Episode 33: Finding your Style & Fall Fashion Faves
This week on the podcast we chat about how we developed our personal styles, how to navigate trends, sustainable fashion, and our cold weather basics.
We start off by talking about our fashion “roots” if you will, and year, here’s some pics of Gabby’s “scene”, Myspace stage.🤪
We also spent a good amount of time discussing how to be more conscious of who makes our clothes and the role the garment industry plays in modern day slavery. Not to mention the environmental impact of our clothes buying habits. For both of us, growing older has also meant being more mindful of these issues when we go to buy a new item of clothing. If you want to learn more about the difference between sustainable and ethical clothing, here’s a great blog post outlining why both are important to keep in mind.
Finally, as we transition into the colder months, here are a few of our cold weather basics.
Gabby’s Basics
crew neck, chunky sweater in neutral colours
stripes!
a turtleneck (usually in black!)
trenchcoat
black boots
range of beanies
GOOD SOCKS either from Girlfriend Collective
Mel’s Basics
vest tops (or tank tops for you Americans!)
a fancy, structured jogger from COS
Doc Martin boots
trenchcoat/puffer coat (M&S makes good ones!)
cardigans (like this one from baaba)
socks by Muji
Well that’s all from us this week folks! Hope you enjoyed this episode and we’ll catch you next week!
Gabby + Mel
>>> Click here to read the computer generated transcript (note that the transcript isn't perfect)
Gabby: Welcome to the making an effort podcast, the podcast read to sit on a conversation between two friends, discussing all the things they make an effort with and some of the things that they don't and I'm Gabby I'm met smell. And this week we are talking about fall fashion cold-weather fashion, I should say, as we're coming into the colder months, um, how we've kind of developed our own capsule wardrobes over the year years. And some of the items that we look for when we are shopping for cold weather basics, and we just thought it would be super fun to talk about, especially with kind of autumn creeping up on us and all of that fun stuff. Mel: Yeah. I mean, I would, I'd like to absolutely throw a bit. Caveat in to say that I am not fashionable. Gabby: I will say right now I'm in a flannel checkered, old man robe house row. And you look great. You've like, uh, like lovely long sleeve black top on it's got like a sweetheart neck line and your hair looks great. Yeah, I would take a fashion advice from Mel: you. Well, the main, the time difference definitely makes it a huge impact on how we both show up to this podcast physically. Um, that's for sure. But yeah, I do love as much as I, as I say that I don't feel like I am very fashionable. I am very interested in fashion and I really, um, have, have had a very. I've had a journey with fashion, I would say over the last 10 years, especially, um, which I'm happy to talk about, but also Gabby: tell us what Mel: might be like dead, boring. Gabby: No, this is our podcast. We can talk about whatever we want. I think they just have to listen Mel: statue in place. I promise it gets better. I can't promise that. Oh no. I think it's, I think when we're, I guess. Some context is important when we, when we, for me anyway, when we talk about fashion, because I was a basic bitch, when it came to fashion for all of my life, as in like buying the cheap clothes, buying the whim, you know, on the whim, fast fashion, really, whatever I liked the look of, I would buy it. Um, Absolutely not even a second thought to me. Um, yeah, but then obviously, you know, getting to, uh, I mean, there's all kinds of factors. I think that change your style. Don't you like, you know, your itch and your comfort desires and realizing that you, you know, like maybe your skin tone or your hair color changing and those kinds of things play into some of that stuff. But then there's also, for me, there's been a bit of a. Gabby: Social. Mel: Um, and I guess conscience part two, my, my fashion depth, like changes, I suppose. Um, and so I kind of went from fast fashion, like basic bitch to buy in like, Pretty much only secondhand clothes, like went into like a real, I was a real like FinTech college girl, like, but still buying literally whatever I liked the look of. Um, yeah. And ended up with so many clothes from secondhand shops and eBay and vintage, uh, you know, boutiques and things like that, that didn't necessarily suit me or. I just ended up before reading. This is the same for me as avoiding clothes. If you want to know why and another reason for that you'll have to listen to last week's episode. Um, but, uh, so that then coupled with some more like, really deeper understandings of bite, like ethics around fashion, sustainability around fashion has then shifted. My yeah. Like my, and my body changing and all that kind of stuff. As I shifted to more, what I would say is like really, really kind of neutral basics, very limited palette of thing, I guess. Yeah, no. I, what about you? How's