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We Need It Again: Sorry, What’s “Fashion?” (with Abby Arad and Michelle Collins)

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Description

So this episode originally aired as a hopeful jest in exiting quarantine, and while we face a very real, very contagious, very quarantine-threatening COVID variant, fashion is still IMPORTANT. Plus, when you’re getting fashion tips from stylist Abby Arad and shopping warrior Michelle Collins, you can’t pass that up. So, listen again, write down these tips, and get ready to look hot as hell from your house!

 

Please note, Add To Cart contains mature themes and may not be appropriate for all listeners.

 

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Transcript

SPEAKERS

Abby, Michelle Collins, Kulap Vilaysack, SuChin Pak, and Abby Arad

Kulap Vilaysack  00:10

Hello, spring flowers. Welcome to another episode of ADD TO CART. I’m Kulap Vilaysack.

SuChin Pak 

And I’m SuChin Pak and this week, you know, so many of us are variously vaxxed. So we thought it is the perfect time to come to you with such a special episode, all devoted to spring fashion. I mean, are we actually attempting to talk about fashion? What’s fashion?

Kulap Vilaysack 

We don’t know. That’s why we have not one, but two guests. It’s a double feature. All right, two amazing guests on today to tell us what to buy and how to buy it.

SuChin Pak 

Because it’s been so long, Kulap.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Yes.

SuChin Pak 

We had one guest. And then we were like, that’s actually not enough. We need more information because we forgotten. I’m wearing as you can see my quarter shirt slash bib again, over my dirty sweatshirt, just trying to keep it together. But we are going to ease you back into fashion. Don’t worry. We’ve got comfortable fashion. We’ve got bargains, we got it all covered.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Yeah, SuChin, I’m really curious what one of our guests will have to say about your bibs. I don’t know how she’ll react

SuChin Pak 

Oh, is that what this is now? It’s an adult bib? But it’s Bejeweled.

Kulap Vilaysack 

But versus..

SuChin Pak 

A full shirt? Oh, I’m not going back to full shirts. Are you crazy? Oh no.

Kulap Vilaysack 

I but I want to hear her professional opinion. I cannot wait.

SuChin Pak 

Me too, I can’t wait. I’m fully willing to lay me down on the butcher’s block.

Kulap Vilaysack 

I think it can go either way. I don’t dislike it and in fact I have been looking for my own

SuChin Pak 

I hope she likes it because I’ve got 6 more coming. I really doubled down on this guide.

Kulap Vilaysack  02:08

Yes, you did. Before we get into our guests, SuChin, doesn’t our avid Add To Cart listener Mike Bender have a new book coming out? Or it’s out right now?

SuChin Pak 

avid, rabid, obsessive, argumentative. You know, ATC listener. Mike Bender always appreciated. Yes. Oh, my goodness, this book is so, so special. He has a kid’s book that just came out. It’s called: “The End Is Just The Beginning”. The title really encapsulates the story. And it’s the story of you know how kids, the end of something is like, the worst thing ever. And when you have kids, you’re always trying to let them know this is not the end. It’s not the end of the world. It’s not the end of movie, you will experience this again. And guess what? You may experience something better if you turn off the TV, I don’t know. You may experience sun and light and galaxies from afar. So we’re always trying to in our family teach our kids at the end is the beginning of something else. Like it’s all moving forward.

Kulap Vilaysack 

That’s beautiful.

SuChin Pak 

And the book really, it is for kids, but it was written for him. A few years ago, Mike had been dealing with some really, really difficult health problems. And it was pretty dark. It was pretty dark in our household for a long time. And there was just this moment. And I would say sometimes it’s like, at your lowest moment. At you would you just can’t get any lower that you think, okay, this is where the breakthrough has to happen. And it did for him. And he realized that yes, you know, this was the end of something, right? The end of a certain way of being a certain level of health, right? But it could be the beginning of something else. And I know that sounds very esoteric, but we really latched on to that. And it has gotten us through some of the most difficult times.

SuChin Pak  04:14

So it’s a very special book. I think it’s a message for kids, for families, for grownups. I had a friend reach out and say they bought this for a friend of theirs who was just finishing her first round of chemo. And I just thought, oh, that is I’m really, really glad that people are connecting to it. So there it is, you can get the book, wherever books are sold. And I’m just so happy to have this out in the world, at this time, we had no idea when he wrote this book that we would also be dealing with a year of strange endings and beginnings. So it all seems very, very appropriate for the moment.

Kulap Vilaysack 

I mean, that’s beautiful. First of all, I would like it for me, oh, I don’t have children yet. But I do have children’s books.

SuChin Pak 

Of course you do. You’ve recommended some great children’s books for me, by the way,

Kulap Vilaysack 

Thank you.

SuChin Pak 

Oh, you’re getting a signed copy. You know what I mean?

Kulap Vilaysack 

Can’t wait. But I think this book, it’s perfect for this episode because, as you say, we are finishing up. Hopefully, hopefully there seems like there’s a light at the end of the tunnel with this vaccine, that we’re gonna have the end of this pandemic. Well, fingers crossed

SuChin Pak 

This version of the pandemic. Let’s just we can commit to that.

Kulap Vilaysack 

And then what will be the new?

