THE STARTER CLOSET IN 10 PIECES

SEASON 5 EPISODE 35 PRE-CLASS NOTES TO TEAM:

I have selected each of you for Style Class today because you are all at very different phases of your life. Please read carefully the ask and then let’s discuss.

This week’s Style Class is the culmination of questions/concerns voiced directly from our customers in London and in Paris. Keturah and I know they mirror what comes through frequently in our DMs. We had 200 styling appointments in London – ½ were from people who’d met us a year ago and they came in at a fully different stage than when we met them in 2023. The other ½ were new to meeting us, IRL rather than pics on a website or a few items at a specialty store. They knew they wanted to embrace their personal style, but the first step is daunting. It’s not just money people don’t want to waste, it’s also their time, and there is always sensitivity to buying too much, buying wrong, feeling bad about tossing and starting over. Many are stuck and don’t know how to get off first base.

For some, this is generally frustrating. FOR OTHERS, it is something that is truly eating away at them and we want to find a way to help them here.

I would like to know what you all would consider a “starter kit” for the person you are (career stage, family life, your build). What were the first pieces you added to your closet???? I want us to present this in class through each of your unique lenses.

POST NOTE: TEAM, taking a look at what you all sent, there are very clear denominators to what you chose:

Sarah – we hear from lot’s of petite customer’s about their struggles. Can you show your starter closet with this in mind, as it naturally is for you. What would you buy first to help grow responsibly into expressing, your very creative style.

Sarah’s Stats and BIO: Height: 5.0” ; Brand Director; Has a closet filled with highly creative items – hunted from sample sales, great vintage, and loved pieces from favorite designers. She seeks out items that ground her, a stable that she can count on that will pull together all the amazing things she loves.

Sarah’s 10:

[NOTES FROM actual STYLE CLASS-sarah wore carpenter jean size 24 she hemmed 3”]

The Cotton Tee: quiet enough to tame, bold enough to stand side by side with strong designer pieces that have decided POV’s. Size xxs. Tee

The Tailored Blazer: adds polish every time, keeps you warm on a fall day, adds a masculine touch to sparkle or bold colors. Size xxs. Liam blazer

The Slinky Tank – adds a bare moment, a functional layer, the easy top to grab to go with any new interesting bottom shape.

The Curved pant – unexpected hero, laid flat in a picture it looks quite sculpted but on the body it just drapes and can be easily rolled up to shorten. That means the bold pieces in the closet catch a whiff of ease worn with this pant.

The Calder Sweatpant – polish but sporty. Always a call for this – it dresses down a suit jacket and elevates a simple tank. Our President Elaine came on the show in a small – she is 5.2” and wears the Short length.

The Lace Skirt – this is on repeat!! Big sweaters, oversized tees all get creatively layered with this skirt – pair with a red tight.

The Cashmere Tee – perfect with a wardrobe acquired thoughtfully over the years at Condé Nast and Interview Magazine – all those interesting items need a quiet but not silent partner. Size xxs. Cashmere tee

The Indigo Denim Sid – gives gravitas to anything average – a simple tee gets new life. It has enough muscle for example to stand up to whatever came off of JW Anderson’s runway – current season or via TRR.

The Washable Cashmere Vneck – plays the starring role in the fall, the extra layer around the neck in winter, the airplane companion, the summer night out just in case item. Size xxs. VNECK SWEATER

The Balloon Skirt – made of a sporty nylon, gives all the ease and it comes in a petite length. Size 00 Short Length. Balloon skirt

BRITTANY, people love your curves and how you achieve that “chill” and creative effect – how you haven’t bought in to the dictates by media/industry to plunge that neckline and embrace showing off the curves every minute of every day– statements meant to be freeing but beg the question “so I don’t get to look the way I want? I have to follow these mandates for your vision of flattering?” Please pull your top 10 pieces for a highly functional wardrobe that also addresses you are a super busy career person whose day involves trains, desks, and dinners out as head of PR.

Brittany’s stats and bio: She is 5.5” and heads up our PR. She is literally out the door with everyone else at end of day but then often headed to another event where maybe just the change of an earring can put her squarely just right for her next moment.

Brittany’s 10:

The Sid Jean – I wear these every day they add polish to all my outfits I have so many events right after work, I love denim but I need them to function at all levels. Size 32 Short Sid jean

The Stella Pant – My work horse in tropical wool a true suiting pant but I also make it chill with a tee. Size 14 and shortened. Stella

The Washable Cashmere Vneck – a workhorse with everything. Size XL Cashmere

The Newton Stripe Top and Skirt – my surprise purchase I wear super dressed up in Paris (with white tights!) and in the office like today. I will have this for my lifetime -when it’s chic, and has stretch, it’s the perfect formula for me.

