Join Sarah Noll Wilson and stylist Elsa Isaac as they explore how the clothes we wear can influence not just how others see us, but how we feel about ourselves. Learn how to reconnect with your style, play with your wardrobe, and show up powerfully as your most authentic self.
ABOUT
Elsa Isaac is a personal wardrobe stylist for ambitious women professionals, who believes style is really all about self-expression. A seasoned pro with 20+ years in the fashion industry, the east African-born stylist has built quite a noteworthy portfolio, working her style magic on everyone from Rachel Rodgers and Lenny Kravitz, to Katie Couric and Marion Jones. Nowadays, she helps successful career women + entrepreneurs revamp their wardrobes + create show-stopping ensembles that flatter their unique body shapes and lifestyles. Elsa resides in NYC with her husband and son, and is the host of the Get Styled Podcast.
SHOW NOTES
- Website: https://elsaisaac.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/elsaisaac
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/elsaisaac
- Get Styled Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/get-styled/id1743069176
TRANSCRIPT
00:00:01:21 – 00:00:29:06
Sarah Noll Wilson
Hello and welcome to Conversations on Conversations, where we explore topics to help us have more powerful conversations with ourselves and others. I’m your host, Sarah Noll Wilson, and joining me this week is somebody I’ve had the privilege of working with. Elsa Isaac. And together we will be exploring this idea of how the clothes we wear can really shape how we feel about ourselves and shape how other people feel about us as well.
00:00:29:12 – 00:00:54:19
Sarah Noll Wilson
So let me tell you a little bit about Elsa. Elsa Isaac is a personal wardrobe stylist for ambitious women professionals who believes style is really all about self-expression. She is a seasoned pro with 20 plus years in the fashion industry. The East African born stylist has built quite a noteworthy portfolio, working her style magic on everyone from Rachel Rogers and Lenny Kravitz to Katie Couric and Marion Jones.
00:00:54:27 – 00:01:12:11
Sarah Noll Wilson
Nowadays, she helps successful career women and entrepreneurs revamp their wardrobes and create showstopping ensembles that flatter their unique body shapes and lifestyles. Elsa resides in New York City with her husband and son, and is the host of the Get Styled podcast. Welcome to the show, Elsa.
00:01:12:17 – 00:01:15:06
Elsa Isaac
Thanks, Sarah. Thanks for having me.
00:01:15:09 – 00:01:20:24
Sarah Noll Wilson
I’m so excited that this worked out okay. What else do you want people to know about you?
00:01:20:27 – 00:01:23:23
Elsa Isaac
I mean, sometimes you want people to know a little less, right?
00:01:23:26 – 00:01:24:02
Sarah Noll Wilson
Yeah,
00:01:24:08 – 00:01:37:24
Elsa Isaac
I feel like I’m out there. I’ve been out online. It was so funny. My, my, I think we were. We were on vacation in Paris this summer. My son was like, Google me, mom. I was like, okay. And of course, he didn’t come up. And then he googled my husband.
00:01:37:24 – 00:01:51:01
Elsa Isaac
He said, Google daddy. And then he’s like, Google you. And of course there’s all this stuff that comes up for me. I was like, yeah, sometimes you you forget that, but everything you put out is out there. So you did a great job. Thank you for intro-ing me.
00:01:51:03 – 00:02:01:24
Sarah Noll Wilson
Yeah. So I love that. You know what? A thing that didn’t exist when we were kids to say, what’s the what’s the online? What’s the online story about us?
00:02:02:01 – 00:02:02:29
Elsa Isaac
Yes.
00:02:03:01 – 00:02:29:04
Sarah Noll Wilson
So for people. For people, listening, I was trying to think of how I came across your work all those years ago. I know it was online. I think that I, I think somebody that I followed and admired, possibly Marie Forleo, somebody shared working with you, and I got really interested. And that’s how I, you know, came to connect with you.
00:02:29:04 – 00:02:36:03
Sarah Noll Wilson
But somehow your name came across my feed by somebody who you had worked with that I had a ton of respect for.
00:02:36:06 – 00:02:43:27
Elsa Isaac
You know, and I, I generally have a really crappy memory, but I remember it was on Twitter that you reached out.
00:02:44:00 – 00:02:44:17
Sarah Noll Wilson
Sure.
00:02:44:18 – 00:02:47:15
Elsa Isaac
So I wonder if we could. I could probably go back and, like, figure out.
00:02:47:16 – 00:02:48:03
Sarah Noll Wilson
Find.
00:02:48:05 – 00:03:18:24
Elsa Isaac
You know, who who that middle person was. But yes, it was on Twitter. And I remember thinking, like, I don’t get a lot of inquiries or, you know, I’m not because I’m not on there often. And so I was like, oh, you know, this, this, this. She sounds so amazing. And, you know, you never know because I think a lot of women will hear about stylists and styling and not really consider it as something that is available for them or a possibility, you know.
00:03:19:00 – 00:03:20:16
Elsa Isaac
But you did. So that was dope.
00:03:20:19 – 00:03:37:21
Sarah Noll Wilson
No, I loved it. And it’s changed. I mean, we’ll get into my experience working with you, but take us back. What’s your journey in the fashion industry and just this journey to come to the work that you’re doing to help people think differently about how they show up and how they feel about how they show up?
00:03:37:24 – 00:03:55:17
Elsa Isaac
Yeah, it took a I think it took a while like I was into, I guess you can say, the fashion industry. I knew what I wanted to do fairly young, like I always had a fascination with clothes, playing with Barbies and dolls. I was more interested in the clothes they were wearing and the outfits I could, you know, kind of create.