SuChin Pak 

We don’t know.

Kulap Vilaysack 

It won’t be the same as before. It will be something different.

SuChin Pak 

I mean, you know what I’m wearing. Because I got 14 of them. I’m wearing adult bibs, okay? It’s a perfect encapsulation of where we are in terms of my fashion commitment to this moment. It’s not quite in, you know, it’s just, I’m just dipping a toe. It’s an eighth of a shirt. You know what I mean? I may have to take this off and go back to, you know, fuzzy underpants like, I don’t know what’s ahead. I’m not going to invest in a full shirt yet, you know? That’s why Abby’s coming on to tell me this is crazy.

Kulap Vilaysack  06:18

I don’t want to keep putting this off and putting off our guests. But what are fuzzy underpants?

SuChin Pak 

I really enjoy I’ve discovered in this time, leggings that are lined with fuzzy fleece.

Kulap Vilaysack 

SuChin, we’re going into summer. It’s gonna be really hot.

SuChin Pak 

It’s always a brisk fall San Francisco day in my pants, you know?

Kulap Vilaysack 

Add To Carter’s, I’m still trying to get that to go, SuChin, is that working you think?

SuChin Pak 

I believe it. Yeah,

Abby Arad 

I believe it too. I believe it too. And as an Add to Carter, I appreciate this name.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Oh my goodness. Okay, let’s introduce our guests. To get us ready to jump out of the pajamas now molded to our bodies and into the spring and summer’s hottest styles. We’re so excited to introduce stylist and friend.

Abby 

Wow. Wow.

SuChin Pak 

She’s not done yet, Abby. She’s just getting started.

Kulap Vilaysack 

That was tough because I said your name and that’s when you should be able to speak but no, I’m not done yet.

SuChin Pak 

Just shush while she sings your praises.

Kulap Vilaysack 

I’m flipping the script because I have more to say. She has worked in fashion for 20 years. She’s a true fashion expert, which we need. I won’t speak for SuChin.

SuChin Pak 

Please speak for me. Okay, so.

Kulap Vilaysack  08:00

Oh, okay. So, SuChin and I need Abby dresses, actors, actresses, influencers and executives. Okay? She styles ad campaigns for brands like Hourglass Cosmetics. She is also a contributing stylist for The Hollywood Reporter. Excuse me.

SuChin Pak 

Royalty. Okay? We bow down. This is royalty guys. We are so grateful for your presence on the show today. We’re so grateful for your presence from day one. Wow.

Abby Arad 

Wow. Well, you too. That is an incredible introduction. I am so honored to be here.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Abby, let’s get into what we need to hear, what we need to know, what all of us need to know is like what talk to us about your fashion picks for exiting the pandy.

Abby Arad 

Okay, the first item that I picked for exiting the pandy was elastic waist.

SuChin Pak 

Excited elastic is still on the list.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Oh my goodness, a transitional piece.

Abby Arad 

Yes. It’s a transitional piece.

SuChin Pak 

I thought we were gonna go full button, I really did and I was just so scared that I was going to have to disappoint you.

Abby Arad 

I don’t know if any of you or your Add to Carter’s have tried on their full button no stretch jeans from last year. But they hurt guys. They hurt.

SuChin Pak 

I’m on the website right now and picking my size. Okay, go on Abby, go.

Abby Arad 

So the elastic waist jean is a great trend. I mean, the timeliness of this trend is really, really quite a blessing because we need to go out we need to wear some pants, but they’re comfortable. I’m actually wearing a pair right now I’m going to stand up and show you.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Oh my goodness.

SuChin Pak 

Oh, so you got the dark wash, I see.

Abby Arad 

I got the dark wash but then I also have the mango ones here when I sent you the link and those have the elastic on the side and in the back so it’s not like a full what it’s called a lettuce waist.

SuChin Pak  10:09

I’ve been guilty of lettuce saying and it doesn’t look cute but it’s comfortable.

Kulap Vilaysack 

My problem is that that I haven’t been eating a lot of lettuce

Abby Arad 

And that’s why we need these jeans. That’s why we need these jeans.

SuChin Pak

Wait, you know what’s so genius about this you guys, at $59.99, not even 60 but my favorite part is I do have those lettuce jeans I was just talking about this with a friend of mine who bought them at the same time I think we bought them at Zara or something and I was like looking in the mirror one day and I was like that is you got a butt up front and that is not an attractive look. But who’s looking at me so I’ve been wearing them. What’s so great and genius about this is the front is not elastic like it looks like a regular jeans the elastic is only in the back and the sides.

Kulap Vilaysack 

That’s great.

Abby Arad 

Yeah, so you can wear a blazer or a sweater on top of it and have your outfit and be comfortable.

SuChin Pak 

So okay, what wash do you recommend?

Abby Arad 

I actually have all of them, I like the black ones. But I also like the light blue, I love a black jean though.

Kulap Vilaysack 

I do, too. There’s four different washes you guys.

SuChin Pak 

And sorry, I know we’re doing the show but just as I’m adding to cart, what size are you wearing? I mean, I know I’m sorry. We got to get back to the show. I know. It’s my price point. Okay? Claire our producer just sent us a message saying don’t worry guys. I bought some even before we started recording. That’s a high endorsement. Claire doesn’t always.

