July 31, 2025 • 36 mins
On this episode of Levels to This, Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby sit down with award-winning celebrity stylist Kimberly Steward for a real talk on women’s fashion, body image, and confidence. From red carpets to courtside, Kimberly shares what it’s like styling athletes and celebs, how shapewear plays into personal style, and why the right fit can change everything. They get into the pressure women face to always “look good,” and Kimberly keeps it real about building confidence, owning your look, and feeling good in what you wear.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Levels to This is an iHeart women's sports production in
partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find
us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
get your podcasts.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Hey, what's going on? Everybody? It's your girl, Serrika Foster Brasby.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
What's up, y'all? It's your girls? Cheryl swoops Abe. They
can get a little extra something you did.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
You did a little extra Swoops on that, as you know.
Speaker 4 (00:33):
But that's what we do here at Levels to This
because this is the show where we share that it's
Levels to the ship that women go through. And we
have such a fun podcast today because we're gonna be
talking about some real shit that women go the room. Okay,
we've been going through it on certain things, especially knowing
(00:54):
that you know, we just came off All Star. They
got the orange carpet at All Star. Folks, y'all here
coming out and they best.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Doing like wearing what they want to wear. They be
out here.
Speaker 4 (01:04):
Looking fly you know they do or not or facts
or not. Some of y'all do be missing the mark.
Some of y'all do be missing I'm just.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Saying I have to put that out.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
I just had to put that out.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
I ain't gonna say who, but everybody. Everybody ain't hitting. Nevertheless,
we recognize, you know that everybody has their own different style,
They do their own different thing as it relates to look.
But you know, I will say this, I never had
a stylist, right Like, I'm never like, I ain't got
(01:38):
no money, so you know, don't let TV fool you, y'all.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
I'm broke. I can't afford no.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Stylists because the stylists they.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
A pretty penny, They a pretty penny, okay, but I
did at one time, I did pay twenty dollars a
month for this online.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Oh I was there.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
I already know where you're going.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
Yes, okay, And so she would do. She would send
me like, here's the looks. If this is the look
you want, this is where you can go and get
this from. This is how you put it together, like
that type of deal and that way, it was like, Okay,
this is my thing, I'm gonna roll with.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
This is my thing. I'm gonna roll with this. I
don't like that I might not roll with that.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
And it was twenty dollars a month, right, So I
felt like I was supporting black businesses at.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
The same time as it was a black woman and
it was.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
A lot of fun. It was cool, and I did
like some of the things that she would suggest. However,
I still think that there are moments and there are
times where I look at something and I'm like, dang,
that's so cute, but I just could not pull it
off or I just could not wear it because I
just don't have the body shape or body structure for that.
(02:48):
And it kills me sometimes because I think my in
my head, those looks are like my style, Like if
I had the body for that, I would wear that.
Like when Jim was up here talking, so she went
shopping and you ain't had no loads, like you weren't
really buying that, I'm like, shit, that's.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
What I was.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
I was buying something.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
That's the problem.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
But I mean, but you know.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
Times change and we change and things change. I remember
just growing up, right, being younger.
Speaker 5 (03:20):
And.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Girls my age like they were filling out.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
And I was like, I remember asking my mom, like
when am I gonna get some boobs? That's what I
call them, some boobs? Right, Like when when am I
gonna get When am I gonna get a booty?
Speaker 3 (03:37):
When am I gonna get boobs with all.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
The things right, And I remember my mom saying, you
know when it'll happen, just be patient, just wait. Right,
time goes by and all right, finally, yep, I'm feeling out.
I can't wait to go buy a bra, all the
things like, oh yes, was loving out? Can I tell
you one of the worst things today, I absolutely hate
(04:03):
wearing a bra.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Wearing a bra, It's like the worst thing ever.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
That's the first thing you take off when you get
in the house.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
If I have, if I put one off. But I'm
just saying, tey am, I maybe it's crazy.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
But you know what, it's not. It's not it's not
tea because there's.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Probably a lot of women who feel that way.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
But the reason why I bring that up is because
when you start talking about like like style and what
looks good on you, and it's not just about the
stuff that the public seeds, like the outfit right, because
nine times out of ten, my outfit gonna be a right, right.
(04:46):
But what they don't truly know or understand is underneath
a sister is a bit.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
Trying to find the right shape wear.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
What do I put on with this?
Speaker 1 (04:57):
There's a certain outfit I want to wear, but I
can't wear it because without the proper undergarment, it ain't
gonna look right.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Like men, Men don't have to worry about this shit.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Men don't go through this shit.
Speaker 4 (05:12):
It's like I'm refuse to believe. And you know what
I find interesting. I find interesting that now I start
to see videos on TikTok and Instagram of men doing shit.
I never thought I would see men do things like
adding actual hair, like not a too pay because I've
seen a two pay, but I mean like they actually
get like a girl. Yes, they're doing like full weeds
(05:36):
and like shaving them, cutting them and like making waves
and shit. And it's like, as weird as it is,
I can't even be mad because being mad at you
trying to make sure that your shit is the top
straight would be like you being mad at me because
I'm gonna put this wig on and be cute.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Right, So like it's hypocritical.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
So if this is what.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Makes you and then I can't be mad at it.
Speaker 4 (06:03):
This is what makes me look good, you know, So
I totally get it. But it's like it feels like
women have to go through so much more and are
put under a different level of pressure to look good
because societal norms has its own standards of beauty what
you should look like, but you shouldn't. I've seen so
many articles over the last year or two that have
(06:26):
made it seem like shapewear is is bad for you,
and not like physically bad, but like, oh, these women
are trying to pretend to be something that they're not,
or society makes you feel like you have to be
a size this, and so women are going out of
their way to buy shapewear to look small.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Or then you see guys that are commenting on these.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
Videos that are like, oh, y'all are out here false
advertising because if you really that big, when I get.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Ready to take your fools, it's.
Speaker 5 (06:55):
Just like.
Speaker 4 (06:58):
A girl do just a feel that you're mad, a
girl do just to feel good about ourselves. It's crazy.
So on today's show, we have a very special guest
who's going to join us to just kind of talk about,
you know, creating your own style and just really what
it means to feel good and what you are and
who you are. And I am very excited to talk
(07:20):
to her because she is a ball of energy. She
brings a real perspective to the lane of fashion. She
is a celebrity stylist, award winning stylist, and she styles
one of the premier names in the WNBA. So without
further ado, let's just go ahead and take this to
the next level. So, guys, we are incredibly excited about
(07:56):
our conversation and our guests today because you know, we
love to build our show as the you know, the
place to go to talk about.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
The things that women go through.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
And honey, don't nobody understand more than women when it
comes to feeling good, looking good, and how that impacts
you mentally and everywhere and everything right.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
And so we have brought in.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
A very special guest this week to help us really
kind of honing in on this conversation around body positivity,
and that is our Girl, Image Consultant, award winning stylist,
the one who makes the Fista Collier look freaking amazing.
Our girl holding it down from Minnesota, Kimberly Stewart.