your fashion fashion shifted over the years? I reckon you had any Mo phase. Gabby: Uh, yeah, I had definitely had like a seen phase. So, you know, like on my space and you have like the hair swoop and like maybe like a highlight or two, and you have a dashboard confessionals back of your, you know, whatever. All I did that I did have that phase. Hey, it's one of Mel: my favorite phases. I'm going to have to shoot. I'm going to, there's a picture of, I went through your profile pictures one time on it on Facebook, I think like a few months ago to find something incriminating. And there are some, clinkers your HMO phase. Oh yeah. Let's take those out and put them on our website. Gabby: We can do that. Mel: I'll find, I'll find some of Gabby: my fun phases. Oh, I mean, I still stand by them. I am proud of them. Uh, let's see. I don't know. I guess fashion, my fashion journey for me is not, I wouldn't say I'm one of those people who like, like fashion as part of my hobbies or interests or personality, but, um, comfort has always been king for me when it comes to clothing. Even from like a high school age where you're more interested in just wearing what there is to wear or like what is fashionable among your friends. But for me, comfort has always been like the number one priority and still very much is, uh, I don't see that going away, but I would say, and here, this is actually a topic I wanted to bring up with you. So I would say, as I like am in my thirties now, I feel while I don't think that people should feel any restrictions on what they want to wear based off of age. I think you should be able to express yourself. However, I just kind of also find myself settling into my skin more and my own, as I get to know myself better, I feel like I have a better understanding of what, uh, how I want to be dressed. And a lot of things, there's a lot of items in my clothing. Or at my wardrobe, items of clothing in my wardrobe that are. Similar silhouettes fabrics styles, colors to the point where I feel like I accidentally have created a capsule wardrobe. Cause that is kind of the, the basis of a capsule wardrobe, right? Is that everything can kind of go together. You can interchange, you can style stuff. Um, because they're all kind of rooted in the same family of clothing. And I think that I have accidentally created one, um, And I actually really love that. Um, it has a kind of, there's like a little bit of a, it's like I've kind of created like an adult uniform that I go to. And so when I find, when it comes to adding new clothing to my wardrobe, I find that I'm less curious about trends, not to say that I ignore them entirely. Um, but I'm less like, oh, there's a new trend. I have to get something that I look good in, in this trend. Um, I just kind of, I have a bit of more of a thoughtful approach about that stuff that I used to. Um, I still love a trend though. I really do. I just think. As I'm as much as I'm not like a fashion person, like I am never on the cutting edge of fashion. I do enjoy the spectacle of it. And I enjoy when other people are creative and I enjoy when other people express themselves. And I also love a trend. Even if it's just enjoying it from the outside and not wearing it, um, I'm never going to be one of those people is like, oh, it's just a trend. I'm like, no, it's, it's a new trend. I want to read about it. I want to see influencers in it. I want to, you know, anyway, but yeah, I think the topic of like, I think that fashion in your midlife can start to feel intimidating because we have these like cultural, you know, Structure age, appropriate air quotes, norms that we think we have to abide by. And so finding your footing. In your midlife when it comes to clothing, I think can be kind of a weird transition because clothing isn't being made for our age demographic, unless you are like shopping at specific stores. Um, Mel: you know what I mean? Oh yeah. Like, I mean, I do, I w I, some of you might've caught this on Instagram a couple of weeks ago, but yeah, I went, I went to the shopping center for the first time. A year, like to, rather than just running in, to grab a present for someone or something and run a night. But, um, actually went in because I was with my sister-in-law and she, it led her to shut up and was in all these, I kind of, you know, your, your top shops and you're all of those kind of high street, big, big brand shops. And in one, it was just like this, this top was just like, Uh, neck and arms. Gabby: It's so funny. And I was like the shoulders. It like, it was like two inches of fabric below the shoulders. And you're like, yeah. I'm like, Mel: what do you do with this? Is this, is this an accessory? Or is this close? Do I have to pay full price for this? What, where, where would we be wearing this to? Do you go to your like, To see your grandparents in this, like, what is this piece of clothing? And I find myself more and more looking at some of those kinds of like fast fashion, fast fashion trends and being like, no. Yeah. And also this is a sidebar, but it's worth