Kulap Vilaysack 

And you sent us two versions right? The mango that we’ve been talking about but you also sent us one from Nordstrom and the brand is Frame?

Abby Arad  12:03

Those are Frame and they have the full lettuce wrapped around in front which I actually think looks cool. Especially if you tuck in like a tuck in a tight t-shirt, tuck in a bodysuit and it actually leads me to my next add to cart because I’m putting an outfit together for the Add To Carter’s. A comfortable but fashionable outfit for the Add To Carter’s.

Kulap Vilaysack

This is so exciting. Okay, so let’s look at this bodysuit. This is from Skims.

Abby Arad 

Okay, so I am such a fan of Skims, the whole collection everything she puts out is fantastic. So this bodysuit is like the starter Skims piece. I think everybody should have a bodysuit in their wardrobe. It really like you can put it under a blazer, you can put it under a sweater like pulls the whole outfit together and it’s very, very easy. Skims is so size inclusive. Like it goes from like extra, extra, extra small to like 4XL, like the widest size range you can imagine they use a ton of different sizing for their models, different women of color, like it’s so inclusive and I love that about it, the line is fantastic. And these body suits are great, they’re really comfortable. But it leads me also to while you are perusing the Skims website, the underwear that they’ve done. It’s called the Fits Everybody. And it does fit everybody and it really is amazing underwear. It’s soft. It’s like comfortable. No, I’m

Kulap Vilaysack 

I’m not seeing for SuChin ones that go directly under the bra line and hit the knee, is that in a different page.

Abby Arad 

Right. That might be a different website. Could be a different offering.

SuChin Pak

But I can put a cotton biker short over it if I felt too drafty.  You know what I mean? Because you know who I don’t?

Abby Arad  14:07

If you need more protection. If you need more protection.

SuChin Pak

Yeah, I can cause mental and physical diseases. That’s what my mother always taught me.

Kulap Vilaysack 

So in that scenario, you’re wearing the skims underwear as underwear and then you have to put more underwear on top of it and then you would still wear pants. Your Dickies sweatshirt?

SuChin Pak 

First of all, I don’t know anything about Skims, okay? But Skims seems to suggest they use a very, very thin fabric.

Abby Arad 

Absolutely, absolutely.

SuChin Pak

It’s a thin fabric. So layering, and what do I say Kulap when I think about my underwear? Number one.

Kulap Vilaysack 

It’s about security.

SuChin Pak 

Number two, it’s about warmth. So safety and warmth is what I’m looking for. And by the way these are really affordable. I’m actually quite surprised, I’ve never I mean, I’ve obviously heard of Skims, but I just assumed because it’s like Kardashian billionaires like I was like, all these are probably gonna run, you know, $50 a pair, but they’re 22 four fits everybody boy short which would be probably a category and then 14 for fits everybody t-string thong, which is Kulap.

Abby Arad 

There’s something for all the ladies, there’s something for everyone. An offering for everyone.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Yeah, and maybe it is time for me to move away from purchasing MeUndies, so that I can match with my husband. And maybe we’ve done that bit long enough.

SuChin Pak 

Now I have a question if I can just rewind the tape to the body suit. What is a body suit?

Abby Arad  16:05

Oh, a body suit is kind of like a bathing suit for daytime.

SuChin Pak

Oh, that’s why I don’t know it.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Because Abby, she does not own a bathing suit.

SuChin Pak 

I know what one is, by the way.

Kulap Vilaysack 

No, you made a choice. You’re aware of it.

SuChin Pak 

No, I don’t know fully. This is my question for okay, so it’s a daytime bathing suit. Now. are you wearing a bra under it?

Abby Arad 

Always. Absolutely yes. Yeah. Yes. So you’re wearing a bra underneath it and one with like, if you have a spaghetti strap bodysuit, you should wear a strapless bra. Why like Skims is they have all different kinds of tops you can pick from so like spaghetti strap or like a thicker strap or like a one that looks like a T-shirt. I mean, there’s so many different kinds. And it’s just how comfortable you are with like exposing your top, right?

SuChin Pak 

Oh, yeah, they have like a sleeveless smock neck bodysuit that has my name all over it. Look at that comes right up to the trachea. That’s where I like to. I like to keep it sexy, right up to the trachea.

Kulap Vilaysack 

So you get the smoothness with the lettuce front. And then you can wear an oversized blazer and you’re good to go. Wow, that’s amazing.

SuChin Pak 

Yeah. And this may be cut out, but why are the butts out?

Abby Arad 

The butts are out.

SuChin Pak 

Is that a practical thing?

Abby Arad 

Because you don’t want the panty line. The butts are out in case the girls are wearing not a lettuce jean, right, but something a little tighter. And they don’t want the panty line. So that’s why the cheeks are out.

SuChin Pak 

SuChin, your thoughts? SuChin, your reaction?

SuChin Pak 

I appreciate. My butt are always in you know, I never considered that even with a panty line. I want everyone to be very, very clear that I’m wearing a lot of underwear at all times. I have worked with stylists in the past and they it’s hotly, hotly contested. I’ve been wrestled to the ground. I have worn gowns with biker shorts. I mean, I have stood on the podium of the VMAs, true story. And when I came on, she was like, what the f are you wearing? You cannot wear those, I had on my granny panties. And they had to run it was like, it was a set that we were right outside like a mall or something and they ran into Victoria’s Secret to get me thongs. Listen, I’m that lady I know I understand. I am in the theory small minority of people who like to let everybody know.