Speaker 5 (08:47):
Oh my.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Hey, let me tell you. Let me tell you, guys.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
I was in Minnesota last year for the w NBA
Finals and I had this little fit on that I
threw together. It was like this little pink blazer and
these kilojens, these little shoes.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
And I was I was cute, you know.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
In my head, I was like, okay, I could throw
it together.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
I'm really cute.
Speaker 4 (09:20):
And someone approached me and said that blazer, that fit,
that's who styled you. And I said, oh, I styled myself.
I don't really have a stylist. And she said, well,
I'm a stylist and I'm telling you that the fit
is fire.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
And don't you have no stylists?
Speaker 4 (09:42):
Come and tell me I put my stuff together right,
because now I ain't gonna know how toct And literally
from that conversation sparked of friendship in a sisterhood between
myself and Kimberly, and I am so incredibly happy that
she was able to join the show today.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Just black women coming together to show love.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
And one of the things that so first, before we
get off deep into the conversation, we want to make
sure that our listeners know about you. So tell us
where are you from, How did you get into the industry,
What was it about what was it about the fashion
and styling and branding industry that really attracted you to it?
Speaker 5 (10:26):
So, first of all, let me say thank you, thank you,
thank you, thank you for having me. I am so honored.
I'm already like holding back to yours. And I love y'all.
If I don't say it any time else, I love y'all. Okay,
So first and all, so I'm a little Mississippi girl.
(10:47):
I was born in Mississippi. I was born in the
little big town of Greenville, and my daddy's from Mississippi,
but my mother is from Minnesota. Like go figure, so
she moved us back up here. She thought I was
cute as a baby, started me modeling, and that child
put me on the runway, and honey, it was over
(11:09):
from there. They put me in a pink dress and
some pink light up tennis shoes, and I thought I
was Naomi Campbell and I was it. Okay, I was
all of five years old, and I was like, this
thing of fashion, it's for me. But you know, my
mother said, when I was little, like six months old,
(11:30):
I would look at people from their shoes up and
if I didn't like their shoes, like if I wasn't
rocking with their shoes, I wasn't rocking with them. So
like that was a thing like the little bougie baby right,
So you.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Started early like bougie.
Speaker 5 (11:49):
Yeah, like them shoes don't even match. So as I
grow older, I was blessed to have two sisters who
are celebrity stylist. Shout out to them. They both do hair,
and so I was just already in the industry. You know,
I was modeling, I was doing everything fashion that I
(12:11):
could do. I started doing. I produced my first runway
show when I was fifteen, and I started doing photoshoots.
I didn't know that I was an art director and
a creative director even and but I was doing it.
You know, as black women, sometimes we just do what
we do because we can do it, yes, and nobody
(12:32):
tell us we had to, but we just do, you know, Carrie,
it's just what happens. And so literally that's what happened.
And I like kind of just took the reins of
my career and moved on. And you know, every year
I tried to do something a little bit bigger and
(12:52):
a little bit bigger and a little bit bigger. And
I am blessed to do what I love, and I love.
Speaker 6 (12:59):
What I do.
Speaker 5 (13:00):
Hmmm.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
I love that I got a lot.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
So I want to ask a question just based off
of what you said that you would look at the
shoes first.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
So now when you're styling like athletes celebrities, do you
start with the shoes.
Speaker 5 (13:21):
A lot of times?
Speaker 3 (13:22):
Yeah, build an.
Speaker 5 (13:25):
Actually there's an outfit from Unrivaled this last Unrivaled season
that started with the shoes. For Nathisa. I bought these
silver booties and I was like, I have to style
her in these booties, and so we ended up doing
it with a pair of white laid lake jeans and
a silver kind of like long not quite a trench,
(13:47):
but it was a full leather, silver, metallic moment with
these silver piny told booties that were everything. And I
have hundreds of pairs of shoes and thankfully I'm you know,
I play ball. I'm a big girl on five eleven,
so I wear a size eleven twelve, and most athletes
(14:08):
are in that range between like a ten to like
a thirteen. So I have like hundreds of shoes between
like a ten and a thirteen. So there's never a
woman who can sit in my chair no matter how
big how small she is. I can style them all.
Same with hair and makeup. If I'm doing hair and makeup,
black white, yellow, green, alien, pets, puppy, cat bird, come out,
(14:36):
Let's do this. Okay, we got things to do, Okay.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
I love that.
Speaker 4 (14:41):
I love that when you when you think about different
styles for different people, like I know that you know
everybody has like their own thing. What do you see
that tends to work best?
Speaker 5 (14:55):
Is it?
Speaker 4 (14:55):
Are you more of a I see this in you
trust me enough to do this? Or are you more
of a okay Cheryl, Cherl don't like this, Churl, don't
like that. So I'm gonna I'm gonna do more around
what it is that makes SUREL feel good, look good
versus this is.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
What I think.
Speaker 4 (15:17):
And I want you to trust me because either way
it's still gonna look good.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
But I want you to trust.
Speaker 4 (15:21):
Me that more so than me only working with what
you're telling me, because I think sometimes we are scared
and people can see things about us that we can't
see for ourselves, you know, and sometimes we be a
little scared.
Speaker 5 (15:35):
Absolutely, let me tell you this question. I love. It's
my favorite question of all my ever interviews. I wish
that everybody would just trust me. I mean they should
probably see the awards and just go yeah, she'd let
her do what like, let her cook right, but they don't.
So it depends on a client, and it also depends
(15:59):
on how free the client is to fashion. A lot
of people want to be styled, but they want to
be styled in the way that they know how to dress.
And in that way, I'm not the person for you
because I have to be able to insert at least
a little bit of me in order for me to
(16:20):
be doing anything for you, right, And so there's a
way that I have learned to become in order to
make sure that I can put in my two cents
into your style, and style you steal with my eye.
So for the clients that I have that are more
fashioned forward, that say that are like me and will
(16:44):
wear anything, this is a you know, vintage sixties blouse
that I have on with like an orange WNBA orange sweater. Right,
I am daring. I will do all the things. I
don't think that a bad color has ever met me,
A bad prince, a bad anything, I don't really care.
But other people who are not like that, they're not
that free in their fashion, and so I have to
(17:07):
be able to kind of do a little bit of both.
And so I, you know, I kind of roll with
the punches, But I gotta insert some of me because
that's what you're hiring me for. That's what I'm here for.
That's what I won the awards for. Yeah, you know,
for pushing the envelope and doing the thing that people
want to see and want to talk about.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
I don't know, maybe it's just me, but do you
find that we as black women.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
Are probably a little harder or tougher on ourselves because
of who knows, because of where we come from or whatever.
Because I feel like I put that added pressure on
myself as a black woman, because I feel like we
like people are always watching and they're always judging, and
(17:58):
because of that, I feel like we put added pressure
on ourselves.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
To look a certain way.
Speaker 5 (18:07):
Yeah. So, I think as Black women, we're so used
to being judged, overly judged, and we're also used to
being you guys, listen, let me tell you. I'm in
an appointment with a client right now, a beautiful client.
And if she let me put on her what I
thought I would want to put on her versus what
(18:28):
she want to put on her, and she literally could coside.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
These are amazing.