00:03:55:19 – 00:04:17:23
Elsa Isaac
And so, you know, in high school, I remember I maybe before that I taught myself how to draw, like sketch. And then I actually ended up taking sketching lessons because I want to get better and then I, I dabbled with sewing and then I in, in high school we took like there was a fashion program. So I got better at selling.
00:04:17:25 – 00:04:35:22
Elsa Isaac
And then I, I’m Canadian. So I was I lived in I grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, and I wanted to go to at the time, it was the only one of two degree programs for fashion in Canada, and it was in Toronto. And so I ended up going there and I thought I was just going to be a designer.
00:04:35:23 – 00:05:03:16
Elsa Isaac
Like, that’s, you know, when you think about I’m 45 now, so, you know, many years ago, like a stylist wasn’t something that I even knew existed. I had no idea what the possibilities were within that, within the realm of clothing. And so I was in my second year of, of university and a friend of mine who was in the music industry was like, hey, we’re doing a music video for this artist.
00:05:03:16 – 00:05:21:04
Elsa Isaac
Can you style it? And I was like, it’s so sweet of you to think of me. I don’t do that. I’m a student, you know, I’m. But thank you. And he just wouldn’t take no for an answer. And so he was like, we’ll walk you through it. It’ll be great. And so I felt like I had no choice.
00:05:21:04 – 00:05:44:16
Elsa Isaac
You know, and it just ended up being one of those things that, you know, you discover that you’re naturally good at. I styled not just the artist. It was like 12 people on that, on that set that day. And I remember it being a long 14 hour day and everybody complimenting the looks after I styled a person and I was like, he’s totally telling them to tell me that I did a good job, right?
00:05:44:19 – 00:06:04:09
Elsa Isaac
And then he handed me a check at the end of that day and was like, I knew you could do it. And so that was like how I got into styling. But but because I entered through like, the commercial lens. Right. Very, you know, artists and then magazines and models, it was a very different purview. You know, it was a different a different end goal.
00:06:04:12 – 00:06:29:26
Elsa Isaac
Yeah. And I think when I moved ended up moving to, to New York and, you know, started assisting stylists here and started doing my own gigs. Something just felt off after a few years. And I was like, what does this mean? I don’t like styling anymore. I couldn’t figure out what the misalignment was. And then we did this shoot for, I think it was Good Housekeeping magazine with four women.
00:06:29:26 – 00:06:56:01
Elsa Isaac
I think it was from across the country who had just undergone drastic weight loss and they were being featured on the cover. And I remember them walking into the studio feeling so nervous right, they’re – This is New York City, big, big city, big magazine cover shoot. Like all the things that should make you nervous and but seeing their transformation after every, you know, kind of layer, right.
00:06:56:01 – 00:07:22:15
Elsa Isaac
Like hair and makeup and then wardrobe and then being on set with a glass of champagne and just seeing how they stepped into themselves and felt like they could, you know, shine and and be bold and, you know, I think like the limitation started to, to, just melt away and I remember thinking, that’s powerful, just seeing them, that transformation in those few hours.
00:07:22:17 – 00:07:44:06
Elsa Isaac
And I think that planted a seed. And if you are a few years later, I kind of fell into the coach. I fell into a coach. I think it was Marie first, Marie Forleo. And, that changed everything. I started working with women professionals and entrepreneurs and that was like the sweet spot. I was like, yeah, this is what I’m meant to be doing.
00:07:44:09 – 00:08:16:11
Sarah Noll Wilson
I well, I’m so glad that you’re doing what you’re meant to be doing, because I certainly have benefited from it. What what are some of those common limitations you see, particularly as women? So, I mean, you know, knowing that you work with women and knowing that, you know, well, we have a global audience. I’ll speak from a Western perspective because I don’t know necessarily how this translates into, other regions, but there’s such a, high expectation of youthfulness, of beauty, of cuteness, of maybe sexiness.
00:08:16:11 – 00:08:36:29
Sarah Noll Wilson
Or, you know, my, my, my friend and I, we were just talking recently about how said, you know, in high school it felt like you could be cute, beautiful or sexy, but could couldn’t be all of those. But there’s but as women in particular, we’re given so many messages about what it means to look like a woman, what it means to show up as a woman.
00:08:37:01 – 00:08:49:17
Sarah Noll Wilson
And, and it’s not always healthy. So what are some of those maybe rules that we’ve been told, or you see those limitations or rules that women hold when you’re working with them?
00:08:49:19 – 00:09:15:05
Elsa Isaac
Yeah. And I think, you know, everything that you said. And in my conversations with women, so much of it is external, right? Like these, these expectations. That’s one of the reasons I don’t really connect with the fashion industry per se. I’m not, I’m not a fan of, you know, this industry dictating, right, what trends I should be wearing or how I should look.
00:09:15:05 – 00:09:50:14
Elsa Isaac
And so it’s a it’s a balance for me because I also, have to look at what’s out there, right. And, and be up to date, so to speak, on inventory. But I think that’s, that’s why this being able to, help women in this way and the really the, my philosophy is switching that. So instead of looking to external sources of inspiration, let’s start with you, because then you block out all, all the noise and you’re focused on, hey, what’s my body shape?
00:09:50:16 – 00:10:13:15
Elsa Isaac
How do I want to feel in my clothes? And what feels authentic to me? Because when, you know, we’re visual, we’re all visual creatures. We they, you know, they say that it takes seven seconds for us to make an assumption about someone we just met. And so taking back that narrative and deciding, well, what do you want to say about who you are in those seven seconds?
