Episode Description - You Don't Need New Clothes. You Need a Personal Style
Your wardrobe holds your entire past life … which is exactly why getting dressed can feel so stressful after a big life change. When your body shifts, your lifestyle changes, or your identity evolves (especially after divorce!) your personal style needs to evolve with you. Otherwise, the closet that used to “work” can start working against you.
Personal stylist and wardrobe detox expert, Suzanne Bernie, works with clients going through major life shifts (think divorce, career changes, or major illness) who open their closets and realize that nothing in there matches who they are now. Suzanne explains why so many of us get stuck wearing the same three outfits on repeat, even when we’re surrounded by clothes we once loved.
Suzanne reveals why so many closets are full of clothes that never get worn, why black isn't always the safest choice, and how small shifts in color, fit, and styling can completely transform the way you look and feel. Suzanne breaks down what actually makes an outfit look expensive and put-together versus dated, and why the priciest labels aren't usually the answer.
If you've ever stood in front of a full closet feeling like you had nothing to wear, or if you want your clothes to match the person you are now, hit play, share this with a friend who’s in transition, and subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next. If you enjoyed it, leave a review and tell me: what’s the one item in your closet you’re ready to retire?
Show Notes
About Suzanne
Suzanne is a Personal Stylist who works with clients from all business sectors, both internationally and within the UK. She curates perfect outfits tailored to her clients' bodies and styles, offering both personalized shopping experiences and in-home wardrobe detoxes. Passionate about using style to transform lives, Suzanne hosts specialized style workshops for divorcees, as well as workshops for women navigating cancer treatment to help rebuild confidence, boost self-esteem, and inject some well-deserved fun into their journeys. She proudly styles men, women, and members of the LGBTQ+ community of all ages, finding her biggest joy in making people feel absolutely fabulous by dressing them in the perfect colors, shapes, designs, and fabrics.
Connect with Suzanne
You can connect with Suzanne on Facebook at Suze Bernie Stylist and follow her on Instagram at @suzeberniestylist. You can also visit her website at suzannebernie.com.
Key Takeaways From This Episode with Suzanne Bernie
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Transcript
You Don't Need New Clothes. You Need a Personal Style
SPEAKERS
Karen Covy, Suzanne Bernie
TRANSCRIPT
Karen Covy: Welcome to Off the Fence, a podcast where we deconstruct difficult decision-making to try to figure out what keeps us stuck, and more importantly, how do we get unstuck? I'm your host, Karen Covy, a former divorce lawyer, mediator, and arbitrator turned coach, author, and entrepreneur.
With me today, I have the pleasure of speaking with Suzanne Bernie. Suzanne is a personal stylist and wardrobe detox expert with clients from all business sectors, both internationally and within the UK. She shops for and with her clients after sourcing perfect items and outfits that fit their body and their style. She also goes directly to clients' homes to detox their existing wardrobes.
She hosts style workshops for ladies suffering from cancer to help them build confidence and self-esteem, and also to help them have a little well-deserved fun, too. Suzanne styles women and men of all ages, as well as those in the LGBTQ+ community. She also runs style workshops for divorcees. Suzanne's biggest joy is making people feel fabulous about themselves by dressing them in the perfect colors, shapes, designs, and fabrics. Suzanne, welcome to the show.
Suzanne Bernie: Thank you so much. Lovely to be here.
Karen Covy: I am so happy to have you because your services are something that are so necessary for so many people. Spoiler alert: people like me. I am, shall we say, mildly style-challenged. I can sort of pull it off, but it's not necessarily my strong suit. So, I'm really excited to have this conversation—especially because when people have come through a major life transition, like divorce, a job change, the death of a spouse, or even just empty nest syndrome, they look at their wardrobe and realize that what's there doesn't fit who they are today. They don't know what to do about it, and going shopping can be more than a little bit daunting. Having someone like you to help them is fantastic, and I want to start by explaining to everyone, if you could: What is a personal stylist? What do you do?
