The Socialize Podcast - Camera Ready Style
Welcome to the social media podcast. Happy Friday. Before I bring in a special guest today, because I do have a guest on board for today's episode. I'm so excited to bring her in. But before I get into it, I know that a lot of you listen to this, and every Friday, I look forward to my unsponsored by segment.
Helen:So I didn't want to leave it off the episode, and I'm gonna kick it off right now with one thing that is related to the topic today. And we are talking about being camera ready and fashion on camera. That's the topic for today. So with that being said, I want to share a brand I just came upon by accident this weekend in a little boutique, and I think I might be obsessed already because they have a lot of linen style clothes. I'm gonna hold one up.
Helen:Got this linen white jacket, and it's short sleeve. So it's one of these things that you can wear, let's say and it's very flowy. It could be worn over a skirt, over jeans, over a cute shirt like this, and it will provide a little bit of that cozy warmth if you're out in an outdoor restaurant, for example, if you're on vacation and you don't know what the weather is going to be like. Wink. Wink.
Helen:Nod. Nod. Because I have a vacation coming up. And I love that it's linen. That's what got me because it's breathable, and so it's not, a sweater where you're gonna feel, like, sweaty and hot, but you are gonna feel comfort if you're chilly.
Helen:The brand is Pistach. Pistach like pistachio, but without the I o at the end. P I s t a c h e, and it's made in Italy. I noticed that in Italy, they do a lot of linen because when I was in Italy last time, I bought some linen pieces. So love it.
Helen:I just wanted to share. I got a dress. This is the dress from the same brand. It's a little jumper dress and a long to almost to the floor. So I am a new fan of Pistache.
Helen:If you can find it, I got it at a little boutique, and that is my unsponsored buy post for today. And now I'm going to bring in my guests. So let's go. Okay. Here we go.
Helen:I am welcoming in my dear friend and also colleague, of course, personal stylist Alicia Lenkin. And her, I love this about her bio. It says what she does in the very first line, and it makes me wanna rethink my bio, Alicia. So welcome in. I'm gonna read your bio.
Helen:You ready? Not reading it all. But Alicia Lenkin helps midlife women show up more powerfully in their lives. I can't even tell you what that said to me when I read it because it was not just like she's a stylist. She has thirty years of experience in the fashion industry.
Helen:She's been in TV commercial sets. She's does personal styling. She has this dynamic approach, guiding women to make confident style. All those things are part of it, but it wrapped into this one line about what the end result is. So bravo to you, girlfriend.
Helen:Welcome in.
Elysha:Yay. Thank you so much for having me. I love joining you. I love when we get together and just talk
Helen:the talk. So happy you're here. Okay, Alicia. So, we're going to talk today about being camera ready on social media and this is so important because as you know, I often use that phrase like I'm always camera ready because I had a situation once where one of my Zoom meetings, I didn't realize it was supposed to start at noon because on my calendar, it said 2PM but when Julie was texting me, mom, wait, we're waiting for you on the Zoom and I was like, oh my god. Thank god I was already camera ready.
Helen:So, I think it's important for us to think of our day when we wake up to be camera ready. Tell us why does being camera ready matter? And you can go back to how you one time contacted me about something and you were like, oh, by the way, be you know, we're gonna record video. So, tell me that story and then tell me why it matters in life in general.
Elysha:Okay. First and foremost, camera ready is an attitude that I know you definitely embody this attitude. I remember when we were scheduling the interview for the style evolution and I said, Oh, and by the way, we're gonna be recording, so be camera ready. And then your response was just so simple. You said, I'm always camera ready.
Elysha:And I, yeah, you are camera ready.
Helen:True fact, true Camera
Elysha:ready is an attitude. It is about always being ready for whatever comes your way. Now there is the physical tangible component of that which has to do with styling and clothing and all the physical parts of your appearance. And then there is the attitude that I am going to be ready. I remember with working with my clients when a bunch of them went remote, they went online and they they just weren't used to what that was like to work online and getting their outfits together just felt like a big huge hurdle for them because they're like, oh, I'm only gonna be at home.