saying, yeah. Can we just take a minute for the possibly the worst shopping website and all Gabby: of the world? Yes. Zahra. Mel: What are you doing? Stop. Stop. Stop, stop. Trying to be cool. Stop trying to find a new way of showing us the clothes. Just show us the clothes. I don't, I don't need to see what I'm saying, which is next to nothing. I'm just like they have made websites so hard. I haven't, they have satellites. Gabby: They really have, although I will say one thing I kind of maybe appreciate is this too strong of a word, but I have this rule where I'm like, if the model looks terrible in this item of clothing, Which I feel like a lot of times I'm Zahra, they are doing, they are not standing in traditional poses. They are doing weird stuff. Um, and I'm like, if this person they have specifically selected like hand picked out of a lineup to suit this item of clothing still looks terrible. You will look terrible because it's tailored for that person. And if they're not pulling it off, then you will not pull it off. So just keep scrolling. And I feel like I see a lot of that. Ansara where I'm like, Nope. No, no. Mel: I mean somebody, yes. Is where in that, but no. Yes. Like, um, yeah, that's why I don't buy clothes from there. Cause I'm like, I don't even know which, which part of this is coming to me in the post, like which, which aspect of this picture I see is actually the thing. Um, it's just so it's so distracting. I just wish somebody. Like I, yeah. I don't know what they're trying to do, but it's not working for them. I mean, it probably is because people are still buying their clothes, but still, yeah. Um, but I agree. I think having, I think you, yeah, you settle into your skin a bit more. You get to know what you'd like. I definitely feel like I know what I like much more. I do a more thorough surprise, surprise, um, investigation of needs before I buy things now. And. You know, is this going to work with what I've got? Is this like, is this, am I absolutely going to wear this? Or do I just like how this looks and yeah, the vibe that it is. Um, and those are big questions for me because that, that like enter fashion fast fashion girl is still, she's still in Gabby: there. Yeah. Well, we all grew up on it, gone on like fast fashion. And so I think, you know, best will in the world. We have shopping patterns and habits that like we literally grew up on. And I don't know. Yeah. I mean, I can't do any preaching about like staying away from fast fashion. And even though I really, you know, definitely, um, think it's so important to be thoughtful. And I think that's kinda what I try to do is like I still, I still end up buying fast fashion, but I think what I, my thoughtfulness. In the form of trying to not buy so much of it. Like I think, whereas before I would've been, like, I'm getting five colors in this and who knows if I were all aware of them and I'll just pick up this cause I'm bored, I'm going I'm out. And I feel like my thoughtfulness, when it comes to consuming fast fashion has been more like, is this something that I am going to wear? You know, for more than two times, well, you know, does this fit in with the rest of my wardrobe? Does it, you know, like just being, like you said, being more conscientious in general, um, as opposed to. Like I used to just buy stuff cause I was bored and then never wear it sometimes because I just, I don't know. Yeah. Mel: Anyway, and I think the cm, like, even if you do that, whether it's fast fashion or hand fashion, I think that's still, that's still a problem. It's still a problem. You know, like the idea is that the idea of sustainability. These items can be sustained and worn and loved. And you know, like I have tops that I bought from, well, the shop that we have called pre-mark or often known as prime mark or panties, but basically it's, it's like the, the Mecca of fast fashion. I have tops that I bought from. You know, 15 years ago that I still wear. And so for me, while their ethical practices are absolutely not up to scratch. Yeah. I'm still wearing those clothes. So there's some, there's some element of. Sustainability that I'm practicing as the consumer, rather than them, you know, so that, you know, there's, there's all these different, like multifaceted aspects to that conversation. But I think one of the big shifts for me was when I was working in, you know, modern slavery and, um, Yeah. In, in the, uh, looking at supply chains of modern slavery around the world, like fashion is like one of the biggest contributors to modern slavery. Um, especially in like those kind of the bigger industrial countries where they have, you know, huge amounts of low-paid workforce, like China and India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, um, um, I, I went to like a conference in Brazil for activists that were working on this stuff. And they presented to us there some research on the fashion industry that just absolutely changed everything for me. You know, I think when you hear the stories of women who you're essentially be in their families