00:10:13:15 – 00:10:35:23
Elsa Isaac
Right. And so it becomes less superficial and more about like, why are we completely ignoring this outside version of ourselves? Because we all we often talk about the inner work. Yeah, the self-development and all that that takes. But then we chalk this up to superficial, who cares? Like I should be able to show up anyway. Yeah, but do you feel good in that?
00:10:35:25 – 00:10:55:09
Elsa Isaac
Do you feel good showing up in the way that you are showing up? And so once you start to shift who, what, how you’re using clothes, what you’re using clothing for, then it becomes less about everyone else’s expectations and more about how you want to feel and how you what message you want to send the world about who you are.
00:10:55:11 – 00:11:21:25
Sarah Noll Wilson
Yeah, there’s something so powerful, and I and I can only imagine the stories you have of being able to work with people who know, somewhere deep down inside, what their truth is, of how they want to show up, of how they want to present themselves, of how they want to, have people experience them, that maybe they were afraid, maybe it felt risky.
00:11:21:25 – 00:11:33:22
Sarah Noll Wilson
Maybe it was risky. Right. You know, depending on your situation, I remember early in my career somebody telling me nobody’s going to. Nobody will, take you serious on stage unless you’re wearing a suit.
00:11:33:25 – 00:11:34:19
Elsa Isaac
Really? Someone said that?
00:11:34:20 – 00:11:44:12
Sarah Noll Wilson
Yeah, yeah. And I, I, I don’t know if it’s the, rebel in me, but my response internally was, oh, we’ll see about that.
00:11:44:12 – 00:11:44:20
Elsa Isaac
Yeah,
00:11:44:20 – 00:11:56:00
Sarah Noll Wilson
but some part of me, you know, especially in my, my early years and, and people know who listen, I come from the Midwest and in the Midwest, in the United States. It’s such a high value of fitting in here.
00:11:56:03 – 00:12:09:17
Sarah Noll Wilson
Right? It’s such a homogenous so that standing out wearing something bold, can feel threatening to the norm almost, you know? So I’m just curious what comes up for you as I share that.
00:12:09:19 – 00:12:30:19
Elsa Isaac
Yeah. No, that is such a good point. And I, I remember, I was in someone, a colleague and friend had mentioned this to me, that as humans, we need to belong. We need to feel like we belong to our tribe. Right? Who? Whoever that tribe may be or wherever that tribe may exist. And the moment. And like, that’s a survival instinct.
00:12:30:21 – 00:13:07:04
Elsa Isaac
And so I, I do understand that and I also know that the, you know, assimilation aspect of, of fitting in can also be detrimental on the other side of that. Right. Because that is also that’s, that’s more of a form of control. Like when I hear so many women who come from corporate and, and some of the, you know, I think they’re, they’re slowly working themselves out, hopefully the outdated, you know, kind of ideas of how women and men should dress is crazy to me.
00:13:07:04 – 00:13:32:03
Elsa Isaac
Like, we’re in 2024 and, you know, I still hear about like, oh, I don’t know if I could do that color. Not even like, we’re not even exposing skin we’re talking about. I think this color is too much for my office. And I remember thinking, really? Like. And I really do think that the parameters are, there there are more rules for women than men in the, in the corporate.
00:13:32:06 – 00:13:59:10
Elsa Isaac
You know, also there’s we have way more garment types. You know, to kind of maneuver. But, I just think that that is that’s part of the, evolution I think that we’re in right now in terms of, like, expressing who we are or individuality, especially as entrepreneurs, we have that freedom which, I think we can we can take it to really incredible places when I work with entrepreneurs specifically.
00:13:59:12 – 00:14:30:15
Sarah Noll Wilson
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it’s it’s interesting. I was just speaking at an event that I had spoken at last year, and, I had worn an outfit last year that you helped me pull together, which was, bright colored sweater and, you know, bright colored pants. And, and then I wore something similar, like, not the same, but I realized there’s a certain style of pant that I really like, and I really like a bold print or bold shirt or a like, a, like the one I’m wearing now is for people who are listening is one of my favorite sweaters.
00:14:30:15 – 00:14:48:16
Sarah Noll Wilson
It has geese and squirrels on it. Don’t ask me why they go together, but they do. And it’s one of my favorite sweaters. And this, this woman, she said, you’re wearing the same thing you did last year. And I said, oh, no, I’m not, because I know the photos. But I said, why? You know, like what? What do you see, or
00:14:48:16 – 00:15:09:21
Sarah Noll Wilson
what do you observe? She said, well, I was just curious because I was like, is this some kind of power outfit that I should be thinking about? And I and I loved that. And I said, well, this is my power outfit, these kind of pants, this kind of top makes me feel my most true self, which also then leads to me showing up as my most powerful self.
00:15:09:23 – 00:15:22:24
Sarah Noll Wilson
And and I just I was so excited that we were going to be talking because this just happened two weeks ago, that she was like, is this like a power outfit that I should be thinking about? I’m like, I don’t know what that is for you, but for me, this is what it is.
00:15:22:24 – 00:15:44:15
Elsa Isaac
But I love that you said that, you know, because there is a distinction and and I think that that that we’re we’re overwhelmed. Right? We are inundated with information and and life and work and all the things. So I get the overwhelm right. Like that’s, that’s probably the main reason I feel the majority of my clients are coming to me is because of the overwhelm, not knowing where to start.
