E112: Style as Self Care: the Comfy-Chic Formula

E112: Style as Self Care: the Comfy-Chic Formula with Sarah Peel

Meet Sarah Peel of Citizenne Style & Home, as she teaches us how to shop our closets, take better care of our clothes, and create self care practices through style in her holistic lifestyle guide: Citizenne At Home…

[00:26] Valerie LaVigne: You're listening to the women's empowerment podcast, and today I have a very special guest, Sarah Peel on the show. Sarah is a teacher, sustainable fashion educator stylist and advocate for healthy and creative living from 2009 to 2018, she worked with fashion takes action doing whatever needed to get done to run a small but nimble social enterprise, connecting sustainability, human rights, and the fashion industry. Her main joy was creating curriculum, teaching and managing a team of workshop leaders who delivered the my close my world program to over 9000 grade four to 12 students in the Greater Toronto Area. During that time she took a personal interest in learning, studying skills that could help other women bridge the gap between creative self expression, and the perceived notion that a sustainable wardrobe could not be stylish. In 2017 she co founded citizens' with another stylist and personal life coach. So it is its primary focus is to inspire women to become an uprising of everyday influencers for good using their own closet and authentic self expression style is therefore not just an end result, but also a powerful tool to transform lives society and the planet in in a hopeful direction. So doesn't focuses on creating resources, programs, and community to help them and explore personal style, alongside building an ethical and sustainable wardrobe.

Sarah thank you so much for joining me today on the women's empowerment show. It's an absolute pleasure to have you on the podcast.

Sarah Peel: Thank you so much for having me as a guest, I know that many of your episodes. It was not usual for you to have guests so I feel really honored to be here, and also just want to congratulate you on your 20,000 downloads of the podcast that is super exciting, and a real testament to the work that you're doing.

VL: Thank you so much, the recognition means a lot I remember that oh we're almost at 20,000 downloads to my boyfriend he goes. So what do you get for that like an award.

SP: Actually, just validation from the outside world.

[2:42] VL: Exactly. As I talked about it a lot, having a podcast is, it can be a little bit isolating especially when you don't have a lot of guests on the show you're just talking into a microphone you're hoping people are listening and downloading and to see the numbers grow it's been it's been quite an honor and I'm very proud of the work that we're doing and I'm excited to have more people like you on the show I'm honestly I've been really looking forward to this conversation because I know you and I have really similar passions, about style about the environment, so I'm excited to get into some of the methods and methods that you share.

And one of the themes actually that you advocate on is how you're using style as self care, this is something that I'm really excited to learn more about can you tell us more about what this means.

[3:36] SP: Well often I think we've been programmed to think of style as something we do to keep up with trends to look a certain way, but especially now, and in context, you know for future listeners of this podcast. We are in the middle of probably a second wave of the covid 19 pandemic and people are what I noticed as of the spring is that people started to talk about dressing in a very different way. And I had already had this practice of prepping my wardrobe. The night before, and even a week in advance so that it could be part of a healthy.

Simple morning routine that made me feel vital and ready for the day. So that I wasn't spending a lot of time stressing about what I was going to wear and going through three different outfits and then ending up feeling like as I left the house flexed and rushed. So I already had that practice of dressing as part of a routine, as a way of getting myself out the door in a peaceful mindset and ready to face the day. But when the pandemic hit and we were at home.

There was a shift it was less of like.

It was everything was about comfort. And, I mean, I went through this the first two weeks where it was hardly really getting dressed and I felt terrible. And I was like, you know, I think that getting dressed, even though you're not leaving the house is still really important. So, what people need is comfort.

Surely we have more options than our pajama bottoms yoga pants leggings and slippers. Surely there is in our closets where there's like 80% of what we don't wear. Surely there are other options in there that could be considered comfortable and would help us to feel still like we feel like we had some variety and some pizzazz which I would call chic and so I've developed a system a formula for starting the day called the comfy chic form.

And really style is at the core of this daily routine, but it's about more than just getting dressed. And so this is how it goes. It's very simple.

