The Debrief: Five Pieces I Can’t Live Without, Beauty Favorites, and More

0:02Hi, everyone. Welcome back to another episode of Let's Get Dressed. It's your host, Liz. It's a nice happy end of the month. Ask me anything episode. Don't know where this month went. It absolutely flew by. I can't believe it's already the week of Halloween. I hope you guys have some fun costumes and things planned for the week ahead. I do not remember the last time I went to a real Halloween party where I actually put the effort in to dress up. I think I went to a Halloween party last year and was a bunny and wore all white with things that I already had in my closet. it. Usually I will take my nieces and nephew out trick or treating in the neighborhood.

0:37For them, I was a dinosaur last year. I wore a full dinosaur outfit. It was really soft and it was fun. And that's the extent of my Halloween dressing up. I still don't have a costume for this week. So I'll keep you guys posted on that. Let's see what we've done this year. But anyways, I hope you guys have some fun plans for the week ahead. As always, at the end of every month, I host an Ask Me anything episode. I let you guys submit questions via sub stack and Instagram, and you guys can ask me anything that's on your mind from career advice, fashion trends, tips, beauty things, and so much more.

1:11So I'm very excited to be diving into a few today that I thought were fun to answer and helpful for everyone. Let's dive into the first one, which I loved. And I've always been very open about sharing about, and that is what beauty treatments have you done? So I actually haven't really done anything crazy. I do Botox every four to six months. And there are two places in LA that I love. I go to Facile on my most place. And I also love Melissa at Skin Thesis. They both have done my Botox, which I love and live by and thank God for Botox. A few years ago, I think in 2019 and 2020, I did fill my lips a little bit, but didn't really love it.

1:50So I I haven't done it since. I also feel like the filler really stayed in my lips. So I haven't done it in five years and I don't plan to anytime soon. I will say like sometimes I can see that my top lip is bigger than my bottom lip and sometimes that bothers me. So I debate sometimes about putting a little bit in the bottom lip again. But to be honest, I have a really low pain tolerance and I am bad with needles. Like I'm the person that needs to lay down when I get my blood drawn and look the other way and like call my mom. So just that tiny drop in my bottom lip is just not worth the insane cortisol spike that happens to me when I do lip filler.

2:31So just Botox for now and loving that. I recently just put some in the corner of my eyebrows, which I really liked. I felt like it gave my eyebrows a little bit of a lift. So that's good enough for me. And then in terms of skincare, I did do a PRX peel right before my wedding. I did three in a row over the course of like six or seven months. And I absolutely loved that peel. There's no downtime. So like you don't leave bright red and flaky. Like I left like maybe a little bit pink, but nothing too crazy. And you don't fully peel. You just flake a little bit, but it really tightened my skin. Like I feel like after I did it, my under eyes were super tight and I barely had any.

3:12So I love that it's a no downtime peel, really brightens and smooths your skin. And honestly, that like flaky recovery period feels good. It feels like you're like getting rid of dead skin. I always say with all of this, do your research. I'm not a doctor. This is what has worked best for me. My best advice is to find someone with a light hand who will respect your wishes. I think it's also really important to find somebody who doesn't chase trends and really just enhances what you already have and makes you look your best self. For the PRX peel, they do do it at Facile. And then I went to Vanessa Hernandez in Brentwood in Los Angeles.

3:48And I thought that that was great. They also give great facials. So if you're looking for a new facialist in LA, I highly recommend all of those places. The next question is a fun one because I've been kind of deep in this myself. And someone asked, how do you design your dream closet? I'm moving into a new home and working on my closet. And I can't decide how to position everything and if I should do doors or not. I love this question because I feel like I am. Obviously, my closet is my safe space. I also have my desk in there and work out of that space all the time. For starters, something I've learned with any space is that you really have to live in it for a little while to know how you're going to use it.

4:25I feel like I was that person for a really long time who would move into new apartments, especially when I was living in New York and moving around a lot. I would want to furnish it right away and be done with it and just be ready to live in it. And I noticed that I would make so many wrong choices in that pursuit because I wouldn't really know what I needed out of the space and how I would move in it on a day-to-day basis. And I wasted so much money getting things that just didn't work. So I will say, take your time with it. Don't try to get it all done at once. But I think the bottom line when you're designing a closet space is how are you going to use that space and get to the clothes that you need to get to on a day-to-day basis?