00:15:44:15 – 00:16:09:20
Elsa Isaac
There’s literally billions of options for women alone, right, in terms of like clothing, garments, trends, you know, whatever. And so I get that. And also, there’s always a way to make it yours. Always. Right. No matter what the trends say, no matter what the stories say, there’s enough options, especially online. I would say online is probably the most efficient way to shop right now.
00:16:09:22 – 00:16:30:15
Elsa Isaac
Even in New York City, where, you know, we have flagship stores and, you know, they’re just they’re not making clothes fast enough. I think that supply chain issue has has lingered, and it’s continuing to linger. And so there’s always a way to make it your own, utilizing the power of tailoring also to ensure that clothing fits you.
00:16:30:18 – 00:16:54:14
Elsa Isaac
Perfectly, not relying on these designers to know your body when they’ve never met you and feel defeated when you try something on and then not fit. And when you talked about being empowered, that’s what this is all about, empowering yourself. Because whether you you are intentional about it or not, your clothes have an energetic effect on you and then therefore and also then the people you meet by extension.
00:16:54:14 – 00:16:55:04
Sarah Noll Wilson
Yeah.
00:16:55:06 – 00:17:02:11
Elsa Isaac
So what’s more empowering than taking that back, taking that power back and being intentional about it.
00:17:02:13 – 00:17:27:26
Sarah Noll Wilson
I love that. Well, two things that you said that I that are staying in my brain a bit. One, that idea of assimilation is a form of control. Isn’t that interesting? To start thinking about that, of whether that’s in the office, the workforce, or even, quite frankly, in a cultural thing. You know, it’s I was joking with my younger nieces and I said, all these styles that you’re looking at going, oh, I would never I was I’m like, in ten years are going to come back.
00:17:27:26 – 00:17:50:16
Sarah Noll Wilson
It’s just it’s very cyclical. And so, so at the end of the day, just wear what you want to wear. Wear what feels good for you. There’s no oh you shouldn’t wear this color after this day or you you know, you as an adult, you know, over 40. You should I don’t think just wear what you feel really good in. And then that point of no matter what is out there, you can make it yours.
00:17:50:19 – 00:18:25:23
Sarah Noll Wilson
What would you say to people who are listening to this? Who maybe struggle stepping into, this is what I really love to wear or, who might actually struggle with not knowing because this was something that I know was an evolution for me. When I was younger, I loved vintage clothes. I loved being so much more expressive. You know, I went to a private school growing up, and the plaids and the blues and the whites were just too limiting for me that I was just, how do I find color?
00:18:25:25 – 00:18:52:07
Sarah Noll Wilson
But when I became a 20 year old and was in the workforce, all the rules right that were put on me is where black wear suits, right? Quote unquote professional. That it took me a long time to reconnect with, well, what do I actually really love and what do I feel good in? So I know there are people who are listening to this, or maybe their body has changed, maybe they’ve had kids, maybe they’re, going through some hormonal changes.
00:18:52:07 – 00:19:09:12
Sarah Noll Wilson
Maybe, you know, for a whole host of reasons, something has shifted and evolved and they might be feeling stuck, you know, and just like, not sure where like, what would you invite them to start thinking about if they’re new on their journey of styling themselves in a new way?
00:19:09:14 – 00:19:29:07
Elsa Isaac
Yeah, I think, you know, if I don’t, it was it’s been a few years since we worked together, but I have all my clients go through, a questionnaire and Pinterest board exercise and I you can you can just take away three things from, from that to do on your own. Which I think is super helpful. The first step is to know your body shape.
00:19:29:12 – 00:19:48:20
Elsa Isaac
You’ve got to – You got to know you can no longer like burying your head in the sand about it isn’t going to help. And in fact, just being familiar with your body. And the nuances will. I promise you, it will make shopping easier. Right. And so a lot of women are, they guess we’re all guessing what our body shapes are.
00:19:48:20 – 00:20:08:14
Elsa Isaac
So I created a body shape calculator on my website. And so when you enter the for body measurements in inches, and it has to be the full width around each of those body parts, you’ll, you’ll get a body type and then also a guide with the corresponding tips on what to look for when you’re, when you’re shopping.
00:20:08:16 – 00:20:34:03
Elsa Isaac
And that is not about, you know, trends at all. It’s just about certain cuts, flatter different shapes. And so understanding that off off the bat allows you to you know, I’m at a point now where I can walk into a store and not even something like, let’s say, a, a pattern attracts me to a garment, and then I’ll get closer to it and see the shape and realize, nope, those won’t work for my hips and move on.
00:20:34:03 – 00:20:56:12
Elsa Isaac
Right. So I’m it just creates simplicity in terms of what is worth your time taken to the fitting room or online. If you’re shopping online, put it in your cart to to get it to you at home to try on. And so knowing your body shape. And then the second thing is coming up with three words that describe how you want your clothes to make you feel.
00:20:56:14 – 00:21:23:24
Elsa Isaac
Right. So this this is further guidance. This becomes your body shape is filter question number one. Your three words. And it doesn’t mean that every garment should make you feel all three. But it should make you feel at least two of the three words. And then the last thing, and this is, I think a game changer for a lot of clients is sometimes we can’t articulate what, what style esthetic we, we, we like or are drawn to, and sometimes we don’t fit in a box.