Abby Arad  18:53

I love that.

SuChin Pak 

I’m into it. I like this idea of what you’ve done is what you’ve picked so far. It’s just easy.

Abby Arad 

Yes.

SuChin Pak 

not going to jump into the deep end like crazy people, okay? We’re not wearing tiaras and like you know, a high heel stilettos here we are going easy. We’re calm and collected. We’re gonna do this one step at a time.

Kulap Vilaysack 

We feel safe.

Abby Arad 

Absolutely. Absolutely. And one of the things that I think is important to remember is like once you go comfort, it’s really hard to go back from that and we’ve been in a year of serious comfort.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Sneaker water and stain repellent, what in the?

Abby Arad 

Oh my gosh, you guys, this is one of those things I had to bring this on here, I am showing you my little sneaker wipe. So one of the things that I okay Instagram told me to buy this and I said okay, Instagram, I will and you know oftentimes When Instagram tells you to buy something, they’re 100% right. You do want this?

Kulap Vilaysack  20:04

Oh, you shouldn’t have told me that.

Abby Arad

So, Instagram told me to buy this. And I think Instagram knows that I love sneakers. I love sneakers so much. I am so passionate about sneakers, they’re my favorite thing. And in the pandemic, when everyone’s just rocking their sneakers. I’m like, we will not let the sneakers go. Do not let the sneakers go. So take them forward out of the pandemic, but clean them. So these are sneaker wipes, they have these like nubby and they it’s like an abrasive side and a smooth side. So, I have like Nike Air Force ones I have like all kinds of different fans and all sorts of sneakers that I have attacked with these wipes. They make them super clean.

Abby Arad 

And they just look like really crisp and ready to go when you’re done cleaning them with these wipes. And then I also got because Instagram, you know, they told me I would like it and so I trusted them. You can spray your shoes when you get them with this. It’s a water and stain repellent. So you spray your sneakers, like if you have like, brand new sneakers you just got and you don’t want them to look, you know, you want to like keep them crisp, spray them with this and it keeps the dirt off. And then they’re much easier to clean and like they keep looking fresh for a long time.

Kulap Vilaysack 

I mean, I love that, I have a pair of Adidas that I got right before the pandemic. They’re still in the box. I was like I’m not scuffing these during the demy.

Abby Arad 

Yeah, no way, you want to bring them out when like I’m like, take them out for a ride. Exactly.

Kulap Vilaysack 

My nephew is a sneaker head and was one of the things when I saw him. You know, over a year ago he needed to go to visit in LA was Yeah, we went to Disneyland but we also had to go to Little Tokyo to visit Jason Mark. And that’s a shoe cleaning emporium. It was that important to him. He’s that interested in it.

SuChin Pak  22:11

Is this Kye?

Kulap Vilaysack 

This is Kye.

SuChin Pak 

Oh my God. He was like 9?

Kulap Vilaysack 

Yeah. And he made a pretty penny hustling his uncle Scott for a shoe cleaning subscription while he was here.

Abby Arad 

I appreciate that.

SuChin Pak 

Runs in the family. Get it where you can. So this is at Reshoevn8r.com. This water and stain repellent. It’s 20 bucks. So affordable. I love it. And obviously you can use this on other types of shoes other than sneakers because..

Kulap Vilaysack 

She’s asking because she does not own sneakers.

Abby Arad 

That’s okay. That’s okay. I understand and appreciate all kinds of shoes.

SuChin Pak 

I love this. This is great tips that you guys, stylists, they have a tips, they have tips that we as lay people don’t take the time, you know what I mean, to test out.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Yes, Abby, tell us about your.. First of all, where are you on Instagram. So people know.

Abby Arad 

People can find me at @abbyarad on Instagram. And I post all kinds of fashion tips and finds and post pictures of my clients and their outfits and my outfits and tons of different fashion inspiration. And then I also have a website called Your Stylist Says and that is where I share all of my fabulous finds.

SuChin Pak 

Oh, wait, seriously, you have you have a website that just that’s what you do. If you find something you love. You’re like, let me let the people know.

Abby Arad

Yeah. I mean, I have to have enough of them. So it’s a store. It’s an online store. And if I find something, and I really love it, I put it on the website and the website is called Your Stylist Says and I post my best find there. I mean, that’s the best part of being a stylist right? Is sharing like the things you find and your tips and all the stuff you like and then it’s really fun. I love doing it.

Kulap Vilaysack  24:11

Abby, thank you so much for joining us.

SuChin Pak 

Thank you.

Abby Arad 

Thank you guys so much. This was magical.

Kulap Vilaysack 

We’d love to have you come again and visit us as another expert. We need your help.

SuChin Pak 

Yes, we’re right here in the dark. Just making it up.

Abby Arad 

No, you don’t. But I’m really, really grateful and I truly love you guys so much. And I’m such a fan.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Thank you Abby.

SuChin Pak

Thank you!

