March 5, 2025 • 35 mins
Unleash your personal style with insights from executive stylist Nina Fountain in this vibrant episode.
With an unexpected career transition from management consultant to styling expert, Nina delves into how mastering your style can transform not only your outward appearance but also your self-image and presence in the professional sphere.
Nina emphasizes that personal style is a unique form of communication—one that speaks volumes about who we are and how we wish to be perceived. She explains how every individual can identify their distinct style through a thoughtful keyword process that unveils their authentic self.
Tune in to discover how dressing with intention can elevate your confidence and help you radiate your true essence. Join us and dare to explore the fearless expression of your unique style!
Don’t forget to subscribe, share, and let us know your style journey!
Connect with Nina:
Facebook: @sytelgorgeous
Website: www.stylegorgeous.com
LinkedIn: @nina-fountain
YouTube: @style.gorgeous
Thanks for listening! To book a free consultation with Aideen visit https://www.confidenceinsinging.com/contact/
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Aideen Ni Riada (00:03):
Welcome to the Resonate podcast with Aideen.
I'm Aideen Ni Riada, and myguest today is coming to us from
New Zealand.
Her name is Nina Fountain andshe is an executive stylist.
Welcome, Nina, thank you.
It's great to be here.
Well, I just have to tellpeople a little bit about you
before we get into talking,because it was back in 2016.
(00:25):
Nina was working as amanagement consultant when, out
of the blue, she was asked togive a workshop on style.
Now she works as an executivestylist and she helps her
clients enhance their presenceand be respected on stage, on
screen and in the boardroom byhelping them to look their best.
So this is an amazing journey.
(00:45):
So somehow you got asked to dothis workshop and it completely
changes the trajectory of yourcareer.
How much of a surprise was thisto you?
Nina Fountain (00:56):
It was a total surprise.
It was not expected at all.
I really wasn't thinking aboutstyle in that way.
I knew I had had my own stylejourney and it wasn't until I
was asked to give this workshopthat I realized how much I had
been thinking about it.
And when I thought back Irealized when I was traveling in
(01:17):
London, when I was aroundEurope, in the streets of Italy,
paris, I was always looking atoutfits and thinking what makes
that work?
But it wasn't until I was askedto give this workshop that I
realized just how much I had hadworked it out for myself and in
my own, I guess in my ownthinking.
(01:40):
You know, when you think aboutwhat entertains you, what are
you doing outside of work, what?
Where are you, where are yourthoughts?
Drifting to.
Fashion was often there for meand I still will fall asleep at
night and just see designs.
I just so.
I thought one day I would bringthose designs to life.
Maybe I would do something infashion, maybe I would, you know
(02:02):
, have a line I'd be successfulin business, be able to afford.
You know, have a line I'd besuccessful in business, be able
to afford to do a line ofclothing that would be in my
future at some point, but Ihadn't seen this possibility of
being a stylist at all, so itwas a complete surprise.
Aideen Ni Riada (02:18):
When you were working as a management
consultant, did you feelunsatisfied in your job in some
way?
Was there something missing?
Nina Fountain (02:25):
There was something missing.
I was actually self-employed,so it was my own business, and I
still have that business on theside.
Now the styling is moreprominent in my own time, in
what I'm doing, but I do bothand there was something missing.
I loved the complexity.
I loved the strategy, theengagement with a workplace you
(02:50):
know a lot of people and a lotof moving parts, but I was
finding actually that it was toolong and too slow to the point
where you actually got thatcontract and you got to do the
work and I really liked the ideaof something quick, fun solves
a problem, it's creative, it'svisual and you know, for myself
(03:15):
and my clients, we've just got asmile on our face the whole
time.
It's just pure joy.
Just love the idea of that.
It was I was ready for forsomething different.
And I thought just loved theidea of that.
It was I was ready for forsomething different and I
thought I'm in business.
Why can't I have two businesses, seeing as they both sound
great?
They both sound great indifferent ways.
They're kind of you knowdifferent things that they're
doing in my life, but whycouldn't I do both?
(03:37):
And so I did.
Yeah, just try.
Aideen Ni Riada (03:40):
well, it worked and it's working and that's
fantastic.
But when you were asked to dothe workshop, obviously someone
saw that in you, that you knewsomething about style.
Yes, was it someone who knewyou really well?
Or, like, were you surprisedthat you got asked to do?
Nina Fountain (03:58):
it.
I was.
I was totally surprised and Ithink that the time I said why
me?
And they said because you'rethe most stylish person we know.
And it was actually, um, the.
So two people close to me, mysister and her friend, and they
had a group that they wererunning.
They'd been running this groupfor a long time.
(04:20):
Um, but they, but the two ofthem together, thought Nina's
the most person, most stylishperson we knew, we know is was
was a surprise.
Um, that's what got me thinkingthis hasn't just been about me.
This, you know, this stylingjourney has been very personal
to me, but, um, often it's a,it's a subtle visual language
(04:42):
that we don't talk about thatmuch.
But then when something likethat happens, I realise, you
know my style has been,someone's noticed my style and I
actually knew that it had beennoticed because it had helped me
to get a job, it had helped meto be successful in my career
prior to being in business.
So I knew that I had.
(05:03):
I was conscious myself of that,of my own journey, but it
wasn't something I had talkedabout with many other people.
So it was, it was fun to havethat, yeah, to have that
pleasant surprise of being askedto do it.
Aideen Ni Riada (05:19):
Yeah, it's interesting that I know you're
calling it a subtle visuallanguage, which.
Nina Fountain (05:25):
I really love.
Aideen Ni Riada (05:27):
And what was the like?
Your, the people around you,were seeing that and they?
That was communicatingsomething to them, perhaps
inspiring them to be morestylish and certainly, as you
said, for people hiring you,maybe adding to your credibility
as a management consultant tooyes, yes, definitely, definitely
(05:48):
it does all of that.
Nina Fountain (05:49):
It's so interesting how images, the
power of images, is almostinstant, the way it communicates
to us, and it communicates anemotional connection, an
emotional experience thatbypasses a lot of that logic and
reason that we, that weimmediately apply to situations
when we're looking to understandthem.
So that's that's why our styleand our image, you know, that
(06:14):
first impression that we alwaystalk about, is so powerful in
that it's, it's almostcommunicating straight to the
heart without engaging the brainthat much.
Aideen Ni Riada (06:25):
Well, I'm fascinated by all of this, and I
might have mentioned to youbefore that I did work as an
image consultant for a number ofyears.
Nina Fountain (06:32):
I love that connection and then how you've
gone from that into voice andinto all of the things around
voice with confidence, andpresence.
It's just such a cool journey.
Aideen Ni Riada (06:42):
It is a cool journey and it's amazing when
you trust yourself to followwhat you're curious about,
follow what you said, like thatyou're.
Where do your thoughts go?
What is it you're thinkingabout?
I think maybe people who arelistening might have a
completely different you knowset of thoughts about something
completely different from style,but maybe they'd be interested
(07:03):
to know that when you identifywhat it is you love, what you
identify what is important toyou, that you can have something
grow from that if you nurtureit a little yeah, you're right,
it's.