Elysha:So they would just put on a top, maybe a pair of earrings. And I said, no, you always wanna be camera ready because you never know. Just like what you were saying.
Helen:You never know.
Elysha:The meeting might get moved up. You never know who's gonna be knocking on your door. Remember very specifically, one of my clients told me that it was the UPS guy knocking on the
Helen:door but still
Elysha:she was camera ready. It is an energy, it is an attitude.
Helen:It is an energy.
Elysha:Show up differently, you feel differently when you've taken that time to put yourself together in a way that feels ready for anything.
Helen:Yes, I love it. And I wanna just add because for you as a stylist, you have an eye. So you, of course, can pick out the things and become ready. For me, as a normal human who doesn't even I mean, maybe never even had a secure sense of style. But for me, it's like looking intentional doesn't have to mean it's perfect, but it it means that you gave it a minute of thought.
Helen:And you because of it, you're building trust because you're not necessarily, putting on a show. Like, you're you're not dressing to perform on stage. You're dressing to exude yourself. And I think that's the difference with social media camera ready versus going to on stage to make a presentation camera ready. Would you agree that there's a difference between those two things?
Elysha:Well, social media is going to be more about a slice of your real life. Correct? And then when you're doing a presentation or a speech somewhere Right. That is actually performing on a stage. So there is a there is a difference with that.
Helen:There is. So and when I think about something as simple as, like, what am I gonna wear? Because I'm gonna record some videos today. We'll talk about what the specific tips are. But, before we dive into that, I wanna say authentic casual versus sloppy casual, like looking like you purposely don't give a crap is a totally different thing unless that's what you're going for.
Helen:You know what I mean? Right?
Elysha:I mean so the way that I explain this to my clients is that, you know, it it being comfortable in your clothing is a baseline. I want all my my clients to feel comfortable in their clothing. There is a difference, however, in feeling comfortable as in you're just lying on the couch, like you're sick at the end of the day relaxing and feeling comfortable and confident in your skin. So when you're putting your outfit together, you're being intentional, you're thinking about what you're gonna wear, how you wanna feel. Of course, you wanna be comfortable.
Elysha:But is this about getting horizontal on your couch or is this about being camera ready and being out in your day?
Helen:Exactly. Exactly. So let me just talk about one of my tips, and this is something I learned from you, of course, because I've been on commercial sets with Alicia just for some background. We've worked on Sensodyne shoots since, oh my gosh, I don't know, 2016 or some crazy amount of time, maybe even before that.
Elysha:I think it's longer. It's been over a decade. Like, fifteen years easily.
Helen:Right? Okay. So we've worked together for a long time. So I like to think that I have elevated my style just from being around you, being around sets, being around the choices that get made for on camera. And I picked it up along the way.
Helen:So when I started recording content, I wasn't always shopping for clothes that were good for on camera. I'd shop for something maybe it was a loud bit bright pattern because that's like I wanted to make a statement that day. But then I put that on and I get in front of the camera and I'm like, oh, dear god. This is loud and obnoxious. So what I have learned from shoots is on camera can mean not a crazy busy pattern, solid, more flattering tones, more like, if it is a pattern, I'm looking at what you're wearing now.
Helen:Well, look at what I'm wearing now. We both have a pattern, but it's not a pattern that's distracting from our visual our our face and our presentation. So mine is complimentary. Yours is complimentary. Your neckline suits you.
Helen:You have like enough necklaces. Everything that that we we do, it's gotta be more simple. At least this is what I've learned over the years. So talk to me about how you how'd you come up with that? Because you I learned it from you.
Elysha:Yeah. So when we work on shoots, as you know, there is a creative brief. It is very specific, it is very detailed about how we want our actors, how we want our talent, our models to look. So this has to do with colors, this has to do with styling details, silhouettes, and all of that. I suggest that everyone come up with a creative brief for their brand or for their daily life and how they want their style to be.
Elysha:So define what are the colors that make you look vibrant? What are the styles? What are the silhouettes? Now when we're going on camera, yes, you do wanna be more mindful about how you pair these things. So there are some there are some hard fast rules that that people like to follow, right?
