much ankle you want to show versus how much ankle you don't. But I always recommend you know, showing just a little bit if you're comfortable with it, because it's still gonna create that balance for men.
00:28:57.700 --> 00:29:10.359
Rachael Sampson: Okay, that's great. Okay? So burning question as more and more companies are going back to the office. There's the trend, and many of them are business casual. What's your definition of business? Casual.
00:29:10.360 --> 00:29:11.340
Taissha LaReau: Wow! This is a good thing.
00:29:11.340 --> 00:29:28.550
Rachael Sampson: And for those who might have been at home for a while, what's the best way to affordably build this back in? And I know that's a long question also. Are there any other sites? I know some drop, some in the chat like stores or websites, that you would recommend as they think about that shift.
00:29:29.480 --> 00:29:30.650
Taissha LaReau: Yes, yes.
00:29:30.790 --> 00:29:48.920
Taissha LaReau: so business casual. So I think the dress codes have changed tremendously, I would say, since Covid right and they continue to change every year. I honestly feel like business. Casual is is an older way to look at it. In my my opinion, just because
00:29:48.920 --> 00:30:13.370
Taissha LaReau: it's very confusing. I find that more offices are becoming, and you can, you know, correct me if I'm I'm from wrong or not. But smart casual is actually a term a term or dress code that I think is playing a bigger role in dress codes more recently than business casual. So if if you're kind of unsure. You hadn't heard of that term. Bi, smart, casual is essentially
00:30:14.310 --> 00:30:23.140
Taissha LaReau: business casual, but you know I can mix in some athleisure, wear items in there that look
00:30:23.470 --> 00:30:30.870
Taissha LaReau: presentable professional, paired with the right shoe. So I'm really all about, you know. You can take.
00:30:31.430 --> 00:30:33.809
Taissha LaReau: you know, a pair of Lulu, you know.
00:30:33.980 --> 00:30:36.050
Taissha LaReau: Performance wear pants
00:30:36.490 --> 00:31:02.150
Taissha LaReau: with a you know, with a button up shirt you can layer it with a blazer, and this is going to be for a woman, and you know this can work for women and men for both sides, and you can tailor it with a nice loafer. Right? That's an example of a smart, casual look, you don't necessarily have to be, you know. Button up, you know. It's, you know, wearing suits 24, 7. If you want to do that. Awesome. That that looks great. However, I'm really big about mixing formal wear with
00:31:02.380 --> 00:31:03.100
Taissha LaReau: fun.
00:31:03.870 --> 00:31:28.760
Taissha LaReau: formal and comfort. So athleisure wear has been a huge part of what I introduced to a lot of the people that I work with, because I think athleisure wear and athletic wear is not the same. Right athletic wear is for me. I'm going to wear a workout a workout piece, you know, wearing workout exercise, clothing, and I'm going to work out. Athleisure wear is an elevated step up from that. So I'm really big on that. And I think that a lot of people should start thinking about incorporating this into their wardrobe.
00:31:28.760 --> 00:31:39.719
Taissha LaReau: Because why? It's versatile. You can wear it to work when styled professionally and paired with the right pieces, and you can wear it casually on the weekends with a pair of sneakers if you want to.
00:31:40.010 --> 00:31:48.200
Taissha LaReau: So that's that. That's that part. So I would say, yes, business casual still exists. But I I find that companies are being a little bit. They're not.
00:31:49.600 --> 00:32:08.590
Taissha LaReau: They're being a little bit more laid back about the yeah about that. And that's why I think smart. I personally, I've talked about this so many times. I feel like we should just remove the term business casual and really start focusing on smart casual, because I think it's still professional. It still looks good, and it allows us to have versatility in our wardrobe to be honest. And then you had another question.
00:32:08.900 --> 00:32:16.400
Rachael Sampson: Yes, like, where? Where do you suggest looking for this at leisure? Do you have a favorite brands, or ones that are affordable options?
00:32:16.400 --> 00:32:22.149
Taissha LaReau: Yeah, yeah. So when we say, affordable, what? It? What? So affordable? Okay, well, so, so, yeah.
00:32:22.150 --> 00:32:26.539
Rachael Sampson: Financial wellness. So we we need to be.
00:32:26.540 --> 00:32:36.199
Taissha LaReau: So there's 2 different ways to look at this right? Because you can be for me. I'm about my Roi and return on investment.
00:32:36.340 --> 00:32:52.939
Taissha LaReau: So. And that's the thing. And I want people to to to like shift their mindset a little bit right like, obviously, I'm not gonna say, Hey, buy this like $300 blazer. That's a little that's ridiculous. But I think that we need to think about if we're paying a P. Let's say we're paying for a pair of pants
00:32:53.110 --> 00:33:02.419
Taissha LaReau: $150. Let's just say that might not seem affordable right when we think about a hundred 50, or I mean a hundred to 150, that not that may not seem affordable.