Nina Fountain (07:19):
It's interesting how we're, in some ways, um and
I think this is part of yourmessage is is listening, is when
you take that time to listen to, to sit and to pause with with
yourself and think what is itthat floats my boat, what is it
that is exciting to me?
(07:40):
Or, um, what am I tuning intothat's coming my way.
That can be just so, soempowering, because it's unique
to you, it's your own story andI think that's the difference.
Is that, yeah, for me, stylinghad been a personal journey and
then it became, oh, here'ssomething I've actually got that
(08:01):
I can, that I can make adifference for other people with
.
And I have no idea, but it tooksomeone to to raise that for me
to see.
There's so much more potentialin that, in that thing, that I
was interested in.
Aideen Ni Riada (08:15):
Yeah, because we go on this journey, we kind
of have some awareness of whatit is we like, but it can often
take someone else to spot it orencourage it.
So I'm sure with your clients,you have a process of helping
them to identify what'simportant to you.
What is it you like, what is ityou don't like?
Tell us a little bit about howyou work with people in that way
(08:38):
, and what kind of crazydiscoveries have you had with
clients that have helped them tofind their own style?
Nina Fountain (08:45):
Yeah, oh, I love that.
So you remind me.
A client just recently said tome I was so blown away when you
showed me a bunch of picturesand then you came up with three
words that describe my style andI feel so fantastic in that
style.
She was just flabbergasted thatthat experience could happen
(09:06):
for her and that was thekeywords process.
So that's where I take peoplethrough understanding, we get to
a point where we understand themain direction of her unique
style and we describe that inthree keywords and that will be
unique to each woman.
(09:26):
So I don't think I've had asingle crossover of clients
where they've had the same threewords, because it's the
combination of the words, it'sthe word order, it's the unique
way that she says it that'simportant to her.
So, yeah, there's been somereally cool, I guess, insights.
(09:47):
Often my clients will get to theend of that coaching session.
It's kind of a coaching typeconversation where really I'm
getting into her head a littlebit by just asking her the right
questions and looking at imagestogether.
You know, when we're looking atimages, I'm asking questions
and then I'm really listeningfor the way she describes things
(10:09):
and for what's important to herand I come back to her.
Together we work out thesethree, these three words, um,
and yeah, I found that thatpeople are often really
surprised at how powerful thatfeels and how affirming that
feels to understand themselvesbetter and to think.
(10:31):
That is so me, and it's like itseparates us and it frees us,
in a way, from all of thisbusiness of fashion that we see
around us.
You know we see a lot ofmagazine images that we see
around us.
You know we see a lot ofmagazine images.
We see famous people lookingincredible and and people think,
(10:51):
oh, that's not me, what is me?
I'm not like that, that's notmy life, but what is me.
So then, when you can actuallycome back and think and see and
be reflected, have someonereflect back to you this is what
I hear you saying and this iswhat you're saying.
Your taste is and yourparticular style, and it feels
(11:14):
so connected to who they are.
That is what surprised me ishow affirming that is and just
how powerful that can be forpeople to really step into
themselves in a deeper way andown.
You know that's what feelsgreat.
So, for example, those wordsmight be, um, like relaxed,
informal, chic.
You know that might be onecollection.
(11:35):
Mine are pretty street, smartand European, and I fought the
pretty for a long time but Irealized that really I'm not
satisfied with an outfit unlessit has an element of pretty.
So you know, then, and then Ikind of reviewed mine after five
(11:55):
years and and the original Ewas elegant, but then I changed
it to European because Irealized it's actually a bit
more of a, a kind ofScandinavian twist that I'd love
to bring in as well.
So, yeah, that and that's just.
That's just one of the thingswe do.
Another one is the stylepersona system, which is my
(12:15):
world first connection betweenpeople's personality and their
style, and so they get to tocome up with a core foundation,
if you like, of which of the 12style personas they are, or
which type of style is going toalign best with them out of
those 12.
Aideen Ni Riada (12:36):
That's fascinating.
Nina Fountain (12:38):
As the keywords, but it's a really again, quite
powerful for someone who hasn'thad words to describe their
style and when you think you'returning up in it every day,
you're you're turning up in yourmost powerful moments in this
look and if you feel reallyconnected to it, you know it's
(12:59):
really you, that's incrediblyempowering.
And if you don't have that,it's it's kind of disempowering
to not really know what yourstyle is.
Aideen Ni Riada (13:06):
Yeah, so there's a lot to be said for
just becoming aware that whatyou like is okay.
Because this is what you'resaying is.
You know, we're looking atoutside of ourselves, we're
looking at the celebrities,we're looking at what's in
fashion and we're feeling like,well, I can't do that, that's
not me.
And you're telling them let'sfind out what is you, and we
(13:28):
mold your look around, what youlove, how you want to feel and
you know what is true for you.
Enough, really, because most,most of the time, someone will
(13:49):
go oh yeah, you like that.
Well, what about this?
You know, other people try toimpose their style on someone
else because that's what theyprefer.
What you're doing is you'regiving people a real chance to
define it for themselves yes,you're so right, it's.
Nina Fountain (14:04):
It's happened a number of times that I've taken
people group shopping and you'llsee that the friend doesn't
fully acknowledge what someonelikes and then they bring in
their own idea and it's actuallywhat they like.
It's funny how people don'tseparate that very easily.
Don't realize, I'm just puttingthis on this person because
(14:25):
that's what I like.
Yeah, you're right, it'sexactly exactly that.
How, how powerful it is to justhave a space created where you
can think about what's true toyou, what's, what do I like?
What's my, what's my taste?
And it's.
There's a.
There's a really interestingconnection here.
(14:46):
I had a meeting recently withsomeone who's a body image coach
, and I think the way you phrasethat is so powerful and there's
a link with what she was sayingin that people's concept of
their body image can be quitenegative when they're paying
(15:10):
attention to the voices aroundthem, and so a lot of what she's
doing is she's helping peopleto tune into their own value,
their own worth, and to choosenot to listen to the voices of
society that have caused them tosee themselves negatively.
So I think this is the powerfulswitch is to tune into your own
(15:37):
value, your own worth, your ownmessage that each of us is
unique and is kind of runningour own life running our own
race, if you like where you knowwhere we can.
There's only one of us and Ican only do me best, and so and
that's how I'm going to livebest is when I'm doing me best.
(15:58):
That's going to be the bestlife, not by trying to be
someone else so I just love theway you said that.
Aideen Ni Riada (16:04):
Yeah, but there is a bit of a push pull because
it's like we want to belong andwe want to feel safe in our
surroundings and there is asense of safety when we are in
alignment with what other peoplewant, and it takes a certain
sense of self to be different.
(16:26):
I mean, it takes a little bitof courage, right.
Nina Fountain (16:30):
Yeah, yeah, it does.
Yeah, that's true, it does.
And and then it's so rewarding.
It's so rewarded when you takethat step and I think what
people can potentially findscary, for example, about
connecting with their style oreven their voice or their, you
know, their, their own way ofdoing things in in the world
(16:53):
around, feeling like that mightbe different it actually ends up
that you can be more in serviceto other people.
