Fashion tips with stylist Shannon Johnson

Shannon Johnson is a Sydney based personal stylist, speaker, educator, and style expert. Shannon founded Living For Style in 2013 after realising that there was a lack in the market for a stylist specialising in helping busy mums. Shannon empowers women to be the best versions of themselves through 1-on-1 styling services for her private clients as well as through her online learning platform, “In Style Membership". Shannon has partnered with North Shore Mums where she is the in house fashion blogger and also joined the team at Orana Fashion College as a Personal Fashion Styling teacher.

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Transcript

0:02  
Welcome to The Parenting Couch with Rachel Chappell and Sarah Levett. Honest conversations about what parenting is really like. Because let's be real, it can be hard, proudly brought to you by North Shore Mums.

0:18  
Welcome to another episode of The Parenting Couch Podcast. I'm Sarah Levett.

0:22  Rachel Chappell
And I'm Rachel Chappell from North Shore Mums. And today I am very excited by our guest because we are going to be talking about something that all of us mums will be able to relate to. And that is how to dress for our new body shape after we've had children because things do change, and we don't have time anymore to look after ourselves. So today we are joined by Shannon Johnson. She's a Sydney based personal stylist, speaker, educator, and style expert. And she's been writing for the North Shore mums website for the last nine years. She has written lots and lots of articles with lots of fantastic style tips. So welcome to the show, Shannon.

1:07  Shannon
Oh, it's so lovely to be here. Thanks, guys.

1:11  Rachel Chappell
I guess the first question people might have is what is a personal stylist?

1:17  Shannon Johnson
I help women look and feel amazing. So my passion is helping mums. I'm a mum of three, I've got a three year old, an eight year old and a 10 year old. Three boys. And I totally get it, life is so busy. Like we're got the school drop offs, we got all the sports, so many things going on in our life. And I just find that a lot of people have different priorities other than like how they look and feel in their clothing. And that's where I can really help. Build out wardrobes for them that are really functional, that, you know, they know that they're going to go into their wardrobe and have a great outfit for the day and look and feel amazing. So I'm sort of like your wardrobe bestie.

2:07  Rachel Chappell
I think we all need one. I mean, I used your services. Gosh, it was like five or six years ago now and you came to my house. And we started with this amazing wardrobe cleanse that probably got rid of at least a third of my wardrobe. Stuff that should have gone many, many years ago. What is the process for chucking things out? And how to choose what to eliminate as a first step?

2:33  Shannon Johnson
Yes, that's right. It's it can be so difficult because a lot of us have this emotional attachment and also like a feeling of guilt. Like, oh, no, I've spent all this money, you tuck it away. 

2:52  Rachel Chappell
The guilt is a big one.

2:55  Sarah Levett
I don't I don't just think it's guilt, though. I think the other part that we're actually guilty of is thinking we're gonna fit back into those clothes that we're hanging on doing a wardrobe. I don't know about you and all the other women but I've got those jeans, and I'm gonna get back into them. So I'm keeping them in that dress, and I'm gonna wear that I was wearing that in my early 20s I'll get that six pack back, sure. That's why I reckon a lot of keeping the walker drives about his ambition, and ambition. Dreaming.

3:25  Shannon Johnson
Yeah. But also like, how does that make you feel when you are walking into that wardrobe and you're like, ah, doesn't fit me. You know, it's not gonna make you feel great. Getting reminded every time you walk into that wardrobe. And I guess that's why I started my business because I went through the same thing. 

Like, I worked in the fashion industry for years and years, studied fashion. And then I had my first little boy, and my body shape had changed. I'd moved here from a different country, I came back to Australia from the UK. So different climate, different lifestyle, being with a little boy and not needing sort of corporate or smart work clothes and lacking like that "smart casual" wardrobe. So I literally had a wardrobe full of clothes, and nothing to wear. And I like I knew I wasn't alone. Like I was speaking to mums in the mother's group. And even like comments on your Facebook group as well, Rachel. People were struggling, and then I knew I could help them. So I did a styling course. And that was yeah, that was nine years ago. Can you believe it? And I've helped 1000s of women since then, like virtually and in person. Yeah.

4:48  Sarah
Rachel was talking yesterday about when she did it with you and how one of the great things was, you know, what you do is you get the basics. So then you've always got the basics she was saying about the black and the white t shirts and things like that, that you've always got there. Because I think that's the thing is it's so easy to roll out of bed, put the leggings on, or put a tracksuit on, and go. But if you if you have it, you know, prepared in that way and you go, it's as easy as doing that. But how do you do that though?