Kulap Vilaysack 

Oh, wow. SuChin, wasn’t Abby fantastic? She’s so glam. During the break, I bought the mango jeans you had already purchased them before we went to break.

SuChin Pak 

And I love that she it’s practical. It’s also friendly on the wallet. I mean, she was just like the dream fashion guest.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Let’s rely on the wallet if you buy all of them though.

SuChin Pak 

That’s on us. You what I mean? We can’t blame our carts on anybody else, but the tips, the tips, we enjoy them. And we’ve got more.

Kulap Vilaysack 

We’ve got more and we’re so excited to bring on our next guest, who is such an expert, not only in shopping, but really finding them deals, deals deals. So please welcome our next guest. She is a comedian. She’s the host of the Michelle Collins show on Sirius XM. The host of the podcast MIDNIGHT with Michelle Collins. She is the affer mentioned, the gorgeous, Michelle Collins. A.k.a – tight and right.

Michelle Collins 

Am I gonna box. Wow. I’ll take it. Thank you. Oh my god. Ladies, that’s a nice introduction.

Kulap Vilaysack  26:08

Welcome. Welcome. We are both so thrilled to have you. We’re so excited to hear what you have added to cart because you have put in your hours. You are a professional shopper.

Michelle Collins 

I am. That’s right. For me it’s bargain shopping. But like nice stuff at a good price. That’s where I’m at.

SuChin Pak 

That’s right, because that’s where your true gift to humanity lies is in the strategic way you approach shopping.

Michelle Collins 

I cannot help a coupon This is in my DNA. It’s why my people are killed. I love it. So genuinely, it’s why we have problems. Let’s face it.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Okay, well, people normally talk about it in that way. But yeah, this is a coupon problem. This is an exclusive.

Michelle Collins 

I would say yes.

Kulap Vilaysack 

I’d love to hear what your first add to cart is I’m so excited.

Michelle Collins 

What’s funny, because I just went through my recent emails to see what I’ve ordered recently to just get it in my head. Because I’ve been exercising more. I’ve gotten really into leggings not just pandemic wise, but just flattering, slimming, beautiful, comfortable leggings. And I there’s one brand I discovered kind of by accident at Nordstrom Rack, and now I’m obsessed with them. And I’d never, have you guys worn Sweaty Betty leggings?

Kulap Vilaysack 

No, tell us the gospel.

Michelle Collins

So I’m actually wearing a pair now they’re a little bit ugly. They were on sale, their Power Leggings. It’s a British company. I bought a pair at Nordstrom Rack for $18 from like $100, wore them almost every day in Florida, wash them to work out and I fell in love. It’s like putting on the skin of a shark on your legs. Like it’s just so thin. You feel like you’re wearing marine life in the essential way. It’s thin, it’s sleek, it holds you in. And when they go on sale you can get under normally I think $100 but you can get them for like 40 to 50 bucks at Nordstrom some time. So I’ve become obsessed. I’m wearing a pair now they’re really ugly.

SuChin Pak  28:07

So wait, first of all, they’re not ugly at all. They’re gorgeous. They’re so like, they’re artistic. You know, they’re sophisticated. But okay, so you say that the material is really thin yet it also holds shape. How does it do that?

Michelle Collins 

Well, that’s why there are hundreds. So, Sweatty Betty, I want to give them a shout out, they go up to an XXL, which I believe is like 18 to 20 for them. And it’s just really, I’m an XL 14-16. But I really recommend people look into it. I love them.

Kulap Vilaysack 

So I love this.

Michelle Collins 

I have another good sale tip. I just totally interrupted you and forgive me.

Kulap Vilaysack 

No, I need to hear it.

Michelle Collins 

Do you know that I found out that ASOS had a college discount. This was like 6 or 7 years ago that they give every college student a 10% discount. And I applied to community college in like the San Fernando Valley so I could get .edu email address and I still get 10% off it. So it’s that’s a true story.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Wow! Wow! This is, oh my goodness.

SuChin Pak 

I dare ASOS to come at us and criticize that you have put so much effort into that.. You deserved that.

Kulap Vilaysack 

She deserved that.

SuChin Pak 

I mean, it’s just 10% I mean, come on.

Michelle Collins 

I got into college to get 10%, and I got in.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Yeah, and you should get a diploma for that.

SuChin Pak 

Yeah, an ASOS diploma. All right. So here we are.

Michelle Collins 

I’m wearing an ASOS. I just got this today actually my little hoodie that I’m wearing big ol hoodie, anyway. I’m having the best time.

SuChin Pak 

When you shop on ASOS which I love. It’s so overwhelming to me. Do you have an ASOS strategy? I always get there and I’m like, I don’t even know where to begin.

Michelle Collins 

Well, here’s the thing with ASOS, 95% of it is sizzling hot trash. Like you have to know what’s bad. Really, I sometimes get stuff and I’m just like..

Kulap Vilaysack 

You have to accept that.