00:33:02.560 --> 00:33:18.570
Taissha LaReau: but if the quality is good, if the fabric is comfortable, and if you find yourself wearing that at least 2 times a week, and you no one even notices that you're wearing it because you it's so versatile you're maximizing it, and you're mixing it and matching it with other pieces. That work
00:33:18.780 --> 00:33:43.799
Taissha LaReau: you're getting your. You're more than well getting your return on investment, in my opinion. So yes. Well, we can't do that for every single piece in our closet that's just not sustainable. I do want us to think about not letting affordability affect the versatility and the kind of the the types of fabrics, and the quality that we can add to our wardrobe, something that I just, I just want to point out, because I hear that a lot in terms of brands.
00:33:45.019 --> 00:33:53.740
Taissha LaReau: Let let me think here because there's there's so many cause. Now we're talking about affordability. So.
00:33:53.740 --> 00:33:56.859
Rachael Sampson: Well, I do have one. I'm I'm gonna just.
00:33:56.860 --> 00:33:57.270
Taissha LaReau: Jump in.
00:33:57.270 --> 00:33:57.650
Rachael Sampson: Here.
00:33:57.659 --> 00:34:00.909
Taissha LaReau: Throw some throw some at me, and then I'll and then I'll tell you.
00:34:01.070 --> 00:34:12.439
Rachael Sampson: Yes. Well, I'm gonna give out one of my secrets which I love this and it. This is an excada blazer that I bought off a real reel in excellent condition. I think it was $30.
00:34:12.750 --> 00:34:13.830
Taissha LaReau: What's the brand?
00:34:14.080 --> 00:34:16.770
Rachael Sampson: It's called the realreal.com. So it's like.
00:34:16.770 --> 00:34:39.189
Taissha LaReau: The real real. But what was it? Was it a brand like, was it a specific designer brand? Okay, yeah, that's good. Yeah. But look at you. And that's okay. So that's what I mean. So when we're talking about affordability, I'm gonna give you some brands now. But consignment, right? You just bought something on consignment secondhand people, you know, thrifting people underestimate that. And I think that that's a really good route to take. If you want quality. Good, you know. Pieces.
00:34:39.190 --> 00:34:55.790
Taissha LaReau: I will say, though thrifting sometimes. I've heard, you know some people have different opinions on the thrifting part, because I feel like when you go thrifting. What you do is sometimes you're not shopping strategically, because you say to yourself, Oh, this is only $12, and you start buying things. You start buying things because it's it's less expensive.
00:34:55.910 --> 00:35:12.110
Taissha LaReau: But did you need any of those things right at the end of the day, just because something's $15 doesn't mean that you should go pick it up and buy because it was $15. It has to align with your style. It has to align with your goals. It has to check all those boxes that we talked about, too. So back to the brands. So everlane.
00:35:12.960 --> 00:35:18.260
Taissha LaReau: I don't know. If. Have you heard of the brand everlane, EVER LANE.
00:35:19.370 --> 00:35:24.599
Taissha LaReau: This, have anyone else? Sorry I'm like I haven't been able to look at the chat as much. But if anyone has
00:35:25.830 --> 00:35:54.270
Taissha LaReau: everlane give me a thumbs up. Yes, I know everlane everlane is an amazing brand, and I think an affordable price point. I would say they carry things anywhere between like 30 to maybe north of $100 or so. That is a great price point. They're classic, versatile, timeless. They're all about everyday wear. I'm all about everyday wear, right? I don't think that someone should have. And when we talk about workwear workwear
00:35:55.000 --> 00:36:24.159
Taissha LaReau: I want people to change their mind, shift and not think about it as work. Where? Right? I think what you're wearing to work, you should be able to take a piece and wear it on the weekends. Wear for evening out, if you that. That's the that's the point of a strategic wardrobe. I don't want people to think about. Oh, this is my going out out. This is my going out pieces. These are the pieces that I go to get dinner with my friends, or this is the dinner. This is the pieces I I wear for date night, and this is the pieces I wear for work, and they're a drag. No, I want you to be excited about your wardrobe.
00:36:24.770 --> 00:36:36.610
Taissha LaReau: As a whole. We need to look at our wardrobes as one well rounded strategic investment, so that we can take pieces from all these buckets and wear them whenever and wherever we want to wear them, too.
00:36:36.840 --> 00:36:50.949
Rachael Sampson: I love that, because then to your point around the Roi, that makes even more sense, right? So if you are making an investment in a hundred $50 pair of pants you're not looking at. I need a separate pair of pants to take my kids or my mom.
00:36:50.950 --> 00:36:52.230
Taissha LaReau: Right, right.