5:20  Shannon
We're all time poor. But I think the best thing, like my best tip would be to organise your wardrobe so you can actually see things in your wardrobe. So those things that aren't fitting, you need to get them out of your wardrobe. And either like in a different wardrobe, just so they're not in your face every day. This is prime real estate for you in your wardrobe. So you want to have clothes in there that fit that suit, your body shapes, your colouring, that makes you look and feel good, it's really about the feeling as well the clothes give you because if you're putting on clothes and you're like, just feel so daggy it's not going to make you feel great for that whole day. Get rid of those things that don't fit, but I'm happy for you to hold on to them just as long as they're not in your face every day. 

And sort your wardrobe so that all the tops are together so you can easily find them. So again, I know you're limited for time. So you know like all the tops are in that section, or the bottoms are in that section, the dresses are together. And then I would sort it by, like this could be feeling a bit extreme for mums out there, but like sorting it by coloru, just so again, you can find everything you're looking for. 

Sort it by style and colour. Get rid of those items that aren't fitting. Get rid of the items that aren't making you feel great. So setting the wardrobe app and sorting it in that way will make your life easier when you're getting dressed in the mornings. You were saying with the basics like having really good quality basics because they're going to be the foundation to your wardrobe. Those things are going to be you know things that can mix and match, they're going to be neutral colours in the basics because you know all of those colours will go together and it'll be just easy. You'll be able to maximize them. I do have a checklist with all the basics on my website as well if anyone's after that.

7:41  Rachel Chappell
Can you run off a few off the cuff like what what are the what are those kind of things? 

7:46  Shannon
Well it depends on the season but like definitely the t shirt like a good quality t shirt that fits and suits your body shape in those neutral colours. I would have an again depending on your lifestyle like I have Blazers but I know if you're you know just staying at home with a toddler you're not going to really need a blazer so but I would say a blazer. 
 
Then like a good jeans is key. Definitely the jeans that fit.

8:21  Rachel
How many pairs of jeans do we need?

8:28  
I've got a lot. Once you find the perfect pair of jeans, I would buy it in multiple colours.  Like I have like the black, white and blue. I would have like a light colour blue and a dark color blue as the base. Yeah, faces how many jeans? Yeah, Rachel.

8:57  Rachel
I do have quite a lot I think I ascribe to that mentality of having you know I've found jeans that suit me and a comfortable Yeah, and I do I've got them in I've got black and there's like a dark blue I don't really wear the lighter blue but maybe I should try for the summer look who knows but yeah, I think that's a really good tip is once they fit and they feel good. Get them in multiple colours.

9:22  Sarah
Because that's tricky though the jeans thing, because you know you don't want the muffin top situation either. And then like how do you how do you find jeans?

9:31  Shannon
I really like high waisted jeans because we're always like bending over. Like or whatever I like I like the high waisted because I feel like pulled together and they do suit most people. The high waisted jeans. I look for ones we stretch because we are on the move. Like we're literally running around. So you know jeans with straps are great.

9:56  Rachel
Yeah, they called jeggings I got I actually got a couple of pairs from target the other day and they are amazing. They're called jeans and they're just yeah they like jeans but there's so they look like denim and jeans but there's so stretchy and smooth and comfortable and I absolutely love them. Comfortable, comfortable!

10:18  Sarah
I thought jeggings came in and then I thought I know you answer this Shannon obviously not because Rachel just bought some mirror Missy

10:28  Rachel
again well Please don't go buy my fashion sense. But that they feel good on me,  and I think we could have a fashion show that I begin I'm actually wearing them now. 

10:41  Shannon
I think if you feel good in them definitely get them there was that thing I think it was like last year when the younger generation were telling us that we couldn't wear skinny jeans. Do you remember that? It was like on Tik Tok. Oh, yeah, like this, you know you're old if you're wearing skinny jeans they're so out of fashion and I was like no no stop listening to these young folk. Embrace new jeans. But it really depends on your body shape because if you're an also under five foot three or like T those jeans suit you, so definitely go with what actually suits your body shape not what's on trend. Yeah, I would rather that 100%.

11:33  Sarah
Just going back to the high waisted ones though. Like obviously they are very in fashion and you say all the young people with their amazing bodies wearing the high waisted ones and they look incredible when they're little pitchy bums and their little tiny waists in their midriffs. But for I'm feel like when I get there, my pouch still pokes out. So like even though I might get zipped up when you can't wear it, I'm not that I'd wear a midriff. Don't get me wrong. EVER! But like, you know what I mean? Like your little bulgies, like they're so what do you then wear with it?

12:04  
Well, I think maybe need some jeggings then I'm thinking like the flat front sort of waistband. Chunky around

12:13  
I've got the flat front? Slash you know pouch, you don't see your pouch that tucks the pouch in? Yeah, it sucks. You need?

