In this episode with Alayne Lebsack, we’re talking about why personal style is important, and why it’s so much more than simply the clothing you wear.

Can our style impact our self-expression? Our confidence? Our desire to show up more authentically in our lives, businesses, work, and relationships?

How does knowing our personal style affect our overall joy and fulfillment?

While her work can be categorized within fashion and lifestyle, the core of what Alayne Joy does is about cultivating authentic relationships, based on integrity, respect and openness.

A born and raised Calgarian, Alayne has always had an interest and love for style and fashion – often disregarding trends and rules, but rather focusing on what she loves and loves to wear. With two boys and a hilarious husband of almost 12 years, Alayne believes in living a joy-filled life of intention and following your heart. 

Being a Personal Stylist and Personal Shopper was always in the back of her mind, but it took many different career paths until she felt like it was time. Her “just do it – what’s the worst that can happen?!” mindset propelled her to start her first style-focused business, Apostle Boutique which she has recently sold. Four years later, Alayne launched her Styling business, and the success was immediate. 

Being featured in over six magazines, working on dozens of photoshoots, and styling over 100 clients, Alayne feels so fortunate that she’s been able to combine her values & passions into a career that helps men and women see themselves in a new confident & powerful way.

When Alayne works with her clients she wants them to feel comfortable like they are spending time with a friend, and that is exactly how I felt in my conversation with her. 

We talk about what is really meant by the term ‘personal style’, finding your personal style, styling tips and tricks, and how relationships are at the core of the work that Alayne does with her clients. 

 

 

Listen in as we talk about:

• What personal style really means. Personal style is so much more than the clothes we wear, the colours we choose, and the makeup we put on. Alayne shares the deeper meaning behind personal style.
• The challenges people experience when it comes to personal style. What are some of the most common challenges when it comes to personal style? Alayne sheds light on this.
• Nothing to wear? Try the ‘Closet Challenge’. If you feel like you never have anything to wear, Alayne created this challenge with you in mind and shares exactly how it works.
• The attachment and stories we have with our clothing. We all have an attachment to our clothes in some way, shape or form. Alayne talks about the significance behind this and why it’s so important to understand. 
• Tips for dressing for your body shape. One of the most shared struggles we can have is dressing for our body shape. Alayne shares her best tips to help with this.

 

Connect with Alayne:

• Website: https://www.alaynejoy.com/ 
• Instagram: @alayne.joy https://www.instagram.com/alayne.joy/
• Facebook: @alaynejoystyling https://www.facebook.com/alaynejoystyling
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/styledbyalaynejoy/

 

Connect with Tiana:

• Website: https://tianafech.com
• LinkedIn: Tiana Fech https://www.linkedin.com/in/tianafech/
• Instagram: @tianafech https://www.instagram.com/tianafech/
• Facebook: @tianafech https://www.facebook.com/tianafech
• Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course https://amzn.to/3BujR21 

WHAT PERSONAL STYLE REALLY MEANS

“Personal style is so much more than what you wear. It is influenced by how you stand, move, and hold yourself; your moods of the day; your life experiences; and how you feel about yourself.”

Personal style is so much more than the clothes we wear, the colours we choose, and the makeup we put on. 

Alayne shares the deeper meaning behind personal style. 

What’s involved with personal style is much more than what meets the eye – it’s about the way you were raised, who raised you, what their style was, and whether you liked it or not.

Your travels and cultural experiences also play a role in it.

Alayne explains how the way we feel also plays a role in the things that we choose to do, the way we feel about ourselves and our moods each day. It impacts our confidence and how we do (or don’t) show up in our lives.

Personal style is beyond simply the clothes we pick – it’s an expression of who we are from the inside out.

 

THE CHALLENGES PEOPLE EXPERIENCE WHEN IT COMES TO PERSONAL STYLE

There are two points that Alayne sheds light on when it comes to challenges with personal style; understanding your personal style and finding pieces that fit your lifestyle.

Do you have an understanding of what your style is? When Alayne works with clients, she digs deep to find out what their style is and what they love to wear and why.