Suzanne Bernie: Okay, so it is a question that I'm asked often, although not as often as when I started many, many years ago when nobody had even heard of a personal stylist. Back then they'd say, "What do you do?" and I'd say, "I'm a stylist." They'd reply, "Oh, do you like my hair?" and I'd have to say, "No, wrong area, wrong area."
But what a personal stylist is, is somebody that you can trust. Somebody that you let into your life in various different forms. I'm a secret to many people; some of my clients don't want to admit to their friends that they need help, even though they do. They're very happy to get the help, but they want to make it out like they've done it themselves, which is also fine. I absolutely understand that.
I take people's situations and get an idea of their lifestyle—whether they attend red carpet events and theater, or prefer the local pub and going around to friends for dinner. Whatever it may be, across all ages, sexes, and genders. They come to me saying, "I need some help, I can't quite get it right. I'm going through menopause, my face has changed, my color palette's changed, my body shape has changed, I've lost a lot of weight, or I've gained a lot of weight, and I need to get it right for a special occasion or just for life." It all depends.
Karen Covy: Out of all those things you've mentioned, what is the most important key to developing personal style? A style where you walk into a room and get that head-turning look where people go, "Wow, you look fabulous." What makes that happen?
Suzanne Bernie: It is completely bespoke to every single person. I couldn't dress you the same way I would dress your friend. It has to be all about the individual. It's about hair color, skin color, eye color, body shape, and of course, budget.
Karen Covy: Wow, okay. Being of a certain age, as life changes, your body shape changes, and your skin tone changes, how do you even start? I open the closet, look in the wardrobe, and I end up wearing the same shirt, the same pants, and the same jacket over and over again. It's not that I don't have a closet full of clothes, but I don't know what to do with them, even though they seemed like good ideas at the time.
Suzanne Bernie: It could be that when you bought those garments, you did not have the same skin tone or hair color as you do now. Everything changes as we grow older. That doesn't mean we're no longer beautiful or sexy, or that we don't want to feel relevant; we just need a few tweaks. The things that we were wearing in our younger years are not necessarily what we should be wearing now.
That's the challenge, and a lot of people don't know how to navigate that changeover. It's like how many people keep the same hairstyle for many, many years even as their face changes shape. It's something that needs to be tweaked. When you're stuck in a rut, it's hard to know how to make that change. That goes for men as well as women.
Karen Covy: Right. I mean, I know plenty of men whose wives pick out their clothes because they're better at it, and vice versa. Sometimes it's the man who has the better eye for style.
Suzanne Bernie: Especially a gay couple. A lot of gay men have a way better sense of style than I do.
Karen Covy: Yeah, and they're willing to take a risk, whereas a lot of people aren't. This is another thing that is really important when you're working with a personal stylist: because it is personal, clients tell me a lot of private information. It's a little bit like being a therapist. We work through their insecurities, determine which parts of their bodies they don't like, and figure out how we can get them to be more confident within themselves so that they can walk into a room and feel fabulous.
Karen Covy: Let's talk about the parts of the body people don't like, because every woman I've ever met has something. It's, "I don't like my hair, I don't like my legs, my belly's too big." Everybody has something, right? So how do you accentuate the positive? Do you do that with shape or with color?
Suzanne Bernie: Both, but you definitely do it with shape. I'll take myself as an example. I am very hourglass, so my waist is small, but I certainly have hips and pretty short, chunky legs. This is where you go, "Right, so let's accentuate the waist." Let's get trousers that are slightly tighter on the waist but give you a wide leg, so you're not squeezing into anything and it looks much more flattering. It's all about draping fabrics, working with textures, and working with different colors that complement each other to make an overall outfit. The colors will complement the top and the bottom, which will equally complement the color of your jewelry, accessories, and handbag. You can cleverly work it so that you hide the bits of your body in a way that you feel comfortable with, and I think that's really important.
Karen Covy: Okay, so like a lot of women out there, if I want to hide something, I put black on it. Tell me why I am doing it wrong.
Suzanne Bernie: I go to so many homes to detox wardrobes. You open the wardrobe, ask how much of it they actually wear, and they'll say 25%. A lot of the wasted clothing is often black because people feel that if they put black on, they can hide. They feel they're not going to stand out or even be seen, which is really sad because they should be seen.