5:06I feel like a lot of the closets that I see these days feel like stores where like the heels are front and center and it's beautiful and it feels super elegant and elevated. But at the end of the day, that's not really what you're going to reach for on a day-to-day basis and help you get ready for all the things that you have. So think about your daily rhythm, go through your closet, and I would prioritize what you reach for the most to be front and center. So my main cabinet in my closet has my tops, all of my undergarments, my workout clothes and t-shirts. And I'm in that space all day, every day.

5:41Like that is the first thing I open when I wake up in the morning, because those are my everyday core pieces. And then my jeans and pants are right to the right of it. So it's really easy to reach for on a daily basis. At the end of the day, if you can't see something, you will not reach for it. I learned that when I did my closet clean out. if it's not in front of you, it's going to be out of sight, out of mind. Doors are a personal choice. I did doors on my closets because again, I shoot content in this room and I didn't want my clothes like exploding out of the cabinets in every video. And even though I'm quite organized, I could definitely trust myself to keep it organized.

6:17I just wanted something that felt a little bit more streamlined. I think if you have a very big closet, we're talking like a giant room. The priority should be being able to see what's in your closet. So if you're going to have doors, they should be doors with glass so you can see what is there. Obviously, you know, your closet, if it's really, really big, you're not going to memorize where everything is. You want to be able to see things. Personally, I also like it because I'm terrified of moths. So I like that my clothes are behind doors and they're protected there and everything is like, you know, and no lights going to hit anything.

6:51That's another big thing to really pay attention to. When I was living in New York, I had a room with a garment rack where all of my jackets were. And that garment rack was up against the window. And when I moved out of that apartment, I realized that one side of a lot of my jackets that were hanging on that rack were slightly faded because the sun was hitting it at all times. So be very careful with where light hits in your closet. While we're talking about lighting, natural light, great. But even those like soft LED strips that you can get from Amazon make a huge difference and really can make your closet feel super luxurious.

7:27They're totally inexpensive too. They're just little light strips that you can turn on and off and stick to different cabinets. And I feel really give that like elevated glamorous feel while you're getting ready. You really want this to feel like an inspiring space and not a storage room. So I think it's important to go through every single one of these details so that that space like feels like your own. It's a small fix that I think is going to make the world of a difference. And those are the things that I think are going to maximize your closet. And if you are following me on Instagram and you saw me swatching all the colors from my closet, I think you're going to be surprised because I picked a color that no one told me to pick.

8:03So let's see. I can't wait to show you guys and I can't wait to paint it. I'm painting it this week, actually. Next one from Melanie on Substack. She asked me, how do you structure your day? I'm currently trying to balance a full-time job, a 13-month-old. Congratulations. And I'm getting started on content creation. What tips do you have around managing your time for content creation specifically? This is a great question because something that I think is very challenging as a creator and a creative is that you are the only person that can set those guidelines for yourself. It's not like you're working for a person and they're telling you, you have to get this up by this date.

8:42So it really is up to you to hold yourself accountable, to create that content and get it live. Something I like to do is schedule out these days where I batch a lot of content and share it throughout the month. So for example, my team will meet at my house on Tuesdays. We'll shoot content from like 10 AM to 4 PM. And then that will get scheduled out that same day. We'll draft everything, save it as a draft so that it's there ready to go. And I don't have to worry about creating content for the rest of the week. And I think if you're balancing a full-time job and you have an infant, it's such a good way to manage your time because then you have this like dedicated time to be on and create the content.

9:23And then you can focus on all the other things in your life. I use a content calendar to hold me accountable to days and just to give myself a kind of 360 view of what I'm sharing on a monthly basis. I use a Google Excel sheet. There's a new tab for every month. And after I do a content day, I will schedule out every post when it's supposed to go live with the caption and all of that. So I don't have to do it at a later time and it's just ready to go. I also will say something that's been very helpful for me as an entrepreneur working on my own is scheduling meetings with myself. It's a recurring event the same way it would be a recurring event.

9:57If you were working in an office with one of your peers. I have podcast brainstorm, content creation, sub-stack review, analytics review. I have all of these very specific meetings with myself that are in my calendar, so I can't move them around. That is the time that I've set for myself to meet one-on-one to tackle that task. And that has been really helpful for me to build structure into my day and know what I need to do on a daily basis to keep the wheel spinning. So I highly recommend that. I'm one of those people, though, that has everything in my calendar, like lunch, shower, travel, drive.