You can actually be more of alight.
You can be more of a light.
You can be more of a, you know,a beacon of hope, and you can't
(17:13):
be that when you're, whenyou're constrained by fears that
you're going to be not fittingin or fears that you're not
going to find your place.
Yeah, I, I really I wrote apost about this last week.
Um had a as, just after thisbody image conversation, I was
thinking, gosh, we're so, uh, wecan be so, um, influenced by
(17:36):
the voices around us.
And and when have I made thatchoice to?
To move from fear to tosomething else?
And an instance came back tomind when I was working in the
public service and I was tryingto fit in.
But I was in these meetings.
I was new, it was a new careerfor me, my early I was my late
(17:59):
twenties, sorry.
And I was in these meetings andthinking there's things being
missed, people aren't sayingthings.
I wish my boss had saidsomething, but it's not my place
and I felt unsafe to sayanything.
But then boredom got the betterof me and I just got annoyed at
all these meetings where thingsweren't being said and we
(18:21):
weren't getting the bestoutcomes because there were
obvious gaps happening and Ithought, well, I've been sitting
here thinking how can I fit in?
But I think it's going to bebetter for me and better for
everyone else if I sit here andthink how can I?
help best, and so then that'swhat I did In each of these
meetings.
I would sit there and think,how can I help?
(18:42):
And I found myself jumping inand saying the things that I
felt were being missedpreviously and that resulted in
better outcomes for everyone,and and it was positive it ended
up being seen quite positively.
I got recognition, promotion.
I wasn't expecting that, I wasjust kind of expecting to create
(19:03):
a better outcome and make itbetter for everyone, and it took
courage to do that, you know,to step out of feeling like all
the safe places just to fit in.
But in the end it reinforcedand rewarded me for taking that
(19:23):
courage, and I realised that'ssometimes the hard thing to do
is to think how can, how can Iactually be here in service of
other people, you know, and andoften that's actually fully
showing up, you know becausethere's only one, you and you're
.
You're the person that peopleneed in that situation to to
(19:43):
really be yourself sure and whenyou're working oh pardon, um, I
just wanted to ask you aquestion.
Aideen Ni Riada (19:51):
Yes, sorry I, I was just curious, right,
because I know that when you'reworking people around style
you're also.
You're working with people whoare professionals who want to
enhance their presence.
They want to be respected.
Yes, what do you think theirmistake is?
Like?
Like, what are they coming fromthat they're doing like that?
(20:13):
You think they that theyshouldn't be doing?
Like, is there a big mistakethat you see people making with
their style before they take thechance and come to you?
Nina Fountain (20:24):
I think most of the time they're, um, I wouldn't
call it a mistake, as, in, whathas held them back has been
this very topic that we'retalking about that they have
wanted.
They have not probably valuedtheir own, um, integrity, their
(20:49):
own difference from other peopleenough to want to be visible,
and so now, but now they're, youknow, for whatever reason, life
has got them into thatsituation where they now are
going to be visible.
They know that that how theycommunicate visually is going to
be a key part of theircommunication and it's now
(21:10):
important.
It's a bit, you know, there's abusiness reason to get this
solved.
And so they, yeah, what theyfind through the process is
actually more fun, it's moreaffirming, it's much more
empowering and liberating thanthey thought it would be.
They think they're going toturn up and have an extreme
makeover experience wheresomeone's going to tell them you
(21:30):
shouldn't be doing this, youshouldn't be doing that, and
what's that doing in yourwardrobe?
And let's throw that out acrossthe room.
But, uh, but it's so theopposite of that.
It's so much more, um, yeah,empowering and affirming than
they, than they ever expected.
So I think we just we, it'sjust kind of an evolution that
(21:51):
happens.
I wouldn't say it's that it'sright for everyone, but I think
for women who are really lookingto make an impact, they're
they're transforming themselvesand they they're bringing
transformation for other people.
In some kind of a way, theyrealize that that this is just.
This is just key.
This is just key to theirsuccess.
(22:12):
It's key to their ability tomake an impact.
It's key to how peopleunderstand them and and how they
see themselves.
And what's interesting is thatwomen who have taken that
journey, who are successful,will often say to me, almost
almost confiding, almost as aconfession this is so much more
important than people realize,like style is so much more
(22:35):
important than people realizeand I've heard it just time and
time again from from women whoare already successful, already
have big businesses, already arein the C-suite, that that more
people should know.
You know is kind of whatthey're saying is like yeah, why
don't?
Why don't more people know this?
Aideen Ni Riada (22:53):
it's just really important yeah, I think
it's really interesting as wellthat sometimes when you see an
expert in a certain area andthey see you and they encourage
you, it's almost like you'regiving them permission to step
out in another way and be seenin another way, and it's almost
(23:13):
like you're their best pal.
That gives them confidence.
You know, I've just had my newwebsite done and I'm really
excited about it.
But the web designer herselfwas so important because she
understood where I was comingfrom.
She understood the kind of workI wanted to be doing in my
ideal client and she made itlook twice as good as I could
(23:35):
have imagined because she wasbasically giving me, she was
giving me the thumbs up.
It was like the ready, steadyand now the go and her go made
me feel confident, and so Ithink that there is an element
of you know we need our sistersin spirit and you know we need
(23:56):
encouragers, we needcheerleaders and we need expert
help sometimes, and we need thehelp from people that we like.
We need it from people that wecan admire.
That will give us that littlepush and so that we can step
forward, and the world reallyneeds that right now.
There's so many other thingsgoing on.
There's so much fear and youknow so many difficult
(24:19):
situations around the world thatare each of our individual
light is how you said.
You said it's like that.
You have to show, share yourlight and looking, you know and
stepping into your power andbeing seen for who you truly are
, rather than hiding, is a wayof sharing your light and
inspiring others to do the sameabsolutely and it's.
Nina Fountain (24:41):
It's amazing how, uh how, that makes a difference
.
You know it can be on a really,really low level, it could be
the people around you, three orfour people but when you see
that you can make a differenceto them, it's meaningful to them
and you're the only person thatcould do that for them in that
(25:02):
moment.
So, yeah, I just love that.
Aideen, you have inspired mewith what I'm doing to inspire
people.
Thank you for the conversation.
Aideen Ni Riada (25:11):
It is about being seen.
You know, and not everybody whoyou know, who I know, sees what
we do fully Right, and it'slovely to be talking to someone
like you that kind of canunderstand what I'm doing and I
understand what you're doing.
So it's really important tohave relationships and friends
(25:32):
that get to get that.
Nina Fountain (25:35):
Totally, totally.
Yeah, I just I think whatyou're doing is wonderful.
Exactly what you said dittosnap, snap, copy and paste.
If I could have said what youjust said, I would have said it
well, that's really fun.
Aideen Ni Riada (25:51):
Um, tell me a little bit about you know
working with peopleinternationally, because
obviously I have people who aregoing to be listening in that
are in the UK, ireland or in theUS and you're based in
Australia.
How can you help someone withtheir style if you live very far
away?