12:30  Sarah
It sounds like you're wearing maternity pants actually, Rachel.

12:35  Rachel
Maybe I was in the wrong section.

12:41  Sarah
I think if you feel comfortable. Good on you.

12:47  
But I guess it's hard because those sorts of genes, you know, you don't want to be showing the top of the gene. So it depends on what type you're wearing. as well.

12:55  Sarah
I can tell that Rachel's been to you because when we've met, she's always looking super stylish. I haven't seen these new elastic pads yet. But otherwise, that's because she's at home. But I feel like obviously that she's, you know what I mean? Like, you know, you can just tell like. I had a friend who did it. I was saying this to Rachel too. You know, it just I can see, every time I see her that she's really taken her on board and she does follow through, right through to recently embracing her gray hair and going you know what, I just can't keep doing it anymore and has a gray hair beautifully styled, looks gorgeous. Just but you know, I mean, she's got she is very slender, though. But at the same time, like, just because someone's slender doesn't mean they're not having issues with their body image. You know, we all go 'Oh, she's so lucky to me so skinny', but like, she probably can't put on weight, you know what it's like. So she's done this. And I feel like you can tell like, and I can see that with Rachel too. And it's such a great thing to do. And I've always been, you know, a bit jealous. And so I'd love to do that. But I guess some people don't have the budget, though, to be able to do that. So what do you think's a happy medium with that, then Shannon?

14:03  Shannon
Yeah, well, I think there's a lot of free resources out there. Like I know, I write blogs on the North Shore Mums website, so you could check those out. I have lots of free tips and advice on my socials. But yeah, I would probably start with like the checklist, making sure you've got those basics covered. And then, have an understanding of your body shape. 

I do have like a membership that is really for those sorts of people as well that oh, it's low. Yeah, low cost membership, and you can work out your body shape and what style suit you Yeah, it's great for people with a lower budget.

14:41  Sarah
So what do you get with that membership? Or how does that work? Shannon members? Yeah, sounds great.

14:46  Shannon
Yeah, it's great. I'm loving it, because I can help so many people and yes, so I do like my Top Buys for the month and these are all based around mums styles that are practical, but you're still going to look and feel good. Good. So I do my top buys for the month. I have guest speakers. I do a Q&A I have like, yeah, bargain buys, or there's so much included.

15:10  Sarah
Great idea. I love it. I'm gonna be a member. I'd like to engage your services because I would like you to come through and get rid of my size eight clothes and just for me, right? Yeah. Stop. Never gonna do that size again.

15:29  Shannon
I know it's so hard, isn't it when you have that emotional attachment to things as well, like. Don't feel like you have to get rid of it. Just don't have it in your face every day.

15:38  Rachel
There's also clothes that you just need to chuck out! I know what you came to see me Shannon, there was there was jumpers that I had held on to that were pilling.  And I had in there that had stains on them that I couldn't get rid of. And I just sat in the wardrobe. And I don't know why I hadn't thrown them out. But I just I just my drawers were bulging, and my wardrobe was bulging and even just getting rid of those clothes that actually you shouldn't be wearing. Because there's so old, you know that I hadn't got rid of them?

16:13  Shannon
That's fine. I don't think you had the time to get rid of them. Like you have three kids. You're busy. And you know, working for yourself. Yeah, so many other things that take priority. But yeah, if you could just yeah, my advice to all the listeners is probably just, you know, find some time on the weekend, maybe an hour or two just to go through your own wardrobe. Because in the long run, it will save you time, if you have like an organised wardrobe, that will definitely save you time every morning. You're trying to find something instead of going 'where's that top?' Oh, it's in the wash or Yeah. Yeah, finding things.

16:51  Rachel
And it is it is an amazing feeling when you can look in your wardrobe and you'd like the stuff that's in there. And it's not, you know, clogged up with millions of other things just shouldn't be there. So that that's the wardrobe cleanses. So, so therapeutic.

17:10  Sarah
Which is where having Shannon assist you with because yeah, it's hard to do it on your own, like you say, because you're tempted to keep things you'll do this and make excuses and all of that because you have someone there, it's cutthroat. It's gone.

17:24  Rachel
Exactly. Yeah.

17:26  Sarah
Makes it easy.

17:31  Sarah
Shannon, what are some of the things you've talked about some of the do's some of the things we can do some of the basic things and then being able to go to your website and look at the list. What are some of the things that you'd say don't do like with it, you see women doing out there that we could just go?