Karen Covy: Well, traditional wisdom or whatever I picked up along the way was that if you want to look smaller, black will make you look smaller. And if you do block colors—black on the bottom, black on the top—the color just comes from a jacket or a sweater. I see your face; you're not loving that.
Suzanne Bernie: No, a bright jacket with block black is a real no-no because it looks like you just grabbed something as you were running out. It's not thought through. Also, as color palettes change, it can be harder to wear black as you get older. A kinder color is navy blue or a chocolate brown—something that still says, "I am chic," but isn't as harsh as black. Then you add a bright color with it. Block black with a bright jacket reminds me of a secretary who wants to disappear but needs just a little element of brightness on them. It's not thought through, and good style is all about thinking it through. Does this match? Can I put this with that? The top and bottom could be different, but they should blend and look chic.
Karen Covy: So how does someone go about figuring out what their personal style actually is? I joke that for a long time my style was "aging hippie"—if it was flowy and gave me room to move, I was happy. It didn't matter what it looked like to other people. I have been kindly advised by those who love me that that's probably not my best look, so I've been trying to step it up. But how do you know? Do you start with a picture on the internet of how you want to look?
Suzanne Bernie: No, you start with a form. My clients fill out a form telling me about their lifestyle, giving me an idea of their sizes, and at the bottom, they attach up to seven or eight photographs. From those photographs, I can tell them exactly what to wear. I style people from photographs and have done so for years with clients from Australia, New Zealand, and America. I even do wardrobe detoxes via Zoom. From many years of experience, I can see exactly what colors and looks they should wear.
I will then go out and do a prep of all the shops that I think are perfect for them, so we're not just aimlessly walking around saying, "Oh, where should we shop now?" It has to be pinpointed, almost like a military operation, and I choose exactly where we're going. Then my clients meet me and we just try things on over and over. I want them to see themselves in a very different way. They'll put something on that they don't usually wear, look in the mirror, and say, "Oh my God, I never thought I could look like this." It's about taking you out of your normal routine because I assume that if you go to a store alone, you'll probably choose items that are already in your wardrobe. Am I right?
Karen Covy: Oh, you are 100% right. I'll come home from shopping, show my husband, and he'll say, "That is exactly what you already have. Why did you buy another one?"
Suzanne Bernie: Yeah, because it's fixed in your head that that's what you should be wearing.
Karen Covy: Okay, so how do we break that? If it looks good on you and it is what you should be wearing, God bless. But let's say you are stuck in a style that you want to change, especially after a big life transition. You want to grow into the next, better version of yourself. How do you create a style for that version of you that feels fabulous?
Suzanne Bernie: Well, you either use a personal stylist or you go to a store, see things that are interesting to you—even if you wouldn't normally buy them—and take them into the changing room just to try them on. People are afraid to do that, but it costs nothing but your time. I have clients look at something and go, "Oh, I would never try that on." I say, "Try it on! What's the harm?" And they'll put it on and say, "It looks amazing! I would never, ever have tried it on normally." Every single client I take shopping says that about the garments they end up buying.
Karen Covy: I remember one time there was a little boutique in the office building where I worked in downtown Chicago years ago. The woman running it had an eye like you do. I walked in during my lunch hour just looking around, and she pulled out this dress. I was horrified, but she said, "Oh, no, this is going to look fabulous on you." I didn't even want to try it on, but she convinced me, saying, "Look, what else are you doing? Just try the dress on." It turned out to be the most amazing dress I've ever bought in my life. It was fabulous, but I never would have chosen it myself.
So let's talk about body shape. Are there certain styles of clothing that people of a certain shape should or should not wear?
Suzanne Bernie: In my opinion, yes. But there are people walking the streets who think they look great even if it may not be quite right according to traditional style principles. But if someone says, "I don't care whether I'm a size 24, I'm going to wear short shorts," that's everybody's choice.