Nina Fountain (26:07):
do you know it's actually a better experience for
people online in number ofdifferent ways.
We can look when, if we're inthe shops together, it's very
difficult to see the full rangeof styles and images.
But we can do a lot more styledevelopment together through the
power of the internet and thescreen, and it's a visual
(26:29):
experience.
Right, styling is visual.
So there's a lot we can do thatI wouldn't have access to
otherwise.
Physically I need body shapemeasurements, but there are apps
that do that and otherwise Ican.
You know I show people how todo that.
There's three key measurements.
It's quite easy to do that overZoom or a preferred platform.
(26:59):
And then the beauty of internetand online shopping means that I
can pull looks together andrecommended pieces and people
get them to their homeessentially so.
So some people find that a loteasier.
It's just kind of click, click,purchase, purchase.
There'll be some returns forsure, um, so we kind of have to
factor that in overall but um.
But I aim to be much moresuccessful with my hit rate, if
(27:20):
you like, for those pieces bydoing the clarification of the
style essentials and the styledirection at the beginning.
So some stylists I know will,will buy.
You know they'll online shop 50pieces and expect to get four
that they land out of that, andI think I'm not satisfied with
that hit rate.
I'm aiming for something a lothigher.
So, yeah, it ends up being amore fulfilling experience for
(27:44):
people, because we've clarifiedthat style direction at the
beginning and the idea is reallythat you you end up with looks
that you love, which which isthat's.
That's what we're going for.
That's entirely possible.
Aideen Ni Riada (27:59):
People can get how do people feel when they
find that?
Look that they love.
Nina Fountain (28:03):
Occasionally I get people um with tears in
their eyes just saying thank youfor making style fun again.
Thank you for making this, thishappen for me and you probably
know that experience from beingan image consultant as well it's
just, it's such a such a joyfultransformation.
Yeah, it's, it's just puredelight.
(28:27):
Like you could, I would just dothis so just for fun, you know.
I really would you just?
I kind of feel like I stumbledon some amazing career that I
had no idea existed.
I knew it existed but I had noidea it was for me, and just to
be able to bring that smile topeople's faces is so rewarding.
Aideen Ni Riada (28:49):
I'm so happy for you.
Is there anything before wefinish up?
Is there anything you'd like tosay to a listener that's maybe
someone who's listening in thatmay be wondering about?
You know if that could be forthem or if there's any point in
changing their style Like, doyou have any?
Do you have any words of wisdomthat you'd like to pass on to
(29:10):
the listeners today?
Nina Fountain (29:13):
I think, of the women who I talk with, who are,
who are considering styling.
They know that it's possible.
Um, and then having, I think,for themselves, got over a
hurdle where they think, okay,this problem person's probably
nice enough, that it's not goingto be terrible.
(29:34):
Um, what I would say is thatmost of my clients then come out
of the experience thinking thatwas more fun, more affirming,
more approachable, moreempowering than I ever expected.
And I think it may seem likeit's shopping, but it's actually
(30:00):
life transformation.
It's the quickest way to upyour image, you know, to change
your self-image, the way you seeyourself, and then to feel like
a different person in thosecontexts that you are going into
, to constantly be affirming foryourself who you are and and
and what you bring.
So it's yeah, it's one of thequickest ways to level up and to
(30:26):
be that transformational personthat you know you can be.
Aideen Ni Riada (30:30):
That's amazing, because I think that that's
really if you can see yourselfdifferently and allow yourself
to imagine the person you'rebecoming as well.
It's almost like we get verystuck in who we used to be, or I
want to you know, set up my newbusiness, or I want to get that
.
You know career, you know job,you know change, or even if it's
(31:05):
finding a new, you know partnerin life, whatever it might be.
Having this type of experiencewith you and understanding
yourself and what you're tryingto express and allowing yourself
to move into it visually firstis it's a I mean you're telling
everyone I'm different when youlook different, exactly, exactly
(31:26):
.
Nina Fountain (31:26):
This is how I am, and we know that to be the case
, because we respond to peopledifferently based on how they're
dressed.
We respond to peopledifferently based on how they're
dressed and you know whetherit's a person that you encounter
in passing or a person that youknow well, or you know, even
when someone changes theirhaircut, you know that they've
probably had some shift in theirlife that's precipitated that.
(31:48):
So, yeah, we know that thesethings are powerful.
We just haven't always usedthat power to our own advantage,
and I think this is what we cando is kind of go wait, I've got
, I've got a tool here thatcould really serve me.
Well, let me, you know, let metap into that kind of like
tapping into your voice.
(32:08):
It's like there's your power Ifyou choose to use it.
There's, there's something verypowerful about this, about this
, if you, if you, want to tapinto it yes and be just change,
allow for an evolution, perhapstransformation?
Aideen Ni Riada (32:22):
yeah, I love that oh no, I've really enjoyed
speaking to you about the workyou do, because I can really
feel your passion for it, andone of the things I I just love
the best is that you really areclient led in terms of what you
are suggesting for them.
You're not working off aformula that this is typically
(32:43):
what someone with this bodyshape would wear.
It's like it comes from their,their values and their
personality a lot more, and thatactually really appeals to me,
because that's something thatwasn't a huge part of the system
that I worked in, which wascalled Coloring Beautiful, and
it's one of the reasons why Imoved away from it, because I
wanted to work with people at adeeper level than just the
(33:03):
surface, and it sounds to melike that's what you do.
Nina Fountain (33:06):
Absolutely, absolutely.
It's that the internal piece tome is is so much more
meaningful, it's so much moreinteresting and so, and where
you know each individual is anindividual and then you've got
your color and your body, shapeconsiderations.
But those are the easiest, youknow, those are kind of like the
.
We can look at shapes andsilhouettes, we absolutely look
(33:30):
at perfect colors and which ofthe 12 seasons is right for
someone.
Those are also part of thatalignment and part of that
creating using the designprinciples, which is, you know,
the piece that comes after thestyle persona.
Using the design principles tocreate looks that are easy on
the eye, that look coherent,they're congruent, they're that
(33:55):
person in flow, like the secondskin of a superhero.
I like to think of it as it'slike, you know, they just feel
so at ease and so powerful inthat, in that look.
Um, I think it's vera wang whosaid a woman is never as sexy as
when she's comfortable in herclothes and it's like that.
You know, comfort looksdifferent to different people,
but that sense of ease where youjust go, this is so me.
(34:16):
So, yeah, so we can, we bringthat, we bring the absolutely.
The design piece is so key.
But if you're not starting withwho is she, her personality,
her goals, her life, then shewill never get to that really,
that sense of alignment ratherthan pretension get to that,
(34:39):
really that sense of alignmentrather than pretension.
Aideen Ni Riada (34:42):
Yeah, it's really a fork, just the self
being expressed rather thanputting something on, exactly,
exactly, so you get it yeah, wecould keep talking, but we have
to wind things up.
Thank you so much, nina, forbeing my guest on the Resonate
podcast today.
We are so pleased that you'vebeen listening to the show.
Thank you, everyone who'slistened.
(35:03):
Please do get in touch.
Nina.
Would love to hear from you.
I would love to hear from you.