are so poor that they're being. Tricked into these contracts at the age of like 13, um, to go and work in these factories. And there, their families are promised these like lump sum payments to have their girls go and work in these factories. And then they're, you know, they're, they're just traded terribly. Uh, sustained all kinds of injuries and abuse and trauma and everything from working in all aspects. Because I think often what we think about, we think about supply chain, um, and like ethical clothing and manufacturing is, you know, the garment workers who, so the clothes my way, but actually. Uh, this research just laid out the entire supply chain from the people here, picking the cotton, right from how the cotton is produced from, you know, in the conditions of the farms to all the way to that, like spinning and waving and dying. Processes that go, that we just don't think about when it comes to those that we w where the, that like the tall, this lovely black top I'm wearing has been touched by, you know, like dozens of women in factories around the world before it has gotten to me. Um, and so that, that really opened my eyes a lot to. So, how are this, how this stuff works so much so that you just, you can't hear that stuff and then not have it impact how you consume. So that really shifted things for sure. That was, you know, that, that moved me into, by and much less and being really, really considerate of every purchase. Um, Yeah. Yeah. So, which just actually is hard. It's hard sometimes because, and I know that a lot of people will throw this out as a, as a bit of an objection around the cost of like fully produced clothing. And, um, and then what happens is the industry sees this real gap in the market for people that want to buy ethically, but want it to be cheaper. Produce this like greenwashed message of as this, our conscious range, you know, and I guess you have to ask, well, if you have a conscious range, is everything else like unconscious? Gabby: Yeah. Oh totally. I don't get it. Mel: So, um, I know, and I know that that's a very simplistic overview of the economics behind fashion companies and what it takes to produce something in a really ethical way. But, um, But as far as considering it Gabby: definitely is. And I think, I mean, not that young people can't care about this stuff because I know tons of young people who really do and advocate for like, better about practices and this. But I do think a lot of us kind of have these realizations later. And our adulthood and where we kind of, where we maybe have never thought about it before. And so it becomes part of our like adults fashion practice. I know that I never thought about it in my twenties, um, or teens. And so I think that it's something that it has like slowly, very slowly in my case, had like, uh, impact on how I consume fashion and my clothing choices. But, um, Yeah, I just think it's so I think aging and how we dress is such a fascinating time. 'cause I, I do think that we, you know, have these stereotypes of like what we're allowed to wear, um, as we get older, which are just social contracts, con constructs, really. But I think also a lot of it is like, so I hear I'm going to share a rule that I have for myself. I don't actually impose this on other people that some people might find an objection. But, you know, I'll just come in with my hot tea. I'll come with my hot take. I have a rule for myself that is if you are living a fashion trend for the second time through like you were there for its first iteration, and now it's come back into popularity and you're also here for its second iteration. Proceed with caution. It might not be your mantle to carry. This might not be your time. You might've already had your time and that's okay. You might not have, and that's okay too. There's no judgment, but as I say, proceed with caution, like. I Mel: might be like, I couldn't do the double denim in the eighties yet, but here I am and Gabby: I'm going to rock it exactly. Like you get to do, you get to make that choice for yourself. However, caution proceed with caution and you know, like there's some trends that come out, like I've come back out and I'm like, oh, I'm so glad that this is actually back out because it was such a staple of my younger fashion and I've just been waiting for it. So like for example, Like, um, baggier. Bottoms. So jeans, like I was so into the, like I had the, um, the Dickies, which I'm not, I don't, those aren't fully back. Like I loved stickies and I was so sad when everyone made the switch to skinny jeans and I still begrudgingly made the switch to skinny jeans, but I am so stoked that it's back. I am not wearing Dickies again. I will say I ha I don't have a pair of cargo pants, but what I am kind of doing, and this is what I, this is kind of some of the guidelines that I use for what for adopting trends is like, okay, I'm not adopting the specific trend, but I am allowing myself to play within the realms of it. So like, I go, I'm going to. The S like the wider silhouettes, the, you know, the more baggy