However, there are definitely regular body shapes that wear certain clothes best. If you're wide around the waist—an apple shape where you have more tummy but great legs—you've got to accentuate the legs and make the top more smock-like. If you're tall, you're going to be able to wear something pulled in at the waist to give you shape. There are lots of tips, but there is also fashion, so you have to be able to curate fashion for it to work for you.
Karen Covy: I'm so glad you brought that up, because every season the fashion changes. How do you know what pieces are worth investing in that will actually last more than just one season without making you look dated? How much of your wardrobe should be timeless, and how much should be current fashion?
Suzanne Bernie: There are probably no hard rules, but I would say aim for about 70% timeless. That way you can pick it up years down the road. I have clothes that I've had for years and years, and I guarantee they are either navy blue, black, beige, cream, or white. They are all neutrals.
I say this while wearing a bright, flowery top, but for example, I bought this for a beach party wedding. It's boiling hot in England at the moment, so it's not so crazy to wear, and I bring it out maybe three or four times a year. I'm quite happy with that because if I have somewhere nice to go, I will put it on. But the majority of my wardrobe is mix-and-match. You have to have a capsule wardrobe and build on that with elements of silk and nice pieces for special occasions, or mix a smart top with casual jeans. That's a really cool look.
Karen Covy: I love that. For those who are listening and not watching the video on YouTube, you are wearing a bright floral pattern with greens, oranges, and purples, and it's beautiful. But it's also not over the top. That's part of my problem: I either look like a hippie or a little old lady. I love floral patterns, but how do you pick a floral pattern that doesn't make you look like you're 95 years old?
Suzanne Bernie: You have to pick the right kind of flower. It's really interesting because some garments are made with flowers that look old and appeal to older people. Or, there are abstract flowers, cool flowers, pencil drawing flowers—so many different styles. A lot of companies make garments with old-shaped flowers, and you probably think I'm crazy, but the next time you go shopping, look at the flowers on garments. Ask yourself, "Would an elderly lady wear that? Does it say country garden, or does it say something a bit more contemporary?" Contemporary is what you've got to look for.
Karen Covy: A lot of people who listen to this podcast are professionals in the workforce. They want to look smart and sharp. They don't necessarily want to spend money on designer clothes, but they want to look classy and clean. For a stay-at-home mom looking to re-enter the professional world, or a professional looking to level up, what kind of clothing should they look for?
Suzanne Bernie: I believe it's not even necessary to buy designer wear. Personally, I think it's a ridiculous waste of money. Yes, if you are going to an incredible event like the Met Gala, a major wedding, or something big and elegant, sure, put all the designer labels on your back if you wish. However, for every day, why would you want to spend $2,000 on a blouse just to sit behind your desk where it's going to get worn out and hot? You need to save those expensive pieces for best and wash them as little as possible.
The high street is inundated with mid-range brands that are lower than designer prices but higher than your basic high street stores, offering great quality garments. An example is Me+Em, a British label that just launched in America. Their designs, fabrics, and colors are beautiful. You would not be able to tell the difference between a beautiful pair of Me+Em trousers and a designer pair from someone like Marni. The wear value is so much higher, and most people are not going to have a wardrobe entirely full of designer clothes anyway. You can get so many great, well-made options on the high street.
Karen Covy: Most personal stylists seem to agree with you that it's not about the designer label, but about the fit. How do you know if a fit is right for you, and is it normal to take something off the rack and get it altered, or should it fit perfectly right away?
Suzanne Bernie: It absolutely does not need to fit perfectly off the rack. People forget that alterations are always a possibility. They see a garment and think, "Oh well, look how long it is." You don't need to worry about the length; you just go to a tailor. If the top half fits beautifully, the waistband fits, the pockets aren't flaring out, the pleats aren't opening up, and it's skimming your bottom beautifully but it's just too long—that's no big deal. Just get it shortened. The same goes with dresses; you may just need to pull it up on the shoulders. A little alteration is easily done.
Karen Covy: How do you know the difference between a piece of clothing that just needs a quick tweak versus one that would require complete reconstruction? What are the green lights versus the "don't even buy this" red flags?