Elysha:So wearing brighter colors or keeping the patterns very simple and sparse, right? So you can, when I say a sparse pattern, I mean there's more background, right? They're not so close together. So these are just hard and fast guidelines for you to follow. However, once you start getting really comfortable and confident in your, excuse me, in your own creative brief, then you start to feel more excited to play or bend these rules a little bit, right?
Elysha:So I have a very busy background going on here in my office, right? It's this beautiful floral pattern.
Helen:Mine is the opposite.
Elysha:Yeah, so does this mean that I can't wear prints? Not for me because I'm very confident in my styling choices. So I will continue to, I love prints. So I will wear prints. I will be mindful about what prints I put on with this background because I don't want it to become so distracting that everybody is looking and and they don't know where to focus.
Elysha:So this is this is important is you wanna have the focus be on you. You do not want your styling and your wardrobe unless listen, unless you're doing fashion for fashion's sake, that is a very different thing. Right? When you're in the artistry of fashion, then, of course, maybe you want your strong silhouettes and your strong fashion choices to be the conversation starter. But for my clients and for me, I always want them to be the focus of the frame.
Helen:Amazing. I I really never thought about I've had on so many Zoom calls with you for work, and I've never really been distracted by the pattern on pattern. It didn't even occur to me. And some that's me I would probably be more, oh, I have this gray background. I shouldn't wear an uncomplimentary whatever.
Helen:I would probably overthink that. So I'm you've just opened up a new door for me to to rethink that. But this creative brief idea, okay, that's kind of mind blowing. And I think by accident, I have my own creative brief by accident. I think that you're talking about it, so I'm like, oh, yeah.
Helen:I tend to go with colors that I know complement my my tone, which I have come to conclude are in the blue tones. I don't really look good in pinks and reds as much. You can wear red really strong, and it looks great on you, but it doesn't work for me. So how is it easy for someone to figure out what colors don't don't work for them? Is that something that you've studied?
Helen:Like, just give me a little insight. We've never talked about this before, and it's not on our list of things to talk about. So sorry to throw you a curveball.
Elysha:But No. This is listen. Throw me area, baby. Throw the curveballs. I am ready.
Elysha:This. Yeah, no, this is my wheelhouse. This is what I do and I think about these things all the time. I'm working with a client right now. We're just getting started and the first thing I do is I'm gonna give her a color palette.
Elysha:The color palette is going to be specific colors that are right for her hair, her skin, and her eyes. Okay? So it all has to do with your complexion. Right? What is your complexion?
Elysha:What color are your eyes? What color is your hair? And then you're gonna get, you're gonna have very specific colors that highlight you. They compliment you. They make you feel more vibrant.
Elysha:For me, listen,
Helen:is It does it for you.
Elysha:Red is, I'm not wearing it right now. I'm sort of at the end of my laundry week right now.
Helen:You had limited had choices. To
Elysha:go into something a little different. I love this. It's a dress actually. I feel really good in it. I love the dress too.
Elysha:That's But not red. Red is my power color. I love red. I will always wear red. It always makes me feel good.
Elysha:Right? You know what looks really horrible on me is like a really dusty rose pink, which is such a beautiful color. I love that color so much when I see it on a roll.
Helen:Surprises me that it wouldn't look good on you.
Elysha:It does. It it washes me out.
Helen:Yeah. Can't wear that. Can't wear that color either. Now you know what's what's interesting for me? I as soon as you said your power color, mine is teal.
Helen:So it's not even this. But when I wear it, I have one teal dress, and I every time I wear that in a video, I have people in the comments. So how did I find my color? Probably from the comments on TikTok. I don't know.
Helen:Because I would have people that commented and said, oh, that color looks great on you. I'm like, I gotta wear more of this color. So the teal area of the blues is a really good color for me. I Because my eyes are hazel. Go ahead.
Elysha:I have to share a hot tip about teal and that is that teal is a color that actually looks really good on most people. That is one of the colors that looks really good. Yeah, it really does. It's a great, it's a beautiful color. I'm encouraging everybody who's listening to to give it a try.
Helen:Try teal. I should have brought my teal dress in for this and then I would show but really it does it does really work. So I love teal. Alright. The other thing that I think you have taught me also, I like that we're having lessons I've learned from Alicia.