Michelle Collins  30:00

It’s like already on fire, like it’s so flammable when I open the bag, I’m like, how is it on fire in the bag, like how did it garbage. But every now and again, I do hit on some good stuff from a source that looks nice. And you wouldn’t know, because I’m tall. The tall section has like much less stuff. So I just go to what’s new and I sort by what’s new. And then I put my sizes in, and it brings up everything. So I usually I keep on top of it. So I see what’s coming in pretty regularly. If there’s something I’m really in the mood for, like a mini dress, I’ll search by that or like they do some good sequined or embellish things. So I’ll search by that. For bras, I mean, I don’t know I have a lot of time on my hands. So I can just go in there and just like while I’m watching TV, scroll and see what’s up. But I do buy a lot of stuff there. I get like almost all my sneakers on ASOS like brand names, but they have just really good prices, you can get some good stuff.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Yeah.

SuChin Pak

The other thing ASOS I love is you can get really nice, beautiful designer looking coats, at ASOS. Have you ever tried their coats?

Michelle Collins 

It’s so funny because I actually almost never delve into their coats because I just think about me schlepping some big old wool, you know, riddled blanket. Back in that bag or the box when they send the box I actually fume, I hate when they send the box. It never stays put together. It always is like falling apart by the time it’s downstairs in my lobby. The code stressed me out too much. It’s too heavy. I have not but, I’ll look at it.

Kulap Vilaysack

Yeah, so you’re gonna have to take that to return. You’re thinking ahead. You’re like is it worth it? Is it even worth it?

Michelle Collins 

And I like trying to coat on in a store. It’s like one of the few items of clothing that I can really do well with in person do you know I mean, like not so much jeans I have to buy online, but I have, I’m very blessed and then I have long very thin arms you know my […] and very thin. Please edit that out, that is, I actually am I think I’m like hallucinating for my walk. My arms are not that thin, but they’re very long is what I met and they’re like not huge arms compared to like my ass. So I can actually sometimes shove into like a really fitted beautiful coat that I would never have gotten online. I have to like see in person if that makes sense. You guys edit me out completely. I’m talking so much. I’m having a problem. Cut me out. I’m begging you, Ivan.

Kulap Vilaysack  32:22

No.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Do you have a lip mask to share with us?

Michelle Collins 

Kulap, I’m so glad you brought it up. In fact, I do. Have you not tried this? I feel like everyone has at some point.

SuChin Pak 

What is it?

Michelle Collins 

So it’s I believe from a Korean company called LANEIGE.

SuChin Pak 

I’ve seen this.

Michelle Collins 

You know that.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Oh, I use it every night.

Michelle Collins 

I gotta go. I gotta go. She’s got my thin arms and I gotta go.

SuChin Pak 

She’s going back to so […] What is it? Tell me.

Michelle Collins 

You tell her I’m sick of talking.

SuChin Pak 

I mean, a sleeping mask. That just sounds fake. All of that sounds fake.

Michelle Collins 

Lip Balm.

Kulap Vilaysack 

So much stuff on your face at night. And now you’re just like lips never mind, fuck you lips. You put serum.

SuChin Pak 

Are you gonna put your lips to bed.

Kulap Vilaysack 

You cover every square inch of your body except your lips?

SuChin Pak 

Except my lips, you’re right.

Michelle Collins 

I put it on all my lips. I put it on my vaginal lips. I put on my facial ones. It keeps them moist and full. And I just love it.

SuChin Pak 

Is it a lip balm?

Kulap Vilaysack 

It’s like a thick, it’s very thick and very and, and creamy. So a lip balm. That’s the daytime, you know, this is to soak in and it’s you know what SuChin, it’s like when you do your extravagant shower, I do an extravagant shower as well. But then you put the balm on your feet and then you put the socks on.

Michelle Collins  34:11

I use it actually I have like the little samples that they sometimes in sets or whatever. I keep it in my bag and I use it all day. I love it and it’s one of the few, there was a time oh girls, I can’t believe you reminded me, in my life where I use something called nipple cream on my lips because it was like lanolin but it was meant for the lips. I didn’t go to like a maternity shop and like buy it a pea in the pod. It was like at I think Space NK I bought it and it was some lanolin nipple cream and I was like that’s crazy I’ll buy it. And it chapped my lips so badly. I was, don’t even ask, horrible. Do not use it. Lanolin is so bad for your lips, at least in my experience. They do make a version of it in a little squeeze bottle that you can put like a daily balm. I find that that really sucks. That’s a waste of money. So I only get the one in the jar. The way to go.

Kulap Vilaysack 

I didn’t know that. Okay, that’s a hot tip. SuChin I think you need to add to cart.

SuChin Pak 

The thing about this lip mask is that everybody loves it. So I have to imagine that it’s as amazing as you guys are saying it because so many people use it. Go ahead. Michelle’s raising her hand.

Michelle Collins 

I have a really hot tip. I By the way, […] it is, I’ve never been I’ve to actually I’ve never been a more rabid animal than on this podcast, I want you to know, I genuinely can control myself I feel normally I you know, this is like back to my view territory of like, can I interrupt you? Like I’m out of my head. My two tips are one is at the moment so far has a set; I think it’s only 10 bucks that has a very generous sample of the lip mask. And if you buy that they give you a 15% off coupon to buy it in the future. So that’s just putting it out there. Fine. I have found this lip mask at TJ Maxx for 15 bucks. That’s a big tip. You have to go and dig. But I think they pretty much all have it at like the melon flavor or something but it doesn’t matter. It’s all good.