approach, um, pairing it with like, maybe like a more fitted top, like stuff like that, like going for the general vibe of a trend as opposed to the specific trend. If that makes sense. Yes. Mel: I think that's, that's absolutely a grit. I agree. At real. Yeah, that's a great guideline for you. Like, and I would definitely, I feel like I can see how that applies to me too. I definitely would say that that's. But that's a Gabby: cautious, cautious approach, but I'm not, I'm not flashy with my fashion either. So I'm like, you know, I'm not trying to change the world with how I dress I'm, but I do want to be comfortable and I do want to feel good. And I want to express myself through my clothing, which I think we all kind of do. Mel: Absolutely. So like, what are some of the things as, as the colder months go in, what are you kind of. Automatically grabbing from your own wardrobe or what are you like, what kind of things do you feel like are the essentials that you maybe need to like, you know, get a new version of every few years to make sure that you have it for the colder, the colder months? Gabby: I don't know if I, this is like, get a new version of like, so I do have my, my cold weather staples. Um, I like to have, uh, Some like crew neck chunky will sweaters in a couple of different colors, like, so that if I so like a lighter color, like either cream or light gray or, you know, something like that. So that I compare that with like a darker bottom or vice versa. If I've got like lighter pants, do a date darker top. And I mean, obviously you can like. Do a monochrome look too, which I love. Um, I love to have, um, stripes are a big part of my wardrobe. I'm still not over stripes. Like I, I still don't the classic. Mel: That's why I get over a Stripe. They transcend any trend and season. Gabby: I have to say that. I agree. Um, with that, I like to have one turtleneck at all times. I don't think I've ever, I have not. Gone a year of my adult life, fashion life without one turtleneck, just as a basic, just as a backup. Um, for those cold weather days, I think that, uh, trench coat is a w uh, cold weather staple for me. Yep. Some kind of a trench. You can dress it up, you can dress it down. You can throw it over pajamas and go out and run errands and feel super classy. You can wear it on a date night. You know, it's, it's a really it's waterproof. Um, I think having a couple for me, I have two types of, uh, black boots. I've got like a finer heel and like finer towed, black boot that kind of, I wear a more dressy occasions and then more of like a chunky one that I can, you know, throw on day to day. Um, I'm trying to think if there's anything cold, like more cold weather specific. I like to have a range of beanies in the summertime. I have like a range of, uh, baseball caps that I wear for rock. Mel: Thank you. I know Gabby: this. Thank you. It's a, it's a recent, um, I've recently given myself permission to wear a baseball cap. I haven't really quite gotten on, on top, on the bucket hat training. I'm not Mel: there. That might be one to pass over. I did Gabby: buy one. That was like an, I do have it. I just, it came out in the, came in the mail. It's like puffy. So it's not like the F like, I'll show it to you. It's a little quick quilted. It's kind of quilted. So for me, I'm like, that feels more like, and it's block so that I can, I already know how I'm going to wear it. I already know how I'm going to style it, but I had never, I don't have any other bucket hats. Other than that, um, But yeah, just like a few beanies. Like I like to have like a range of beanies, um, different colors. And I like, for, for me, beanies are kind of like a, like a splurgy collectors item. Like I don't like to buy, I mean, like no shade at all. This is just my personal preference, but like, I don't like to buy like a target or a, you know, a Tesco beanie. I like to like. Kind of like be a bit bougie and spend more and like kind of do some of the slower fashion alternatives with a beanie and like, just really like. I don't know, collect them. Cause they're there. They usually are a little bit of a lower price point, even within the slower fashion. Yeah. Side of things. But they do last and they hold their shape better and they sustain washes and it kind of keeps and because I've spent more on them, I tend to be a little bit more like careful about not losing them. Or I feel like a beanie is something. You know, just kind of gets lost in the wash, falls down the back of the car seat, you know, that kind of a thing. Yeah. So I tend to be a little bougie about my beanies. Um, and I'm bougie about my socks. I love girlfriend. The brand girlfriend is a sustainable brand and I am obsessed with their socks. I think I have over the last two years, I think I've collected. Like 10 of their socks in different colors. Um, some I wear more than others, but yeah, they're so comfortable. Mel: I mean, having 10 pairs of socks is not extravagant. Gabby: No, no, no, no, it's definitely not, but I don't think I've ever had, like, this is like such an