10:33Like I have all of that scheduled. I just like knowing where I need to be and when. So it's been very valuable for me to schedule my days like that. Let's answer another question from Substack from Caroline. Can someone demystify how to make tennis shoes and boots and flats work with jeans? Where do they need to break to look right? because I'm pretty sure I get this wrong and they hit right at the top of my shoe. And I also just cannot with heels much or dragging pants. I love this. Okay. So where your pants hit with shoes is absolutely crucial and can change the entire outfit. I definitely empathize with your emotion in this text because there are so many times where I'm wearing jeans with a pair of sneakers and it just doesn't feel right.

11:18Like I lose all my proportions. I look like a potato sack. And so there's one very easy trick that I use to make sure that I always like elongated when I'm wearing flat shoes, especially as someone who's five, four, wear a cropped jean. They should hit right at your ankle because it shows a little bit of skin and helps elongate that leg, especially with a flat shoe. I think that that break in the jean and the shoe makes all the difference. And I'd especially focus on a straight or like a slightly tapered leg. I wouldn't go for a wide leg style or anything like that. You definitely want this to feel like a singular line going from your jeans to your shoes to make this look work.

12:02I have a pair that I love. They're from a Nina Bing. They're called the Gavin Jean. They're like a high-waisted true blue and they crop right at the ankle. And I really love the way that they look with my flats because I feel like I'm not drowning and there's no break at my shoe. So that's my tip. Make sure a little bit of skin showing. And that also goes for a loafer. If you're adding in a sock, I think that space to show the sock is what makes the look feel styles and intentional and not like everything's just oversized and blending together. You want everything to have their moment. What are five wardrobe pieces you can't live without?

12:35Ooh, okay. I'm going to do these off the top of my head. First, let's admit a great pair of jeans. There's like no better feeling than when you find that jean that is like, so you and you end up wearing it every day and it suddenly like makes your wardrobe go together 10 times better. Mine for sure is that Gavin Jean I was just telling you about from Anita Bing. I also love the Reformation Val Jean. They're just like this like oversized vintage Levi feel that I love. And my jeans have to be comfortable. Like I do not love a stiff jean where I feel like I can't breathe, especially a high waist.

13:07Like it needs to be something that I can live in all the time. And so I look for those like softer fabrics that kind of move with your body. So I think for sure a jean. And then this might be a crazy number too, but I would say belts. I get a lot of my belts from Orium Collective. And I just noticed that they're that thing that I've been reaching for on a daily basis now to like make an outfit feel like me. Like I can be in jeans and a tee or like a great pair of tailored pants and a sweater, but the belt is like what's going to tie the outfit together for me and make it feel personal and intentional.

13:40So I love a good belt. Even recently, I've just been wearing them so much. I'm like, what was I doing before? Like, how did I make this feel tailored and put together before? I think belts, while yes, they are also a great accessory to amp up a look, they add so much silhouette and shape to an outfit. So I would say belts is my number two. I love mine and I feel like my collection has been growing very nicely these days. Number three, probably my pointed toe flats. flats I have a pair from Laura Piana that I love and I also love the Aiede pointed toe flats a e y d e I think is how it's spelled but these are the shoes that I reach for like every single day like if I don't if I'm not wearing a heel I'm not wearing a sneaker I'm not wearing a sandal like my pointed toe flat is what gets me through every single season and it's my most worn shoe in my closet I always say go for a pointed toe because it again elongates your body and it elongates the shape.

14:39I love like a Chanel ballet flat, but I find that my looks feel more elegant and sophisticated with a pointed toe. A lot of my shoes in my closet are pointed toe heels and flats because I just feel that they look the best on me. So I would say that as number three, number four, I would just say a great tee. Obviously, of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't say that. I get all of my white tees from shop RLT. They're so buttery soft. And then honestly, I've been living in a lot of theory cashmere tees these days because I just feel like a cashmere tea ups the ante on an outfit a little bit. If you're just wearing jeans and you're like really casual, just throw on a cashmere long sleeve or a cashmere tee and it will add this great texture and flow to your look.

15:25So a great little arsenal of like teas and tanks. And then last, I feel like usual me would say an amazing blazer. And yes, we all need a good blazer. Like it'll, it'll take you everywhere, but I'm just trying to think of like, what has, what really like carries me day to day. And I think it's those like everyday lounge pieces. Like we all need a great workout set and a great pajama set in our wardrobe all the time. Like my everyday life is obviously dressed up for my job, but like on a day to day when I'm home and doing work, like those are the pieces that I really live in. I love set active.

