The Well-Dressed Mind

There’s a line Caitlin Martelle used on this week’s episode that I haven’t been able to put down: “There’s a multitude of Caitlins.” She meant it about acting: how she carries a sliver of herself into every part, villain included, so the character has somewhere to attach to. But I think it describes something bigger than her craft. It describes anyone who has refused to pick a single lane.Before the dark period, Caitlin ran our Fort Worth boutique during the day. Most nights, she’s driving out to a rehearsal that won’t let out until eleven, or sitting in a recording booth for Crunchyroll, or — the week of recording this episode — heading into tech for Shrek before starting her first choreography job on Grease the following Monday. None of these lives defers to the others. She isn’t managing a day job and a side passion. She’s running several full versions of herself in parallel, on almost no sleep, in Texas traffic.We got into wardrobe, because of course we did. Caitlin talked about costume as something closer to a switch than an accessory. How the shoes alone will change how she stands, how she moves through a scene. I’d argue the same switch works off stage. What she puts on to walk into the boutique each morning isn’t decoration. It’s telling her, and everyone she talks to that day, which version of her is on duty.Near the end of our conversation, she said something simple that stuck with me more than anything else: having something outside the job that you actually care about “fills your life with color.” Makes it a little less gray, I added, and she agreed. I don’t think that’s a throwaway line. I think it’s the entire thesis of this show. Style, work, a stage, a recording booth at midnight — none of it is separate from who you are. It’s how you show up as all of you, on purpose, instead of choosing just one.— Lindsay This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lindsaynixx.substack.com

There’s a line I keep coming back to, and it’s mine, not Nita’s, but she’s the reason it surfaced: I’ve never really cared if people liked me. I do care if people respect me.That’s the whole conversation, really, if you want it in one sentence.Nita has built three careers running in parallel: city land agent, broker-owner, Red Cross volunteer. When I asked her how she manages all of it, she didn’t give me a productivity answer. She gave me an ethics answer. Seventeen codes she teaches new realtors, and the one she keeps coming back to isn’t the technical stuff. It’s communication. It’s the duty to the person in front of you, not just the deal. She said it reminded her of an attorney, and then almost apologized for the comparison — but she was right to make it. The people who take their work seriously enough to teach ethics to strangers are usually the same people who show up fully, in every room, including the fitting room.Because here’s the part of the episode I keep circling back to: the fifty pounds.Nita talked about her body changing — not once, but twice, in opposite directions, over the last few years. Muscle, then loss, then a different kind of muscle, then fifty pounds gone at her heaviest. And she said something that a lot of women say to us quietly, almost like a confession: she had to rebuild her wardrobe from the ground up, starting with shoes. We hear versions of this constantly at the store. Menopause. GLP-1s. A decade of loyal clients whose bodies have moved in directions they didn’t plan for, standing in the fitting room a little unsure of who’s looking back at them.What struck me is that Nita didn’t treat the rebuild as a loss. She treated it as information. New body, new rules…except the real lesson wasn’t new rules at all. It was throwing the old ones out entirely. She told me she used to believe she couldn’t wear high-waisted anything. Turns out that was never true. It was a rule she’d inherited from a version of herself that didn’t exist anymore, and she was still obeying it out of habit.I think about this every time someone tells me they don’t do above-the-knee, or they don’t do color, or they don’t do sleeveless. Sometimes that’s a genuine preference. More often it’s a rule that outlived the reason for it.The other thing Nita gave me, almost offhand, was about her husband Sam and a t-shirt. Not a special t-shirt — just one he’d had for years, that still looked exactly like the day he bought it, that somehow still made people ask where he got it. That’s not luck. That’s construction. That’s the whole argument I keep making about cost, quietly proven by a man who has never once heard me make it.And then there’s the mannequin.Nita told me — more than once, with real conviction — that she’s walked into other stores and told the staff, your mannequin did its job, you should give it a raise. She buys because something in a window stopped her. Not the folded version on a table. The dressed version, the one that shows her what she can’t picture on a hanger alone. I think about this every time we style a window. The clothes on a body are an argument. The clothes on a table are just facts.Nita’s a land agent and a broker and a volunteer with a masters degree she’s finishing alongside her son’s bachelor’s, and somehow the throughline of talking to her wasn’t ambition. It was ease. The confidence of someone who has stopped asking whether she’s allowed to take up the space she’s already standing in.So throw out the rule. See what happens.— Lindsay This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lindsaynixx.substack.com

