Stasia Savasuk is an amazing style coach, has an outstanding Tedx Talk, and is the founder of Stasia’s Style School. She’s joining me on the show, and I’m delighted to share this interview. We giggled our way through our discussion, and had a hilarious time talking about style, what lights us up, how to find what kinds of styles fit YOU, and, all about Stasia’s inspiring story of becoming an entrepreneur.
The Beginnings of Inside-Out Congruency
Stasia’s journey to becoming a stylist is an unusual one, and it is full of inspiration. From the time her differently abled daughter, Raisa, was very young, she wanted to wear “boy clothes.” Stasia had dressed her in bootcut jeans and cute dresses, and it wasn’t something that Raisa liked. One day, when they were shopping in their local thrift store, Raisa picked out a button down shirt, and a tie (with the help of a sales person), and asked that her mom buy it for her.
What happened next was nothing short of an awe inspiring transformation for Raisa, and a huge aha moment for Stasia.
“When we got home, she put on the shirt and tie, looked in the mirror, and took her own breath away. She ran across the dining room and said, “Mama, Mama, look how fast I can run!” Then, she jumped high into the air and said, “Mama, Mama, look how much higher I can jump when I’m wearing a shirt and tie. And then it hit me. She could run faster and jump higher when she was wearing clothes on the outside that were authentically who she was on the inside!!”
What Stasia learned and noticed that day was something she now calls “Inside-Out Congruency.” It’s what happens when your insides (your feelings, desires, and true personality) match the clothing you wear on the outside.
Navigating Between The Messages of Not Being Enough and Being Too Much
In order to get in touch with “Inside Out Congruency,” you have to work through the unspoken rules of the fashion industry which often leave women feeling like you are either “not enough,” or, that you are “too much.” Instead of looking at the “rules” of trends and fads, Stacsia recommends getting in touch with who you really are. In her experience, it’s important for anyone looking for their true style to sit with the questions of :
What is your essence, and your soulfire?
How can you belong to yourself?
When you can tap into the root of who you are, then finding clothes to match what lights you up is the key to finding your own authentic, congruent style.
In this episode, Stasia and I talk about:
- Her early entrepreneurial work as a child, collecting and selling worms
- How she broke up with style, and wore very bland clothing for many years
- That one size fits all is bullshit
- How to discover style that works for you and reflects who you really are
- How to get in touch with who you really are
- What it looks like to belong to yourself
- How her differently abled child has taught her so much about inside out congruency
- Her thoughts on how to jumpstart your joy: asking yourself how you want to show up, don’t participate in body shaming, and getting outside
Resources
Stasia Savasuk’s website
Stasia on Instagram
Stasia’s Ted Talk on “Dressing for Confidence and Joy”
