Stacy London’s Q&A: Far More Than ‘What Not to Wear’

Stacy London was the featured speaker in Nashville at the Women’s Fund Power of the Purse luncheon yesterday. We had the honor of introducing her to the crowd of 800 women and yes, we absolutely fretted over what to wear and, as we all know so well, What Not to Wear! Sheath dresses and pointy shoes donned, we had the chance to talk with her and get to know her a little more. Stacy is completely charming, funny, witty and we all want her to be our new best friend. But, dreams aside, we did score an amazing interview that we can share with you today!

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Can you talk about the primary challenges you think women face in today’s society?

I think women face many challenges in today’s society, not least of which is trying to balance their lives, where there is a fair amount of care for others while maintaining a certain core care of oneself. They are not mutually exclusive. Caring for yourself allows you the capacity to care for and help others. And caring for others allows for deep personal satisfaction. Both are necessary for women in our society today. And when one takes precedence over the other, there is a tendency towards narcissism or martyrdom.

One of the most compelling aspects of the show was your ability to not only navigate through someone’s closet, but their emotional issues, as well. Were you trained to do this or did it come naturally? In other words, it seems that you come to this work with a sense of calling and mission. Can you talk about this?

I have no formal training in psychology, save for a few classes in college. But I do believe that the way we dress can be a symptom of how we’re feeling about ourselves generally. And if you ask someone questions about their style with that in mind, they tend to open up a great deal about what is going on underneath the clothes. I think I’m able to go to that place with them out of empathy. We all struggle. We all have insecurities. I suffered a lot as a kid with body image and as an adult I was able to learn a skill to help combat that. So my personal experience and my professional skill set put me in a unique position to be able to talk to people on a few levels.

Your book, The Truth About Style, came out last September. What is the most important thing you want the reader to take away from your book?

I wanted to tell a bit more of my story, my trials and tribulations but thought that an autobiography wasn’t really something I felt ready to do necessarily. So in choosing the 9 women I worked with in the book, I chose them specifically to help tell my story. I saw myself in each of them for different reasons, and audience feedback has been wonderful. Readers seem to truly understand and identify with these women just as I did and they get to know a different, deeper side of me than the person you saw on WNTW.

Do you have your eye on a young, up and coming designer(s) we should be following?

Rosie Assoulin, Marissa Webb, and Tanya Taylor are all fantastic.

Do you have any personal fashion hang ups, pardon the pun?

The biggest mistake I think women make is how hard they are on themselves about the bodies they have instead of truly accepting the raw material they have to work with. Only Gisele looks like Gisele. You can hate a part of your body but don’t try to HIDE it. Hiding implies a sense of shame instead of self-love. Learn to consciously camouflage what you don’t like and highlight all the things you do like about your body. It’s a different mind set. Let the emotional feelings attached to your body image go, and just be objective with yourself. You can’t work with what you go on ignoring. Style without true understanding of your own personal body shape is impossible.

Impulse shopping when it comes to clothing is a huge mistake. It is the easiest way to waste money and if you leave shopping for an event until the last minute, the chance is high you won’t be completely happy with it after. Shop regularly (you don’t always have to buy something) and keep a list of items you are looking for so that your wardrobe feels cohesive.

Women tend to buy items, not outfits. Sometimes they work, other times it may leave you stranded with pieces you never wear. Always try on WHOLE outfits in the dressing room, even if you are only planning on buying the one piece. It gives context and allows you to think about what else might go with it that you already own.

I DO have a penchant for white blouses at the moment! And since I am not shooting every day anymore, I really like simple. A dress, a jumpsuit. Put it on, grab some accessories and go. EXCEPT for my slit-to-there Altuzarra pencil skirt. That skirt is the ultimate for me. Going to wear it this spring as much as possible.

What’s your favorite or must-have item for this spring?

See answer above. ALTUZARRA for the WIN!!!!

What items are must-haves in your carry on bag when you travel?

Must-have carry on items are face oil (Antonia Burrell, Rodin, or the now discontinued Rodial Glamtox-but I hoarded a stash of it), Mac lip balm, Nars Dragon Girl red lip pencil, Bobbi Brown Everything mascara, Armani illuminator, and Restorsea finishing spray. Gotta stay moisturized. Planes suck the life out of your skin.

Is there something people would be surprised to know about you?

I am a pretty big Star Wars junkie. Darth Vader is like the Karl Lagerfeld of Science Fiction. A total bad ass.

What are three lighthearted things you can’t live without?

• My Eberjay monogram pajamas. They are like sleeping in a hug.
• French Vanilla Coffee Mate. It is my guiltiest pleasure.
• My Sonicare matte black toothbrush. I have no idea how I lived without it for so long.
• And OF COURSE my cat (who is NOT a THING) Baby Al. He’s lived with me for 17 years. That is a deeply committed relationship. I just can’t imagine life without him.

Thanks, Stacy!