Speaker 5 (18:34):
And as Black women, we're so we're so like used
to the people judging us in a place of condemnment,
like like, like, what's that word. I'm not saying it, right,
but like condemnation, thank you. That's that's one of the
biblical words, y'all. And so you know, we're used to that,
(18:56):
and so because of that, we shy away from things
that you know, would be like probably the best thing
for us, or maybe it's not the best thing for us,
but it would make people talk. Let's hear home something
that talk.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
That's all I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
Yeah, yeah, love that.
Speaker 5 (19:19):
You know.
Speaker 4 (19:20):
What's interesting is that I feel that as a stylist,
whenever somebody gets out of your chair, they feel so
much better than they did when they sat there, Like
when they come out of the fitting, they lose like
they feel good. And it is sometimes difficult when you
don't feel good about your look. Not necessarily that you
(19:41):
don't feel good about you, but you just don't always
feel good about your look. And there are tons of
folks out there that want to shame us for doing
things that make us feel better. One of those things
that come to mind is shapewear. Right, Oh, you go
on Facebook now or you go on social media now?
Shape I wear shapewear because I've lost weight, right, and
(20:05):
so because I've lost weight, I got roles in places
where it's just not smooth. So I'm trying to like
smooth it out so the outfit looks good. But then
there are like some others that are, you know, criticizing
us and saying, well, you putting on shapewear because you
don't want people to know how big you really are,
Like get this second to lose lose situation, Like you
(20:28):
want to do something to feel good about yourself so
you can feel like you look good and what you're wearing.
But then there are also societal norms that try to
make you feel bad about what you're doing and how
you're doing it. So I guess my question to you
is one, how do you approach shapewear as a stylist?
In two what seems to work for you to help
(20:50):
women feel better about their individual style or their individual
body shapes without necessarily needing maybe some additional coverage underneath.
Speaker 5 (21:02):
Okay, let me use a little bit of TLIANK. Girl,
I'm from Mississippi. We've been wearing shapewear since we was two.
Speaker 4 (21:09):
Okay, because my mama definitely used to make me wear
a slit to church.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
Oh and don't forget the pantios are stocking every time.
Speaker 5 (21:20):
So, first of all, shapewear is about making sure that
you are correct in your outfit. So you need things
to make sure that the fit is fitting in the
right places. What do I mean by that?
Speaker 6 (21:37):
All?
Speaker 5 (21:38):
Right? So there's times where you have to wear like
for instance, Nafisa's time one hundred dress. Right, we had
to do a specific shapewear under that dress, and so
that the dress did not deflate on her, okay, meaning
that it wouldn't move a certain way while she was walking, posing,
(21:59):
so on and so forth. Has nothing to do no Fisa,
you've seen her. You know how fit that child is, right,
has nothing to do with her body. It's function, okay.
And because people are ignorant to what actual shapewear is,
what it's supposed to do, they just think, okay, you
need a girdle, that ain't it. You need the function
(22:24):
of that thing in order for your jacket not to
fall down or your dress not to fall down. Has
not even knew a body, because honestly, some people have
bodies that don't look good in shapewear. No matter what
you do, you put them in some shapewear and it
makes them look like a block. And then you sit
there like it's a girdle. What happened here?
Speaker 2 (22:44):
And I'm glad that you mentioned the right thing.
Speaker 4 (22:48):
I have put on what I thought was the proper shapewear,
and I was like, it's gonna help flatten my tummy,
and actually all it did was round my tummy and
I looked mad pregnant.
Speaker 5 (22:59):
Aps flip then lukely ya.
Speaker 4 (23:02):
I was like, this is not what I was going
to watch. But I was not wearing the right thing,
like I wasn't. I wasn't in the right thing for
the right outfit.
Speaker 5 (23:11):
And real talk, like people don't know that shapewear is
not just a girdle. Of corsets are shapewear. So how
who's putting down the corsets? Because we know everybody that
puts on a corset is snatched. You putting out the corset? No,
so hush him out. That's shapewear.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
But I just, man, this this topic is so.
Speaker 5 (23:37):
For me.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
It's very sensitive from a standpoint of and and Tia
and I have had this conversation and we're very real
and honest on here.
Speaker 3 (23:47):
Like I absolutely do not like my body right now.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
So I am ordering, ordering, trying on going to stores.
Speaker 3 (23:57):
I am trying to find every pos the little shapewear
that I can find that does a couple of things.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
One is comfortable, because shapewear ain't comfortable. It just ain't.
But I'm trying to find comfort. I'm trying to make
sure it's fitting the way I needed to fit and
do the things I needed to do.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
And to your point, Kimberly, for me, there's.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
A lot of it that I that I get because
I want to be snatched, but I really needed to
hold my stomach in. But the ones I found that
will hold my stomach in, then they flatten my ass
and I don't need my ass flat. I need that
to do what it's doing. That it's very frustrating. It's frustrating.
Speaker 5 (24:43):
Okay, let me take a moment of privilege. So, Cheryl,
when are we doing our first appointment?
Speaker 3 (24:49):
You're gonna be in Indianapolis.
Speaker 5 (24:50):
I am me too. I am I leave in the morning,
So like we need to like just exchange the numbers
that I need to get it together for you, girl,
because listen, I'm gonna give you a prime example. I
have three different types of bodysuits. So I wear bodysuit shapewear.
I don't always wear like a girdle or a panty
shapewear or you know, a brad shapewear. I have these
(25:14):
bodysuits that have just a little bit of an extra
almost like a compression sock. Okay, you're used to those,
you know all about that player of ball, right, And
so I don't get them in the recommended sizing that
they say to get them. They say get them two
sizes down. I don't do that because I want to
wear them every day. I want to be comfortable, and
(25:37):
so I wear large every day. But my shapewear is
an extra large because I'm not trying to make it
to wear all of a sudden, like I can't breathe
by dinnertime, okay, because I'm gonna eat dinner. Yeah, and
I'm gonna get a second helper.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
Desert and a dessert.
Speaker 5 (26:00):
And I deserve and a dessert, honey. So but but
what I'm also going to do is get the shapewear
to keep me molded throughout the day. So I just
make sure that the bodysuit, you know, can hold me
in and not do too much like you know, don't don't,
(26:20):
don't be too too much. Okay, on the on the
squeeze in my stomach and my esophagus because you kind
of breathe. Because when I was assigned to they were
puting in things that were like taking the circulation off
like side.
Speaker 4 (26:41):
I forget because you gotta breathe. The things so tight
you can't breathe. I would love to know if there
is a piece of advice, maybe for someone who doesn't
have a stylist, or someone who's looking to change something
about how they appear so that they can feel good
and feel better about themselves.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
What piece of advice would that be or would you give?
Speaker 5 (27:04):
So no, especially for women. Let me talk to the
women first, and then I'm gonna talk to the men,
because I style both. Okay, So for women, know that, like,
we have a beauty that men don't have, and that's
why God created us. And stand in your power when
(27:25):
it comes to fashion. You can always change your clothes.
Who cares? You can always change your clothes. But here's
my philosophy. It must fit if it don't fit, take
it off, get a seamstress, go to the tailor. I
(27:45):
don't care if it's expensive. I don't care if it's cheap,
whatever it is. If it don't fit like it does
on Beyonce in the Cowboycotter concerts, take it off your party. So,
and that's the appointment that I'm at right now. We
just bought this beautiful tassel jacket for my client and
(28:09):
it's gorgeous, but you know, and it was all of
I don't even know how much money it was. It
fend with y'all. But it don't matter if it don't fit.