Tell us what your thoughts andyou know, if you are ready to
make some kind of a change inyour life.
If you need permission fromsomeone, we will happily give
you permission to do whatever itis you think and I think
sometimes we, we worry becausewe think it's an all or nothing
(35:25):
thing, but actually we can makechanges slowly and we can test
our ideas and so be braveeveryone out there, because we
would.
We would applaud that, we'llcheer you on.
Absolutely, love to hear aboutit.
Yeah, thank you so much.
Take care everyone.
Bye.
Welcome to the Resonate podcast with Aideen.
I'm Aideen Ni Riada, and myguest today is coming to us from
New Zealand.
Her name is Nina Fountain andshe is an executive stylist.
Welcome, Nina, thank you.
It's great to be here.
Well, I just have to tellpeople a little bit about you
before we get into talking,because it was back in 2016.
(00:25):
Nina was working as amanagement consultant when, out
of the blue, she was asked togive a workshop on style.
Now she works as an executivestylist and she helps her
clients enhance their presenceand be respected on stage, on
screen and in the boardroom byhelping them to look their best.
So this is an amazing journey.
(00:45):
So somehow you got asked to dothis workshop and it completely
changes the trajectory of yourcareer.
How much of a surprise was thisto you?
Nina Fountain (00:56):
It was a total surprise.
It was not expected at all.
I really wasn't thinking aboutstyle in that way.
I knew I had had my own stylejourney and it wasn't until I
was asked to give this workshopthat I realized how much I had
been thinking about it.
And when I thought back Irealized when I was traveling in
(01:17):
London, when I was aroundEurope, in the streets of Italy,
paris, I was always looking atoutfits and thinking what makes
that work?
But it wasn't until I was askedto give this workshop that I
realized just how much I had hadworked it out for myself and in
my own, I guess in my ownthinking.
(01:40):
You know, when you think aboutwhat entertains you, what are
you doing outside of work, what?
Where are you, where are yourthoughts?
Drifting to.
Fashion was often there for meand I still will fall asleep at
night and just see designs.
I just so.
I thought one day I would bringthose designs to life.
Maybe I would do something infashion, maybe I would, you know
(02:02):
, have a line I'd be successfulin business, be able to afford.
You know, have a line I'd besuccessful in business, be able
to afford to do a line ofclothing that would be in my
future at some point, but Ihadn't seen this possibility of
being a stylist at all, so itwas a complete surprise.
Aideen Ni Riada (02:18):
When you were working as a management
consultant, did you feelunsatisfied in your job in some
way?
Was there something missing?
Nina Fountain (02:25):
There was something missing.
I was actually self-employed,so it was my own business, and I
still have that business on theside.
Now the styling is moreprominent in my own time, in
what I'm doing, but I do bothand there was something missing.
I loved the complexity.
I loved the strategy, theengagement with a workplace you
(02:50):
know a lot of people and a lotof moving parts, but I was
finding actually that it was toolong and too slow to the point
where you actually got thatcontract and you got to do the
work and I really liked the ideaof something quick, fun solves
a problem, it's creative, it'svisual and you know, for myself
(03:15):
and my clients, we've just got asmile on our face the whole
time.
It's just pure joy.
Just love the idea of that.
It was I was ready for forsomething different.
And I thought just loved theidea of that.
It was I was ready for forsomething different and I
thought I'm in business.
Why can't I have two businesses, seeing as they both sound
great?
They both sound great indifferent ways.
They're kind of you knowdifferent things that they're
doing in my life, but whycouldn't I do both?
(03:37):
And so I did.
Yeah, just try.
Aideen Ni Riada (03:40):
well, it worked and it's working and that's
fantastic.
But when you were asked to dothe workshop, obviously someone
saw that in you, that you knewsomething about style.
Yes, was it someone who knewyou really well?
Or, like, were you surprisedthat you got asked to do?
Nina Fountain (03:58):
it.
I was.
I was totally surprised and Ithink that the time I said why
me?
And they said because you'rethe most stylish person we know.
And it was actually, um, the.
So two people close to me, mysister and her friend, and they
had a group that they wererunning.
They'd been running this groupfor a long time.
(04:20):
Um, but they, but the two ofthem together, thought Nina's
the most person, most stylishperson we knew, we know is was
was a surprise.
Um, that's what got me thinkingthis hasn't just been about me.
This, you know, this stylingjourney has been very personal
to me, but, um, often it's a,it's a subtle visual language
(04:42):
that we don't talk about thatmuch.
But then when something likethat happens, I realise, you
know my style has been,someone's noticed my style and I
actually knew that it had beennoticed because it had helped me
to get a job, it had helped meto be successful in my career
prior to being in business.
So I knew that I had.
(05:03):
I was conscious myself of that,of my own journey, but it
wasn't something I had talkedabout with many other people.
So it was, it was fun to havethat, yeah, to have that
pleasant surprise of being askedto do it.
Aideen Ni Riada (05:19):
Yeah, it's interesting that I know you're
calling it a subtle visuallanguage, which.
Nina Fountain (05:25):
I really love.
Aideen Ni Riada (05:27):
And what was the like?
Your, the people around you,were seeing that and they?
That was communicatingsomething to them, perhaps
inspiring them to be morestylish and certainly, as you
said, for people hiring you,maybe adding to your credibility
as a management consultant tooyes, yes, definitely, definitely
(05:48):
it does all of that.
Nina Fountain (05:49):
It's so interesting how images, the
power of images, is almostinstant, the way it communicates
to us, and it communicates anemotional connection, an
emotional experience thatbypasses a lot of that logic and
reason that we, that weimmediately apply to situations
when we're looking to understandthem.
So that's that's why our styleand our image, you know, that
(06:14):
first impression that we alwaystalk about, is so powerful in
that it's, it's almostcommunicating straight to the
heart without engaging the brainthat much.
Aideen Ni Riada (06:25):
Well, I'm fascinated by all of this, and I
might have mentioned to youbefore that I did work as an
image consultant for a number ofyears.
Nina Fountain (06:32):
I love that connection and then how you've
gone from that into voice andinto all of the things around
voice with confidence, andpresence.
It's just such a cool journey.
Aideen Ni Riada (06:42):
It is a cool journey and it's amazing when
you trust yourself to followwhat you're curious about,
follow what you said, like thatyou're.
Where do your thoughts go?
What is it you're thinkingabout?
I think maybe people who arelistening might have a
completely different you knowset of thoughts about something
completely different from style,but maybe they'd be interested
(07:03):
to know that when you identifywhat it is you love, what you
identify what is important toyou, that you can have something
grow from that if you nurtureit a little yeah, you're right,
it's.
Nina Fountain (07:19):
It's interesting how we're, in some ways, um and
I think this is part of yourmessage is is listening, is when
you take that time to listen to, to sit and to pause with with
yourself and think what is itthat floats my boat, what is it
that is exciting to me?
(07:40):
Or, um, what am I tuning intothat's coming my way.
That can be just so, soempowering, because it's unique
to you, it's your own story andI think that's the difference.