00:21:23:26 – 00:21:47:07
Elsa Isaac
Yeah. So and like you said, sometimes, you know, life has happened. We are now, older. We have kids, we have our lifestyle has changed. And so getting to know what you are drawn to now in this version of who you are is important. So, getting on Pinterest, you know, you can create a board called I think I ask you to style inspiration board.
00:21:47:07 – 00:21:47:15
Elsa Isaac
00:21:47:15 – 00:21:50:17
Sarah Noll Wilson
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was an inspiration board. What did you like?
00:21:50:20 – 00:22:33:25
Elsa Isaac
And then just taking a few minutes each day. Right. And I asked my clients to take at least a week, but this can be longer. A few minutes each day, not too long. And you’re pinning images of garments or outfits that you are moved by, like you’re like, that make you gasp, like, you know, and doing that for a few minutes, coming back to it the next day, eliminating what no longer resonates, adding a few more by the end of your seven days or two weeks, or however long you continue this process, you should be completely lit up and inspired by this visual board, which basically lets you know where your starting point is, right?
00:22:33:25 – 00:22:54:18
Elsa Isaac
It doesn’t mean these aren’t parameters to confine you to just this, but what you will see is patterns start to develop, right? It may be oftentimes I can tell if a client is into patterns or not by their their Pinterest board. You were very much into color and print, which I loved. And you know, it may be that you’re into dresses more so than separates or vice versa.
00:22:54:25 – 00:23:08:11
Elsa Isaac
So picking up on all those patterns, those patterns that develop in your Pinterest board and then using that as a guide to, you know, whether you’re shopping or whether you have you’re contemplating a garment you already own in your closet.
00:23:08:13 – 00:23:08:21
Sarah Noll Wilson
Yeah.
00:23:08:21 – 00:23:16:24
Elsa Isaac
And asking yourself, does this does it suit my body shape? One. Does this make me feel at least two of my three describing words? Two. Three?
00:23:17:00 – 00:23:28:09
Elsa Isaac
Is this in the direction of my style Pinterest board? Right. And then then you have tangible questions to ask. It’s not just, do I like this? Should I keep this? You know.
00:23:28:09 – 00:23:28:21
Sarah Noll Wilson
Yeah.
00:23:28:24 – 00:23:39:24
Elsa Isaac
And so those are really grounding, that’s a really grounding place to start and starting in your closet, honestly, is is it’s huge insight and gives you so much data.
00:23:39:24 – 00:23:44:22
Elsa Isaac
And also you can tailor right pieces in your wardrobe if it’s just a fit issue.
00:23:44:24 – 00:23:45:07
Sarah Noll Wilson
Yeah,
00:23:45:07 – 00:23:47:12
Elsa Isaac
Right, and they become like new garments. So
00:23:47:19 – 00:24:10:15
Sarah Noll Wilson
Yeah. Well and what I appreciate about that is because I’m, you know, not, Not everyone may have the resources to work with somebody like you. One of the things that I will say that I appreciated about working with you is introducing me to stores I wouldn’t have been introduced to being really thoughtful about what what what is the investment I want to make?
00:24:10:15 – 00:24:30:27
Sarah Noll Wilson
What what are those price points? So for people who are listening who might be like, oh, I don’t know. Okay, it’s worth having a conversation and the taking some time to go through the process you just identified getting really clear about your body shape, getting really clear about how do you want your clothes to make you feel.
00:24:30:29 – 00:24:49:18
Sarah Noll Wilson
And and then starting to, try it out and figure things out and and doing the, inspiration board on Pinterest or just what do I like? What am I drawn to? Because even for me, I remember when we were working together, I’m pretty sure you were like, and even if it’s furniture,
00:24:49:21 – 00:24:49:29
Elsa Isaac
Yeah.
00:24:50:00 – 00:24:54:26
Sarah Noll Wilson
if there’s some visual that’s like, oh, I love this burnt orange couch.
00:24:54:26 – 00:25:22:05
Sarah Noll Wilson
Like there’s something about it that felt yummy to me. There’s something about it that, you know, no surprise. Tug that my fall girl, you know, heart strings. But. But what I appreciate about you sharing that is one you can look at your own closet. Two, right? There’s other affordable ways to be able to, whether that’s looking at thrift stores, which I love, that thrift stores are such a resurgence now, I feel like in a way that they hadn’t been.
00:25:22:05 – 00:25:38:19
Sarah Noll Wilson
It’s also so much more, now, I don’t want to say acceptable, but it’s like a prize, like, oh, I got this and I got it for $5 or whatever the case might be. But the other thing that I’ve been doing with a friend is we’re just. We, swap clothes, like, there’s clothes that’s just not for me.
00:25:38:20 – 00:25:56:22
Sarah Noll Wilson
And, and and maybe it was for me at one point. Or maybe I got it wanting to try it and realizing I’m not a dress girl. That that’s just so clear. As much as I love certain, like, I love how dresses look on other people, it’s just not. I don’t feel my best. She’s a super dress girl.
00:25:56:22 – 00:26:04:14
Sarah Noll Wilson
So then it’s like, hey, what’s our swaps? And how do we, you know, maybe share our closet with each other. And so that’s been really fun.
00:26:04:16 – 00:26:17:19
Elsa Isaac
Yeah, I know that, I love that, I think that’s great. I, someone else, an assistant that would used to help me out. She ended up having, like, a swap clothing swap party. They were, like, in their 20s and had really cool pieces, you know?
00:26:17:19 – 00:26:18:12
Sarah Noll Wilson
Sure.
00:26:18:15 – 00:26:20:27
Elsa Isaac
But I was like, that’s so dope that it’s like.
