This episode definitely excites us here at YGTMama. Have you ever stood in front of your closet and moaned, “I have NOTHING to wear!?” This episode is for you. Today, Sabrina is chatting with Mavis Huntley from Smithery, an online and by-appointment studio that helps women shop their shape.

New moms, experienced moms, women, and femmes, have pretty much universally stood in front of their closet and had nothing to wear that felt right. Or perhaps it doesn’t fit like it used to, it's worn out, holes in the crotch, and stains that you swore would come out in the wash. Especially those of us with young children, who has time to shop? Are you browsing Joe Fresh sale rack after your weekly grocery shop? How many times did you order from the sale online only to discover how much it doesn’t make you look like the model from the browser window? 

This is where Mavis comes in. Her experience as a woman led her to become co-founder of a company with her stylish business partner to help women find clothes that work for them. By making personal shopping attainable for women, Smithery guides women into feeling good about what they wear every day.  At Smithery their customer base is 80% "new moms", essentially moms who have kids between one and seven years old. Their bodies have changed, their lifestyles have changed and they have no time to shop. Smithery offers tips and advice for those ladies to gain their confidence back on this wild ride of motherhood.

Not only curating the most flattering cuts for each body shape, but Smithery also models the clothes on REAL women representing different shapes and sizes. Smithery’s proprietary Shape Finder and signature in-studio Style Sessions will teach you your body shape and the tips for how to dress for your shape. Mavis' mission is to make sure every woman who shops with them leaves feeling confident, empowered, and never feels like she has nothing to $#@%! wear again!

The first place to start is with your body shape. Most of us are familiar with the traditional fruit-based system, but who really wants to be compared to food when talking about their bodies? Smithery’s Shape Finder changes that dialogue with their letter system, which helps women better understand how to shop. Mavis goes into detail exploring how each letter is different and how to determine your own shape! If you can’t quite find your shape, or find the choices a bit overwhelming, Smithery offers in-person consultations. You can get a rack pulled just for you based on a questionnaire you answer prior to your consultation that focuses on your lifestyle, budget and style preferences. 

The next big question is how can you build your closet without spending SO much money. Especially with families, many of us don’t have the disposable income to be purchasing new clothing every season. With body changes, weight fluctuations and insecurities, it's difficult to shop! 90% of the items on Smithery are under $150. The rest of the items are considered “Third Pieces”, like a denim jacket, duster style jackets, and blazers. The best foundation piece, however, is a good pair of pants. If you get the right pair, you can wear them multiple times a week. From there, try mixing and matching with what you already have and love from your closet and soon you will find your closet is full of pieces that all work together to create multiple outfits. What about those holes in the crotch leggings? Time to let them go.

Styling your wardrobe to suit you is about feeling good in your own skin. It’s not vanity to be confident. Exterior beauty can mean different things to everyone, people are attracted to different things. But to feel good about yourself is the most important. You’re not dressing to impress anyone else, you’re dressing to feel good. When you dress to feel good, you feel confident in what you're wearing and that makes you...