Get up, whenever whenever you do get up. Not everybody gets it I'm an I'm a more of an early morning person so I get up.

But now when people are working from home. Sometimes kids are at home. And so your day has to be really early and other times you're a single person or you just have one other person you're living with. So you could be getting a Petunia regardless. When you get up and you're starting your day. Move.

So, trigger your body to get the blood flowing, breathe, that as the basis is starting to make you feel comfy, to feel good in your skin, because that's the best the best first first layer of your of your outfit is feeling good in your body. So move.

Doesn't have to be long, it could be like 20 minutes have something, meditate or pray. So that's the mindset and also just soul care as well. And then get dressed enough comfy basically oh no groom yourself, basic, you do not have to have full makeup, although sometimes that's depending on who you are, that could be a form of self care maybe that just makes you feel good. I know that often putting on a bright lipstick is a pop of color, helps me feel good, but just wash at very basic level, do something with your hair, wash your face.

Just to create because even, you know the early days of the lockdown people just kind of like gave up taking care of themselves in that way so groom yourself, basic put on a comfy base layer. And I'm encouraging people to think about comfy.

And in a different kind of way. Think about all the things that you have in your before virus closet that are natural fibers that fit in well that you don't they don't make you feel pinched that you can move around in that flow and put those on.

And then chic it up somewhere.

And the the idea around being chic is not extremely motivated at all by trends or anything it's like what brings you joy. Is it colorful scarf. Is it a new way of doing your hair because you're really tired of being at home and you need some variety.

Like, this is the perfect time to play. You're not leaving the home. So you want to do something really like you want to do, Princess Leia ones. Go ahead. Like, there's no one to laugh at you just see if you like it and actually this could be in time to actually play with your clothes in a way that you've never done before because you've been very concerned about what other people would think.

And you lack the confidence to mix patterns or, you know, stack jewelry. And this is a time to kind of play with it, and build your confidence in that.

So that's that's the basic formula. Move, meditate or pray. Take care of your, your appearance, some basic grooming healthy base layer and then shake it up.

And I actually found that as I was doing this and I was trying to. Also I was starting to write about what the process was so we're being very mad about company chic routine.

I found that the days when I didn't do it.

When I was just like, Okay, you know what, I'm just gonna leave this for a couple of days, I would then be like, oh, What's wrong, why do I feel so off. It was like you know what, I didn't get dressed this morning.

It's just reinforcing that this was, I was on to something really good, and I'm not the only one. I'm not the only stylist who's been talking about, you know, COVID sheep or there's, there's a number of different hashtags out there. But yeah, so I really wanted to build on this idea of style as a means of self care and style, not, it's not focused on trends. This is about.

What brings you joy what makes you feel vital. What helps you express who you are. And that really is what style is all about fashion is a trend style is it up showing up as your true self.

That's a quote. That's a, not an exact quote of Oscar de la Renta.

[11:36] VL: I love this method so much and I remember meeting you around that time during the pandemic when you were like, yes I'm creating this compensation formula. And I thought, this is so brilliant This is exactly what I need because as you're saying these things I feel like a dog with a tail between his legs, I am like, Yeah, I don't think I shaved for a long time I don't think that I got showered but you know it was a very because I had to do a type of thing and then at one point I was like, Do I really have to do it and then I just was wearing sweat pants, same sweater and I just felt really blonde it was I was getting down and it was, things were tough and there was so much, you know that that weirdness and I didn't know what was happening, it was it was a very unpredictable time and, and I started to lose the hair in self care and self a little bit too, to be honest.

But as someone who I, I definitely move so movement was a huge part of my everything myself care my daily routine it has been always, and even I started losing that a little bit too. So, like I'm not I'm not just saying I'm the only person that did this I know a lot of people who, who felt this way, in 2020, but you know you get to this point where you have to admit, and we talked about this a little bit before we record is that you have to admit when things aren't going right and you got to stop doing what you're currently doing if you want to.

