two stylists walk into a bar…
One in Fashion, One in Interiors
(spoiler: they order gluten-free pizza and mocktails)
I recently sat down with Lauren Neal, Co-Founder of Lady Captain, Wardrobe Stylist, & Closet Consultant. We essentially chatted about the Venn diagram of wardrobe styling and interior styling, our creative processes, and more.
The Interview:
Chelsea: Thanks for doing this with me!! Before we dive into all things styling, I’d love to introduce you and share how we know one another. We’ve been close friends since high school. We’ve been to prom together, countless concerts, and you were a bridesmaid in my wedding. So, you’ve probably got some embarrassing stories from our awkward years and up to today.
A photo of Lauren and me at my wedding. No, I didn’t get mauled by a wild animal - I just had an itch, and apparently, Photoshop wasn’t used 15 years ago.
Chelsea: But, we aren’t here to talk about our history today, are we? Today, we’re talking styling! Lauren went to Savannah College of Art and Design for fashion design, is the Co-Founder of Lady Captain (a women’s coastal clothing brand headquartered in Rockport, Texas), and the owner of Lauren Neal Styling. Did I do okay?
There’s so much we could dive into, but will you tell me a little bit about your styling business? What does a typical client come to you asking for help with?
Lauren: Such a sweet introduction from my sweet friend. We definitely go way back, that’s for sure! A little bit about my styling business, I specialize in wardrobe styling for anything from special events to everyday, but my biggest expertise is closets. A typical client usually comes to me when they are in a style rut and want to clean out their existing closet and start fresh with a new outlook. I have a keen eye for detail and specialize in helping people see their current wardrobe in a way they typically wouldn't, while helping make room for more elevated pieces and everyday staples that will last.
Chelsea: I love it! I have definitely been there, especially when I was a new mom just after Ivy was born.
You and I both are offering help in areas that are considered “luxury services,” but I’d like to think you and I are pretty approachable, and we understand the value of a dollar. Neither of us grew up in wealthy families. I believe everyone is deserving of a home that makes them feel good, no matter how much money they have. That’s one reason I offer one-on-one consultations rather than full design services for those who don’t have a large budget to invest in their home right away. That way, they can execute plans on their own over a longer period of time as their budget allows. What do you think about personal styling being considered a luxury service, and is it something you think people should consider at all budget levels?
Lauren: I definitely agree with you! I think everyone deserves to feel good in what they wear and how they express themselves. Though styling is more of a luxury service, I do offer some ways to help break things down so that it can be more affordable and also less overwhelming for a client. Because a closet clean-out involves significant editing, some clients can tend to feel overwhelmed when we are getting rid of so many things, so in that case, I usually encourage taking time and doing little by little and not everything all at once. This not only helps with the cost but also makes them feel a bit less stressed. I do still want the process to be effective, so in this case, I usually will recommend we do the closet clean out by season – if Spring is approaching, we will go through and clean out just their Spring/Summer wardrobe and save Fall for the end of July, so it’s not everything all at once! This helps with budget and overwhelm.
Chelsea: I like the idea of tackling your closet by season - that makes a lot of sense!
With interiors, most rooms I fall in love with will have a mixture of modern and vintage, a good color scheme, handmade items, some sort of reflection of nature, and they feel easy, comfortable, and personal. Do you have a “formula” or “recipe” for your favorite outfits?
Lauren: Oh yes, I live by an outfit recipe! I have a list of what I feel are my “Top 5” favorite items that every closet should own. This list can create an outfit in itself, but it also can be the perfect base to layer on top of! My Top 5 contains a pair of black loafers, a pair of black kitten heels, a good pair of boyfriend or straight leg jeans (more points if they are vintage Levi’s!) a crisp white tee and my number one item (which usually surprises people) a grey crewneck sweatshirt.
Chelsea: After this, please show me what loafers I should get because I don’t think I have any? What even is a loafer?! Hehe.
I’m super curious to know what “rules of thumb” there are in common between fashion and interiors. Some may not carry forward, like how to properly size a rug for your space or how high to hang a pendant above an island. But I would imagine there’s quite a bit of overlap in terms of color palettes, pattern mixing, texture, accessorizing, etc. In styling interiors, I’m often thinking a lot about proportion, balance, and scale. For example, if I’m working on a bedroom where there’s a window on one side of the bed, but not on the other, I know I need to balance that visually. That typically means placing a similarly “weighted” object on the side of the bed without the window. I also am frequently thinking of focal points in interiors - where do I want people to immediately look when entering a room? Are there some common rules of thumb that are top-of-mind for you in wardrobe styling?