So she can't wear it until we get it altered. Right,
And so there are things that you know I do.
You can always tell when I'm the one styling the fisa.
(28:29):
I'm not always the one dressing her, but when I'm
the one styling the visa, you know that it's me
because of how it fits. It fits her body. And
especially with athletes, if you have any kind of body
type that is different, you long arms, you have, you
know a little bit more hit, You've got, you know,
(28:50):
a short torso, a long torso. If it doesn't fit,
take it off, not to the men.
Speaker 3 (28:57):
Y'all.
Speaker 6 (28:58):
Y'all are killing me. They think that they can just
put anything on. They think that they could just put
anything on and they will be Okay, sir, sir, whoever
son you are, needs to tell you that that is
not okay. Okay, you don't get to just lag off
(29:20):
because you're a man and you got two things hanging behind.
Speaker 5 (29:23):
You know, between your legies. Okay, you don't get to
do that to them, and then trying to allay like
like like you God's gift, sir. Put on some clothes. Okay,
some clothes and make them clean, and stop putting on
(29:45):
the musty shirts.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
Oh my god, she is not playing with.
Speaker 5 (29:52):
And y'all style too, y'all needs style.
Speaker 2 (29:55):
Two.
Speaker 5 (29:55):
You don't just get to be like, oh, I'm a guy.
I don't need to be that, okay. And so that
is my advice. It's like, you know, you can change
the outfit. So let's go ahead. Let's go ahead and
make sure that that outfit is the thing that we
love right, and that we're gonna make sure that not
(30:15):
only do we love it for the moment it fits
and it's something to make people talk.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
Mmmm. I love that.
Speaker 4 (30:22):
Give them something to talk about it. That's about to
be the fact. The theme of this talk about give
to talk about thank you so much.
Speaker 5 (30:32):
You guys, let me tell you, thank you so much,
thank you so much for everything.
Speaker 4 (30:53):
I love when guests come on here and just show
their whole ass.
Speaker 1 (30:58):
I love it because you and I do that every
single day.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
That's how you know they at home.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
Yes, that's what we want you to come on and
be you, be comfortable, be you, and be you, but
also dropping a few nuggets here and there. Yeah, it's
so nice to be able to talk to someone in
the fashion space right who can absolutely relate to what
(31:26):
we're saying or what we're feeling, but also be able
to give us some advice on how we should feel
in our own bodies.
Speaker 4 (31:36):
Yes, yes, one one d percent. And I love that
Kimberly was able to come on and share those nuggets
and just like, listen, feel good, be daring, be bold, right,
because we do get in our own heads a lot,
and we kind of get stuck in our own ways.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
This is this is what I wear.
Speaker 4 (31:56):
And I mean I remember, even with you a couple
of months ago, I'm like, Surey'll be talking about I
don't wear no red lipstick and then you put that
red lipstick on, honey, and that look was a look.
Speaker 3 (32:08):
But I don't and I don't.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
But when I wore it, and because I got so
many compliments, but it wasn't even about the compliments. Like honestly,
when I looked at myself in the mirror, I was like,
damn girl, you and them Leah sick.
Speaker 4 (32:24):
Yes, yes, like we have got to get out of
our own way. And so I love the way that Kim.
That Kim basically was saying like, be bold, be daring.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
Just be you, like you know, yes, and you know
what I really loved, and I'll leave it here.
Speaker 3 (32:38):
Is like she said something that's so simple but very meaningful.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
But she basically was like, if it.
Speaker 3 (32:47):
Don't fit, take that shit off, because you know, tee, how.
Speaker 1 (32:51):
Many times do we try to force something on because
we really like it? And because I know I am,
I don't care if it's a shoe. I know my
big ass feet, I'm a and a half eleven, but
if they don't have my size, I almost try and
squeeze these cores into a size. Tick gerald hurting, the corns,
be hurting. But she's right, like, if it don't fit,
(33:13):
take it off, and you don't need somebody else to
tell you boo boo that don't fit, because you don't
say it all.
Speaker 4 (33:22):
Because you knew you knew it didn't fit when you
bought it. You knew it infit you bought it like
and I have that on the other On the other end,
I've been losing some weight and I got a lot
of clothes that are literally too big, and I'm just
like in my head because that's another thing that's the
topic for another day, but it's another.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
Thing that you have to be real about.
Speaker 4 (33:40):
Like I have breast reduction surgery once a couple of
years ago, and in my mind, my mind still sometimes
feel that I'm bigger than I am and I will
want to buy a two X or I will want
to buy like this something because in my my head
still says, Tarika, you have to account for and then
I have to be like, oh wait, it's not there,
(34:02):
Like I don't have to account for that anymore.
Speaker 2 (34:04):
It's not there. I don't need that super big.
Speaker 4 (34:06):
And so talking about things that don't fit, I have
clothes that I still wear and then I put it
on and I'm like, girl, you look crazy because these
are too big for you now, and it's so it's
hanging off of me and I'm and I'm still like, well,
I ain't got none news, so I'm just gonna wear it.
And I'm like, gro you look crazy because it's too big,
you look crazy. So it definitely works both ways. You
(34:29):
just gotta you gotta be realed about where you are
and what you're doing. And so I appreciate Kim for
coming on.
Speaker 3 (34:34):
Yes, thank you.
Speaker 2 (34:35):
Sure you're gonna level us, You're gonna level us out today.
Speaker 1 (34:39):
I am just based off of what you know we
were just talking about with Kimberly, just owning who you are, right.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
But you put on what you don't put on all
the things. So I feel like this is relevant to today.
Speaker 1 (34:55):
It says owning our story and loving ourselves through that
process us is the bravest thing will ever do.
Speaker 4 (35:07):
That is one hundred percent facts. I like that a lot,
one hundred percent facts. You have got to love yourself
and you feel better when you do that.
Speaker 2 (35:17):
You feel so much better when you do that.
Speaker 4 (35:19):
So I'm on love on myself and I hope that
you guys are going to continue to love on yourselves too,
And thank you all for just keeping keeping me and
shuling your rotation because we enjoy bringing you this podcast
every week and we appreciate you for listening, so we
will be back next week. We continue to have more
(35:41):
next level conversations just about the real shit that women
go through. And remember this isn't just our show, it's
our show, so we want to hear from you. Right,
leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Continue to engage
with us on social media, so you can follow us
on Instagram at lttpod. You can also send us an
email at Levels of This Podcast at gmail dot com
and tell us what you thought of the show.
Speaker 1 (36:01):
If you are interested in coming on our show as
a guest and you have a topic or you have
something that you want to talk about, hit us up
on Instagram.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
Oop.
Speaker 1 (36:13):
Yeah, I love that we walk because this is again,
this is our show, right our show.
Speaker 5 (36:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
I love that, y'all.
Speaker 4 (36:23):
I love that come through, people comb through, keep it keep,
let's do it. Let's get it done.
Speaker 2 (36:29):
So until next time, y'all, peace out.