I think that I need to be more motivated to do this because I'll get on like a little bit of a train I'm like okay, yeah, I'm going to do this every day. I'm going to feel really good in my body I'm going to I'm going to really intentionally pick my wardrobe.

Tell us how we can motivate ourselves a little bit more in the mornings to do this because I'm an early morning person too, but I also have a lot going on and at the back of my mind and like, I don't really need to get dressed and do anything because I'm working from home today and I'm so busy that I don't want to make the time to help me stay motivated.

[14:23] SP: There is a free download of the comfy chic formula. And also a program that leads to where we, you know, gave like 10 basic tips for putting for integrating the company sheet formula into your life. And then there's actually a template. So, are you a planner, many people are their planners like to write things down in notebooks or apps.I think the act of writing things down sometimes.

I'm an old fashioned girl in this, in this way I think there is something very key about actually writing something down on a piece of paper, they do I think studies show that there's a brain connection, in a way that's different than putting something in your online calendar. So to write things down. Even if it's now, I've been doing this wardrobe prepping for at three years now.

A day or two in advance. As a beginner move and just write down in a notebook. You don't have to download our planner or anything like that it's, it's just a way of stating, or being intentional by writing it down, and then taking a look in your closet for those things are they available to you are they clean Are they ready, like do you need to wash them. Putting them aside, maybe on a hook on the back of your bedroom door so they're available to us so that it's easy to get them.

And so that's something you would do the night before, when you get up in the morning, even if it's a really busy day, especially when we're working from home, or even if we're working outside of the home right now like just having that anchor and anchor point when things are so unpredictable in this world to have something that is predictable. Is it just allows your brain and your body to breathe deeper, because you're not.

You're not adding another layer of decision making.

You know you're cutting down on the decision making, that you have to do at the beginning of the day. And if you are working from home, sometimes the work life balance. Like there is none everything flows into everything else. And then the deep part of the lockdown. You know my husband and I would say is it Wednesday was it Sunday.

Like, what time of the day is it like we were going to bed at 3am and getting up at 10am.

So, having, and we're not really writing. Beyond that right now. But having that those two acres of like at the end of the day, being ready for your day, when you get up in the morning, because, you know, everything is kind of laid out and ready for you. And at the beginning of the day when you wake up to have that anchor of the movement, meditation, basic grooming.

[17:51] VL: Yeah, I think this is so important. I love how you kind of you chunk it down a little bit so when you were first talking about how you plan your week in advance, I'm thinking, oh that's very interesting because I am a planner. I do like to write things down but I think personally for me it's just about taking the time to open the closet and see okay what's going on here, what can I start, what would I like to wear what do I love and maybe I don't wear it all the time.

But it's comfortable and it's chic and it's amazing and, and, I think, Well you've definitely inspired me I feel like this is what I want to do this. After this call.

And that's awesome, awesome things together because. The other thing is I remember this was years ago when I was really into money mindset was you know you want to dress like the future you have the million dollar view, and they ask questions like what the million dollar or with a millionaire salary be in their bed working on their on their business from their computer, and maybe maybe they aren't maybe that's part of the lifestyle that you like but maybe it's not the way you see yourself as a millionaire so that millionaire is at a desk, and so then I was like oh, I'm gonna invest in a desk because I don't want to be that person who is working from their back. And then the other questions were like, what are they wearing Look what do they look like how do they hold themselves, and you really start to be more intentional intentional about what you how you are, how you are presenting yourself every day your gravity tasks, your style. Your attitude and it comes out a lot in your fashion and in your style and what you're wearing. And it's such like it's such an important reminder but we've totally lost this and funny with the lockdown and with all these things happening because it was so easy so easy just to say who cares about it.

[19:58] SP: Yeah, that's so interesting. How about losing yourself and how the act of dressing for yourself to care for yourself but also with, you know, a creative flair that is uniquely you is self is self reinforcing is reinforcing this is who I am. Especially when the things that we would normally rely on are topsy turvy. This is something you can control.