00:36:52.230 --> 00:37:00.539
Rachael Sampson: It's a word versus like dinner with friends. Now, instead of having 3 different pair, you have the same one that you're mixing and matching.
00:37:00.540 --> 00:37:01.549
Taissha LaReau: A 100%.
00:37:01.550 --> 00:37:01.980
Rachael Sampson: Idea.
00:37:01.980 --> 00:37:08.890
Taissha LaReau: And and that I think that's the big. If you take. If you if anyone takes anything away from today, please take that away is that
00:37:08.960 --> 00:37:38.149
Taissha LaReau: I think. I I see most people struggle with their wardrobes for many reasons, but one of the big one of one of the big issues that I notice is that people look at their workwear wardrobe differently. I even know people who have 2 separate closets in their homes, and the one closet is like their work stuff, and the other closet is like, you know, their everyday where the fun stuff you need to merge that when you merge that getting dressed is going to become so much easier. I promise you that.
00:37:38.870 --> 00:37:56.420
Rachael Sampson: Okay, this is the webinar. I didn't know I needed. Like you've described my whole life as I. As I think about these from to your point the decision, fatigue of okay. What do I feel like wearing today? Because you've got all these choices and separate wardrobe? So I love that one thing you mentioned before.
00:37:56.420 --> 00:38:00.370
Taissha LaReau: Oh, someone! Oh, sorry someone, said North Nordstrom. Rack in the chat. Yes.
00:38:00.370 --> 00:38:00.770
Rachael Sampson: Oh!
00:38:00.770 --> 00:38:17.020
Taissha LaReau: Nordstrom see? Like I'm see, I'm looking at things, and it's hard to. But nordstrom rack people underestimate nordstrom rack. Okay, ordstrom or nordstrom rack is fabulous. To be honest with you when I'm shopping for my when I'm helping my clients build their wardrobe.
00:38:17.050 --> 00:38:41.079
Taissha LaReau: I is probably one of the 1st of retail sites that I visit, and the reason being is because you want to go to. Not not all of these big retailers are fabulous, right? But you want to go to a place where you can discover different brands, I think what happens is that most people stay still stuck because they stick to the same brands, and I get it. I mean, there's nothing wrong with that right, like we all. We all do it
00:38:41.080 --> 00:38:49.509
Taissha LaReau: because we go to the same brands because we're comfortable with it. We're used to it. We don't even love it. We don't even love the brand we're shopping at, right. We're just doing it, because it's
00:38:49.510 --> 00:39:06.170
Taissha LaReau: it's comfortable for us. You need to discover new brands. The more brands that you put like you have under your belt, the more that you'll be able to experiment trying new styles. Try new cuts, and you're going to open the doors to so many possibilities of like different cuts for your body.
00:39:06.500 --> 00:39:23.249
Rachael Sampson: This is great. So segue, which is another thing, especially at what nordstrom rack does really well, shoes. We had a ton of questions about shoes. What are your thoughts on shoes? How do you pick them? You know I know we talked a lot about comfort, but there are some cute
00:39:23.550 --> 00:39:34.589
Rachael Sampson: stilettos out there. I will say so. How do you decide what to wear? And when and do you have some that maybe fit both a comfort shoe and also very stylish.
00:39:35.460 --> 00:39:51.650
Taissha LaReau: Good question. Yeah, I find that a lot of people struggle with shoes. It's the kind of department where people struggle with. I think it really depends on your lifestyle. Right? I, personally, am not going to be caught in stilettos just because it doesn't align with my lifestyle right? But if it does. I think if you're going to go for a heel.
00:39:52.570 --> 00:39:57.140
Taissha LaReau: I think black heels, black heels look fabulous.
00:39:57.250 --> 00:40:25.400
Taissha LaReau: They're great, and they're a lot more comfortable, and they're better for your feet overall. Right? I think there's just some. And there's different sizes of block heels, right? I mean, there's different variations. That's why I like, you need to kind of test test new styles, new brands, because when you do that you'll be able to, you'll become more familiar with what you like and what works for you. So there's different variations. There's really thick black heels where some people love. Some people don't, and there's a thinner block here, or there's kitten heels. I love kitten heels so kitten heels.
00:40:25.400 --> 00:40:26.789
Rachael Sampson: They made a comeback.
00:40:26.790 --> 00:40:42.300
Taissha LaReau: Oh, yeah, yeah, I have a couple cane heels are great example, right? Because some people like, I don't love a block heel, but block heels. I feel like people know what those are, but cane heels are just those small little thin heels, but they're so short that, like you can. Barely. I mean, it's basically like you're wearing a flat, but a little.
00:40:42.720 --> 00:40:55.050
Taissha LaReau: you know, like a little, a little here like a can heel exactly what it sounds like, like you're a little. You're a little cat just walking. But yeah, so I love can heels. I think they're they're great, and they're super comfortable, and there's so many options as well.