00:26:21:00 – 00:26:40:16
Elsa Isaac
It’s like a thing, you know, that can be made into an event. And and it’s, you know, obviously eco friendly and environmentally friendly, all the things. But I also wanted to mention, you know, one of the things that we don’t do often enough and what is, you know, because when you hire a stylist, the structure is already there and you’ve set you’ve paid this person.
00:26:40:16 – 00:26:59:18
Elsa Isaac
So you now you have you have to invest the time is taking time out to play in your closet. And, you know, we’re often trying to get dressed and create outfits in this time crunch, which is very stressful and doesn’t it doesn’t really, work well when you’re trying to be creative and fun. So you need to create that bandwidth.
00:26:59:18 – 00:27:18:19
Elsa Isaac
And so if, if it’s a matter of two days a month, that where you have maybe a 1 hour or 2 hour window where you can just have a playlist, snacks, your favorite drink, and then make sure you have a full length mirror and just play like just put out put combinations together that you didn’t you wouldn’t think would work.
00:27:18:21 – 00:27:26:03
Elsa Isaac
Because I do that and people, half my clients think I’m crazy when I ask them to put certain looks together and you know, they don’t –
00:27:26:03 – 00:27:29:11
Sarah Noll Wilson
I recall those moments.
00:27:29:13 – 00:27:32:23
Elsa Isaac
And they don’t always work, but the majority of them do. And
00:27:32:23 – 00:27:33:03
Sarah Noll Wilson
Yeah.
00:27:33:04 – 00:27:48:04
Elsa Isaac
you know, like sometimes you just need to see. And that’s part of the some of some sometimes it’s hard to explain why certain things go together because you can’t you just sometimes they you nothing about these two pieces should work. But when you put them together, they do.
00:27:48:07 – 00:28:09:09
Elsa Isaac
And then there are sometimes the and of course oftentimes there are rules that make sense, you know, for color combinations to work and pattern combinations to work. But the whole point of this, what I’m saying right now is to play. The more you play, the more you’ll be able to express that authentic side of you that I don’t think we we, we get to.
00:28:09:09 – 00:28:17:23
Elsa Isaac
It’s like so far back on the priority because, you know, life and logistics and, you know, utilitarian use clothes, right.
00:28:17:23 – 00:28:18:02
Sarah Noll Wilson
Yeah.
00:28:18:06 – 00:28:24:05
Elsa Isaac
But the more you can infuse play I it’s just really a game changer.
00:28:24:08 – 00:28:47:21
Sarah Noll Wilson
Yeah. Yeah. It’s one of the things that was that was a challenge for me just from the standpoint of I, I could look at clothes on a rack or in my closet and just not know. And now I feel much more freedom to go I don’t know, let’s see what this looks like together. The other the other thing for me especially.
00:28:47:21 – 00:29:16:11
Sarah Noll Wilson
And again, I’m, I’m generalizing. But one of the things I’ve noticed is that people who are quick to make assumptions or judge other people for what they’re wearing often struggle just as much, judging themselves and critiquing themselves. And so so even that is such a simple reframe of maybe somebody is wearing something that you wouldn’t wear, but man, if they feel good in it, we should celebrate that shit.
00:29:16:11 – 00:29:41:05
Sarah Noll Wilson
Like, you know, if they feel good and they, you know, like it’s. And and then what is that for you? And, Yeah, it is such a, it is such a game changer for how you feel about yourself. It’s a game changer for how you present yourself. It does send a message. And I think that one of the things you do have to be not aware of in the sense of adjusting, but that’s the choice you make of.
00:29:41:07 – 00:30:01:24
Sarah Noll Wilson
We’re constantly sending out signals of this is who we are, and especially as either leaders or entrepreneurs, we’re sending out messages of this is who we are, this is how we show up in the work. And this is probably who we’re going to be a good alignment or fit for. And I think the more explicit and more nuanced we can be with those signals, the easier it is for people to identify.
00:30:01:24 – 00:30:09:21
Sarah Noll Wilson
Yep. They’re somebody I want to work with. Or maybe they’re not. And just recognizing that clothes is a part of that signaling. Right. If.
00:30:09:24 – 00:30:35:27
Elsa Isaac
Yeah. Yeah, I mean I it’s interesting like, you know, we do we do the same thing with resumes, right. Like we’re putting our best foot forward and not for the sake just of getting a job in this case, but it’s really about, accepting this version, this outer version of yourself and taking ownership of it in a way that makes you feel powerful, confident, all the things.
00:30:35:27 – 00:31:08:09
Elsa Isaac
And it just makes communicating easier. It’s a form of communication. And so I just, you know, if it’s if it’s if, if, if this is something that that has been nudging you. Right. I think that there’s a reason why. And I often women come to me often when there’s a transition happening in their life, whether it’s like, a new job or a new position or a that just finished having babies and getting back to feeling like themselves.
00:31:08:16 – 00:31:30:06
Elsa Isaac
And so there’s always this nudge. Life is like, okay, well, now what? You know, who are you now? And that’s that’s our own signal to ourselves to be like, okay, this is this is who I am. I feel I feel like the outside version of me is a good representation of who I am on the inside. And I think when that’s misaligned, then we feel off.
00:31:30:09 – 00:31:39:23
Sarah Noll Wilson
Yeah. I had a client once and colleague who said authenticity is does my inside match my outside? And there’s something really beautiful about that.
00:31:39:28 – 00:31:45:01
Elsa Isaac
I say this all the time. I don’t even think that’s a great definition for authenticity. I love that, yeah.