adult thing to like, be like, I have a son, the one son that I'm like obsessed with, and this is my thought, Mel: but this is the thing. And this is, I also started a big conversation about this on Instagram last year that I feel like, like most women I know, end up going to their husbands sock shore to get socks that actually stay on their fate because women's socks are terrible shit. Gabby: Yeah. They back Mel: out. Yeah, they buy goat. They slipped down into your boat. And is there a thing worse than walking along and having to try and dig down to your boat to pull your sock up only for it to do the same thing? A couple of blocks later? No, there is not, um, And I feel like I did like a very extensive research and testing on all the socks and the ones that I have landed on. Are these beautiful. They're not, they're not super expensive, but they're beautiful. Like strong cotton socks from Mogi. Yeah. You know, the Japanese. Uh, it's basically there are known for the stationary. Oh, really? Okay. Yeah, but their socks are chefs, guests, so good. Gabby: I will be looking at them. Mel: So yeah, I really. I really agree though, that a solid self is important. Um, the thing about the socks that you have though, is there like sports, Gabby: they're a little chunkier, so I, that, but that's part of, and this is just a personal preference thing. It's part of the appeal. They almost have like a compression saw. Like gentle compression to them, which is why I like them because they really snug your feet. Um, but they're not fully compression socks, but they, they are a little bit thicker material. So if you're looking for like a really thin. You know, barely there kind of a thing. That's not it, it's not it, but it's just what I prefer. Um, what about you, my friend? What are some of your staples? Mel: Hmm. Yeah. I mean, you you've given a lot there. I absolutely like love Avast top or you guys call it tank top. So I know that doesn't sound like a traditional. Colder weather thing, but I, I think that having a solid, like, really getting in a couple of nice vest tops for underneath your chunky sweaters or underneath the car to get. Is a really good investment. I've had like Marino wool ones that are really nice and I'm just like, or like really soft cotton ones. Cause I wear, I wear a vest tops, like pretty much every single day of the whole year, so I will always invest in a good desktop. Um, my, my, my mum, um, I'm I usually tend to be like a. I have gotten into really loving, like a, like a fancy Gabby: jogger. Yes. Amen to Mel: that. Right. So not, not your like sweat pant type, but like a structured, joking bottom. Yep. Um, which is just the best of all the worlds. In my opinion, I got a pair from cause eh, in the, oh, in the spring. Um, just like a black pair that are a little cropped, but their jogger problems kind of wider leg mom, maybe more like balloony I don't know. Anyway, I have worn them probably 85% of this whole sober I thought was what I wore. It was those men. So I'm absolutely going to try and bring those in to the, the colder months by putting boots with them. Yeah. Um, I love a joker and boots. Um, like a structured Jovan boots. Um, good boots again, similar. Like I have, um, like DM Chelsea boots that I have had for like four years. Um, They go with everything. Cause they're like fit fitted enough that you could wear them with a dress and like kind of chunky enough that you can wear them, you know, with jeans or whatever. Uh, and I also, yeah, I just, I really love like a solid, good quality black boat. And Dr. Martin is hard to bait. I mean, yeah. Hmm. Um, and then again, I'm, um, I love a good trench coat, but I also love a good puffer coat. So, um, something that kinda, isn't a classic color, obviously just, I, I also. I think I've realized that I love the look of a chunky jumper. Right. But I got big boobs and a chunky jumper on me just makes me look like a marshmallow. I can't do it. So I am actually, I would go usually for more, a more chunky knit cardigan, you are the queen of a Gabby: cardigan. You have seen. I love it. Mel: I love it. So I get a chunky cardigan, but with like a S like a slimmer silhouette underneath, whether that's like a long sleeve top with like a scoop neck or scoop neck fast under, underneath, and then if I'm going to get jumper, it'll usually be a thinner net jumper, because I think for me, With big boobs, like a thicker fabric just makes it worse. It just as an adjust, it just makes me look big and we can unpack all of my conditioning around why that, why I think that and why I, um, associate. Feeling big with being, but I mean, we could absolutely spend an episode on that, but I feel more comfortable in a center net with a vast alternative. I was Gabby: going to say what I was, what I was, uh, accidentally interrupting you to say was that I think you have one of the most gorgeous cardigan collections of anyone. I know, like you have such a good range. Lovely cardigans. And I always think you pull them off. So, so beautifully. Mel: Well, thanks. I actually, I do love