00:40:55.953 --> 00:40:57.540
Taissha LaReau: Other questions
00:40:57.840 --> 00:41:21.779
Taissha LaReau: so loafer people underestimate the loafer. And so loafers come again in different variations. I think that some people like to stay like some people don't love the the work like the loafer look because there's different levels. There's like the masculine loafer. Look right where some people love. But there's also the more feminine, delicate loafer. And then there's the flats, which is like a different category. But they're all within the same category.
00:41:21.780 --> 00:41:32.719
Taissha LaReau: I think that's a shoe that people underestimate. It's versatile, and you can wear those shoes with again the performance pants that I was referring to. That's a little bit more athleisure where that's how you would dress it up.
00:41:32.720 --> 00:41:50.540
Taissha LaReau: But you can wear loafers and flats with jeans, and there's so many different options. There's pointed toe, there's squared toe, there's almond toes. So there's a lot more options out there. But I think the flat and the loafer is what people really underestimate. And this again, this is going to work for men and for women. Right? The loafer works for both.
00:41:51.170 --> 00:42:00.459
Rachael Sampson: I like that, that's that's great. So as we think about you know, we've got talked a lot about styles and how things hug your body or fit. But
00:42:00.680 --> 00:42:12.020
Rachael Sampson: we're still in a digital world, too, like we're on this webinar today. Any specific tips about dressing when you're on camera instead, or virtually attending meetings. If
00:42:12.270 --> 00:42:16.200
Rachael Sampson: and how do you think about that dressing for those meetings?
00:42:16.850 --> 00:42:19.429
Taissha LaReau: Oh, yeah, so I think
00:42:19.780 --> 00:42:22.280
Taissha LaReau: when it comes to this, right, I think.
00:42:22.520 --> 00:42:27.940
Taissha LaReau: And somebody act. Somebody mentioned something in the chat I asked about jewelry or something, and that's where I'm gonna bring this.
00:42:27.940 --> 00:42:28.850
Rachael Sampson: Coming next.
00:42:29.130 --> 00:42:32.430
Taissha LaReau: Yeah, so that so I'm gonna kind of maybe I'll answer the question. But.
00:42:33.070 --> 00:42:34.370
Taissha LaReau: Jewelry.
00:42:34.880 --> 00:42:54.390
Taissha LaReau: I'm doing it right now. I'm on a zoom call right, and so I'm sorry I have my ear, my air pods, and so it's hard to probably see. But I'll just come up a little closer. I'm wearing jewelry, I'm wearing, you know, a pair of earrings subtle right, but they're state many, but they're not, you know. They're not too loud. They're still like kind of sophisticated and timeless.
00:42:54.390 --> 00:43:04.939
Taissha LaReau: And then I'm wearing a double a necklace which is like a long necklace, but I doubled it up, but I doubled it up a little bit to make it look like I was wearing 2 necklaces at the same time. This is a prime example. Accessories.
00:43:04.940 --> 00:43:30.019
Taissha LaReau: Jewelry is a great, great, great way to make a T-shirt look even better. I can be wearing a white T-shirt right now, and it's nothing crazy but with the jewelry it instantly takes it to the next level. I think most of us I'm really big on jewelry. I'm big on real metal jewelry, too, because you can find them at a really affordable price these days. Right? We're talking about like dainty, fine.
00:43:30.050 --> 00:43:56.733
Taissha LaReau: timeless jewelry. There's a lot of brands out there. That carry that. So one brand is Quince, and I'm sure so Quince is another brand that I wanted to mention. That's kind of like a competitor to everlane. In some ways it's a good brand, but they also sell jewelry. I like a really, really, really good price point. So that's somewhere. If you want to get jewelry, I would recommend going on there and checking them out, and for clothes as well. They're great, but so yes, jewelry accessorized.
00:43:57.520 --> 00:44:18.429
Taissha LaReau: you know. I know makeup is not a part of this, but it is. I mean. It's all about the image, right like when we're when we talk about like I do image I do. You know my wardrobe stylist, but an image consultant like even a little bit of makeup, and I know sometimes we don't. Really. We don't have time. We don't really want to look all done up, and we don't have to. A little bit of mascara, you know, a little bit of lip gloss
00:44:18.430 --> 00:44:32.300
Taissha LaReau: and go a long way, and even accessorizing like hair like, even like sometimes I wear headbands. I know headbands aren't for everyone, but you know, headband might might might look good, too, so I think, accessorizing the clothes
00:44:32.300 --> 00:44:40.259
Taissha LaReau: really adds a next really adds a layer to someone's appearance when they're on zoom or meetings over any virtual calls.