I’ve been sitting with a line I said in this episode, one I picked up a while back and haven’t been able to put down since: quiet luxury is just expensive beige.It still makes me laugh, and it still feels true, and it points at something bigger than a trend cycle. We spent a few years being told that luxury meant restraint — no logos, no color, just very good beige, worn very quietly. And there’s a version of that which is genuinely beautiful. But somewhere along the way it became a costume too, its own kind of uniform. Talking it through with Betsy sharpened it for me: real luxury isn’t the absence of noise. It’s the presence of you.We used Carolyn Bessette Kennedy as the example, and it’s the right one. No logos, no obvious price tags, and somehow the most quietly commanding woman in any room she stood in. That wasn’t restraint. That was a woman who knew exactly who she was and dressed accordingly. You could put her in a J.Crew t-shirt and people would ask where to get it. That’s not a clothing trick. That’s a confidence trick, and the clothes are just the delivery mechanism.This is the second time Betsy’s joined me on the podcast, and it’s not lost on me that the conversation goes deeper every time. Last time we talked about her path to New York. This time we got into the parts of styling nobody puts in a caption — the parts that happen in the fitting room, not on the sales floor.She told me she loves when clients cry. Not because she’s unkind, but because she’s seen it enough times to know what the tears actually mean. Clothes have been telling a story about us the whole time, whether we meant them to or not, and most of us don’t stop to ask what that story is until we’re standing in a closet full of things we don’t recognize anymore. Betsy’s read: that moment isn’t a crisis. It’s information.She talked about the women coming to her after a GLP-1 journey — bodies changed, closets suddenly full of things that don’t fit the way they used to, or fit fine and feel wrong anyway. Her instinct isn’t to send them shopping. It’s to wait. Let the body settle. Let the person underneath the change catch up to what happened before you hand her a new uniform to hide in. I think about the postpartum client she mentioned, nine months out, wanting more clothes immediately — and Betsy telling her, not yet, let’s give this some room. That’s not a styling philosophy. That’s just good care, dressed up as one.The other thread running through this episode is one I feel every time I build a collection: the death of the one-and-done piece. Betsy’s clients keep showing up looking for a single dress for a single event, and she keeps redirecting them toward separates — toward things that can leave the party and go somewhere else the next morning. It’s the whole argument for a piece like the Lexington Jacket, or the Tuxedo Dress split into its parts. Not because “versatile” is a marketing word. Because cost-per-wear is a real number, and a piece that only shows up once a year is expensive no matter what it cost.We got into suiting too — how a single suit, taken apart, is really six or seven outfits wearing a disguise. The jacket over a red skirt instead of the matching trouser. The blazer with jeans on a plane, the shoes packed separately because you always wear the jacket on the flight. I built our suiting to be worn this way on purpose — the androgynous cut wasn’t an accident, it was a rejection of the idea that a woman’s suit has to prove she’s still soft underneath it. Sometimes the point is the structure. Sometimes strong shoulders are the whole outfit.If there’s a single thread through everything Betsy and I talked about, it’s this: try it on. The jeans you don’t think are you. The color you’ve been avoiding since your twenties. The blazer with the skirt instead of the trouser. Betsy’s line has stuck with me — nobody remembers what you had for breakfast, and nobody’s going to remember what you wore to the grocery store either. The only person keeping score is you. So put the sequin jacket on for a Tuesday and see what happens.— LindsayThe Well-Dressed Mind is available on Apple Podcasts and YouTube. If you missed our first conversation with Betsy Beaman, it’s worth going back to. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lindsaynixx.substack.com