And there's another yep there's another reason I'm just, I mean of course I've thought of this before but in context of this conversation, it's like yes, there's so many things that you cannot control right now that you have no choice over. This is something that you choose this is something that you can control.

VL: Absolutely. And when we talk about style and self care, and we look at what self care is it's taking the time taking the having the intention to care for yourself because you are basically you're showing up in your worth. So, when you are practicing self care, it's when you feel your best and when you are like is that reinforcing it, you're reinforcing the worth of who you are and what you are and that changes your energy so much. And like I said I have like I personally lost that I lost part of myself because I wasn't caring for myself in this way, I was focusing so much on all of the other moving pieces of my life and I was trying to control things that I couldn't control anymore things that were changing so quickly. And what I should have been doing, you know should have been doing, and don't should on yourself I know right so what I could have been doing like going a little bit more internal and saying, Okay, I'm going to take this time to to really focus on me to focus on what I need and and what my body needs and what my mindset needs the movement the meditation. The grooming, the comfy chic formula that you've created it's, it's the perfect framework for an every day.

Like reset into who we are. And I know that so when I was in grade 11 in high school, I really wanted to be in fashion I want to be in fashion. I love the fashion industry like loved it. And there's a lot of reasons why I didn't get into it, but one of the things that kind of deterred me away from it was, at the time, I was learning about fast fashion and just really didn't agree with the whole thing. And then I kind of was like, Okay, well, what's a sustainable way which wasn't the word at the time, because that's not what I was learning, but I was thinking like, okay, while I was learning about like hemp fabric basically, this is a long time ago. Anyway, and when I looked at people who were, you know, reducing reusing or recycling, that kind of thing. It was just the clothes were ugly and I didn't. It did not resonate with me I did not love the style that was kind of the trending eco friendly fabrics and all the things at the time. However, I was really in to thrifting, and not only was it a really fun way for me to express myself and be very different because that was a huge part of my identity, growing up, especially in high school was, I'm very different from other people and I, I showed that in the way that I dressed. But what was so interesting is that I'd had people come up to me and say wow this is such a cool shirt or such cool sweater where'd you get these jeans. Oh my god, your outfit looks so amazing but it's so unique and different I could never wear something like that. And my answer was always I thrift a bit, and it's all about the confidence. If you're not sure about putting something on. Just be as confident as you possibly can and you are going to rock it and I know that when I'm wearing sweatpants and my hair is I've been a messy bun. I'm not always feeling my most confidence.

But however, that being said, there are times when I am wearing sweat pants and my hair is up

[23:40] SP: unless you choose it, like, Are you being intentional about like this is this the day to be in my sweatpants and messy back. Yes, instead of it happening to you, by default, you're choosing. Exactly, exactly. And I really let me kind of kind of go back to what you said about how confidence is is like the greatest beauty aid. Like, it doesn't matter if it's on trend in style, or if it clashes somewhat or it's a bit unusual. When you are, let's say you're you're wearing something that's not one of your colors or is, you're not wearing clothes that and there's a. And I do believe in formulas sometimes if they serve you, but I'm referencing like some shopping you're wearing clothes that are appropriate for your body shape.

Let's say you want to wear something that's, you know, not in line with what your body shape is but you love it you love that color or that shape. Use you show up, and you look awesome, because it's the style is coming from something that's inside of you.

Yeah. also great thing about experimenting going back to the opportunity to play with the clothes in your closet. And these times when we're working from home to just experiment and see like how do you feel at the end of the day when you have like worn two patterns together. Did you feel fun, like in. So it could you, you could use this opportunity for those baby steps of building your creative dressing muscles.

Can I talk about what I'm wearing today?

[26:30] VL: Yes, I was just gonna say please tell me what you're wearing because you have this stunning necklace on, and I get it, we have to get a picture of you in this outfit so I can put on the show notes.