17:45  
Mistakes, buying mistakes. I think you need to go to the shops with a shopping list. So if you're just sort of wandering around at the shops, and not really knowing what you you're going to buy, that's really difficult, like you're sort of wasting your time.

So really having a look in your wardrobe before you do go to the shops, and having an understanding what you're missing from your wardrobe. I see a lot of wardrobes. And then when I've sorted it out, I'm like, oh, did you know you had like 10 black T shirts? And they're like, No, I did not know that. Like, I keep on buying black tshirts. So going to the stores with a shopping list and having that intention. Because my aim is like not for you guys to be buying things all the time. Like number one, you don't have time to buy things. And also like for the environment as well. We've got to be careful about what we're purchasing now.

18:50  Rachel
What do you think about that whole disposable fashion industry? Like is it better to buy the high quality stuff or the cheap and nasty stuff that doesn't last very long and ultimately ends up in landfill?

19:04  Shannon
Oh, no. And that's another feeling like you feel guilty as well when things don't last very long and you've spent money on it. But yeah, definitely, I think we have to be conscious of what we're buying and the longevity of those things. I don't think you have to spend a lot I don't think it's about you know, spending hundreds of dollars on one item as long as you're getting a lot of wears out of that item. That's like the main thing. And number one, it's not just sitting in your wardrobe, it's going to go with other things in your wardrobe. And you're making the most out of that item as opposed to Yeah, not lasting and ending up in landfill, which is a massive issue.

19:42  Rachel
It's huge. And personally what are your favorite shops to buy your clothes from when you take your ladies out on a shopping spree? What are your sort of top five shops that you like to take them to?

19:55  Shannon
All it really depends on what they need. At the moment, I've been buying lots of work things. So I go to Saba, I really like their, their quality work stuff. You know, David Jones is good, because you've got quite a few brands in the one store. So if you're limited for time, a department store is good. But I do know a lot of people feel quite overwhelmed in department stores because there's so much stuff. Then you end up just walking out because it's like, I can't even find anything, because there's just too much stuff. But yeah, I would go if you needed work stuff, depending again, like on your body shape and what you really need. Country Road is good for good basics, and witchery. I like all those sort of, I would call them like the high street sort of stores. Yeah.

20:52  Rachel
What about you, Sarah? What's your fav Where do you shop?

20:56  Sarah
Well, you don't actually want to know, I'm often a Vinnies. So I'll tell you why, though. I mean, no, no, there's a reason for that. And I have this deal with myself about when I shop at Vinnies. I only buy labels, right? So because I'm like, well I can get Target cheaply at Target. So we're gonna get to the good quality thing. So I'm a little bit particular. But part of the reason was I just felt that sense of recycling, I'm not a huge, I'm not as good as I could be with environmental things. But with that one, there's something that feels really good about that. Like when my daughter was growing out of things, I'd put them on eBay or I delivered them to the charities and then buy more for her from charity because she's she goes to a non uniform school so every day 3, 4, 5 and 6 years old, she's trashing things I'm not gonna lie. Yeah. are often they're expensive. But even for myself, you know, I feel like there's something I don't know that I like about that cycle. I mean, I don't always like I love going to, actually Chic is one of my favourites. And Saba actually as well. You know, lovely, you know, shops aboard. Myer. I mean, my or I think still, you know, I used to love them. Miss Shop was my favourite when I was younger. I don't think it's called that anymore. But that's sort of part still. Probably shouldn't be. As part of me that's hanging on to that outsider, right. I wear ripped jeans still. I love ripped jeans. I don't know.

22:20  Shannon
If you love it, and you feel good in it. Definitely. Yeah. That's really good that you shop at Vinnies. I love that. I feel like sometimes it's just you need to go through it. Like is there again? There's so much stuff. And it's not all you know you

22:35  Sarah
And not every time successful? Nothing today it's not happening, or then other times yeah, great. You know, just, and again, I mix it up between it all, but there's something that I kind of like about that. And my daughter loves it. Like, we'll go to the Blue Mountains every year, she loves going to the mountains, and we go op shopping around there, because there's so many great ones out there. And she finds that process. She loves it doing that. And yeah, we've got some gorgeous things for her. And again, when you stick to the brands, you know what I mean? 

Rachel 
It's a different style of shopping, isn't it really? Because it's more like going on a scavenger hunt? Like, we don't know what you do you know what I mean? Like you don't know is kinda you don't know what you you don't know what you're gonna find. And if it's gonna be the right size, and you find something is like, Oh, my God, yes, this is perfect. It's kind of you get that reward of yeah, finding some kind of valuable item or something you absolutely love and you're paying a fraction of the cost. It's very clever.