Is that, yeah, for me, stylinghad been a personal journey and
then it became, oh, here'ssomething I've actually got that
(08:01):
I can, that I can make adifference for other people with
.
And I have no idea, but it tooksomeone to to raise that for me
to see.
There's so much more potentialin that, in that thing, that I
was interested in.
Aideen Ni Riada (08:15):
Yeah, because we go on this journey, we kind
of have some awareness of whatit is we like, but it can often
take someone else to spot it orencourage it.
So I'm sure with your clients,you have a process of helping
them to identify what'simportant to you.
What is it you like, what is ityou don't like?
Tell us a little bit about howyou work with people in that way
(08:38):
, and what kind of crazydiscoveries have you had with
clients that have helped them tofind their own style?
Nina Fountain (08:45):
Yeah, oh, I love that.
So you remind me.
A client just recently said tome I was so blown away when you
showed me a bunch of picturesand then you came up with three
words that describe my style andI feel so fantastic in that
style.
She was just flabbergasted thatthat experience could happen
(09:06):
for her and that was thekeywords process.
So that's where I take peoplethrough understanding, we get to
a point where we understand themain direction of her unique
style and we describe that inthree keywords and that will be
unique to each woman.
(09:26):
So I don't think I've had asingle crossover of clients
where they've had the same threewords, because it's the
combination of the words, it'sthe word order, it's the unique
way that she says it that'simportant to her.
So, yeah, there's been somereally cool, I guess, insights.
(09:47):
Often my clients will get to theend of that coaching session.
It's kind of a coaching typeconversation where really I'm
getting into her head a littlebit by just asking her the right
questions and looking at imagestogether.
You know, when we're looking atimages, I'm asking questions
and then I'm really listeningfor the way she describes things
(10:09):
and for what's important to herand I come back to her.
Together we work out thesethree, these three words, um,
and yeah, I found that thatpeople are often really
surprised at how powerful thatfeels and how affirming that
feels to understand themselvesbetter and to think.
(10:31):
That is so me, and it's like itseparates us and it frees us,
in a way, from all of thisbusiness of fashion that we see
around us.
You know we see a lot ofmagazine images that we see
around us.
You know we see a lot ofmagazine images.
We see famous people lookingincredible and and people think,
(10:51):
oh, that's not me, what is me?
I'm not like that, that's notmy life, but what is me.
So then, when you can actuallycome back and think and see and
be reflected, have someonereflect back to you this is what
I hear you saying and this iswhat you're saying.
Your taste is and yourparticular style, and it feels
(11:14):
so connected to who they are.
That is what surprised me ishow affirming that is and just
how powerful that can be forpeople to really step into
themselves in a deeper way andown.
You know that's what feelsgreat.
So, for example, those wordsmight be, um, like relaxed,
informal, chic.
You know that might be onecollection.
(11:35):
Mine are pretty street, smartand European, and I fought the
pretty for a long time but Irealized that really I'm not
satisfied with an outfit unlessit has an element of pretty.
So you know, then, and then Ikind of reviewed mine after five
(11:55):
years and and the original Ewas elegant, but then I changed
it to European because Irealized it's actually a bit
more of a, a kind ofScandinavian twist that I'd love
to bring in as well.
So, yeah, that and that's just.
That's just one of the thingswe do.
Another one is the stylepersona system, which is my
(12:15):
world first connection betweenpeople's personality and their
style, and so they get to tocome up with a core foundation,
if you like, of which of the 12style personas they are, or
which type of style is going toalign best with them out of
those 12.
Aideen Ni Riada (12:36):
That's fascinating.
Nina Fountain (12:38):
As the keywords, but it's a really again, quite
powerful for someone who hasn'thad words to describe their
style and when you think you'returning up in it every day,
you're you're turning up in yourmost powerful moments in this
look and if you feel reallyconnected to it, you know it's
(12:59):
really you, that's incrediblyempowering.
And if you don't have that,it's it's kind of disempowering
to not really know what yourstyle is.
Aideen Ni Riada (13:06):
Yeah, so there's a lot to be said for
just becoming aware that whatyou like is okay.
Because this is what you'resaying is.
You know, we're looking atoutside of ourselves, we're
looking at the celebrities,we're looking at what's in
fashion and we're feeling like,well, I can't do that, that's
not me.
And you're telling them let'sfind out what is you, and we
(13:28):
mold your look around, what youlove, how you want to feel and
you know what is true for you.
Enough, really, because most,most of the time, someone will
(13:49):
go oh yeah, you like that.
Well, what about this?
You know, other people try toimpose their style on someone
else because that's what theyprefer.
What you're doing is you'regiving people a real chance to
define it for themselves yes,you're so right, it's.
Nina Fountain (14:04):
It's happened a number of times that I've taken
people group shopping and you'llsee that the friend doesn't
fully acknowledge what someonelikes and then they bring in
their own idea and it's actuallywhat they like.
It's funny how people don'tseparate that very easily.
Don't realize, I'm just puttingthis on this person because
(14:25):
that's what I like.
Yeah, you're right, it'sexactly exactly that.
How, how powerful it is to justhave a space created where you
can think about what's true toyou, what's, what do I like?
What's my, what's my taste?
And it's.
There's a.
There's a really interestingconnection here.
(14:46):
I had a meeting recently withsomeone who's a body image coach
, and I think the way you phrasethat is so powerful and there's
a link with what she was sayingin that people's concept of
their body image can be quitenegative when they're paying
(15:10):
attention to the voices aroundthem, and so a lot of what she's
doing is she's helping peopleto tune into their own value,
their own worth, and to choosenot to listen to the voices of
society that have caused them tosee themselves negatively.
So I think this is the powerfulswitch is to tune into your own
(15:37):
value, your own worth, your ownmessage that each of us is
unique and is kind of runningour own life running our own
race, if you like where you knowwhere we can.
There's only one of us and Ican only do me best, and so and
that's how I'm going to livebest is when I'm doing me best.
(15:58):
That's going to be the bestlife, not by trying to be
someone else so I just love theway you said that.
Aideen Ni Riada (16:04):
Yeah, but there is a bit of a push pull because
it's like we want to belong andwe want to feel safe in our
surroundings and there is asense of safety when we are in
alignment with what other peoplewant, and it takes a certain
sense of self to be different.
(16:26):
I mean, it takes a little bitof courage, right.
Nina Fountain (16:30):
Yeah, yeah, it does.
Yeah, that's true, it does.
And and then it's so rewarding.
It's so rewarded when you takethat step and I think what
people can potentially findscary, for example, about
connecting with their style oreven their voice or their, you
know, their, their own way ofdoing things in in the world
(16:53):
around, feeling like that mightbe different it actually ends up
that you can be more in serviceto other people.
You can actually be more of alight.
You can be more of a light.
You can be more of a, you know,a beacon of hope, and you can't
(17:13):
be that when you're, whenyou're constrained by fears that
you're going to be not fittingin or fears that you're not
going to find your place.
Yeah, I, I really I wrote apost about this last week.
Um had a as, just after thisbody image conversation, I was
thinking, gosh, we're so, uh, wecan be so, um, influenced by
(17:36):
the voices around us.