Speaker 1 (36:34):
Listen to Levels to This on America's number one podcast network, iHeart,
open your free iHeart app and search Levels to This
with Cheryl Swoops and Treika Foster Brasby and start listening
Levels to This is an iHeart women's sports production in
partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find
us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
get your podcasts.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Hey, what's going on? Everybody? It's your girl, Serrika Foster Brasby.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
What's up, y'all? It's your girls? Cheryl swoops Abe. They
can get a little extra something you did.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
You did a little extra Swoops on that, as you know.
Speaker 4 (00:33):
But that's what we do here at Levels to This
because this is the show where we share that it's
Levels to the ship that women go through. And we
have such a fun podcast today because we're gonna be
talking about some real shit that women go the room. Okay,
we've been going through it on certain things, especially knowing
(00:54):
that you know, we just came off All Star. They
got the orange carpet at All Star. Folks, y'all here
coming out and they best.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Doing like wearing what they want to wear. They be
out here.
Speaker 4 (01:04):
Looking fly you know they do or not or facts
or not. Some of y'all do be missing the mark.
Some of y'all do be missing I'm just.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Saying I have to put that out.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
I just had to put that out.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
I ain't gonna say who, but everybody. Everybody ain't hitting. Nevertheless,
we recognize, you know that everybody has their own different style,
They do their own different thing as it relates to look.
But you know, I will say this, I never had
a stylist, right Like, I'm never like, I ain't got
(01:38):
no money, so you know, don't let TV fool you, y'all.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
I'm broke. I can't afford no.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Stylists because the stylists they.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
A pretty penny, They a pretty penny, okay, but I
did at one time, I did pay twenty dollars a
month for this online.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Oh I was there.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
I already know where you're going.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
Yes, okay, And so she would do. She would send
me like, here's the looks. If this is the look
you want, this is where you can go and get
this from. This is how you put it together, like
that type of deal and that way, it was like, Okay,
this is my thing, I'm gonna roll with.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
This is my thing. I'm gonna roll with this. I
don't like that I might not roll with that.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
And it was twenty dollars a month, right, So I
felt like I was supporting black businesses at.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
The same time as it was a black woman and
it was.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
A lot of fun. It was cool, and I did
like some of the things that she would suggest. However,
I still think that there are moments and there are
times where I look at something and I'm like, dang,
that's so cute, but I just could not pull it
off or I just could not wear it because I
just don't have the body shape or body structure for that.
(02:48):
And it kills me sometimes because I think my in
my head, those looks are like my style, Like if
I had the body for that, I would wear that.
Like when Jim was up here talking, so she went
shopping and you ain't had no loads, like you weren't
really buying that, I'm like, shit, that's.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
What I was.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
I was buying something.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
That's the problem.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
But I mean, but you know.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
Times change and we change and things change. I remember
just growing up, right, being younger.
Speaker 5 (03:20):
And.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Girls my age like they were filling out.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
And I was like, I remember asking my mom, like
when am I gonna get some boobs? That's what I
call them, some boobs? Right, Like when when am I
gonna get When am I gonna get a booty?
Speaker 3 (03:37):
When am I gonna get boobs with all.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
The things right, And I remember my mom saying, you
know when it'll happen, just be patient, just wait. Right,
time goes by and all right, finally, yep, I'm feeling out.
I can't wait to go buy a bra, all the
things like, oh yes, was loving out? Can I tell
you one of the worst things today, I absolutely hate
(04:03):
wearing a bra.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Wearing a bra, It's like the worst thing ever.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
That's the first thing you take off when you get
in the house.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
If I have, if I put one off. But I'm
just saying, tey am, I maybe it's crazy.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
But you know what, it's not. It's not it's not
tea because there's.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Probably a lot of women who feel that way.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
But the reason why I bring that up is because
when you start talking about like like style and what
looks good on you, and it's not just about the
stuff that the public seeds, like the outfit right, because
nine times out of ten, my outfit gonna be a right, right.
(04:46):
But what they don't truly know or understand is underneath
a sister is a bit.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
Trying to find the right shape wear.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
What do I put on with this?
Speaker 1 (04:57):
There's a certain outfit I want to wear, but I
can't wear it because without the proper undergarment, it ain't
gonna look right.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Like men, Men don't have to worry about this shit.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Men don't go through this shit.
Speaker 4 (05:12):
It's like I'm refuse to believe. And you know what
I find interesting. I find interesting that now I start
to see videos on TikTok and Instagram of men doing shit.
I never thought I would see men do things like
adding actual hair, like not a too pay because I've
seen a two pay, but I mean like they actually
get like a girl. Yes, they're doing like full weeds
(05:36):
and like shaving them, cutting them and like making waves
and shit. And it's like, as weird as it is,
I can't even be mad because being mad at you
trying to make sure that your shit is the top
straight would be like you being mad at me because
I'm gonna put this wig on and be cute.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Right, So like it's hypocritical.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
So if this is what.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Makes you and then I can't be mad at it.
Speaker 4 (06:03):
This is what makes me look good, you know, So
I totally get it. But it's like it feels like
women have to go through so much more and are
put under a different level of pressure to look good
because societal norms has its own standards of beauty what
you should look like, but you shouldn't. I've seen so
many articles over the last year or two that have
(06:26):
made it seem like shapewear is is bad for you,
and not like physically bad, but like, oh, these women
are trying to pretend to be something that they're not,
or society makes you feel like you have to be
a size this, and so women are going out of
their way to buy shapewear to look small.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Or then you see guys that are commenting on these.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
Videos that are like, oh, y'all are out here false
advertising because if you really that big, when I get.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Ready to take your fools, it's.
Speaker 5 (06:55):
Just like.
Speaker 4 (06:58):
A girl do just a feel that you're mad, a
girl do just to feel good about ourselves. It's crazy.
So on today's show, we have a very special guest
who's going to join us to just kind of talk about,
you know, creating your own style and just really what
it means to feel good and what you are and
who you are. And I am very excited to talk
(07:20):
to her because she is a ball of energy. She
brings a real perspective to the lane of fashion. She
is a celebrity stylist, award winning stylist, and she styles
one of the premier names in the WNBA. So without
further ado, let's just go ahead and take this to
the next level. So, guys, we are incredibly excited about
(07:56):
our conversation and our guests today because you know, we
love to build our show as the you know, the
place to go to talk about.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
The things that women go through.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
And honey, don't nobody understand more than women when it
comes to feeling good, looking good, and how that impacts
you mentally and everywhere and everything right.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
And so we have brought in.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
A very special guest this week to help us really
kind of honing in on this conversation around body positivity,
and that is our Girl, Image Consultant, award winning stylist,
the one who makes the Fista Collier look freaking amazing.
Our girl holding it down from Minnesota, Kimberly Stewart.
Speaker 5 (08:47):
Oh my.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Hey, let me tell you. Let me tell you, guys.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
I was in Minnesota last year for the w NBA
Finals and I had this little fit on that I
threw together. It was like this little pink blazer and
these kilojens, these little shoes.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
And I was I was cute, you know.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
In my head, I was like, okay, I could throw
it together.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
I'm really cute.
Speaker 4 (09:20):
And someone approached me and said that blazer, that fit,
that's who styled you. And I said, oh, I styled myself.