00:31:45:03 – 00:32:16:19
Sarah Noll Wilson
I mean, just yeah, I mean, it’s exactly what you said. And that’s I mean, and to be really, true to you again can be a very powerful place to, to step into. What if you could, invite the audience to reflect on either, like, a question or a reframe? What would you want people to be thinking about differently when it comes to their relationship with their clothes?
00:32:16:19 – 00:32:21:09
Sarah Noll Wilson
Or how they show up, or how they feel about their bodies?
00:32:21:11 – 00:32:52:18
Elsa Isaac
I think it’s acceptance of you, your body. You know, I you know, I hear the, the the whole I’m, I’m not at the size that I want to be at yet. And of course, I can appreciate that. I’ve been there. I thought those same things. But, you know, I think is if we can be where we are now, in the body we’re in now and show up in the the most, I want to say brightest, but maybe, maybe, maybe that’s not your word, right.
00:32:52:18 – 00:33:17:00
Elsa Isaac
But maybe just the most authentic. That’s the word that keeps coming up version of yourself. Then this is this. It doesn’t have to be hard. And it doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t have to, look like anyone else. And maybe you haven’t seen a template of what that could be for you, which is hard, which is where the – like, working with a stylist is magical because of that alone.
00:33:17:00 – 00:33:44:09
Elsa Isaac
Right. But I also think that there is room for you to play on your own and, and just figure out what that might be, because that experience too, will change you. And so I think I think like, just. Playing in this way with your clothes and how you want your clothes to be reflective of who you are in a non pressure way.
00:33:44:12 – 00:34:10:25
Elsa Isaac
Right. Like just you and your closet and your three words and your Pinterest board. Right. All these things do that for a month and see how that shifts. Because I think it’s incremental. You know, a lot of people talk about capsule wardrobes. And I always say a capsule wardrobe is not possible without a lot of data. Right. So it takes at least six months to a year before you can even attempt to curate a capsule wardrobe.
00:34:10:27 – 00:34:34:24
Elsa Isaac
And so just start now. Start where you are, start playing, write stuff down, create a list of like gaps you have been wanting to fill, and are realizing you need to fill in your wardrobe and then approach it as like this puzzle piece that you just, you know, you do a few pieces a day or a few pieces a month, and that way you can shop for one thing a month if if that thing is available, there’s no pressure.
00:34:34:24 – 00:34:53:07
Elsa Isaac
Yeah, yeah. And I think if you just shifting the perspective on what this means and it’s, you know, it’s sure it’s a utilitarian. We do need to get dressed every day. But also what you put into it is what people can feel, and what you can feel first and foremost.
00:34:53:10 – 00:34:53:18
Sarah Noll Wilson
Yeah.
00:34:53:18 – 00:35:01:26
Elsa Isaac
So I think if we just approach it from a play perspective, I think that in and of itself will take you to places you never thought.
00:35:01:28 – 00:35:02:12
Sarah Noll Wilson
Yeah.
00:35:02:12 – 00:35:03:25
Elsa Isaac
You know, you could.
00:35:03:27 – 00:35:26:28
Sarah Noll Wilson
I mean, you know, me, I love I love curiosity and playfulness and experimenting and and that was something that you helped me was trying on things I would never have in my brain. I would have said, oh, that that’s not going to look good on me, or I can’t pull that off or, you know, I can’t do jumpsuits or, you know, whatever these again, these really just absolutely ridiculous beliefs we have.
00:35:26:28 – 00:35:34:09
Sarah Noll Wilson
But if you come from a place of, well, let’s see, let’s, you know, let’s see, you might discover something new that you hadn’t thought before.
00:35:34:13 – 00:35:36:06
Elsa Isaac
Yeah. It’s like a detachment, you know.
00:35:36:06 – 00:35:57:23
Sarah Noll Wilson
Yeah, yeah. Elsa, I so appreciate you and the work that you’re doing and coming on the show and giving, you know, giving our audience and especially our our, the women in the audience some perspective on how to think differently about their relationship, with how they view themselves and how they want to show up so they can show off more powerfully in whatever way that means to them.
00:35:57:26 – 00:36:15:05
Sarah Noll Wilson
Since this is your first time on our show, there is a question I ask every new, new guest. And so I’m curious to hear your answer. And the question is this what is a conversation you’ve had with yourself or someone else that was transformative for you?
00:36:15:08 – 00:36:39:00
Elsa Isaac
Honestly, I, I think a lot of my conversations with clients, because I think, you know, I obviously talk to a lot of women who feel, who don’t, who feel luck for whatever reason. And I think hearing their experiences and I wish we all could hear each other’s experiences because we’re so much more similar than we think we are.
00:36:39:02 – 00:37:02:07
Elsa Isaac
And I think those are always inspiring for me because the reverence of the human spirit and what we go through and, and where we end up is pretty incredible. So I don’t know if that’s cheating, but I would say that. And also, like my kid, he’s like, he he like, they’re they’re super feelers, you know, like little humans.
00:37:02:07 – 00:37:07:27
Elsa Isaac
And sometimes I just say something that I’m like, what, where did you get that.
00:37:08:00 – 00:37:13:28
Sarah Noll Wilson
There’s a level of honesty that still exists that hasn’t, you know, been, you know, the shell hasn’t been put up yet.
00:37:14:00 – 00:37:14:03
Elsa Isaac
Yeah.