And and when have I made thatchoice to?
To move from fear to tosomething else?
And an instance came back tomind when I was working in the
public service and I was tryingto fit in.
But I was in these meetings.
I was new, it was a new careerfor me, my early I was my late
(17:59):
twenties, sorry.
And I was in these meetings andthinking there's things being
missed, people aren't sayingthings.
I wish my boss had saidsomething, but it's not my place
and I felt unsafe to sayanything.
But then boredom got the betterof me and I just got annoyed at
all these meetings where thingsweren't being said and we
(18:21):
weren't getting the bestoutcomes because there were
obvious gaps happening and Ithought, well, I've been sitting
here thinking how can I fit in?
But I think it's going to bebetter for me and better for
everyone else if I sit here andthink how can I?
help best, and so then that'swhat I did In each of these
meetings.
I would sit there and think,how can I help?
(18:42):
And I found myself jumping inand saying the things that I
felt were being missedpreviously and that resulted in
better outcomes for everyone,and and it was positive it ended
up being seen quite positively.
I got recognition, promotion.
I wasn't expecting that, I wasjust kind of expecting to create
(19:03):
a better outcome and make itbetter for everyone, and it took
courage to do that, you know,to step out of feeling like all
the safe places just to fit in.
But in the end it reinforcedand rewarded me for taking that
(19:23):
courage, and I realised that'ssometimes the hard thing to do
is to think how can, how can Iactually be here in service of
other people, you know, and andoften that's actually fully
showing up, you know becausethere's only one, you and you're
.
You're the person that peopleneed in that situation to to
(19:43):
really be yourself sure and whenyou're working oh pardon, um, I
just wanted to ask you aquestion.
Aideen Ni Riada (19:51):
Yes, sorry I, I was just curious, right,
because I know that when you'reworking people around style
you're also.
You're working with people whoare professionals who want to
enhance their presence.
They want to be respected.
Yes, what do you think theirmistake is?
Like?
Like, what are they coming fromthat they're doing like that?
(20:13):
You think they that theyshouldn't be doing?
Like, is there a big mistakethat you see people making with
their style before they take thechance and come to you?
Nina Fountain (20:24):
I think most of the time they're, um, I wouldn't
call it a mistake, as, in, whathas held them back has been
this very topic that we'retalking about that they have
wanted.
They have not probably valuedtheir own, um, integrity, their
(20:49):
own difference from other peopleenough to want to be visible,
and so now, but now they're, youknow, for whatever reason, life
has got them into thatsituation where they now are
going to be visible.
They know that that how theycommunicate visually is going to
be a key part of theircommunication and it's now
(21:10):
important.
It's a bit, you know, there's abusiness reason to get this
solved.
And so they, yeah, what theyfind through the process is
actually more fun, it's moreaffirming, it's much more
empowering and liberating thanthey thought it would be.
They think they're going toturn up and have an extreme
makeover experience wheresomeone's going to tell them you
(21:30):
shouldn't be doing this, youshouldn't be doing that, and
what's that doing in yourwardrobe?
And let's throw that out acrossthe room.
But, uh, but it's so theopposite of that.
It's so much more, um, yeah,empowering and affirming than
they, than they ever expected.
So I think we just we, it'sjust kind of an evolution that
(21:51):
happens.
I wouldn't say it's that it'sright for everyone, but I think
for women who are really lookingto make an impact, they're
they're transforming themselvesand they they're bringing
transformation for other people.
In some kind of a way, theyrealize that that this is just.
This is just key.
This is just key to theirsuccess.
(22:12):
It's key to their ability tomake an impact.
It's key to how peopleunderstand them and and how they
see themselves.
And what's interesting is thatwomen who have taken that
journey, who are successful,will often say to me, almost
almost confiding, almost as aconfession this is so much more
important than people realize,like style is so much more
(22:35):
important than people realizeand I've heard it just time and
time again from from women whoare already successful, already
have big businesses, already arein the C-suite, that that more
people should know.
You know is kind of whatthey're saying is like yeah, why
don't?
Why don't more people know this?
Aideen Ni Riada (22:53):
it's just really important yeah, I think
it's really interesting as wellthat sometimes when you see an
expert in a certain area andthey see you and they encourage
you, it's almost like you'regiving them permission to step
out in another way and be seenin another way, and it's almost
(23:13):
like you're their best pal.
That gives them confidence.
You know, I've just had my newwebsite done and I'm really
excited about it.
But the web designer herselfwas so important because she
understood where I was comingfrom.
She understood the kind of workI wanted to be doing in my
ideal client and she made itlook twice as good as I could
(23:35):
have imagined because she wasbasically giving me, she was
giving me the thumbs up.
It was like the ready, steadyand now the go and her go made
me feel confident, and so Ithink that there is an element
of you know we need our sistersin spirit and you know we need
(23:56):
encouragers, we needcheerleaders and we need expert
help sometimes, and we need thehelp from people that we like.
We need it from people that wecan admire.
That will give us that littlepush and so that we can step
forward, and the world reallyneeds that right now.
There's so many other thingsgoing on.
There's so much fear and youknow so many difficult
(24:19):
situations around the world thatare each of our individual
light is how you said.
You said it's like that.
You have to show, share yourlight and looking, you know and
stepping into your power andbeing seen for who you truly are
, rather than hiding, is a wayof sharing your light and
inspiring others to do the sameabsolutely and it's.
Nina Fountain (24:41):
It's amazing how, uh how, that makes a difference
.
You know it can be on a really,really low level, it could be
the people around you, three orfour people but when you see
that you can make a differenceto them, it's meaningful to them
and you're the only person thatcould do that for them in that
(25:02):
moment.
So, yeah, I just love that.
Aideen, you have inspired mewith what I'm doing to inspire
people.
Thank you for the conversation.
Aideen Ni Riada (25:11):
It is about being seen.
You know, and not everybody whoyou know, who I know, sees what
we do fully Right, and it'slovely to be talking to someone
like you that kind of canunderstand what I'm doing and I
understand what you're doing.
So it's really important tohave relationships and friends
(25:32):
that get to get that.
Nina Fountain (25:35):
Totally, totally.
Yeah, I just I think whatyou're doing is wonderful.
Exactly what you said dittosnap, snap, copy and paste.
If I could have said what youjust said, I would have said it
well, that's really fun.
Aideen Ni Riada (25:51):
Um, tell me a little bit about you know
working with peopleinternationally, because
obviously I have people who aregoing to be listening in that
are in the UK, ireland or in theUS and you're based in
Australia.
How can you help someone withtheir style if you live very far
away?
Nina Fountain (26:07):
do you know it's actually a better experience for
people online in number ofdifferent ways.
We can look when, if we're inthe shops together, it's very
difficult to see the full rangeof styles and images.
But we can do a lot more styledevelopment together through the
power of the internet and thescreen, and it's a visual
(26:29):
experience.
Right, styling is visual.
So there's a lot we can do thatI wouldn't have access to
otherwise.
Physically I need body shapemeasurements, but there are apps
that do that and otherwise Ican.
You know I show people how todo that.
There's three key measurements.