The Liam Blazer – over everything like a security blanket the eased fit of this is perfect. I wear the size Large here. Liam blazer

The Power Mesh Pull on Skirt – you may not think this is so fundamental but this adds a bit of sheerness and lightness – when anything feels too “heavy” in the closet this skirt balances it out. A tool rather than a skirt.

The Double Waisted Pant – I wear double waisted a lot – mixed with a bigger top it looks like I’m simply wearing something low waisted – since I’m so curvy I don’t really wear low waisted so this is my chance to give.

Scottie Jogger – this is in active knit – I will have forever – summer through winter I live in this piece. Size XL. The back has snaps so I can shorten easily. Jogger

The White Perfect Tee – a high neckline gives polish; white adds lightness- yes I wear a low neckline sometimes but this one makes me feel like myself. Size XL. Tee

The Ellis Suiting Coat – sophisticated my investment piece for sure but this will never go out of style.

STELLA, you’re the young up and coming career woman – just facts. I would like to see the wardrobe you put together when you joined us first as an intern near 3 years ago to set you on your way. You now have proof of concept, how some of those investments paid off. You can also talk to the swap outs – were there are alternatives at different price points that you could have augmented what you’ve bought, etc. I’m curious also, were there any initial investment pieces you regretted?

Stella’s Stats and Bio: She’s 5.6” and she is in charge of Content Commercialization – making sure that all the creative work we make with our hands, our cameras etc. gets put together, not forgotten, and used to tell our stories.   Rae may think she’s just building an incredible prop for a photo shoot but Stella knows it can be used in so many other ways.

Stella’s top 10

The Navy Perfect Tee – I have these in a few Ring 3 colors – the give big range to a smaller wardrobe and I need this at this stage in my career. SIZE M Tee

Washable Cashmere Tee – I thought this might be an excessive purchase but I literally wear it everywhere being able to go to day to dinner to hanging out is a must for me. SIZE S CASHMERE TEE

The Charlie Button Down – a proper button down in a rich cotton was something I knew would be a first needed purchase. Really menswear clean simple but rich is what I wanted.

The Max Blazer – my training wheels were with vintage mens blazers, so I knew when my first paychecks came in that this would be the real investment place for me. I wanted one that wasn’t too big, and definitely not fitted – ease but not sloppy. It looks like a suit when I want it to and then it works as a cardigan of sorts with jeans.

The Wren Crepe Blazer – ok, this took me a few years to pull the trigger on. The power move. This blazer is serious, my Teflon and I’ll have it forever.

The double waisted denim – of course I have lots of denim and for me it’s not where I’ll put tons of my money. When I do spend on denim I need a seriously interesting point of view and these are so good – it’s design but with purpose the top acts like a corset but the double waist gives all the ease.

The Stella Pant – the long rise means I can hike it up and belt it or wear it low and chill - versatility! The tailored waistband means it can be super professional but in nylon it’s pure effortless. I have it in two fabrications because diff textures change up the vibe completely. SIZE 6 STELLA PANT

The Wren Skirt – in the same material as the blazer – together I’m formidable in any meeting. Separately I can wear it with a tank and sandals and be out to dinner with wine.

The Pull on Shirred Skirt – the skirt for people who wear pants. Anything you would do in jeans, do in this skirt. Anything that calls for a skirt, do in this skirt.

KETURAH – you’re obviously much more than a mom, but you can uniquely speak to this. I’d love your 10 pieces here – when you first joined Tibi, Noemie was teeny tiny – think back to what you first invested in to steady your ground and let you lean in to your style.

Keturah’s stats: 5' 8 1/2”. A small child at home, Stella travels the country and abroad working with clients and our team at Tibi developing marketing content and meeting with customers from London to Paris to L.A.

The Gabe Cotton Shirting – easy enough to work as a shirt jacket but it’s the polished piece in the closet. Perf for taking Noemie to school drop of or hanging in the park. Same goes for the Cashmere tee and the Liam Blazer here that made it on to everyone’s list. As a mom of a young child all these items give chill but say I’m still a person, I care much about being put together, but my reality is I’m running all over. The side slits make this so easy for different styling options.Size XL Gabe shirt

The Cut Out Sweatshirt – in a ring 3 brown that adds depth to any outfit. All the designer point of view but in a sweatshirt- my daughter can rub anything on this and I just toss in the washer. But everytime it is SO MUCH more than a sweatshirt but at the end of the day it is a damn sweatshirt.