SuChin Pak  36:03

The TJ Maxx cosmetic skincare section.

Michelle Collins 

Very tough for me.

SuChin Pak 

We could do an entire episode on that. Because you know, you go in there and sometimes it’s a hit or miss. But when it’s a hit, I mean it’s I get that feeling where you’re in you ever have that anxiety nightmare where everything is for free or $1 in a store and you can’t move fast enough and you’re shoving things. And you don’t get that dream. It is such a recurring nightmare for me.

Kulap Vilaysack

And your name is SuChin Pak, and your mom returned a watermelon because it wasn’t juicy enough.

SuChin Pak 

Yeah. And you’re in a store like Rachel Comey, like any of your favorite stores and everything is $1 and you’re moving so slow. You’re so slow and tight. And then like it’s getting darker, so you know the store is closed now.

Michelle Collins 

Oh my god, that honestly, the darkness of that dream has made me realize that I really don’t have a problem. So thank you. I didn’t know that that was gonna happen. I genuinely I’m like, oh, you’re this totally fine.

Kulap Vilaysack 

This is like emotional character art for Michelle.

Michelle Collins 

Yeah, let’s Netflix this episode is what I’m saying. Wait, do you know that during fantasy during the New York City blackout and I think 2003 I worked downtown in the financial district. And I lived all the way by Columbia uptown which is like a good seven- or eight-mile walk. I had $3 on me obviously none of our cards worked because every there was no electricity. So money was King and I had to buy a bottle of Fiji water it was like August I was boiling hot so I had no money. I’m walking out the Upper West Side I see outside is a bars.

Michelle Collins 

When I say like a 28 days later style zombie apocalypse people just arms up throngs of people I grab a man and I go what is happening as I was out of my head I’m like what is happening in Zabar’s he goes this selling everything for $1 they got full chickens for $1 everything is Zabar’s in the fridges that were selling for one fucking dollar and I had a no dollars on me and I am haunted by the dollar chickens to this day when you just said everything’s $1 I’m like, fucking Savers doing a blackout. I never got my chicken. That’s it. That’s my story.

SuChin Pak  38:16

Dollar chickens Zabar’s is haunting you. I mean, Michelle, you’re telling me that that isn’t darker than my dark nightmare?

Michelle Collins 

Because I lived through mine. Yours is like you’re in a story in your fucking head. I actually was walking up Broadway. I see people like fighting each other. Yours is worse.

Kulap Vilaysack 

That happened to Michelle once, you tell us it’s a reoccurring dream and you thought everybody adds up.  You just want to talk about Fashion Nova?

SuChin Pak 

I’ve never been to Fashion Nova.

Michelle Collins

Online you’ve never been?

Kulap Vilaysack 

I have not done Fashion Nova either so you’re like tour guide right now.

Michelle Collins

All right, I need everyone to just sit down if you’re listening to this right now stop what you’re doing sit the fuck down and you listen to me right now you listen to me good. I get paid they should pay my ass by the way. Number one because it’s big and looks great in everything they make. And number two because I constantly am telling people to go there and I get literally nothing from them. Fashion Nova is every dress is 48 cents. But here’s the twist and they and they go up to okay it’s very deceiving because they go up to I think they go from extra small up to a size 3X but they’re three I mean, it’s deceiving if you’re I’m like, you know I’m a 14-16 I’m pretty much a 2X and everything which is like you know, normally I would not be 2X so just like letting you know, deceiving I’ve been cut that whole part out.

Michelle Collins 

Just cut that whole thing out. No one needs to know that. If you are looking to hoe out this summer, and I know you’re both married, I don’t care. your husbands want you to hoe out. They want that. You go right now, you go to fashionnova.com this second, you do not dare pay full price because they always have a coupon minimum 30% usually 40% off once in a blue moon 50% off.

SuChin Pak  40:14

Wait, what do you mean? Where do you get this coupon on the site?

Michelle Collins 

Do not give them your phone number because they will literally stalk you. They will text you every two minutes. They’re like the car warranty people, do not give them your phone number. Give them your email. You will get emails about it. When you go to the site, there’s like literally flames shoot out. It’s like the Guy Fieri like slut warehouse. And they go get it now. It’s like you panic

Kulap Vilaysack 

Right now it’s 25% off site wide and free overnight shipping on orders over $100 plus they’ve got to code so they do it now.

SuChin Pak 

Okay, wait, what is the last thing you ordered from Fashion Nova where you quote unquote, hoe’d out. Okay?

Michelle Collins 

So first of all, again with the tone. I’m like..

Kulap Vilaysack

I love it.

SuChin Pak 

Michelle, if we were in a room together, I would just cradle you is what I would do, to relieve any tension.

Kulap Vilaysack  41:04

Michelle, that’s just it’s less a tone and just how she speaks.

Michelle Collins 

No, I know, I love her. I would only I would only say that. If I didn’t like you. I’d be like gotta run. Okay, the last thing I bought. Here’s what I got. And it’s really fuckin’ cute. So they do body con dresses, like a ribbed below the knee and I’m six foot one and they hit me below the knee dresses. Where if you were a good bra, the boobs are like on display like a spaghetti strap. And I got two dresses that had came with a matching kind of a cropped cardigan with the dress like some of the same material. It is so adorable. First of all, it looks expensive you would not know cost me I think 40 bucks for the set. Legitimately would not know that it was that cheap. It really looks you know depending on how you style it and wear it, looks amazing.