a cardigan. My, my favorite card again is, was a huge splurge that I made last year. Um, and I, when I tell you that I L I look at an item of clothing for years. I mean, this I'm not mass in a boat. So I had been looking at the Baba. Cardigans. Um, the Spanish will brand for like two, three years. And I saved up all my birthday money last year and I bought myself Ababa, cardigan, and I have worn it so much. I have never washed it. So I'm afraid to, and also you really shouldn't wash your wills. Um, And I love it so much. And I that's been one of the things that I've tried to be tried to do is like, for like Christmases or birthdays is save all my money for like one, like a really beautiful pace. Like, you know, like, uh, like last year. So two years ago it was about black art. Again, this year, it was a really beautiful pair of boots that are like, Hmm. Like a hiking boot style. Yeah. But, um, that I just absolutely loved, Gabby: so yeah. Yeah, I, it's a, it's a gorgeous cardigan. I love cardigans. And I do have two of them in my kind of winter capsule, but I wouldn't say it's like my go-to I and yeah, sweat pants all year sweats, sweat, top and bottom all year round RMS for me, here's the thing. I love the idea of like looking at something for. A year or two or three, you know, however long you need to. But like, that's something that, again, when it comes to like undoing my fast fashion conditioning, and also my love of trends, that's something that I fought. I really forced myself to do. So like, I try not to be like, I try not to jump on a trend as soon as it comes out, but if I still like it and it's still around in like a year or two, and I still am curious about it, I will allow myself to buy like, so I have a very specific example in mind, and this has happened a few times, but. Currently, like the P like the, you know, the Peter pan color, like the big, roughly cottage core callers that are happening right now. So this started cropping up a year or two ago. And I remember the first time being like, Nope, that's not for me. Um, Um, but also being curious about it for like the last year and a half. And I finally finally bought a shirt this year, so it's probably two years into the trend and I really enjoy, I really like it gorgeous. So Mel: I love that big color. And we were on a face time, a couple of nights ago with some friends and Gabby was rocking. Uh, Peter pond color and we were all just like little cheering, Gabby: the color. I'll just say, Mel: can we take a moment for the color, which is what good friends today. It really Gabby: is really. Um, but yeah, I don't know. I think taking a year or two to really like mull over something, then you just know you want it to, and you have like a plan of action awareness. Yes. You're like I've and you've already like styled it in your brain. Like, you're like, it's going to go with these pants or these shoes. And I think that is just like a much more thoughtful approach to building your word. Mel: Yeah. I mean this isn't life or death, these situations, but it's also just worth, I think, taking time to, I don't know. I just think that's a really in general, a good approach is to consider things. And I know that. I know when I have impulse bought something. It's always in the back of my mind that I am, I am really not going to wear this as much as I think I am because it's taken me a lot of like inner. Resisting my own resistance to, to follow through on this, this thing. Gabby: Yeah, absolutely. Well, if you have, uh, items that you think that we should be aware of to include in our own capsule wardrobes for the winter, please let us know. Um, and I think that's everything well, well maybe this is, yeah, Mel: go ahead. Oh, sorry. I was going to say, um, one of the things. I thought we could do our little, uh, light actually for, um, an episode that we want to include you guys. And, you know, we like to do these episodes and they have been, they have been a bit kind of intense in the past, um, with people having to, yeah. Not having to, but been super willing and generous to share a lot of their stories about pers big personal things with us. And we never take that for granted, but we thought it would be fun as it's coming up to spooky season or getting into October, we thought it would be fun to cure it. Some of your. Spookiest stories or like weird like paranormal ghosty type thing, Gabby: right? Yeah. Like if you have, if you have a cousin who swears, they saw a ghost and blah, blah, blah, like we want to hear about it, it's just Mel: absolutely want to hear about it. And we want to hear your voice so you can send us an email at hello at Michiana effort, podcast.com. Or send us a voice note to hello at making an effort, podcast.com and how to record a voice note and all the directions on how to do that is on our website, on the contact page, making an effort podcast.com. So send us your spooky stories and we're going to put out a really fun Halloween episode and include you in it. Yep. Gabby: All right. Mel: Okay everybody. See you soon. Thanks. Bye. Bye.