Helen:This is what this is turning into but about accessorizing and picking a piece that catches your eye but not over accessorizing. So you might think, I have to have really statement earrings. I've gotta have a really statement necklace. I've gotta have a a scarf, all the things. So what have you taught me about accessorizing and belts and all the things?
Helen:Talk to me.
Elysha:First of all, I love a belt. I I love
Helen:I know you do.
Elysha:A cool belt. I love it for most women. Okay? So if you have not ever tried a belt, if you think you can't wear a belt
Helen:I always thought I couldn't. You did. It's And I you changed me.
Elysha:Because belts are really fun. You can they just add so much to an outfit just as the accessory with the detailing of the belt and also they show shape. Right? They show shape.
Helen:Which always was a negative in my book, so.
Elysha:But you're a changed woman.
Helen:I'm changed woman. Thank you, Alicia.
Elysha:Yeah. I love it. So, when we think about accessorizing, you know, it goes back to that conversation starter, right? So remember once I was watching this, it was a Netflix special with Brene Brown. It was a long time ago, maybe five years ago or something.
Elysha:And she was wearing these huge feather earrings next to her face. She had a full black outfit and these huge feather earrings and I just kept staring at those earrings and I was like, it was very distracting to me that she wore these huge feather earrings. So listen, again this is
Helen:all- But did she have other things that were, were they fighting with something else on her?
Elysha:No, it was just that it was just such a big thing next to her face that I found it to be very distracting. Interesting. That's what I noticed. Yeah, but yeah, you wanna think about, again, you want the focus to be on you. There is a little point system that you can use if you wanna put your outfits together with your accessories.
Helen:Let's learn the point system right now.
Elysha:The point system is very straightforward and people tend to love it because it's so basic and so everybody can do it. So each of your pieces would be one point.
Helen:Okay.
Elysha:And then if you have any sort of statement on that piece, then it gets two points. Okay? For example, have on a dress, but my dress has a print. So that's gonna be two points. I've got on a pile of necklaces here.
Elysha:So that's gonna be another two points. Right? I do have on these little sparkly dangly earrings. These are gonna get another point, right? So we've got two, four, we've got five points right here.
Elysha:So five points, I think for a zoom where you're just shooting this, that could be a good number. Now when we're gonna pull back, we're gonna add my shoes into the mix. Right? So you wanna get you have to find your own unique number. This is what I do with my clients is I help them dial in on how many points their outfit should equal for their style.
Elysha:Because if you're more statement, if you're more maximal, then you're gonna be higher up. If you're simple, you if you're simple, you just wanna be careful that you don't slide into boring and basic. And by having, like, a four, like, a four point outfit,
Helen:that's just god. I'm gonna count points. I I I think of it differently, and I'm so glad to, like, think about points now because I'll think if I have little earrings, then, yes, I can wear a necklace. And if I have big earrings, I tend to avoid the necklace, and I do something more like a belt. I focus more on, like, a different areas that I'm not doing earrings, necklace, and belt.
Helen:Like, I think that I think it's just an innate thing that I picked up probably from listening to you, but not having if I wear big earrings and I tend to eliminate the necklace and I just go with something else in another area. Would that be And
Elysha:I and I agree with that a 100%. You know, when we have our hair pulled back, right, sometimes it could be really beautiful and striking to have on some bold earrings. So your hair back, bold earrings, clean neck. I love that.
Helen:Right.
Elysha:Balance. Because you always wanna find balance in your outfit. This is key. This is a key point that every outfit needs is it has to be balanced. So thinking about that.
Elysha:So a lot of times, yeah, lose the necklace, use the strong earrings. I agree with that as well.
Helen:Okay. Now I'm gonna talk about this one thing that I have been doing that I I never did in my life until I became a content creator. Okay? I always now, when I get a new outfit or whatever, I come home, I set up my camera, and I look at what it looks like in on camera. When I'm in a dressing room, a lot of times, I will look at myself in the mirror and go, oh, I love this.