I don't really have a stylist. And she said, well,
I'm a stylist and I'm telling you that the fit
is fire.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
And don't you have no stylists?
Speaker 4 (09:42):
Come and tell me I put my stuff together right,
because now I ain't gonna know how toct And literally
from that conversation sparked of friendship in a sisterhood between
myself and Kimberly, and I am so incredibly happy that
she was able to join the show today.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Just black women coming together to show love.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
And one of the things that so first, before we
get off deep into the conversation, we want to make
sure that our listeners know about you. So tell us
where are you from, How did you get into the industry,
What was it about what was it about the fashion
and styling and branding industry that really attracted you to it?
Speaker 5 (10:26):
So, first of all, let me say thank you, thank you,
thank you, thank you for having me. I am so honored.
I'm already like holding back to yours. And I love y'all.
If I don't say it any time else, I love y'all. Okay,
So first and all, so I'm a little Mississippi girl.
(10:47):
I was born in Mississippi. I was born in the
little big town of Greenville, and my daddy's from Mississippi,
but my mother is from Minnesota. Like go figure, so
she moved us back up here. She thought I was
cute as a baby, started me modeling, and that child
put me on the runway, and honey, it was over
(11:09):
from there. They put me in a pink dress and
some pink light up tennis shoes, and I thought I
was Naomi Campbell and I was it. Okay, I was
all of five years old, and I was like, this
thing of fashion, it's for me. But you know, my
mother said, when I was little, like six months old,
(11:30):
I would look at people from their shoes up and
if I didn't like their shoes, like if I wasn't
rocking with their shoes, I wasn't rocking with them. So
like that was a thing like the little bougie baby right,
So you.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Started early like bougie.
Speaker 5 (11:49):
Yeah, like them shoes don't even match. So as I
grow older, I was blessed to have two sisters who
are celebrity stylist. Shout out to them. They both do hair,
and so I was just already in the industry. You know,
I was modeling, I was doing everything fashion that I
(12:11):
could do. I started doing. I produced my first runway
show when I was fifteen, and I started doing photoshoots.
I didn't know that I was an art director and
a creative director even and but I was doing it.
You know, as black women, sometimes we just do what
we do because we can do it, yes, and nobody
(12:32):
tell us we had to, but we just do, you know, Carrie,
it's just what happens. And so literally that's what happened.
And I like kind of just took the reins of
my career and moved on. And you know, every year
I tried to do something a little bit bigger and
(12:52):
a little bit bigger and a little bit bigger. And
I am blessed to do what I love, and I love.
Speaker 6 (12:59):
What I do.
Speaker 5 (13:00):
Hmmm.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
I love that I got a lot.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
So I want to ask a question just based off
of what you said that you would look at the
shoes first.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
So now when you're styling like athletes celebrities, do you
start with the shoes.
Speaker 5 (13:21):
A lot of times?
Speaker 3 (13:22):
Yeah, build an.
Speaker 5 (13:25):
Actually there's an outfit from Unrivaled this last Unrivaled season
that started with the shoes. For Nathisa. I bought these
silver booties and I was like, I have to style
her in these booties, and so we ended up doing
it with a pair of white laid lake jeans and
a silver kind of like long not quite a trench,
(13:47):
but it was a full leather, silver, metallic moment with
these silver piny told booties that were everything. And I
have hundreds of pairs of shoes and thankfully I'm you know,
I play ball. I'm a big girl on five eleven,
so I wear a size eleven twelve, and most athletes
(14:08):
are in that range between like a ten to like
a thirteen. So I have like hundreds of shoes between
like a ten and a thirteen. So there's never a
woman who can sit in my chair no matter how
big how small she is. I can style them all.
Same with hair and makeup. If I'm doing hair and makeup,
black white, yellow, green, alien, pets, puppy, cat bird, come out,
(14:36):
Let's do this. Okay, we got things to do, Okay.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
I love that.
Speaker 4 (14:41):
I love that when you when you think about different
styles for different people, like I know that you know
everybody has like their own thing. What do you see
that tends to work best?
Speaker 5 (14:55):
Is it?
Speaker 4 (14:55):
Are you more of a I see this in you
trust me enough to do this? Or are you more
of a okay Cheryl, Cherl don't like this, Churl, don't
like that. So I'm gonna I'm gonna do more around
what it is that makes SUREL feel good, look good
versus this is.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
What I think.
Speaker 4 (15:17):
And I want you to trust me because either way
it's still gonna look good.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
But I want you to trust.
Speaker 4 (15:21):
Me that more so than me only working with what
you're telling me, because I think sometimes we are scared
and people can see things about us that we can't
see for ourselves, you know, and sometimes we be a
little scared.
Speaker 5 (15:35):
Absolutely, let me tell you this question. I love. It's
my favorite question of all my ever interviews. I wish
that everybody would just trust me. I mean they should
probably see the awards and just go yeah, she'd let
her do what like, let her cook right, but they don't.
So it depends on a client, and it also depends
(15:59):
on how free the client is to fashion. A lot
of people want to be styled, but they want to
be styled in the way that they know how to dress.
And in that way, I'm not the person for you
because I have to be able to insert at least
a little bit of me in order for me to
(16:20):
be doing anything for you, right, And so there's a
way that I have learned to become in order to
make sure that I can put in my two cents
into your style, and style you steal with my eye.
So for the clients that I have that are more
fashioned forward, that say that are like me and will
(16:44):
wear anything, this is a you know, vintage sixties blouse
that I have on with like an orange WNBA orange sweater. Right,
I am daring. I will do all the things. I
don't think that a bad color has ever met me,
A bad prince, a bad anything, I don't really care.
But other people who are not like that, they're not
that free in their fashion, and so I have to
(17:07):
be able to kind of do a little bit of both.
And so I, you know, I kind of roll with
the punches, But I gotta insert some of me because
that's what you're hiring me for. That's what I'm here for.
That's what I won the awards for. Yeah, you know,
for pushing the envelope and doing the thing that people
want to see and want to talk about.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
I don't know, maybe it's just me, but do you
find that we as black women.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
Are probably a little harder or tougher on ourselves because
of who knows, because of where we come from or whatever.
Because I feel like I put that added pressure on
myself as a black woman, because I feel like we
like people are always watching and they're always judging, and
(17:58):
because of that, I feel like we put added pressure
on ourselves.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
To look a certain way.
Speaker 5 (18:07):
Yeah. So, I think as Black women, we're so used
to being judged, overly judged, and we're also used to
being you guys, listen, let me tell you. I'm in
an appointment with a client right now, a beautiful client.
And if she let me put on her what I
thought I would want to put on her versus what
(18:28):
she want to put on her, and she literally could coside.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
These are amazing.
Speaker 5 (18:34):
And as Black women, we're so we're so like used
to the people judging us in a place of condemnment,
like like, like, what's that word. I'm not saying it, right,
but like condemnation, thank you. That's that's one of the
biblical words, y'all. And so you know, we're used to that,
(18:56):
and so because of that, we shy away from things
that you know, would be like probably the best thing
for us, or maybe it's not the best thing for us,
but it would make people talk. Let's hear home something
that talk.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
That's all I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
Yeah, yeah, love that.