A consideration to take into account is your lifestyle and finding that connection point between your lifestyle and personal style. If you buy clothing that doesn’t fit your lifestyle, you will never wear it.  

It’s about finding the pieces you love and styling them in a way that works for your body, in your own way. It’s about learning what works for your lifestyle, the pieces that you love and finding a connection between the two. 

Alayne stresses that once you have that understanding about what you love, why you love it, why you love to wear it, and how it looks good on you, then you will end up with a closet that you’re inspired by.

 

 

NOTHING TO WEAR? TRY ALAYNE’S  ‘CLOSET CHALLENGE’

Alayne’s Closet Challenge came from the “I have nothing to wear and I hate my clothes” idea.

Each week, she sends participants a new challenge to do. The challenge is done in an hour and a half or hour time frame. 

The idea is that you do a wardrobe edit and go through each piece individually and think about if it fits if you even still like it, does it align with the style you want and more. 

If it doesn’t align, it’s something that can go. The goal of this challenge is to have clothes in your closet that you love and love to wear. 

 

THE ATTACHMENT AND STORIES WE HAVE WITH OUR CLOTHING

Oftentimes, we have stories attached to our clothing that we may not even be aware of. You can think about who gave it to you, where you were when you wore it, or remember if something significant happened when you did wear it. 

But are these pieces really serving us? Are they empowering us or keeping us stuck? It’s okay to keep some key pieces, as Alayne says in our episode, but not everything needs to stay in your closet.

Alayne reminds us that we only want those pieces that actually make us feel good and that we genuinely like. 

 

 

TIPS FOR DRESSING FOR YOUR BODY SHAPE 

One of the biggest challenges Alayne’s clients bring to her is dressing for their body shape

Firstly, Alayne encourages her clients to get out of the ‘body shape’ mindset and look at their bodies as a whole. Regardless, we’re never going to love every part of ourselves, and there will always be pieces or areas that we don’t want to showcase.

Alayne shares a few tips and tricks to help style your clothing to distract away from the areas you don’t want to highlight, while ultimately transforming your mindset about your body. 

 

STARTING SOMETHING NEW

There is a lot of fear that comes with starting something and stepping out on your own. You might ask yourself “What if” questions. You might question whether or not the timing is right. However, even if you don’t know exactly how things are going to work out, you can always learn and you can always adapt. 

Alayne says that there is never going to be a perfect time. Anytime you are going to start something big or new, the stars aren’t all going to magically align. However, if you have the passion and drive within you, you can make it happen. 

Alayne is proud that she has started two businesses and that they have both been successful. With a lot of hard work, a lot of learning, and a lot of tears, laughter, and joy along the way, she made it work for her!

 

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS

• What is something that you would love to learn about or something that you would love to learn how to do? Woodworking
• What is a place that is at the top of your travel bucket list? Greece
• What is a book, podcast, or TV show that you have enjoyed recently? Books: The Break and The Strangers by Katherena Vermette
• If you could sit down and have a conversation with someone that you would love to learn from, who would it be? Elvis 
• •   

TIMESTAMPS

1:00 Meet Alayne

3:35 Alayne’s story

7:50 Alayne discusses what personal style means to her

9:45 Alayne shares some of the most common challenges and questions have when it comes to personal style

17:10 The key concepts and strategies that Alayne teaches people as a personal stylist and shopper

24:50 How cultivating authentic relationships, based on integrity, respect and openness is key to Alayne’s work with her clients

29:50 Alyane’’s top tips when it comes to personal style and having a closet full of clothes that you actually love to wear

31:55 Alayne shares why showcasing and shopping Canadian and local brands and businesses is important to her

34:50 What Alayne has learned through her ‘giving back’  initiatives and what she hopes others might learn as well

40:10 Alayne’s favourite teacher/mentor

43:20 What Alayne is most proud of looking back on her journey so far

45:20 Alayne answers some rapid fire questions

51:00 Alayne’s words of wisdom