The Liam Blazer - size XL Liam

The Calder Sweatpants – the flat waistband with out gathers was Traci’s genius designing this – no “pouf”! And the curved seam and clean bottom give it tons of style without the pretension.

The Wilt Jogger – this was my first TIBI WOF! I’d just had my baby, I wanted to feel put together but I needed to burn all my maternity clothes. These gave me presence and functionality. Now I have them in a few colors.

The Winslow Active knit – this has all the modern shaping and details of the Sid Jean (I wear those too btw)- but these look REALLY dressed for date night with the husband but they’re just right for sitting cross-legged for mommy & me. Winslow

The Pull on skirt In Nylon – all those parent teacher events, when you want to be “dressed” but not overly so, this one fits the bill. It functions in every other aspect of my life and goes 12 months out of the year. I have a few of these now, I add to the closet one every year or so.

The Trench – I always wanted a trench coat, but finding one that could ball up and slip in to my bag when the weather changes was key. I chose navy because it feels a little more dressed up for night but is still chill with denim.

The washable cashmere – ok, this is on everyone’s list here but I see we wear it all differently so I don’t feel too redundant. Washing is key for me here. XL SWEATER

ME: I’ll talk from the position of someone at my age. What we know from the DM’s is this is not an issue relegated to any specific group and in fact a big audience is a woman who is late 40’s entering or well in 50s, 60s, 70s who is fucking pissed that still, at this time, they haven’t cracked the nut of their personal style. While they are often not as hampered by the size of their wallet, they are usually stymied by the size of the baggage they carry with them. Emotional baggage not RIMOWA. Pushing past this, clearing the head to have a solid base so you can see is paramount.

My Stats: Height 5 4 ½, weight is 121-123 depending on the weekend, chest 33”, shoulders narrow as fuck, waist is 27” and hips are 38.5” (more a size six but all else is smaller) I wear a size Small, 4 or a 27 in Tibi always, without fail. If it is an item with built in ease, then I can always FIT into an XS, but I prefer the FIT of the small. If it is an item designed to be fitted (like a slim pencil skirt, or super slim blazer) then I can not size down – I have to take my size.

My 10:

The Liam Blazer – I’m wearing it now. Decades now I live with this type of blazer, it’s what I wear when designing a new collection and I need a clear head, it’s what is on me at the end of a runway show when I need to feel my strongest, it’s my layering piece and the key is that it’s engineered to be oversized without looking like I’ve co-opted my fathers clothes. Small. Liam

The washable cashmere – the polo neck I love here – I have these in navy and grey. Small.POLO SWEATER

The ring 3 tees – add something so much more – I love black and white but ring three tees add a layer of dimension bt softening something super bold. Small. TEE

The nylon stella – the white ones in particular I live in – when I travel they are my “tween time” pant what I’ll put on for coffee in the hotel lobby – dressed and put together but not overly so. SIZE 4 STELLA NYLON

The Ryder ripped jean – I have a lot of structured tailored items in my closet so this jean is my go to everytime I want to take it down a notch.

The Reese Pant – a bit shorter, I can roll it easily to show ankle when I want the “skin” and it makes for the perfect suit but I love with a tee as well.

The Trench – easy to travel with but also I go to a lot of events, and you need an overcoat – this one is polished enough without the fussiness you can find at some events.

The Vneck tee – this one is super fitted and the heavier knit is important – it’ really STURDY and gives gravitas – more than an average tee but not fussy. Size Small. Tee

The washable cashmere tee – all the ease of a tee combined with the richness of cashmere – this may get the most play in my closet. Size Small – I could wear XS but I love the S. Cashmere tee

The KAT jogger – this is what I’m wearing in CLASS. I love that it’s a nylon sport pant but I feel very put together – I always want something sporty – it’s an ease I love but I can travel to Asia in these and still feel posh off the plane.

The Trouser Skirt – my signature piece – I love it with a skimpy camisole or a huge sweater. Year round and so chic. Size 4 Trouser skirt

The slip dress – always – it can be so dressed up with the right shoes and earrings, it’s my summer in Milan go to with flat sandals, it’s paired with big knit pulled over and boots for winter. Size 4 DRESS

NOTE:

I would like everyone dressed in one outfit. It would be good if that fit allows you to put on some items like a sweater at the neck, but it is not necessary.

Guys, the goal here is to be succinct but informative – I want people to leave thinking that they’ve got this, they can go out and start getting on with their lives with some clear easy steps here.

Style class Watch here

Ok?