SP: So I got dressed according to the company chic formula this morning, and I feel like I'm also wearing a sustainable outfit, but it's not maybe what you might think. So I'm wearing a Navy turtleneck. It's November weather's starting to get cold. But like a turtleneck. This is from a Canadian brand called cotton kayo tm, and all of their cotton is organically grown and Fairtrade from a couple of specific farms in Egypt. So love to can like there's so many great things that like fair trade people are paid a fair wage.It's organic, and it's a Canadian small it's like an independent rent.

And then I have a necklace that is also. It's from just one, it's just another Canadian small Canadian brand. This woman works directly with Ugandan and Kenyan artisans women who have often been in the sex trade and who are learning a skill, and these are paper based beads. I love this necklace because it's like, it's so simple, it's so light but it's like such a statement peace, and for a week. See me like you're gonna have a picture in the show notes, but it's like it's like a breastplate of beads. So it's often something that's in regular rotation in my wardrobe.

And then I have a pair of jeans on there dark denim skinny jeans. Okay there from the gap. which people wouldn't shock. If you know from the sustainable and ethical point of view but let me tell you, I am buying these because the pair of jeans I had before to death. I needed a new pair of jeans, I'm on a budget. I bought them on sale, but I didn't. I'm not over consuming on sale shopping. I mean I think that's the important part, I do not, I'm over feeling guilt about shopping occasionally and fast fashion brand, I think it's really is the amount that we shop fast fashion. And the fact that we don't care for clothes that we do have, once we buy them.

So the other thing that's kind of sustainable about these is that they didn't fit me when they arrived in the mail. And I took them to my tailor so that she could do something called a waist and seat. It's like a basically a big talk at the back. And these skinny jeans as you. I'm sure all of your listeners have had this experience when you get a pair of skinny jeans, and they within 30 minutes they start falling off your body, because the spandex stretches. Anyways, these pants feel great on me because I don't ever have to hoist them up.

So, I will wear them.

And also, just as a note about gap. gap is one of the brands that is on a path forward sure they're still fast fashion brands, there's so many things that could be doing, way, way, way better, but it's better than shopping forever 21 for example.

And then I have a pair of leopard sneakers on that are just fun, and they are not from a sustainable brand I bought them at winners. They're just fun, and they're One of the things that I put, I wear regularly. When I just you know how Papa fun. I don't have a huge collection of sneakers, but I have this one pair, that's, you know, leopard.

[30:00] VL: Oh my gosh, I've been looking for a cool pair of sneakers like that so I'm gonna have to check winners out.

Well, Sarah, this has been such a great conversation I want to get into our final segment of the show but before we do let us know where we can find you where we can follow you and how we can support your business.

SP: Well you can find me on Instagram at citizen, Sarah. and you will find my wholehearted life their business, home, cats, all the things that I'm up to, and I'd love to interact with you there. And in the links you'll actually find a way to find citizen at home, and all the other things that I'm working on

VL: very amazing tell us a little bit more about Citizen at Home

[31:02] SP: Citizenne at Home is a life and style program to help us thrive. While we are surviving. Not just surviving but thriving in this pandemic so we have developed skills from the first lockdown, but we're exhausted. We're totally exhausted with this drill. And in some ways we need a little bit of a reminder of what we can do with our habits, which I know you love to talk about our daily routines that just help us feel good in, in our bodies, and I would like to say that the foundations for a great outfit are like feeling good in your skin so the comfy chic formula, which is the foundation to the course but then from there we talk about self care. We think about budgeting, because our, you know in our lives. We've our economy is totally being stressed out. You don't hear my cat running around in the background.

We've been totally our finances have been stretched and stressed. And so having a household budget is a great way to do that. And, of course, clothing budget is a part of that, everything, all the different parts of citizen at home.

Have style at the core. And then we look at, you know, the homes, the places that we are living and how to address clutter and specifically the clutter that's in our closets so that we can enjoy our spaces as if they are like a waste disease. And finally, how to make an impact with your closet during these times it's kind of hard to understand what we have the power to make a difference on especially if we're stuck at home, but your clothes are a great place to start. So kind of looks at all of those components, you can do it in two weeks, or two months. You can do it as a self study, or you can do it with two hours of 30 minutes sessions with me. So that's the VIP coaching aspect.