Lauren: Always! One most common is the rule of thirds, you always want to have three pieces of clothing on at once. So if you are already wearing a white tee and jeans, throw a grey sweatshirt over your shoulders or around your waist. Or a scarf or jacket! Sometimes, especially in Texas heat, the third item could be an accessory like a gold chain necklace or hoop earring. But an outfit usually always feels complete as long as you follow the rule of thirds.
Chelsea: Ah! I think one of the reasons I like wearing dresses is because I only have to make one decision. Good to know, the second and third items can be accessories!
When I’m working with clients in their homes, many of them have a hard time articulating their style preferences. I actually will often look to their wardrobe and personal styling as cues - casual vs dressy, color palettes, etc. How do you help clients articulate their personal style, as it relates to their wardrobe, when they’re not sure themselves?
Lauren: This is one of my favorite things to do and something I feel I excel in. I love helping someone who feels like they don’t know their personal style figure out what that looks like. I usually start this process by asking them about their daily schedule. Are they a business professional that needs to be out of the house by 7 AM and heading to an office? Or are they a mom who has school drop off, then errands throughout the day? Once I have an idea of what their day looks like, I can cater to that and come up with a recipe that works for their daily activities. My next question is always what they know they don’t like. Some people know they will not wear certain fabrics or colors, so that helps me narrow things down and saves time. From there, we build up!
Chelsea: Yes! I always start with the function too. That doesn’t mean aesthetics are less important, but I think first focusing on function allows me to narrow the scope of a project.
You know sustainability is a big factor for my interior design business, so a lot of the people reading this from my end are probably also interested in sustainability. Do you have any helpful tips on shopping for your closet with sustainability in mind? I know you and I both have a love of ThredUp! Any other tips? What about if you’re buying new - what should people look for?
Lauren: YES! This is super important to me. I think that we must be aware of how much we are buying, and it’s something I like to teach clients as well. We can’t add to the problem by just buying anything and everything. The whole point of my service is to teach intentional shopping so there is less waste and the items last longer! A quick synopsis (because I could talk about this all day) is buy used and vintage as much as you can. I actually have a service where I sell designer consignment items on my Instagram that I source myself and from clients' closets! This way, we aren’t adding to landfills and something that doesn’t work for one person may be perfect for another! My next tip is to always choose quality over quantity. Even though it might be a small splurge now, it will last so much longer and you won’t be purchasing as often, so it does save money (and the environment) in the end!
Chelsea: I have really enjoyed watching your story sales and I highly recommend everyone reading this goes and follows @laurennealstyling so you can see when she does those sales! There are some really cool pieces in there.
Largely because of social media, trends in interiors and in fashion both tend to rapid cycle. What’s your philosophy on incorporating clothes and accessories that are trending? How do you have a wardrobe that feels current without buying new things constantly? For interiors, I try to avoid using furniture and decor solely from one time period. Otherwise, it’ll quickly look dated and need to be updated again. So, maybe there’s something in the space that is currently trending, yet authentic to the homeowner, but the rest of the space includes pieces from all over the place.
Lauren: I think this is a great rule of thumb for fashion as well. I say, focus on a trend you really love for a season instead of buying into all of them. Stick to your everyday staples (the quality pieces you’ve purchased) and layer with your most favorite trend instead of purchasing all of them, and then you don’t wear or recycle as easily after the season ends.
Chelsea: Alright, time to put your dreams out there into the world and see if we can manifest our ideal project/client. What’s something you’d love to do in terms of styling? Is there an event you’d like to style someone for, a specific person or brand you’d like to work with, or some other idea that would be super fun for you? I’ll go first! I’d love to design a kitchen that features antique furniture used as functional cabinetry. What’s on your wish-list?
Lauren: Oh love that!! What a fun question. I just started renting a studio space in Corpus from my friend Justin that I would love to focus on bringing more light to this summer. My goal for this space is to have part of it as a shoppable space for my consignment pieces that I buy and sell online currently. But also a studio space that I could meet with styling clients as well as design consulting clients! I would love to have the space open to the public a few days a week to offer a curated collection of consignment as well as some accessories and pieces from friend’s brands as well. So stay tuned! My goal is to have this open by January 2027.
Lauren and my daughter at Lady Captain, which Lauren co-founded, in Rockport, Texas. They also have an online store: https://ladycaptain.com/