00:44:40.340 --> 00:44:43.149
Taissha LaReau: Oh, and collars collars, too. So like.
00:44:43.250 --> 00:45:02.119
Taissha LaReau: So this is interesting because this is like a T-shirt, but it has a collar. It has a little bit of sleeve detail right here. So I'm just giving you an example because I'm do I have it on right here so we can. You know there are. There are so many items out there that are your basic T-shirt. But they're elevated because they add, there's some different.
00:45:02.970 --> 00:45:31.359
Taissha LaReau: There's different silhouettes. And there's a little bit of detail to this that really takes this T-shirt and makes it a whole. It makes it look so much better. So think about the details. And maybe, like, you know, looking at different collars V-necks, and then focusing on maybe the sleeve details as well is a great way to elevate a look. And this can work for men, too. Men can wear jewelry men can wear. My husband wears, you know he has a nice necklace that he loves, so this can go both both ways.
00:45:32.060 --> 00:45:46.529
Rachael Sampson: I love that. And there's 1 burning question because my team many don't know but vanity has been in this space before doing dressing and styling, and I know Cameron's out there. We have this ongoing debate on our team.
00:45:46.910 --> 00:45:51.739
Taissha LaReau: Can you mix silver and gold? It's really important to us.
00:45:51.740 --> 00:45:56.990
Taissha LaReau: you guys. Oh, my God, you guys are so funny! Yes, you can. I don't know if you've seen watch it like I actually am.
00:45:56.990 --> 00:45:59.669
Rachael Sampson: No, Cameron is not winning this argument.
00:45:59.670 --> 00:46:12.799
Taissha LaReau: I'm sorry I'm sorry, I see, but you're asking me, and I and I like to get people out of their comfort. I'm all about getting out of your comfort zone. I love to get people out of, you know, out of their comfort zone, and so like so yes, but it has to be done
00:46:13.020 --> 00:46:19.899
Taissha LaReau: in a tasteful way, right like we don't want. I mean it just again. This is just my opinion. Take it or leave it. We don't want like
00:46:19.900 --> 00:46:45.729
Taissha LaReau: gaudy, like gold and silver mixing together. That's just a little bit too much. But if it's done as a really simple, you know tasteful way it can be done. For example, I'm actually on a hunt. I've been on a hunt for a watch for a long time. I don't know. For some reason I can't find one that I want, and I'm not really trying to spend thousands of dollars on a watch right now. But I want something classic and timeless, and I'm really loving the two-tone watches. Have you seen? Have you seen them? You know what I'm talking about?
00:46:45.730 --> 00:46:47.779
Rachael Sampson: I own one, and I just bought a bracelet.
00:46:47.780 --> 00:46:51.960
Taissha LaReau: So wait so so you were against the mixing, or are you for it?
00:46:51.960 --> 00:47:03.720
Rachael Sampson: I am, if if I buy it that way, that's 1 thing. But like I'm such a coordinated person like my bracelet is the same as my necklace. That's the same as my earrings.
00:47:03.720 --> 00:47:04.990
Taissha LaReau: And there's no I'm like. So
00:47:04.990 --> 00:47:26.360
Taissha LaReau: there's nothing wrong with that. And that's okay. And that's you. And that's why we need to own we need to own our style who we are, and there's nothing wrong with that and embrace it. However, I do like from time to time, so I'm more of a gold person, and again, I like dainty, very dainty jewelry, because I leave them on forever. I take showers with them. I go in the pool with them, and I don't have to take them off.
00:47:26.360 --> 00:47:37.819
Taissha LaReau: But I'm okay with mixing, like, you know, a a white gold or silver in between here, you know, if it's going to be done again subtly, and it's I think that's fine. But it depends. Again. It depends.
00:47:37.820 --> 00:47:43.990
Rachael Sampson: Yeah. Well, Ty, this was going really well until you took the side of all my team members. Vanity has turned.
00:47:43.990 --> 00:47:47.509
Taissha LaReau: Oh, my God, I'm so! Oh, really good! Yeah, no.
00:47:47.510 --> 00:47:50.100
Rachael Sampson: I never worked old. She told me to get some
00:47:51.260 --> 00:47:52.620
Rachael Sampson: eyes to her to where it goes.
00:47:52.620 --> 00:48:11.710
Taissha LaReau: No, it's funny. I have a lot of people who I've worked with, who you know they will. They're they're really stuck on white gold. And so I think it's because when we go back to traditional jewelry, when we think about, you know, years back back in the day when you know wedding bands and engagement rings mostly were white gold. Mine is actually rose gold. Mine is actually rose gold.
00:48:12.139 --> 00:48:20.120
Taissha LaReau: But again, I think that's where the mindset comes from. So it's hard for people to kind of move away from that. And but I'm a gold person. I'm a gold person.