16:01I wear a lot of their workout clothes. It's soft and stretchy. And so I wear a lot of set active workout clothes. And then for pajamas, I live in the negative underwear whipped collection. That stuff is crazy. I don't know how she makes it, but it is the softest thing I've ever felt. Like truly it's the softest thing I've ever felt. I actually just bought three more sets because I, I just want to sleep in them every night. like they are so, so, so good. And I usually wear a tank to sleep because I like to do my skincare, like down to my neck. So I like to have my neck open and she has every style, every shape for whatever you want.

16:39So I highly recommend those. And yeah, that would be my five, maybe not expected, but definitely what I've just can't live without. Like I would say I can't live without a great jacket, like a great, you know, everyday piece. But I still think that those things that you're reaching for every day, like your cozies are pretty important. Next, what's on my autumn wish list? Ooh, I've been on the hunt for a really good brown everyday bag. And I think the row Peggy bag is the top of my list right now. It kind of looks like the Margo that went viral. And I feel like everybody has now, but it's like a small version of it.

17:18So it's a shoulder bag, but then the straps kind of fold in and it can be a clutch. I love and live for a two-in-one bag. Like I love when I invest in something that has multi-use and I could wear it at night, but then I can also wear it during the day. And the Peggy is great for that. So that's on my wishlist. I love browns for fall, obviously. So I'm always looking for pieces that can carry me through the season. And the other thing I'm looking for that's on my list right now are thin sweaters. Like I feel like we all love like a good chunky knit. It's a statement piece. It's something you can just throw them with jeans and loafers and call it a day.

17:55But I've really been on the hunt for these like thin sweaters that you can wear under a jacket and not be too hot and not have it be so chunky under the sweater. I have seen Morgan Stewart post a lot of her wrangley sweaters and they feel like that perfect thickness to be able to be layered over. guests in residence has a few good ones as well. And then also, as I mentioned earlier, Theory has a lot of great layering knits. So that's been on my mind lately and things that I feel like are great investments to carry you through the fall season. Okay. Last question, what to wear on a plane. It's funny because I also saw a question come through a little while ago that I haven't been able to answer, but someone was asking me what I wear to walk my dog.

18:39And I actually feel like there's a lot of crossover here. So I'll answer this in like a two-in-one special for you guys. I think that for these moments where you need to be comfortable, but like have a lot of utility in what you're wearing, there are two pieces that I love and wear all the time. One of them, and I obviously you could wear this to walk your dog in the cooler months, but I am a trench coat girl all the way. Like I love the fact that I could be wearing pajamas, which I usually do wear to walk my dog. If I'm just being totally transparent, I love that I could put a trench coat over that and no one would know that I'm wearing pajamas.

19:12It's just that easy, tailored, you know, bait and switch situation where like it looks like I'm dressed up, but I'm not at all actually. And they're still really comfortable. I also love that they're a thin layer that I could put in my duffel bag or put in my suitcase when I get to a place, if I'm going to a place that's warm. But I have talked in the past how like last two summers ago, my mom and I went to Paris and I ended up wearing the trench with like a mini dress out to dinner one night and needed it because it was chilly. So I just think having a trench with you everywhere you go is such a great solution and is really nice to travel in.

19:47Again, you look great, but also the pockets are nice. You could throw in your passport and just have everything be really close and protected. And then I really love a cozy set. Enza Costa makes so many good ones. I love their twill. I think they're called the everyday pant. I wear those all the time. They're a great travel pant, but also a great walking the dog pant. They're light. They've got pockets. and I just feel like so perfect and easy. And I get it with like a matching tank or a matching tea and feel really nice and put together. For walking my dog, I will also say, I usually am in a hoodie just because like I like having the front pocket and the Aritzia TNA hoodie is my go-to.

20:22I just bought it in three colors and I wear it all the time in the fall and the winter. It's just such a great classic hoodie. The navy one is my favorite. It looks like so chic with anything that you wear. So those are a few of my on-the-go favorites, whether you're walking your dog or getting on the plane. I love these little catch-ups with you guys. It feels like chatting with a friend. It feels like a little FaceTime. So I hope that they were helpful. As always, I do these at the end of every month and I will always leave the question boxes available for you guys on my Instagram and on my sub stack.

20:53If you miss them, feel free to DM me. I'm always in the DMs responding to you guys. So know that they will always be seen. I hope you guys took away a little bit of inspiration from today's episode. Maybe it's for your closet, your routine, or your wardrobe. and I always love to know what you guys think. So please leave a review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. And lastly, if you're not subscribed to my sub stack yet, as my listeners of the pod, you guys get 20 % off of a year's subscription. So go check that out. It's in the description of this episode too. Have a great week, guys. We all have a very fun Halloween and I'll see you back next week.

21:35Thank you.