Suzanne Bernie: It comes down to whether the garment is proportionate to your body shape. If the proportion is correct but it just needs a little lift because the armhole is too low, the neckline is too low, or the bust darts hit a bit low, a simple pull-up on the shoulders makes all the difference. If the garment is proportionate, it's an easy fix. If it's not, it requires too many alterations, and then it's a no.
Karen Covy: That makes a lot of sense. You mentioned a capsule wardrobe a little while ago. What exactly is that, and how do you build one?
Suzanne Bernie: A capsule wardrobe consists of those key pieces that will take you anywhere, live for as long as you want them to, and last for whatever events you attend. They serve as the foundation to build upon. You need a great white shirt, a great pair of navy trousers, a great pair of black trousers, a great blazer, and a great handbag. They don't have to scream "fashion!" They just need to look classic and contemporary, and be able to be worn layered.
Imagine you have a simple, elegant navy blue cashmere sweater. If you go out and buy a new dress, that navy sweater might look beautiful layered over it, maybe styled with a belt or a blazer. Then you can swap the dress for a skirt, and all of those pieces intermatch with each other. A great belt with a beautiful buckle is another item you can call on for anything.
The outer elements of your wardrobe—your shoes, handbag, and earrings—need to be beautiful. What goes on underneath doesn't necessarily have to be super expensive because you're already creating a chic look overall just by having nice jewelry, a good watch, and looking sharp. A capsule wardrobe can stay in your closet for many years, only needing occasional updates depending on fabric wear. It's also a lifesaver for business travel because sticking to similar colors takes the grief out of packing, and you can just add different shades to make it go further.
Karen Covy: So I assume a capsule wardrobe is primarily built around those neutral colors—navy blue, black, white, cream, and charcoal gray.
Suzanne Bernie: Yes, exactly. Gray can be a hard one for your color palette, though, because there are so many different shades of gray and it's easy to get the wrong tone for your skin.
Karen Covy: That's interesting. How do you know if a color looks good on you or not?
Suzanne Bernie: Because your face pings—everything just glows. It's not easy for everybody to see that initially, but if you put on a color that you know isn't great for you and then switch to a color that is great for you, you will see an immediate change in your face.
Karen Covy: Really? So the way to know is just by trying it on.
Suzanne Bernie: Yes, but you also need to be able to see color. A lot of people can't see color—not that they're colorblind, but they just can't discern whether something works or it doesn't.
Karen Covy: Fascinating. Those people really need you. So if someone is doing a wardrobe upgrade, it sounds like step number one is getting the basics of the capsule. You mentioned trousers, a sweater, a blazer, and a belt. What else belongs in that capsule?
Suzanne Bernie: A white or cream shirt, a great pair of jeans, a great pair of boots, a great winter coat, a classic blazer, and a great bomber jacket. That capsule wardrobe will literally take you anywhere. I'm not including summer holidays in that because that's a different category, but you can have a capsule wardrobe for autumn/winter and one for spring/summer. It sounds more complicated than it actually is.
Karen Covy: If I'm trying to create a new image for myself after going through a major life change like a divorce, I want something fun. No offense, but a capsule wardrobe sounds a little bit stodgy and boring. How much fun can I actually have with it?
Suzanne Bernie: The capsule wardrobe is utility; it's designed for speed and quality. That's one side of it. But for example, in our workshops with ladies battling various cancers, they often walk in with their heads down, feeling insecure, nervous, and teary. We have a chat about their situation if they want to. Then a makeup artist and a hairdresser come in, and they start to feel better.
Next, I style them in things I think they should be wearing—nothing like what they currently have in their wardrobes. No word of a lie, they skip out of the room afterward. They are so uplifted. I'm not professing to cure their problems, but I can add a sprinkle of sugar on top and make them feel fabulous about themselves.
I did a workshop a few weeks ago with women who were very sick, and the majority of them wanted to buy the colorful pieces I brought for them because they loved them and had never worn those colors before. It really is a matter of trying things on—preferably without your sister or your best friend, because they might just tell you it looks nice to avoid hurting your feelings.