00:48:20.120 --> 00:48:22.900
Rachael Sampson: Note to self my Goriana Goriana.
00:48:22.950 --> 00:48:23.520
Taissha LaReau: Go.
00:48:23.520 --> 00:48:32.419
Taissha LaReau: Goriana, someone put. Yes, Goriana is affordable gold. Goriana can get Pricey, though, so I would still say, Focus on Quince if you can. But Goriana is a great great for jewelry.
00:48:32.810 --> 00:48:38.710
Rachael Sampson: Okay, that is perfect. And I think when you think about how all these play together right are there?
00:48:39.050 --> 00:48:49.729
Rachael Sampson: How do you think about? We've talked about makeup we've talked about, you know, accessories. Okay, here's another burning question, what do you think about tattoos in your.
00:48:49.730 --> 00:48:52.640
Taissha LaReau: I've never been asked this before.
00:48:53.070 --> 00:48:55.820
Taissha LaReau: Good question. Wow! Got me thinking here.
00:48:55.960 --> 00:49:01.790
Taissha LaReau: I don't have any tattoos, but that doesn't mean anything. I'm just saying I don't. So I think that's why, like, I'm kind of like. Hmm! Let me think about this.
00:49:02.320 --> 00:49:19.202
Taissha LaReau: you know. I think I guess, bringing it back to my Hr. Recruitment side of things. I don't think there's anything wrong with tattoos. Right? I mean again, I'm all about embracing yourself. That's part of your personal style. You go ahead and do it.
00:49:20.560 --> 00:49:24.329
Taissha LaReau: I guess it's a question as a question that people are asking. If it's okay.
00:49:24.664 --> 00:49:32.029
Rachael Sampson: And what do you think about it in leadership? Roles? When you think about styling and as we think about strategic dressing.
00:49:32.030 --> 00:49:38.019
Taissha LaReau: Yeah, I mean, I I think that it should be done like everything that I'm mentioning should be done in a subtle.
00:49:38.500 --> 00:50:04.149
Taissha LaReau: classic way. Do I think that you know we should have tattoos all over our sleeves, and then, you know, all the time I mean, maybe not. I think it depends on the company, though. But it depends on the company. Right? I mean, I think, for you guys, you guys are in finance investment. You know, banking. I think that you really do need to think about how you want to be perceived. It's all about how you want to be perceived right. And
00:50:04.380 --> 00:50:24.850
Taissha LaReau: unfortunately, when you're in certain industries, people are perceived in certain ways. I'm not saying it's right. I'm not saying it's wrong, but I think that we need to. We. We just need to be smart and strategic about tattoos and where they're being placed. I mean, you can have tattoos, and there's plenty of places you can have tattoos that are placed somewhere where are not as noticeable, and if it is.
00:50:25.390 --> 00:50:35.510
Taissha LaReau: there's, you know there's clothes that you can put over them to make them look a little bit, you know, to make them look tasteful. I don't know if this is the right answer, because I've never been asked this, but
00:50:35.910 --> 00:50:37.759
Taissha LaReau: I mean that's just my take on it.
00:50:37.950 --> 00:50:43.541
Rachael Sampson: Yes, for sure. And I I do agree. It probably depends on your personal style. I think
00:50:43.870 --> 00:50:53.459
Rachael Sampson: the industry, the industry you're in, because, like I come from a you know I before I got into Hr. And recruitment, but most of the companies I've worked for were like.
00:50:53.640 --> 00:51:01.230
Taissha LaReau: Innovative digital media technology companies. And they are a lot more lenient with that kind of stuff. Right? So.
00:51:01.230 --> 00:51:01.970
Rachael Sampson: Yes.
00:51:01.970 --> 00:51:26.260
Taissha LaReau: So. But again, it really just depends on the industry. It depends on whether your client facing who you're having, because you need to know your audience. I'm big on knowing your audience. That's the best advice I can give. Know your audience. You need to know your audience, and if you know your audience who you're speaking to on a day to day, who you're communicating with, who you're interacting with. If you get to know your audience, and if you have an idea of how they perceive certain people, then that's your answer.
00:51:26.500 --> 00:51:33.240
Rachael Sampson: That is an extremely good answer, especially just knowing your audience from a communication standpoint as well.
00:51:33.846 --> 00:51:40.249
Rachael Sampson: I know we've got a lot of comments in there about Mike Tyson, even asking if I have a tattoo. And yes, I do
00:51:40.720 --> 00:51:57.069
Rachael Sampson: crazy for my 35th birthday. I got one but in it, and please take this with a grain of salt me personally, as I've talked about my my classic more regimented style. I do have one, but I cover it so.
00:51:57.070 --> 00:51:59.480
Taissha LaReau: Okay, yeah, exactly. Perfect.