Speaker 5 (19:19):
You know.
Speaker 4 (19:20):
What's interesting is that I feel that as a stylist,
whenever somebody gets out of your chair, they feel so
much better than they did when they sat there, Like
when they come out of the fitting, they lose like
they feel good. And it is sometimes difficult when you
don't feel good about your look. Not necessarily that you
(19:41):
don't feel good about you, but you just don't always
feel good about your look. And there are tons of
folks out there that want to shame us for doing
things that make us feel better. One of those things
that come to mind is shapewear. Right, Oh, you go
on Facebook now or you go on social media now?
Shape I wear shapewear because I've lost weight, right, and
(20:05):
so because I've lost weight, I got roles in places
where it's just not smooth. So I'm trying to like
smooth it out so the outfit looks good. But then
there are like some others that are, you know, criticizing
us and saying, well, you putting on shapewear because you
don't want people to know how big you really are,
Like get this second to lose lose situation, Like you
(20:28):
want to do something to feel good about yourself so
you can feel like you look good and what you're wearing.
But then there are also societal norms that try to
make you feel bad about what you're doing and how
you're doing it. So I guess my question to you
is one, how do you approach shapewear as a stylist?
In two what seems to work for you to help
(20:50):
women feel better about their individual style or their individual
body shapes without necessarily needing maybe some additional coverage underneath.
Speaker 5 (21:02):
Okay, let me use a little bit of TLIANK. Girl,
I'm from Mississippi. We've been wearing shapewear since we was two.
Speaker 4 (21:09):
Okay, because my mama definitely used to make me wear
a slit to church.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
Oh and don't forget the pantios are stocking every time.
Speaker 5 (21:20):
So, first of all, shapewear is about making sure that
you are correct in your outfit. So you need things
to make sure that the fit is fitting in the
right places. What do I mean by that?
Speaker 6 (21:37):
All?
Speaker 5 (21:38):
Right? So there's times where you have to wear like
for instance, Nafisa's time one hundred dress. Right, we had
to do a specific shapewear under that dress, and so
that the dress did not deflate on her, okay, meaning
that it wouldn't move a certain way while she was walking, posing,
(21:59):
so on and so forth. Has nothing to do no Fisa,
you've seen her. You know how fit that child is, right,
has nothing to do with her body. It's function, okay.
And because people are ignorant to what actual shapewear is,
what it's supposed to do, they just think, okay, you
need a girdle, that ain't it. You need the function
(22:24):
of that thing in order for your jacket not to
fall down or your dress not to fall down. Has
not even knew a body, because honestly, some people have
bodies that don't look good in shapewear. No matter what
you do, you put them in some shapewear and it
makes them look like a block. And then you sit
there like it's a girdle. What happened here?
Speaker 2 (22:44):
And I'm glad that you mentioned the right thing.
Speaker 4 (22:48):
I have put on what I thought was the proper shapewear,
and I was like, it's gonna help flatten my tummy,
and actually all it did was round my tummy and
I looked mad pregnant.
Speaker 5 (22:59):
Aps flip then lukely ya.
Speaker 4 (23:02):
I was like, this is not what I was going
to watch. But I was not wearing the right thing,
like I wasn't. I wasn't in the right thing for
the right outfit.
Speaker 5 (23:11):
And real talk, like people don't know that shapewear is
not just a girdle. Of corsets are shapewear. So how
who's putting down the corsets? Because we know everybody that
puts on a corset is snatched. You putting out the corset? No,
so hush him out. That's shapewear.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
But I just, man, this this topic is so.
Speaker 5 (23:37):
For me.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
It's very sensitive from a standpoint of and and Tia
and I have had this conversation and we're very real
and honest on here.
Speaker 3 (23:47):
Like I absolutely do not like my body right now.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
So I am ordering, ordering, trying on going to stores.
Speaker 3 (23:57):
I am trying to find every pos the little shapewear
that I can find that does a couple of things.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
One is comfortable, because shapewear ain't comfortable. It just ain't.
But I'm trying to find comfort. I'm trying to make
sure it's fitting the way I needed to fit and
do the things I needed to do.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
And to your point, Kimberly, for me, there's.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
A lot of it that I that I get because
I want to be snatched, but I really needed to
hold my stomach in. But the ones I found that
will hold my stomach in, then they flatten my ass
and I don't need my ass flat. I need that
to do what it's doing. That it's very frustrating. It's frustrating.
Speaker 5 (24:43):
Okay, let me take a moment of privilege. So, Cheryl,
when are we doing our first appointment?
Speaker 3 (24:49):
You're gonna be in Indianapolis.
Speaker 5 (24:50):
I am me too. I am I leave in the morning,
So like we need to like just exchange the numbers
that I need to get it together for you, girl,
because listen, I'm gonna give you a prime example. I
have three different types of bodysuits. So I wear bodysuit shapewear.
I don't always wear like a girdle or a panty
shapewear or you know, a brad shapewear. I have these
(25:14):
bodysuits that have just a little bit of an extra
almost like a compression sock. Okay, you're used to those,
you know all about that player of ball, right, And
so I don't get them in the recommended sizing that
they say to get them. They say get them two
sizes down. I don't do that because I want to
wear them every day. I want to be comfortable, and
(25:37):
so I wear large every day. But my shapewear is
an extra large because I'm not trying to make it
to wear all of a sudden, like I can't breathe
by dinnertime, okay, because I'm gonna eat dinner. Yeah, and
I'm gonna get a second helper.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
Desert and a dessert.
Speaker 5 (26:00):
And I deserve and a dessert, honey. So but but
what I'm also going to do is get the shapewear
to keep me molded throughout the day. So I just
make sure that the bodysuit, you know, can hold me
in and not do too much like you know, don't don't,
(26:20):
don't be too too much. Okay, on the on the
squeeze in my stomach and my esophagus because you kind
of breathe. Because when I was assigned to they were
puting in things that were like taking the circulation off
like side.
Speaker 4 (26:41):
I forget because you gotta breathe. The things so tight
you can't breathe. I would love to know if there
is a piece of advice, maybe for someone who doesn't
have a stylist, or someone who's looking to change something
about how they appear so that they can feel good
and feel better about themselves.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
What piece of advice would that be or would you give?
Speaker 5 (27:04):
So no, especially for women. Let me talk to the
women first, and then I'm gonna talk to the men,
because I style both. Okay, So for women, know that, like,
we have a beauty that men don't have, and that's
why God created us. And stand in your power when
(27:25):
it comes to fashion. You can always change your clothes.
Who cares? You can always change your clothes. But here's
my philosophy. It must fit if it don't fit, take
it off, get a seamstress, go to the tailor. I
(27:45):
don't care if it's expensive. I don't care if it's cheap,
whatever it is. If it don't fit like it does
on Beyonce in the Cowboycotter concerts, take it off your party. So,
and that's the appointment that I'm at right now. We
just bought this beautiful tassel jacket for my client and
(28:09):
it's gorgeous, but you know, and it was all of
I don't even know how much money it was. It
fend with y'all. But it don't matter if it don't fit.
So she can't wear it until we get it altered. Right,
And so there are things that you know I do.