I want to tell you how this conversation came about.I flew into Dallas less than 48 hours before we sat down together. Couldn’t sleep. Went down the Jenny B. Davis rabbit hole at some hour I’d rather not admit to — her styling work, her writing, her career history — and by the time I put my phone down I had about ten thousand things I wanted to ask her.That’s a good sign, in my experience. The best conversations start before they start.Jenny is a licensed attorney, an award-winning journalist, a published author, an editorial fashion stylist, a professor at SMU, and — I want to make sure this gets the attention it deserves — a certified Star Wars cosplayer who has performed at Star Wars Celebration in Chicago and London. She has attended New York Fashion Week every year since 2007. She has been photographed by Bill Cunningham. She launched two fashion lines of her own, earned a Macy’s Emerging Designer placement, and got a New York Times write-up. She is currently in her third year of a doctoral program at SMU while working full-time.She grew up in a hippie household with a potter mother and a history professor father who made beer and grew grapes. She was a German major at Arizona State. She went to law school because she didn’t want to spend her life worrying about money — and because, as she puts it, law school doesn’t teach you the laws. It teaches you how to find things, how to think, and how to work your ass off.She never planned to be an entrepreneur. She calls herself the accidental one.What struck me most in our conversation — and I’ve been thinking about it since — is how Jenny describes the through line of her career. It wasn’t a plan. It was a series of discoveries: finding out she could do something, figuring out she could professionalize it, and then doing it. Over and over, across fields that seem unrelated until you meet her and realize they’re completely coherent.Law taught her to think. Journalism taught her to find the story. Styling taught her that clothes are never just clothes — they’re communication, intention, a signal to the room before you’ve said a word. Teaching taught her that learning is different when you’ve lived. She told me that if you don’t feed your brain, your brain eats itself. I wrote that down.She also said something that I’ve been sitting with since we recorded: time passes whether you do the thing or not. She started her doctoral program in her fifties, mid-career, while working full-time, because the time was going to pass regardless. She didn’t want to look back and think — I wish I had done that.I find that kind of thinking clarifying in a way that’s almost uncomfortable. It removes the excuse of timing. It removes the idea that there’s a right moment to begin something.When I looked through Jenny’s styling work the night before we recorded — the work she’s done for 360 West, for clients, for editorial shoots — what struck me wasn’t just the beauty of it. It was that it made me want to buy things. There’s a difference between a beautiful photograph and a photograph that makes you feel something, want something, reach for something. Jenny’s work does the second thing. That’s not a technical skill. That’s a point of view.We talked about Amy — our brand persona, the woman we design for, the filter we run everything through. When I showed Jenny the idea, she got it immediately. She called it a brand persona. I called it a wall of women we’re trying to serve. We meant the same thing.This is the kind of conversation I started The Well-Dressed Mind to have. Not about fashion as decoration, but about fashion as a reflection of how people have built their lives, their identities, and their sense of self. Jenny B. Davis has built something genuinely rare — a career that doesn’t fit a category, informed by a life fully and curiously lived.We’re eventually doing a part two. There are still about ten thousand things I want to ask her.— LindsayListen to this episode of The Well-Dressed Mind wherever you get your podcasts. And if you don’t feed your brain, your brain eats itself. Consider yourself warned. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lindsaynixx.substack.com

ABOUT THE WELL-DRESSED MINDThe Well-Dressed Mind is a fashion and lifestyle podcast exploring what it means to dress—and live—with intention.Hosted by Lindsay Nicholas, Founder, CEO & Creative Director of Lindsay Nicholas New York, the series features candid conversations with smart, stylish individuals navigating ambition, reinvention, leadership, and personal style.Each episode examines the connection between clothing and confidence, career growth, identity, and the quiet power of getting dressed with purpose—through the lens of modern luxury fashion.New episodes drop monthly.SHOP LINDSAY’S LOOKLexington Avenue Jackethttps://lindsaynicholasnewyork.com/products/lexington-avenue-jacket-in-denimLexington Avenue Trouserhttps://lindsaynicholasnewyork.com/products/lexington-avenue-trouser-in-denimCONNECT WITH LINDSAY NICHOLAS NEW YORKInstagram: @lindsaynicholasnewyorkWebsite: https://www.lindsaynicholasnewyork.comCREDITSHosted by Lindsay NicholasProduced by Sam Esquivel, Ally Beans & Lindsay Nicholas New York This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit veryonlineally.substack.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lindsaynixx.substack.com

ABOUT THE WELL-DRESSED MINDWhat does it mean to dress—and live—with intention? Hosted by Lindsay Nicholas, CEO & Creative Director of her namesake brand, Lindsay Nicholas New York, The Well-Dressed Mind features candid conversations with smart, stylish women about ambition, reinvention, and the transformative power of clothes. New episodes drop monthly.Shop Lindsay's Look:Tuxedo Shirt Dress in Chambray - https://lindsaynicholasnewyork.com/products/tuxedo-shirt-dress-in-chambray?_pos=2&_psq=tuxedo&_ss=e&_v=1.0Shop Mani's Look:Faux Rise Pants in Maroon - https://lindsaynicholasnewyork.com/products/faux-rise-pant-in-maroon?_pos=1&_psq=faux+rise&_ss=e&_v=1.0Follow Lindsay Nicholas New York on Instagram – @LindsayNicholasNewYork Visit us online: www.lindsaynicholasnewyork.comHosted by Lindsay NicholasProduced by Sam Esquivel, Ally Beans, and Lindsay Nicholas New York This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit veryonlineally.substack.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lindsaynixx.substack.com

