

The Everyday Style School
Jennifer Mackey Mary
Welcome to the show that teaches you everything your mom never did about getting dressed! The Everyday Style School inspires you to love the way you look everyday, and gives you the tools to make it easy. From understanding your body shape, to getting rid of clothes that no longer serve you, we give real style advice to women with real lives, real bodies, and real budgets.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 16, 2025 • 34min
Your Style Questions, Answered
We've reached the end of our fall semester, and I couldn't think of a better way to wrap things up than by answering YOUR questions. If you've been following along this season, you've learned about fit, color, proportion, body shape, and the fundamentals that make getting dressed easier. But learning the basics is just the starting point. How do you apply everything to your real life, your real body, and your real closet? I invited you to submit the questions that were holding you back, and that's what we're diving into today. From decoding color undertones to navigating limited shopping options to knowing when alterations are worth it, these are the questions that came straight from listeners like you who are doing the work and want to go deeper.In this episode, you'll discover:My foolproof method for training your eyes to see warm versus cool undertonesHow to make online shopping actually work for anyone shopping in specialty sizesWhen is something worth tailoring?Why "just put it on your body" is the most important style advice I can give you The missing piece to building a colorful wardrobe that still mixes and matchesAnd more!I hope this episode helps you move past the fear of getting it wrong and gives you the confidence to experiment, try things on, and figure out what actually works for your body and your life. Style isn't about having all the answers before you start—it's about being willing to test things out and learn as you go. You've got this!Full show notes and resources: https://youreverydaystyle.com/ep-228

Dec 2, 2025 • 29min
The Personal Style Fundamentals You Should Know
Discover the true essence of personal style by exploring self-awareness and understanding your unique preferences. Learn about defining your 'natural uniform' to enhance your wardrobe choices. Dive into the significance of signature colors and how they relate to your emotions. Find out how to create a practical 'not-for' list to avoid wardrobe mistakes. Embrace the idea of your closet as a reflection of your real life, and optimize it for easy access to your favorite pieces. It's all about making style authentic and enjoyable!

Nov 18, 2025 • 27min
How to Finally Understand Your Body Shape
If you've ever taken a body shape quiz only to feel more confused than when you started, you're not alone. Despite all the resources out there—quizzes, blog posts, entire businesses built around body types—understanding and dressing your shape remains the #1 challenge I hear from women.Today, I'm breaking down why traditional body shape labels like "apple," "pear," "hourglass," and "rectangle" aren't working for most of us. More importantly, I'm sharing a better way forward that doesn't require you to fit perfectly into a labeled box.In this episode, you'll discover: The six major problems with traditional body shape labelsWhy rectangles are the most underserved body shape, despite making up the largest percentage of womenThe real reason I still use body shape labelsA practical three-element framework for understanding your unique body without any label at allHow to shift from asking "Can I wear that?" to "What will that do for me?" I hope this episode helps you realize that if labels and lists have never made style easier for you, it's not because your body is too unusual or too complicated—it's because the system itself is flawed. You don't need the perfect label to find clothes that make you feel amazing—you just need to understand your unique body and learn what clothes can do. And once you do, that knowledge is yours forever, regardless of how your body, lifestyle, or fashion trends change.Full show notes and resources: https://youreverydaystyle.com/ep-226

Nov 4, 2025 • 32min
Understanding Proportion in Your Body and Your Outfits
Let's talk about the topic that makes me geek out more than anything else in the style world: proportion. I know, I know—it doesn't sound exciting. But here's what I've learned after dressing thousands of women: you can have all the right pieces, follow all the rules, and still feel like your outfits don't work. The missing piece? Understanding proportion. This episode is packed with the kind of knowledge that actually makes a difference in how you look and feel in your clothes. We're diving deep into what proportion really means, why most women get it wrong, and how understanding this one concept can transform the way you get dressed every single day. We'll explore the two critical areas where proportion matters—your body and your outfits—and I'll give you homework that will help you start seeing yourself and your wardrobe in a completely different way.What you'll learn:Why style is all about relationships, not rules.The difference between short-waisted and short-torso (and why it matters).How to use the golden ratio to create outfits that look polished instead of frumpy.The volume distribution mistake that's making you look sloppy.Why you can't always balance everything perfectly (and what to do about it).I hope this episode helps you stop thinking about style as a collection of unrelated pieces and measurements, and start seeing the whole picture instead. Once you understand how the parts relate to each other, you can manipulate those relationships to create balance—and that's where the real magic happens. If you struggle with feeling like your outfits don't quite come together, this might actually be the one thing that changes everything.Full show notes and resources: https://youreverydaystyle.com/ep-225

Oct 21, 2025 • 29min
Beyond Undertones: Color Theory Made Simple
Have you ever wondered why some color combinations look effortlessly chic while others feel like a fashion miss? It all comes down to understanding how color actually works. In this episode, I'm breaking down the three fundamental elements that affect both how colors look on you and how they work together in your outfits. This isn't about handing you a color card and calling it a day—it's about giving you the knowledge to make confident color choices for life.In this episode, you'll learn:The three elements that every color hasThe biggest mistake women make with colorFour color pairing formulas that take the guesswork out of combining colorsHow to match your outfit's contrast level to your natural coloringThe secret to mixing warm and cool colors successfullyI hope this episode helps you see color as a tool you can play with confidently, rather than something that feels confusing or risky. When you understand that every color is made up of temperature, value, and saturation—and that all three matter—suddenly the whole world of color opens up. Your homework is simple: start noticing these elements everywhere, from what you see on TV to what's in store windows. The more you practice identifying them without the pressure of getting dressed, the easier it'll be to use color with confidence in your everyday outfits.Full show notes and resources: https://youreverydaystyle.com/ep-224