Michelle Collins 

I was on watch what happens live plug brag Anyway, now I’m like really losing it. But back in. I think it was January I was on it. And I had bought this red dress from Fashion Nova on sale for like 35 bucks. You guys came. It was like kind of a […] knockoff like […] the looks like $1,000 balm on dress. May I drop effing dead. I’ll pull it out of my closet right now and show you. Fit me unbelievably, I’m telling you. A lot of it is garbage. But every now and again, you can really hit on something for like nighttime. That looks great bad return policy, I have get this out, bad return policy. You can only, you buy something you don’t like it, you can return it. They only give you credit. And then you can only use that credit once. I actually just remembered that I sent a return to Fashion Nova back like three weeks ago and have not gotten an email about it. So you know, it’s all just comes with the territory. But I’m telling you it has literally changed the way I shop, for real.

Kulap Vilaysack  42:45

You are a shopping athlete.

Michelle Collins 

Wow.

Kulap Vilaysack 

You are like you should be going to the Olympics in Japan for shopping.

Michelle Collins 

Wait a second. I know you gotta go I have to say one thing funny. I and I’ll save it for the next time I’m on or wherever I famously had a story where I went to 50 homegoods is in LA because they had a very expensive brand of China, Rosenthal China. This is when I lived in Los Angeles. And I spent an entire weekend before Christmas driving all the way to Temecula all the way almost to fuckin San Francisco every homegoods. I called up one of the homegoods’s to ask if they have this Rosenthal China and this guy picks up he goes homegoods, I go, hi, do you have the Rosenthal China? And he goes, Well, you’re not the first person to ask about it. And I went oh, someone else then I panicked. I’m like some other bitches like shopping from China. He goes, do you know what we call you? And I said, what? Like mad? He goes, Warrior Shoppers. We have shoppers who go from store to store to buy, like you know, with home goods, they break everything up. So I could get two plates here a bowl here. That’s why I had to go to so many to get the set of like 12 and at which I did do by the way, but he called me a WarriorShopper.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Okay, everybody, everybody listens to this podcast. And I know there are some writers and some producers. This is Michelle’s idea, okay? Well, I don’t I do not want to hear on deadline on variety on […] about somebody who’s going to do a girls trip style movie called warrior shoppers. Yes, we should. And that was my second thing. And I was going to pitch that to you.

Michelle Collins  44:14

I’m pitching it to you. Why don’t we make it, either a reality show or a movie? I’ll work on it tonight. Great. Oh my god, girls, I’m having the best time. Thank you for having me. This is so fun. You have the best podcast period.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Thank you. Michelle, for people who for some weird reason are not following you on social media, tell them where to go.

Michelle Collins 

Well, folks, why am I angry at them? I’m like, well, if you want to know please follow me at @michcoll, it’s a mix of overly flattering selfies and dogs walking in their hind legs. That’s basically my whole Instagram. Dogs walking like people and me looking better than I do in person I would say is the theme. So if you’re into that give me a follow, or throw me a follow, you know?

Kulap Vilaysack

And your Sirius XM show is Monday through Friday?

Michelle Collins 

Yes.

Kulap Vilaysack 

And what time?

Michelle Collins 

7 to 10 early in the morning and then podcasts out every Tuesday and Thursday midnight snack you girls were on. Everyone should listen.

Kulap Vilaysack 

It was so fun.

Michelle Collins 

We the best time.

Kulap Vilaysack

You’re the best. Thank you so much. You know, open door policy with you.

Michelle Collins

Oh my god, I’m coming back every week. I’m not even kidding. I’m genuinely like itching inside the second this is done to go on Fashion Nova and see what something I have. therapists are gonna reach out and be like, please see me like, we need to talk and I need it. Please do reach out. I need your help. Thank you for having me. I really hit the best time love you both love you too.

SuChin Pak 

Thank you, Michelle.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Friends now we all have everything we need to exit our houses for the first time ever in 15 months.

SuChin Pak 

With style and comfort. Not spending a ton of money. This is how I like you know what I mean to exit a pandy and then maybe come back in but you know what I mean? It’s a gentle, it’s a gentle embrace.

Kulap Vilaysack  46:06

With loose pants and clean sneaks. I think I can do this. I think there’s gonna be..

SuChin Pak 

I love it. All right, listen, find everything we talked about on this very special edition of Spring Fashion on @AddToCartPod on our Insta.

Kulap Vilaysack 

And call us and tell us your fashion picks for exiting the pandy at 833-453-6662.

SuChin Pak 

All right guys, that’s it for us and we’ll see you next week.

Kulap Vilaysack 

See you next week.

CREDITS

ADD TO CART is a production of Lemonada Media. Our producer is Claire Jones and our editor is Ivan Kuraev. The music is by Wasahhbii and produced by La Made It and Oh So Familiar with additional music by APM music. Executive producers are Kulap Vilaysack, SuChin Pak, Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels Wachs. Be sure to check out all the items we mentioned today on our Instagram at @AddToCartPod. Also, please take a moment to rate, review, and subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcast.

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