When it's right, it's right. I've been in changing rooms before where a shop assistant is telling a customer, "It's fabulous, you've got to buy it!" and I have to step in and say, "It's too small, don't buy it," or "It's the wrong color." I swear I have stylist Tourette's! People on commission in stores don't always provide honest service.
Karen Covy: It depends on the store. Either there's nobody around, or they look hassled and overworked. Or they hover because they're on commission, saying, "Oh, that looks good!" But I never know if I can trust them because they just want the sale.
Suzanne Bernie: Exactly, and that is why working with a personal stylist gives you plain truth—delivered with love, but still the truth.
Karen Covy: You definitely need that. Let's bring this full circle back to how you work with people globally. I would love to bring you here to the US and take you shopping with me, but you're in the UK. If I am your client, how do we do that virtually?
Suzanne Bernie: First, we do a wardrobe detox. We go into your bedroom via your laptop, and you systematically try on everything in your wardrobe. You need somebody to show you what works and keep you company while you do it, because otherwise, you'll try on six items and get bored and quit.
We keep going, and you'll realize things you thought still fit actually don't. It's just wasting space in your closet. We go through everything, and I will put new outfits together from what you already own and take photos so you have a visual guide. All the clothes that don't fit, are shabby, or are outdated get put to one side, and the fabulous pieces go back in your closet.
I restyle them, take photographs, and WhatsApp them to you. That way, you wake up in the morning and think, "I've got a meeting today, then lunch, then dinner—what can I wear?" and you can just check what I sent you. All the pieces in your closet will work. You don't want to be trying on a skirt right before a meeting only to find it doesn't fit; you want to be thinking about what you're going to say at your meeting. Trying on clothes that don't fit is demoralizing and annoying.
Karen Covy: It really smashes your energy for the day.
Suzanne Bernie: Yes. So to know that you can open your closet and everything fits and works is incredibly empowering. From there, I take note of the pieces that are missing. Then I go online and find garments from websites based in your specific US city that will work with the pieces you already own.
Karen Covy: Interesting. So if you tell me to go buy certain pieces, I order them and bring them home. Do we then have another session where I try them on and you tell me if it's right or wrong?
Suzanne Bernie: You don't even have to go to the store because I send you a digital style directory. It features the photograph of the garment with a direct link to your local website underneath, so you don't even have to leave your home. The only thing is you might have to buy two different sizes if I'm not entirely sure about the proportions just from looking at the image. It's a bit slower than doing it in person here in London—and if anyone listening is coming to London, I am more than happy to meet in person—but we can easily do it all online.
Karen Covy: Wow. So the items get delivered, I try them on, and you're on screen watching me. If some pieces don't work or are the wrong size, I just box them up and ship them back?
Suzanne Bernie: Yeah, though ideally, there won't be that much to ship back. Sometimes when you buy online you can't feel the fabric, so the quality might not match how it looked online, which is annoying, but the system works really well.
Karen Covy: That's fabulous. That sparks another question, because fabric quality makes such a big difference. Should you stick to tried-and-true fabrics like wool, silk, and cotton, or is that too difficult nowadays since everything has synthetics in it? How do you recognize a good quality fabric?
Suzanne Bernie: Synthetics aren't actually the enemy; they can be a friend. If you have linen mixed with a synthetic blend, you can wear it without looking like a crumpled rag within the first five minutes. Technology is incredible now, and there are amazing man-made fibers that are much easier to maintain, travel with, and clean.
Karen Covy: Absolutely. Pure linen leaves you looking like a crumpled mess the second you sit down once.
This has been really fabulous. Now, we're going to transition into the next segment of the show, which is something I've never done before and I'm so excited about. I have some outfits—well, just jackets—to try on on Zoom so you can see them from the chest up. Suzanne has never seen any of these, so this is completely on the fly to show what you get with a stylist. If you don't mind, can we play a little?
Suzanne Bernie: Sure!
Karen Covy: First, let me move my microphone. I'm starting with a classic black tank top so I can easily switch out the jackets. What do you think of this color and style for a Zoom meeting?