23:33  Shannon
Going back to the landfill. Yeah, if there is anything that isn't able to be given to charity that H&M do that clothing recycle, they've got a section at their counter, and you just put it in the bin and you get they give you a card. I think it's like 15% off in the store. So at least they recycle the clothes. Great. So instead of putting it in the textile recycling, yeah, recycling it. 

Rachel
Yeah. So it's almost like once you've done your wardrobe cleanse, you've got to make what two piles. One that's like, that's textile recycling, almost, that's not even worth donating to charity. And the other pile would be this is reasonably good quality, but it's just not for me anymore. And so that's going to Vinnies or, you know, the donation box. Is that how you'd kind of separate them?

24:24  Shannon
Yeah, I have a few piles like sometimes I have a pile for like the tailor like because there might be things that we can just change up a little bit and you can re-wear it says there's something that he loves, and it might not fit or it might be the wrong length, things like that that we can change to get it back. 

24:45  Rachel
I guess there's also the pile of stuff like that expensive dress that you did buy that you actually can probably sell on one of those Buy Sell groups, you know, like on eBay or whatever. There's some beautiful things out there and if you've only wore at once like a $300 dress and you never gonna wear it again then...

25:01  Shannon
definitely, yeah, I've got a lady down the road from me. She has a recycled store. So I usually just take my stuff down to her and she can sell it and you get money back.

25:12  Rachel
Yeah. Is that Is that called consignment? consignment store? Yes. There's a few around Sydney yet do that.

25:22  Sarah
Yeah. Must make your job a bit easier with so many different variables and options.

25:27  Shannon
yeah, it's great. Just having that. I guess that variety of all the different things you can do with the wardrobe to make it work for my clients.

25:37  Rachel
Well thank you, Shannon, for coming today. It's been so lovely to chat to you. I am, I think, going to go to wardrobe at some point. And do another cleanse. Because it's been a while since I've done that, and it is starting to bulge again. And it's confusing. It's confusing me.

25:58  Shannon
Can you send me some before and after photos? I love it. I will.

26:03  Rachel
I will. I definitely will. That will keep me accountable. So I'll definitely do that. And then finally, can you just tell us where our listeners can find out more of you or follow you or book a session?

26:17  Shannon
So on Instagram and Facebook. I'm Living for Style Sydney, and then my websites living for style.com.au. So feel free to reach out if you feel like you need some support around your wardrobe.

26:33  Sarah
Amazing. Thank you so much. So many great tips. I love it. I'm inspired as well. Thank you for your time. Off we go...

26:44  
to our bedrooms for a major chuck. 

26:55  Sarah
Well, thanks for tuning in for another episode of The Parenting Couch podcast and filling Daggy after that, to be honest with you, but anyway, that's all right. We have some great tips and advice. As always, on the podcast. And you know, if you're just joining us, thank you very much for tuning in. And we hope you like the episodes to come. But also to you know, there's been so many episodes now that we've done with all these incredible people, including Maggie Dent, Pinky McKay, Kaz Cooke. Like, yeah, credible chips and their wisdom and you know, combined and probably be 1000s of years.

27:34  Rachel
they're amazing. We've been so lucky with our guests, haven't we we've really, you know, got some awesome parenting experts and wonderful people to come on and share their their knowledge and expertise. So we hope you've enjoyed listening to them as much as we have enjoyed talking to them.

27:53  Sarah
Yeah, it's been super, super fun so far and inspired. You know what I mean? Like you say, you know, these great people, but it's just all right. Yeah, it's a it's a beautiful thing, really, to be honest to do what we do and get to share these people with everybody. Because, you know, it's a great way, you know, podcasts are, like this incredible news. I mean, it's not that new. But you know what I mean? Like, it's still a growing thing where people are, it's a great way, you know, because a lot of people don't have time to sit down and maybe read a book. So they get the snippets of these people who maybe have written books or articles or have websites in a way that you know, you can see walking car. Vacuuming?

28:38  Rachel
Yeah, I mean, I just, I find that a really interesting way of consuming information. Because as you say, you don't have time to sit down necessarily and read an article necessarily, it's when you're out walking, or I've started doing it when I'm folding the washing, you know, even if it's just five or 10 minutes of an interview. It's just those little snippets and you know, you feel like there could be your mates.

29:05  Sarah
Ah, ah, so nice.

29:08  Rachel
Yeah. I hope so. I hope so. And if you do, why don't you leave us a review. We would love a review. Wouldn't we love a review, Sarah? Of course we love a review. A few stars would be nice. A star, a star would be good or maybe five. Yes, five star.

29:29  
You're pushing it.

29:31  
Indeed. Well, we will be back again with another great episode in two weeks time. See you then.