VL: It sounds like the comfy chic formula we talked about today just expanded into so many more facets of our wardrobe and obviously our home and our lifestyle so I really like how you're bringing in this, this, education, and this quality of a more holistic lifestyle I think this is exactly when we need to get to 2021, I just. It sounds like the coffee chic formula we talked about today just expanded into so many more facets of our wardrobe and obviously our home and our lifestyle so I really like how you're bringing in this, this, education, and this quality of a more holistic lifestyle I think this is exactly when we need to get to 2021, I just.

And I'm kind of cringing right now because I definitely have to take care of. So, this sounds like a great starting point to you. Absolutely. You're right on with the, you know, taking a holistic approach to living with style at the core.

I love that well said so we can find that in your Instagram at the link in the bio I'll also put it in the show notes for today's episode, which will be available at Valerie living life.com, forward slash Sarah with an H. And our final round is our rapid fire round, I Oh, wait.

SP: ait I wanted to mention that I'd like to offer a 30% discount to your listeners, and you can get that using the code EMPOWERMENT30 go to link: Citizenne At Home

RAPID FIRE ROUND

[35:17] What are you currently reading or what is your favourite book?

SP: So, I am reading through whole bunch of fashion magazines, from the fall issues but also the you know the first issues of 2021. Specifically, when Black Lives Matter and the anti racist movement.

Just rose up during the summer, and continues, really wanted to look at how that was playing out in the fashion scene. Especially, and there's of course a sub conversation happening around the sustainable fashion movement, and just really it's been very interesting to me to find the critique and the way forward. Around representation, not just for black people but black indigenous and people of color so I've been looking at the issues that I've been talking about that. And then for fun, but also it's in satire I am reading a book called self care by Lee Stein. And it's great, it's about a self care influencer who's life just goes wrong.

And it really makes you laugh at the self care industry is this a kind of bougie instagrammable thing, and makes you ask that question like what is true self care. So I've been enjoying reading that.

BOOK: Self Care by Leigh Stein

[37:57] What does empowerment mean to you?

SP: This is a great question. I think that it means for women's specifically the freedom to try things. And to fail, without that crush of not being enough. Well you failed because you're not enough, you're not good enough. And I think there's a lot of pressure on women to be perfect, or to do all the things. And when we're truly empowered by ourselves by the people around us. We have the freedom to just try it and see where it goes. We have the freedom to be curious. when we're truly empowered by ourselves by the people around us. We have the freedom to just try it and see where it goes. We have the freedom to be curious.

[39:06] What do you love most about being a woman?

SP: I'm going to say, the adaptability. And that kind of like endless creativity of the daily practice, you think of women, and what they do to make life happen around them they're usually the people who, organizing, and this is, you know, we share this with men and our partners, for sure. But women are usually the ones who are organizing the home menus social events.

All the things to do with their kids. And that's a creative act. And you have to be incredibly adaptable, as well. And I think, I mean, who's to say I'm not, I'm not gonna say we're better at it than men. But the women that I know are way more flexible and can handle, thinking about four or five different things at a time. Sometimes it gets too much so there's a flip side to this, but I would say that. I think it's really cool how adaptable and creative we are.

[40:49] What are you currently working toward?

SP: There's a lot of things that I'm kind of working towards but i'm gonna i'm going to share the fact that I'm working towards mothering. How to mother, because I have my husband and I have not been able to have kids. And we've also decided, I mean, we did all the things. Many of the things, but we've decided not to pursue adoption, or fostering, and I still have a great desire to mother. And so I'm looking at different ways to fulfill that need.

Val Lavigne Life Women's Empowerment Podcast

Podcast Host

Valerie LaVigne

Valerie is the creator and founder of Valerie LaVigne Life and the Women's Empowerment Show. She helps busy and empowered women create healthy habits so that they can become the best version of themselves and transform their lives. Learn more about Valerie here!