Helen:And then I go, let me just take a picture of it. And it's, I will look at myself in the mirror, take a picture. Mirror, I love it. Phone, oh my god. I hate it.
Helen:Literally, Lisha, I'm not even kidding. I did it this weekend. I had this cute little dress. I was like, oh, I'm gonna buy a little something for my vacation coming up. I put this thing on, and I went, first of all, in the mirror, I thought, oh, cute because I'm envisioning maybe my younger self, maybe my former body self, whatever.
Helen:I'm I'm envisioning me because I see myself one way. But when I put myself on the camera, it looked like a weird kind of moo moo something going on. I was like, what the hell? How could I think it looks okay here? And two seconds later, snap a photo.
Helen:What can you explain that to me?
Elysha:Number one, maybe it needed a belt. Maybe it needed a little shape, number one. But no, I this is exactly what I do. This is exactly what my clients do. Crazy.
Elysha:I go shopping. I take pictures of everything and then I take all the stuff and I leave the fitting room and then I go look at my photos and I make my decisions based on the photos that I've taken working with my clients because I work with my clients all over the world, right? We work virtually together. So it is all about looking at the pictures because this has to do with the way we're seeing ourselves and the way other people are seeing ourselves. Right?
Elysha:So it really is way more objective when you look at a photo. And I think the selfie is an incredible tool for personal style to help you make decisions.
Helen:It's crazy how it has changed the game for me. I will try on outfits. I won't just try them on. I set up a camera on a tripod. I look in the mirror.
Helen:I go in. I do, like, I use the timer, and I take a photo. I literally do this all the time. And I think that has come from being a content creator because I'm like, I think this looks good. And then I go to set up my camera, and I'm like, oh my god, this is too busy or it looks crazy or it doesn't, this color doesn't suit me.
Helen:So, this tool, if anybody takes away anything today, it's like objectively see yourself. You taught, you took me shopping once. We were shopping for a wedding and I and you gave me a dress to try and I went, oh god, no, Alicia. Remember?
Elysha:Oh, yes. I remember the details
Helen:of it. Explain.
Elysha:Yeah. Explain. Okay. So, we were we okay. So, we were in we met up in Soho.
Elysha:We walked into a store and I right away, I beelined, I saw this green dress and it was kind of slinky and it had no sleeves and I held it up and I was like here and you're like,
Helen:that's a good face because it's true,
Elysha:I don't know and I was like, just take it in, you can take it off, just go, So you did it, you go in and then you come out. And I love this moment so much because then you come out, you look at me and I'm like, huge smile. And then you look at yourself. And then I start to see you, you're like seeing yourself a little different looking at the mirror, you're starting to see yourself the way I'm seeing you.
Helen:You took a picture of me when I came
Elysha:photo of you. Yeah. Of course.
Helen:And yes. Of course. Because that's what you do. So you took the picture and then showed me the picture. You did this thing where you were like, what do you mean?
Helen:Look at this. And I'm like, because I couldn't see myself the way you were seeing me.
Elysha:You started to see yourself the way I was seeing you, and then this is the best part. So you saw yourself the way I saw you, which looked gorgeous, and the color was perfect for you and the fit and everything. And then you go to the wedding. Oh, no. But then you're like
Helen:Yes. Yes.
Elysha:I'm gonna need to
Helen:get little jacket.
Elysha:Thing to cover my arms just in case. I was like, okay. Fine. So you did. And then then you come back from the wedding.
Elysha:You're like, oh, I got rid of that jacket. I was on the dance floor the entire night. So that just goes to show, right? The work that I do, and this goes back to my bio, it's like the work that I do sure it is using the clothes to get you to that place where you're showing up more powerfully in your life, which you fully fully embodied at the wedding on the dance floor, you became a model and an inspiration for everybody, the energy, you bring this energy to the room, you lift the energy in the room, and then everyone, it's contagious.
Helen:Oh my god. I love it. I I love that's like a story that's always gonna stay with me. Know? You.
Helen:Things were so, pivotal, and that was one of them. So thank you for that. I also I see myself at times the way you see me better now, and that's a good thing because I have the No, stylus seal of
Elysha:it's a practice, and that's the thing is you've had more and more exposure to it, so it becomes, there becomes less friction, right? It becomes easier to access. Yes. You know? Well, like, what would Alicia I know you've said this.