00:51:59.480 --> 00:51:59.830
Rachael Sampson: So.
00:51:59.830 --> 00:52:04.060
Taissha LaReau: Yup. So you you're probably better at answering this than me, because you actually have one.
00:52:04.060 --> 00:52:24.699
Rachael Sampson: Yes, for sure. But I think that's a great question. When we think about what works for you. And how do you think about the holistic piece right? And what you actually think how you're going to be perceived. But then mixing in your style so that you're still authentically, you because I think that's that's 1 of the biggest things, too. Right is when you step into a space.
00:52:25.000 --> 00:52:38.229
Rachael Sampson: when you're elevating, starting a business, going into a leadership position. It's it's hard enough coming in and like having that confidence. So I think, making sure that you incorporate something that's uniquely you or creating.
00:52:38.230 --> 00:52:38.740
Taissha LaReau: Where.
00:52:38.740 --> 00:52:49.249
Rachael Sampson: As I tell people all the time, especially when you're networking, which is important in business, that you do show up so that you are accomplished, and that's why I put the coach prime. When you look good you feel good.
00:52:49.250 --> 00:52:50.340
Taissha LaReau: Right, yeah.
00:52:50.340 --> 00:52:52.600
Rachael Sampson: Play good, they pay good, and that.
00:52:52.600 --> 00:53:03.250
Taissha LaReau: Oh, look at that. I love that. Yeah. And yeah, you brought up a good point showing up. It's all about showing up, and you can show up in many different ways as long as if it's true to you. Then you're set.
00:53:03.690 --> 00:53:25.530
Rachael Sampson: For sure. And I want to talk about that for a second, too. Right? We have a big audience of entrepreneurs, and for entrepreneurs they're great at what they're doing a lot of times they're representing their brand, and that's how they show up. But do you think that they should ever change that right? What if they're going for a pitch or looking for capital? How would you think about how a business owner
00:53:25.670 --> 00:53:29.389
Rachael Sampson: should actually show up? And what recommendations do you have for them.
00:53:30.680 --> 00:53:45.460
Taissha LaReau: Right. So I always think, especially like as entrepreneurs. I think that we for me it's all about 1, st 1st and foremost personality. Right? I think that's very important. But aside from that, when we're talking about wardrobes.
00:53:45.580 --> 00:53:56.830
Taissha LaReau: I think that you still shouldn't show up like somebody that isn't you. At the end of the day. You need to be true to yourself, and one thing I'll bring it back to knowing your audience where you're gonna speak to. But I feel like
00:53:57.230 --> 00:54:06.169
Taissha LaReau: if you are confident, and you and and you can hear that in your tone of voice I think what you wear.
00:54:06.690 --> 00:54:33.119
Taissha LaReau: Should it matter as much, however, but I think that we need to look a certain way right like we just again, how we want to be perceived. We need to look a certain way. So you don't really have, I mean again, blazers, blazers like you don't people? I know some people who love blazers, some people who are not, you know, not really for them. But I think the idea of a blazer, a formal blazer, has changed. There's so many different fabrics that you can wear that are stretchy and that are comfortable. So I would say, you know.
00:54:33.230 --> 00:54:45.990
Taissha LaReau: maybe going for a blazer I love, and this is for men and women. I love the blazer and the T-shirt. Look a T-shirt. Look under a blazer again, if that's your style, right? So you need to really figure out, okay, what do I feel? Good in?
00:54:46.370 --> 00:55:04.339
Taissha LaReau: What do I? 1st of all, what do I already have in my closet that I can work around right like, what do I have in my closet? What do I feel good in what really resonates with the type of person that I want to be perceived. Is it comfortable enough? You know we have to make sure that you're checking those boxes. But I would say.
00:55:06.430 --> 00:55:19.849
Taissha LaReau: even if you're at home, or you're behind the scenes how you show up matters. And this is why the strategic dressing is going to come into play right? Because if you've done everything that we've spoken about during this session. If you've made sure that you've
00:55:19.850 --> 00:55:37.519
Taissha LaReau: chosen the right colors, if you made sure that you have different styles in your in your closet. If you make sure that you have those formal pieces mixing with those you know, those less formal pieces those athlete wear, items, you can mix those all together, and you're not gonna have an issue when you need to show up.
00:55:37.750 --> 00:55:42.900
Taissha LaReau: So it comes down from. For me. It's less about creating the perfect outfit.
00:55:43.400 --> 00:55:55.900
Taissha LaReau: and more about having the right pieces in your wardrobes. Who then create that outfit that is going to make it easier for you to get dressed where you don't even have to second guess yourself. And this this question kinda doesn't even become anything if that makes sense.