You can always tell when I'm the one styling the fisa.
(28:29):
I'm not always the one dressing her, but when I'm
the one styling the visa, you know that it's me
because of how it fits. It fits her body. And
especially with athletes, if you have any kind of body
type that is different, you long arms, you have, you
know a little bit more hit, You've got, you know,
(28:50):
a short torso, a long torso. If it doesn't fit,
take it off, not to the men.
Speaker 3 (28:57):
Y'all.
Speaker 6 (28:58):
Y'all are killing me. They think that they can just
put anything on. They think that they could just put
anything on and they will be Okay, sir, sir, whoever
son you are, needs to tell you that that is
not okay. Okay, you don't get to just lag off
(29:20):
because you're a man and you got two things hanging behind.
Speaker 5 (29:23):
You know, between your legies. Okay, you don't get to
do that to them, and then trying to allay like
like like you God's gift, sir. Put on some clothes. Okay,
some clothes and make them clean, and stop putting on
(29:45):
the musty shirts.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
Oh my god, she is not playing with.
Speaker 5 (29:52):
And y'all style too, y'all needs style.
Speaker 2 (29:55):
Two.
Speaker 5 (29:55):
You don't just get to be like, oh, I'm a guy.
I don't need to be that, okay. And so that
is my advice. It's like, you know, you can change
the outfit. So let's go ahead. Let's go ahead and
make sure that that outfit is the thing that we
love right, and that we're gonna make sure that not
(30:15):
only do we love it for the moment it fits
and it's something to make people talk.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
Mmmm. I love that.
Speaker 4 (30:22):
Give them something to talk about it. That's about to
be the fact. The theme of this talk about give
to talk about thank you so much.
Speaker 5 (30:32):
You guys, let me tell you, thank you so much,
thank you so much for everything.
Speaker 4 (30:53):
I love when guests come on here and just show
their whole ass.
Speaker 1 (30:58):
I love it because you and I do that every
single day.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
That's how you know they at home.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
Yes, that's what we want you to come on and
be you, be comfortable, be you, and be you, but
also dropping a few nuggets here and there. Yeah, it's
so nice to be able to talk to someone in
the fashion space right who can absolutely relate to what
(31:26):
we're saying or what we're feeling, but also be able
to give us some advice on how we should feel
in our own bodies.
Speaker 4 (31:36):
Yes, yes, one one d percent. And I love that
Kimberly was able to come on and share those nuggets
and just like, listen, feel good, be daring, be bold, right,
because we do get in our own heads a lot,
and we kind of get stuck in our own ways.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
This is this is what I wear.
Speaker 4 (31:56):
And I mean I remember, even with you a couple
of months ago, I'm like, Surey'll be talking about I
don't wear no red lipstick and then you put that
red lipstick on, honey, and that look was a look.
Speaker 3 (32:08):
But I don't and I don't.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
But when I wore it, and because I got so
many compliments, but it wasn't even about the compliments. Like honestly,
when I looked at myself in the mirror, I was like,
damn girl, you and them Leah sick.
Speaker 4 (32:24):
Yes, yes, like we have got to get out of
our own way. And so I love the way that Kim.
That Kim basically was saying like, be bold, be daring.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
Just be you, like you know, yes, and you know
what I really loved, and I'll leave it here.
Speaker 3 (32:38):
Is like she said something that's so simple but very meaningful.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
But she basically was like, if it.
Speaker 3 (32:47):
Don't fit, take that shit off, because you know, tee, how.
Speaker 1 (32:51):
Many times do we try to force something on because
we really like it? And because I know I am,
I don't care if it's a shoe. I know my
big ass feet, I'm a and a half eleven, but
if they don't have my size, I almost try and
squeeze these cores into a size. Tick gerald hurting, the corns,
be hurting. But she's right, like, if it don't fit,
(33:13):
take it off, and you don't need somebody else to
tell you boo boo that don't fit, because you don't
say it all.
Speaker 4 (33:22):
Because you knew you knew it didn't fit when you
bought it. You knew it infit you bought it like
and I have that on the other On the other end,
I've been losing some weight and I got a lot
of clothes that are literally too big, and I'm just
like in my head because that's another thing that's the
topic for another day, but it's another.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
Thing that you have to be real about.
Speaker 4 (33:40):
Like I have breast reduction surgery once a couple of
years ago, and in my mind, my mind still sometimes
feel that I'm bigger than I am and I will
want to buy a two X or I will want
to buy like this something because in my my head
still says, Tarika, you have to account for and then
I have to be like, oh wait, it's not there,
(34:02):
Like I don't have to account for that anymore.
Speaker 2 (34:04):
It's not there. I don't need that super big.
Speaker 4 (34:06):
And so talking about things that don't fit, I have
clothes that I still wear and then I put it
on and I'm like, girl, you look crazy because these
are too big for you now, and it's so it's
hanging off of me and I'm and I'm still like, well,
I ain't got none news, so I'm just gonna wear it.
And I'm like, gro you look crazy because it's too big,
you look crazy. So it definitely works both ways. You
(34:29):
just gotta you gotta be realed about where you are
and what you're doing. And so I appreciate Kim for
coming on.
Speaker 3 (34:34):
Yes, thank you.
Speaker 2 (34:35):
Sure you're gonna level us, You're gonna level us out today.
Speaker 1 (34:39):
I am just based off of what you know we
were just talking about with Kimberly, just owning who you are, right.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
But you put on what you don't put on all
the things. So I feel like this is relevant to today.
Speaker 1 (34:55):
It says owning our story and loving ourselves through that
process us is the bravest thing will ever do.
Speaker 4 (35:07):
That is one hundred percent facts. I like that a lot,
one hundred percent facts. You have got to love yourself
and you feel better when you do that.
Speaker 2 (35:17):
You feel so much better when you do that.
Speaker 4 (35:19):
So I'm on love on myself and I hope that
you guys are going to continue to love on yourselves too,
And thank you all for just keeping keeping me and
shuling your rotation because we enjoy bringing you this podcast
every week and we appreciate you for listening, so we
will be back next week. We continue to have more
(35:41):
next level conversations just about the real shit that women
go through. And remember this isn't just our show, it's
our show, so we want to hear from you. Right,
leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Continue to engage
with us on social media, so you can follow us
on Instagram at lttpod. You can also send us an
email at Levels of This Podcast at gmail dot com
and tell us what you thought of the show.
Speaker 1 (36:01):
If you are interested in coming on our show as
a guest and you have a topic or you have
something that you want to talk about, hit us up
on Instagram.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
Oop.
Speaker 1 (36:13):
Yeah, I love that we walk because this is again,
this is our show, right our show.
Speaker 5 (36:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
I love that, y'all.
Speaker 4 (36:23):
I love that come through, people comb through, keep it keep,
let's do it. Let's get it done.
Speaker 2 (36:29):
So until next time, y'all, peace out.
Speaker 1 (36:34):
Listen to Levels to This on America's number one podcast network, iHeart,
open your free iHeart app and search Levels to This
with Cheryl Swoops and Treika Foster Brasby and start listening
Hosts And Creators
Terrika Foster-Brasby
Sheryl Swoopes
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