Elysha:You're like, well, what would Alicia think? And he Yeah. What would Alicia do here? Right? Stylist seal of approval.
Helen:I know. I love it. And I think social media in general has helped us. At least it's helped me to be more forgiving of myself because I I think, oh, this everyone's gonna make a comment about this about me and then the comments nobody's noticing that about me. So I'm only noticing that.
Helen:So it has changed a lot of my, I guess, my whole psyche about my body, I suppose. But I think that we all can use this as an example. So to recap today, the idea of making a creative brief understanding what your brand and your niche I said brand like a Jersey girl. But you're that's so funny since as I hear it. But your brand is like, what your niche is about, what your colors are.
Helen:Keep it simple. Keep it intentional, and to test it on camera, which I think is a huge takeaway. So now I want you to tell me I I know we've been talking about the whole style thing. You have a big event coming up. It's free.
Helen:That's why I wanna say that up front. We are not trying to sell you anything at the end of this video. This is purely like you can learn about your style. Alicia, you're gonna tell us now about the style evolution, which is a free event. I'm so excited to be a part of it with, I think you said, 13 other experts in different areas.
Helen:So are they all fashion experts, or are they a variety walk of life? Like, what type of experts do you have in the style evolution? And then tell me a little bit more about the details.
Elysha:Yeah. So the way I see style, yes, it's your clothes. It is the tangible, practical aspect of your clothing and your wardrobe, and also it's your attitude. It's who you are. It's how you move through the world.
Elysha:It's the way you feel. It's the way you make others feel. So I have invited these other experts. There's 13 of us total and each one is contributing their unique perspective on how to help you align who you are with how you show up. So you move through your life feeling energized from the inside out.
Elysha:Who are these other experts? Well, there is some there's other stylists. We've got a fashion designer. There's also a weight loss expert. There is also a career expert.
Elysha:We've got some 50 plus over 50 age, 50 influencers. We have sustainability in fashion. We have a photographer is gonna be there. So the idea is this about aging, it's about image and it's about self expression. So that's really what this whole thing is about, and I'm so excited that you're a part of it.
Helen:I know. I'm so I'm honored to be among among all these experts that you have here. So that is gonna be a a major win because no cost come and listen to each one of the interviews. I think you can listen on your own time. So if you're not available at the time of the of the thing, they they drop as individual recorded interviews.
Helen:Right?
Elysha:Correct. They they drop. So October 6 is the first day, so it's a Monday through Friday, and the interviews will drop. There's gonna be about three a day and you'll have forty eight hours to watch the interviews and to really zone in on which ones are gonna be best for you.
Helen:Great. So don't freak out and think, oh my god. It's gonna be like I have to have a commitment every evening to listen to something. No. There are some live events that are coming in the Facebook group Yes.
Helen:As well, and I'm gonna attend one of those with you so we could do some q and a, and it's gonna be a lot of fun. I love a good live.
Elysha:Yes. There's the community. So there's the interviews. The interviews are all about twenty five minutes each. So it's not a huge commitment.
Elysha:You could just listen as you're driving or doing dishes or you can watch their video. You know, with style, I felt it was important to have a visual component to it. K. But the Facebook group is gonna be amazing. You're gonna come in there.
Elysha:Other experts are gonna be coming in and joining So it's gonna be a lot of fun.
Helen:Okay. So there is a link in the show notes here. There's a link in the YouTube. If you're watching this on YouTube and there is a link in the newsletter. So, get on this.
Helen:Just be able to learn from experts and elevate your style and it's so easy with just some simple things that that simple changes even. Thank you, Alicia. Thanks for being here today. As always, such a good time. Fun seeing you on set last week.
Helen:And Yeah. I'm losing my voice from being on set last week.
Elysha:You were using your voice a lot as
Helen:you were directing
Elysha:directing the TV commercial.
Helen:Yes. We had a good time, though. Alright. Good seeing you, love. Let's have lunch soon.
Elysha:Yes. Definitely. Alright. Bye.