Suzanne Bernie: For a Zoom meeting, it's absolutely fine. If you were going to a party, I would say that specific color is a little too acidic for your pale complexion. But for a Zoom meeting, it looks professional. It says, "I know what I'm doing, listen to me." So that is great, but if you were going out for dinner with your husband, I'd say the color just needs to tone down a bit.
Karen Covy: Got it. I'm going to take a quick pause to change tops and we'll see what the next one looks like.
Okay, we're back, and this time I've put on a sweater. How does this look on Zoom?
Suzanne Bernie: Okay, first of all, it looks like it's Sunday and you're going for a walk in the park, snuggling down with a loved one, or going for brunch. I think it has a hood, right?
Karen Covy: Yes, for those just listening, it has a hood. It's a white, cable-knit sweater—very soft and flowy. It's very warm and cozy for Chicago, and I would definitely wear it on a Sunday.
Suzanne Bernie: Exactly, it's cozy. It's pretty and there's nothing wrong with it, but it's not professional enough for a Zoom meeting. To me, it says, "I'm snuggly and cozy, I just want to relax, and I don't want to be stressed with work."
Karen Covy: Got it. Interesting. Let's look at something totally different.
Okay, we're back, and I am in a blue tweed blazer. What do you think, Suzanne?
Suzanne Bernie: I think this is really nice. It has darker blue piping and lovely texture to it. This would look fabulous with a cotton button-up white shirt with a collar. White with this blue would look beautiful and perfect for a Zoom meeting. Then, come evening, it would look great paired with jeans.
Karen Covy: Oh, that's interesting. I hadn't thought of pairing it with jeans, but that would be really nice.
Suzanne Bernie: It looks really lovely from the bust up. The color is gorgeous on you, but it doesn't work well with the black tank top because it jars against it. It needs white or cream underneath to really stand on its own.
Karen Covy: Okay, do you have time for one more?
Suzanne Bernie: Sure.
Karen Covy: Okay, I am back in a modern blazer. It has a silver zipper, and it's white with different shades of blue, a little bit of pink, and silver. On Zoom, it mostly shows up looking like blue and white stripes.
Suzanne Bernie: To me, it looks like an outfit you'd wear to a club. It's gorgeous, but it's not suitable for a professional Zoom meeting because it says, "Don't listen to me, look at me." When you're on a professional Zoom, you want people to listen to you and you want to look elevated. Right now, you look like you're going to a party.
It's a little bit like if you went to see a doctor and he was wearing a flamboyant suit with flower socks and purple shoes. You'd think, "Is this guy more interested in how he looks or in my health?" There's a fine line in corporate styling to being taken seriously while still looking sharp and fashionable. The jacket you have on is gorgeous, but it's meant for going out.
Karen Covy: This has been quite an education, and honestly, probably the most fun podcast episode I've ever done. It was so wonderful, thank you for playing along with me! For those listening, I really encourage you to watch the YouTube video of this section because it just shows what a difference it makes to get a professional eye to tell you which piece is good for what occasion, and what image you are projecting.
Suzanne, this has been a fabulous conversation. If people want to work with you or learn more about what you do, what's the best place for them to find you?
Suzanne Bernie: They can find me on Instagram @SuzeBernieStylist. My website is suzanneburney.com and my email address is [email protected].
Karen Covy: That's wonderful. For anyone watching or listening, everything will be linked in the show notes, so you will have no problem finding Suzanne. Suzanne, thank you so much for being here. This might seem like an unexpected conversation for people going through a divorce, but you don't want your life to be defined by divorce; you want it to be about what happens afterward, and you are a critical part of that transition. Thank you.
Suzanne Bernie: You are so welcome. It's all about feeling sexy again and being relevant, because that's what we all want.
Karen Covy: Absolutely. Thank you so much. And for those of you watching and listening, if you enjoyed today's episode and would like more episodes just like it, do me a big favor: give the episode a thumbs up, like and subscribe to the podcast, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and I look forward to talking with you all again next time.