00:55:56.150 --> 00:55:59.970
Rachael Sampson: No, I like it, and it's so true. I think about one of my favorite
00:56:00.110 --> 00:56:09.530
Rachael Sampson: outfits that I wear. Airport outfit is always a blazer because I have them because of work a t-shirt to your point, like some jewelry like a necklace.
00:56:09.940 --> 00:56:26.140
Rachael Sampson: And like a loafer like that is my go to airport outfit, but also because I can go to dinner with friends with that like, it's 1 of those. And you're right. I just mixed and matched and found it once. And now I just repeat it, and I change it up. But it's basically like the same thing.
00:56:26.140 --> 00:56:32.409
Taissha LaReau: Right, and I think Blazers is funny. I worked with a lot of people who are like, I want to add blazers to my wardrobe. I don't like it, but
00:56:32.410 --> 00:56:57.179
Taissha LaReau: blazers I look at I don't. I look at Blazers as like a jacket. It literally is like a jacket. If you look like it's a layering piece, so I don't even look at a blazer as like it's separate own category. I look at it as a jacket that I'm wearing because it's chilly out, and I have to, you know, and I have to layer. And I need something to wear over the top that I'm wearing. So, instead of wearing a jean jacket which I love Jean jackets. But instead of wearing my jean jacket every day.
00:56:57.200 --> 00:57:26.550
Taissha LaReau: or trench jacket every day, you know to to switch it up. I look at a blazer as a piece of as like a jacket. And then so that's how I get people to kind of get outside their comfort zone and lean towards trying blazers just a little bit. And just one more thing about the entrepreneurship that just came back to me is that I think, as entrepreneurs. And I face this, too, like we're the face of our brand, right? Like it's it's it's it's it's not always just us. But but in the beginning, especially, we're the face. We're on camera, in meetings
00:57:26.750 --> 00:57:49.160
Taissha LaReau: and in daily life, and the way that we dress should support that so it shouldn't complicate it. So it's really about showing up as like the leader that you are before anyone else like even said before you say a word. So if you feel like you can. So again, it's about removing. Oh, it's removing that idea, or that that mindset of.
00:57:49.730 --> 00:58:05.659
Taissha LaReau: I have to be formal because I'm a leader or I'm an entrepreneur. No, it's like, how do I want to dress for my everyday lifestyle? And how can I mix and match these speeches so that they're comfortable, and they work with like, and they actually align with who I am, not who I'm like trying to be.
00:58:05.940 --> 00:58:13.600
Rachael Sampson: I love that. Well, that is a great place to end this wonderful conversation, Ty. We may have to come back. We have.
00:58:13.940 --> 00:58:14.909
Taissha LaReau: I know this was.
00:58:14.910 --> 00:58:15.380
Rachael Sampson: That case.
00:58:15.380 --> 00:58:16.560
Taissha LaReau: Yes, this is awesome.
00:58:16.560 --> 00:58:17.390
Rachael Sampson: Amazing.
00:58:17.390 --> 00:58:21.060
Taissha LaReau: The chat. The the fireside chat was on fire.
00:58:21.490 --> 00:58:42.619
Rachael Sampson: Yes, it was, and thank you to everyone for joining today. This is truly the bright spot, and what we love about bringing our keeper women program directly to you. We will send out the information as well as the recording post event. I hope you all take some of this information, share it with others. I know I have a whole list of notes right here.
00:58:42.620 --> 00:58:43.380
Taissha LaReau: Yes.
00:58:43.380 --> 00:58:56.739
Rachael Sampson: Thank you so much. If you have not already joined our program again, please make sure you go to key.com forward slash, join K. For W. Thanks again for having us, everyone being here today, and I hope you have a wonderful rest of your week.
00:58:56.740 --> 00:59:01.719
Taissha LaReau: Yeah, thank you. Cute for women and all the men who joined, too. Thank you. I didn't forget about you.
00:59:01.880 --> 00:59:03.019
Rachael Sampson: Thank you.
00:59:03.410 --> 00:59:04.290
Taissha LaReau: Bye.
The importance of dressing strategically cannot be overstated, especially in today’s fast-paced world. Studies show it takes just seven seconds to make a first impression. Your appearance plays a crucial role in how you are perceived in both professional and social settings.
Key4Women and wardrobe and image consultant Taissha LaReau explore how to transform your dressing experience into a strategic advantage.
Key Takeaways
- Strategically align your wardrobe with your personal brand — so how you show up reflects your goals, influence, and next-level leadership.
- Streamline your daily wardrobe routine to reduce decision fatigue and focus your energy where it matters most.
- Make smart, high-impact style choices — whether you're shopping intentionally or investing in elevated pieces for the long game.
Let's Work Together to Achieve Your Goals
For more Key4Women resources to help you reach your goals, visit key.com/women or email us to learn more.
Key4Women is a registered trademark of KeyCorp.