Oct 7, 2025 • 28min
Do You Speak Style? Better Words, Better Wardrobe
Have you ever ordered something online that looked perfect in the description, only to be completely disappointed when it arrived? Or struggled to explain to a sales associate exactly what you're looking for? Today, I'm sharing why building your style vocabulary is one of the most practical things you can do to make shopping easier, faster, and so much more successful.After 25 years of dressing women, I've seen how knowing the right words transforms the entire style experience. When you can name what you're looking for—whether it's a split v-neck blouse or palazzo pants—you stop wasting time, money, and mental energy on clothes that don't work. This episode breaks down why fluency in fashion terminology isn't about memorizing a dictionary—it's about empowering yourself to get the wardrobe you actually want.In this episode, you'll discover:The three compelling reasons why style vocabulary mattersThe essential categories of style terms that cover everythingMy favorite "vocabulary building in the wild" tactics that turn regular shopping trips into effortless learning opportunitiesThe critical difference between just knowing words and knowing how to USE themWhy retailers play fast and loose with definitions—and how to use this knowledge to your advantage I hope this episode helps you see that becoming style-fluent isn't about perfection or knowing every single term out there. It's about giving yourself the tools to communicate what you want, find what you need, and recreate looks that make you feel amazing. Most importantly, you'll spend less time in those frustrating "nothing looks good on me" spirals and more time feeling confident in clothes that truly work for your body and lifestyle. Full show notes and resources: https://youreverydaystyle.com/ep-223

Sep 23, 2025 • 29min
Stop Making These 5 Fit Mistakes
This season, we're focusing on the fundamentals, and there's nothing more fundamental to your style than fit. In this episode, I’m breaking down the most common pitfalls I’ve seen over the years that make great wardrobes look just okay, instead of amazing. Fit mistakes are sneaky. They show up in the way sleeves hang, in how fabrics skim (or cling), in the numbers we get attached to, and in the “quick fixes” that actually make things worse. The good news? Once you know what to look for, these mistakes are easy to spot, and even easier to avoid.By the end, you’ll see fit differently—and that shift alone can change everything about how your wardrobe works for you. You’ll stop wasting money on “almost right” pieces, and start building outfits that feel good and look polished, straight off the hanger.In this episode:Why sizing up for a "relaxed look" doesn't work the way influencers say it willThe key info you should be looking for online to end up with clothes that fit wellWhat you need to know about sizingHow things like fabric content play a role in a garment's size and fitHow to look at tailoring as investment, instead of just an added expenseI hope this episode encourages you to slow down the next time you shop, and really look at how clothes fit on you. Try different cuts, pay attention to fabric, and practice spotting the small details that make the biggest difference. A little extra awareness here will give you more outfits you love, and a lot less stress in front of the mirror.Full show notes and resources: https://youreverydaystyle.com/ep-222

Sep 9, 2025 • 19min
Style Fundamentals You Need to Master
If you've been listening to style advice for years but still find yourself staring at a closet full of clothes you never wear, there's a good chance you've been focusing on the wrong things. I'm changing up the Everyday Style School this season because I've had an important realization—most of us are drowning in style advice while still struggling with the basics. We collect tips and tricks like they're going out of style, but we never build the foundation that actually makes everything else work. This season is my love letter to the fundamentals, and yes, even if you've been listening to me for six years, you might need this more than you think.Here's what we're diving into in this episode: Why mastering the basics beats collecting style hacks every single timeThe six non-negotiable style fundamentals that will transform how you get dressedWhy fit trumps everything else in your wardrobeHow building a strong style vocabulary will revolutionize your shoppingThe difference between knowing your body shape and actually understanding your bodyI hope this season will help you see that fundamentals aren't just a box to check before you get to the "good stuff"—they ARE the good stuff. Master them, and they'll give you the confidence to trust your choices and the skills to make any outfit work.Full show notes and resources: https://youreverydaystyle.com/221

Aug 28, 2025 • 16min
Style Rules are a Waste of Time
If you’ve ever followed all the style “rules” and still felt stuck, this one’s for you. In this episode, I’m sharing one of the biggest reasons traditional style advice doesn’t actually help you become more stylish—and what to do instead. We’ll look at how rules oversimplify things, what they leave out, and why understanding the why behind what you wear makes style feel a whole lot less frustrating (and way more fun).Full show notes and resources: https://youreverydaystyle.com/style-rules-waste-time

Aug 21, 2025 • 19min
Spend Smarter, Look Better
In this episode of Summer Shorts, I’m sharing one of the most practical—and eye-opening—style lessons I’ve learned: Spend your money where you spend your time. I’ll tell you about the client who helped me see how often there’s a disconnect between the clothes we invest in and the lives we actually live. If you’ve ever felt like your closet doesn’t reflect your real life—or like getting dressed is harder than it should be—this episode will help you spot what’s not working, and figure out if your issue is quantity, quality... or both.Full show notes and resources: https://youreverydaystyle.com/spend-smarter