00:37:14:07 – 00:37:26:06
Sarah Noll Wilson
No. That’s awesome. Thank you for sharing that. And Elsa okay. So for people who are listening who are interested maybe in learning more about the work you do, getting some of the tools, what are the best ways for people to connect with you?
00:37:26:08 – 00:37:44:02
Elsa Isaac
Well, my website and there’s a lot of info there. And if you just put, I know I mentioned my body shape calculator, you just put in my name dot com and body shape slash body shape calculator. It’ll come up. But a lot of resources and information there and also I hang out on Instagram, Elsa Isaac there as well.
00:37:44:02 – 00:37:50:10
Elsa Isaac
LinkedIn. And we just started like I keep saying, just it’s been it’s been a several months.
00:37:50:12 – 00:37:51:22
Sarah Noll Wilson
I was going to say it’s been a few months.
00:37:51:22 – 00:37:51:29
Elsa Isaac
Yeah.
00:37:52:00 – 00:37:57:09
Sarah Noll Wilson
And by the time people hear this, it’ll have been about, you know, even more time.
00:37:57:11 – 00:38:16:17
Elsa Isaac
It’s new. Like we’re going to call it new until it reaches 12 months old. And then I’ll be like, you know, my old podcast, but, it’s it’s been it’s called Get Styled and it’s been really, really incredible to have these conversations. I think this is, this is the type of conversation that’s missing from the styling space.
00:38:16:17 – 00:38:36:12
Elsa Isaac
Oftentimes we’re talking about the clothes. And I always say it’s really not about the clothes. And so we talk about the mindset, have conversations with clients and other women or people who are in the industry. And just, you know, to talk about the mindset, what separates us from thinking that we don’t deserve to feel good in our skin, in our clothes.
00:38:36:14 – 00:38:50:15
Elsa Isaac
And so that’s been really, really, nourishing, you know, like, it just feels like a good fit. So those are probably the top four places. I’ll be at. And you’ll get lots of resources and information.
00:38:50:18 – 00:39:03:02
Sarah Noll Wilson
No, and we’ll put that in the show notes so people can connect. And if you ever see me and I’m wearing some bright colored pant or shirt, know that that seed was planted by Elsa.
00:39:03:04 – 00:39:03:24
Elsa Isaac
I take full responsibility.
00:39:03:27 – 00:39:10:08
Sarah Noll Wilson
And helping me, helping me reclaim my brightness. I like I’ve never thought of that word for myself.
00:39:10:10 – 00:39:12:12
Elsa Isaac
Yeah, you’re totally bright.
00:39:12:14 – 00:39:23:03
Sarah Noll Wilson
No, it totally is. And so when you said that, I thought, oh, that’s a gift. But so thank you so much for the work you do and how you show up and how you help us show up for ourselves as well. Thanks for joining us.
00:39:23:07 – 00:39:27:03
Elsa Isaac
Thank you, Sarah. Thank you for having me. This is amazing.
00:39:27:06 – 00:39:44:14
Sarah Noll Wilson
Our guest this week has been Elsa Isaac, and I’m so glad that you got the chance to meet her, because I’ve had such wonderful conversations and I’m chewing on what are my three words now? Because I think they’re different than when she and I work together. And I would love to hear from you. What resonated? What questions came up?
00:39:44:14 – 00:40:02:21
Sarah Noll Wilson
What became clear for you? If you want to send me what your three words are, I would love to hear it. You can do so by sending me an email at podcast at Sarah Noll Wilson dot com. Again, that’s podcast at Sarah Noll Wilson dot com, where I read and respond to every email we receive. Now if you want to support the show, you can do so in two ways.
00:40:02:21 – 00:40:21:22
Sarah Noll Wilson
If you haven’t yet, please be sure to rate, review and subscribe to the show on your preferred podcast platform. This helps us be able to continue this work great, get great exposure, and to be able to bring on guests like Elsa. And if you’re interested in supporting us and additional ways you can become a patron, you can go to Patreon dot com
00:40:21:27 – 00:40:47:15
Sarah Noll Wilson
slash conversations on conversations where your financial support goes to support the team that makes this show possible. You’ll get early episodes that are ad free, plus, you’ll get some pretty cool, unique swag that is only available through Patreon. A big thank you to the crew that makes this show possible to our producer, Nick Wilson, our sound editor Drew Noll, our transcriptionist, Becky Reinert, our marketing consultant Jessica Burdg, and the rest of the SnowCo crew.
00:40:47:18 – 00:41:11:07
Sarah Noll Wilson
And a final thank you to Elsa for helping us lean into our power and reclaim it. So I’m so grateful that she was able to be on the show. All right, my friends, that concludes our episode of Conversations on Conversations. Thank you so much for tuning in. And remember, when we can change the conversations we have with ourselves and others, we can change the world.
00:41:11:08 – 00:41:15:18
Sarah Noll Wilson
So till next time, please be sure to rest, rehydrate and we’ll see you again soon.
Sarah Noll Wilson is on a mission to help leaders build and rebuild teams. She aims to empower leaders to understand and honor the beautiful complexity of the humans they serve. Through her work as an Executive Coach, an in-demand Keynote Speaker, Researcher, Contributor to Harvard Business Review, and Bestselling Author of “Don’t Feed the Elephants”, Sarah helps leaders close the gap between what they intend to do and the actual impact they make. She hosts the podcast “Conversations on Conversations”, is certified in Co-Active Coaching and Conversational Intelligence, and is a frequent guest lecturer at universities. In addition to her work with organizations, Sarah is a passionate advocate for mental health.