It's quite easy to do that overZoom or a preferred platform.
(26:59):
And then the beauty of internetand online shopping means that I
can pull looks together andrecommended pieces and people
get them to their homeessentially so.
So some people find that a loteasier.
It's just kind of click, click,purchase, purchase.
There'll be some returns forsure, um, so we kind of have to
factor that in overall but um.
But I aim to be much moresuccessful with my hit rate, if
(27:20):
you like, for those pieces bydoing the clarification of the
style essentials and the styledirection at the beginning.
So some stylists I know will,will buy.
You know they'll online shop 50pieces and expect to get four
that they land out of that, andI think I'm not satisfied with
that hit rate.
I'm aiming for something a lothigher.
So, yeah, it ends up being amore fulfilling experience for
(27:44):
people, because we've clarifiedthat style direction at the
beginning and the idea is reallythat you you end up with looks
that you love, which which isthat's.
That's what we're going for.
That's entirely possible.
Aideen Ni Riada (27:59):
People can get how do people feel when they
find that?
Look that they love.
Nina Fountain (28:03):
Occasionally I get people um with tears in
their eyes just saying thank youfor making style fun again.
Thank you for making this, thishappen for me and you probably
know that experience from beingan image consultant as well it's
just, it's such a such a joyfultransformation.
Yeah, it's, it's just puredelight.
(28:27):
Like you could, I would just dothis so just for fun, you know.
I really would you just?
I kind of feel like I stumbledon some amazing career that I
had no idea existed.
I knew it existed but I had noidea it was for me, and just to
be able to bring that smile topeople's faces is so rewarding.
Aideen Ni Riada (28:49):
I'm so happy for you.
Is there anything before wefinish up?
Is there anything you'd like tosay to a listener that's maybe
someone who's listening in thatmay be wondering about?
You know if that could be forthem or if there's any point in
changing their style Like, doyou have any?
Do you have any words of wisdomthat you'd like to pass on to
(29:10):
the listeners today?
Nina Fountain (29:13):
I think, of the women who I talk with, who are,
who are considering styling.
They know that it's possible.
Um, and then having, I think,for themselves, got over a
hurdle where they think, okay,this problem person's probably
nice enough, that it's not goingto be terrible.
(29:34):
Um, what I would say is thatmost of my clients then come out
of the experience thinking thatwas more fun, more affirming,
more approachable, moreempowering than I ever expected.
And I think it may seem likeit's shopping, but it's actually
(30:00):
life transformation.
It's the quickest way to upyour image, you know, to change
your self-image, the way you seeyourself, and then to feel like
a different person in thosecontexts that you are going into
, to constantly be affirming foryourself who you are and and
and what you bring.
So it's yeah, it's one of thequickest ways to level up and to
(30:26):
be that transformational personthat you know you can be.
Aideen Ni Riada (30:30):
That's amazing, because I think that that's
really if you can see yourselfdifferently and allow yourself
to imagine the person you'rebecoming as well.
It's almost like we get verystuck in who we used to be, or I
want to you know, set up my newbusiness, or I want to get that
.
You know career, you know job,you know change, or even if it's
(31:05):
finding a new, you know partnerin life, whatever it might be.
Having this type of experiencewith you and understanding
yourself and what you're tryingto express and allowing yourself
to move into it visually firstis it's a I mean you're telling
everyone I'm different when youlook different, exactly, exactly
(31:26):
.
Nina Fountain (31:26):
This is how I am, and we know that to be the case
, because we respond to peopledifferently based on how they're
dressed.
We respond to peopledifferently based on how they're
dressed and you know whetherit's a person that you encounter
in passing or a person that youknow well, or you know, even
when someone changes theirhaircut, you know that they've
probably had some shift in theirlife that's precipitated that.
(31:48):
So, yeah, we know that thesethings are powerful.
We just haven't always usedthat power to our own advantage,
and I think this is what we cando is kind of go wait, I've got
, I've got a tool here thatcould really serve me.
Well, let me, you know, let metap into that kind of like
tapping into your voice.
(32:08):
It's like there's your power Ifyou choose to use it.
There's, there's something verypowerful about this, about this
, if you, if you, want to tapinto it yes and be just change,
allow for an evolution, perhapstransformation?
Aideen Ni Riada (32:22):
yeah, I love that oh no, I've really enjoyed
speaking to you about the workyou do, because I can really
feel your passion for it, andone of the things I I just love
the best is that you really areclient led in terms of what you
are suggesting for them.
You're not working off aformula that this is typically
(32:43):
what someone with this bodyshape would wear.
It's like it comes from their,their values and their
personality a lot more, and thatactually really appeals to me,
because that's something thatwasn't a huge part of the system
that I worked in, which wascalled Coloring Beautiful, and
it's one of the reasons why Imoved away from it, because I
wanted to work with people at adeeper level than just the
(33:03):
surface, and it sounds to melike that's what you do.
Nina Fountain (33:06):
Absolutely, absolutely.
It's that the internal piece tome is is so much more
meaningful, it's so much moreinteresting and so, and where
you know each individual is anindividual and then you've got
your color and your body, shapeconsiderations.
But those are the easiest, youknow, those are kind of like the
.
We can look at shapes andsilhouettes, we absolutely look
(33:30):
at perfect colors and which ofthe 12 seasons is right for
someone.
Those are also part of thatalignment and part of that
creating using the designprinciples, which is, you know,
the piece that comes after thestyle persona.
Using the design principles tocreate looks that are easy on
the eye, that look coherent,they're congruent, they're that
(33:55):
person in flow, like the secondskin of a superhero.
I like to think of it as it'slike, you know, they just feel
so at ease and so powerful inthat, in that look.
Um, I think it's vera wang whosaid a woman is never as sexy as
when she's comfortable in herclothes and it's like that.
You know, comfort looksdifferent to different people,
but that sense of ease where youjust go, this is so me.
(34:16):
So, yeah, so we can, we bringthat, we bring the absolutely.
The design piece is so key.
But if you're not starting withwho is she, her personality,
her goals, her life, then shewill never get to that really,
that sense of alignment ratherthan pretension get to that,
(34:39):
really that sense of alignmentrather than pretension.
Aideen Ni Riada (34:42):
Yeah, it's really a fork, just the self
being expressed rather thanputting something on, exactly,
exactly, so you get it yeah, wecould keep talking, but we have
to wind things up.
Thank you so much, nina, forbeing my guest on the Resonate
podcast today.
We are so pleased that you'vebeen listening to the show.
Thank you, everyone who'slistened.
(35:03):
Please do get in touch.
Nina.
Would love to hear from you.
I would love to hear from you.
Tell us what your thoughts andyou know, if you are ready to
make some kind of a change inyour life.
If you need permission fromsomeone, we will happily give
you permission to do whatever itis you think and I think
sometimes we, we worry becausewe think it's an all or nothing
(35:25):
thing, but actually we can makechanges slowly and we can test
our ideas and so be braveeveryone out there, because we
would.
We would applaud that, we'llcheer you on.
Absolutely, love to hear aboutit.
Yeah, thank you so much.
Take care everyone.
Bye.
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