In this episode of The Well-Dressed Mind, Lindsay sits down with powerhouse tech executive Karina Mansfield, Managing Director of Friendly Phishing, to explore what it means to lead with authenticity in a male-dominated industry. Karina shares her 25-year journey across cybersecurity, SaaS, and telecommunications—covering everything from Melbourne’s rise as a global tech hub to the evolving impact of AI, the realities of women’s leadership, and why grit is the #1 trait she hires for. They dive into behavioral science, personal style as quiet confidence, navigating career breaks, and the future of women in tech. It’s an inspiring, deeply human conversation with one of Australia’s most respected leaders. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit veryonlineally.substack.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lindsaynixx.substack.com

In this episode of The Well-Dressed Mind, we sit down with Tracey D. Brown — a powerhouse executive whose career spans retail, health, marketing, and consumer experience. From transforming the $130 billion retail business at Walgreens to leading the American Diabetes Association through a historic turnaround, Tracey’s leadership philosophy centers on one thing: the customer. With more than 30 years of experience across global brands like Sam’s Club, American Express, and Procter & Gamble, she shares candid insights on transformation, purpose-driven leadership, and what it takes to truly connect business with humanity. ABOUT THE WELL-DRESSED MIND What does it mean to dress—and live—with intention? Hosted by Lindsay Nicholas, CEO & Creative Director of her namesake brand, Lindsay Nicholas New York, The Well-Dressed Mind features candid conversations with smart, stylish women about ambition, reinvention, and the transformative power of clothes. New episodes drop monthly. Shop Lindsay's Look: Jackie Criss Cross Top in Black - https://lindsaynicholasnewyork.com/products/jackie-criss-cross-top-in-black-early-access-sale?_pos=4&_psq=jackie&_ss=e&_v=1.0 Bleecker Street Pant in Chartreuse - https://lindsaynicholasnewyork.com/products/bleecker-street-pant-in-chartreuse?_pos=1&_psq=bleecker&_ss=e&_v=1.0 Shop Tracey's Look: Elizabeth Jacket in Red - https://lindsaynicholasnewyork.com/products/elizabeth-jacket-in-classic-red?_pos=3&_psq=elizabeth+jacket&_ss=e&_v=1.0 Elizabeth Trouser in Red - https://lindsaynicholasnewyork.com/products/elizabeth-trouser-in-classic-red?_pos=3&_psq=elizabeth+trouser&_ss=e&_v=1.0 Follow Lindsay Nicholas New York on Instagram – @LindsayNicholasNewYork Visit us online: www.lindsaynicholasnewyork.com Hosted by Lindsay Nicholas Produced by Sam Esquivel, Ally Beans, and Lindsay Nicholas New York This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit veryonlineally.substack.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lindsaynixx.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit veryonlineally.substack.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lindsaynixx.substack.com

Today we’re spotlighting Ayron Bloss, a stylist with The SWB Agency—a boutique wardrobe styling company based in Fort Worth, Texas. Rooted in SWB’s philosophy of helping clients maximize their style while minimizing effort, Ayron brings her background in fashion design, runway, and editorial styling to every project. In this special NYFW mini-episode of The Well-Dressed Mind, Ayron joins Lindsay to swap fashion philosophy and share what they’re seeing—and not seeing—on the runways this September. ABOUT THE WELL-DRESSED MIND What does it mean to dress—and live—with intention? Hosted by Lindsay Nicholas, CEO & Creative Director of her namesake brand, Lindsay Nicholas New York, The Well-Dressed Mind features candid conversations with smart, stylish women about ambition, reinvention, and the transformative power of clothes. New episodes drop monthly. Shop Lindsay's Look: Frill Crewneck Shell in Black - https://lindsaynicholasnewyork.com/products/frill-crewneck-shell-in-black Gold Chunky Chain Belt - https://lindsaynicholasnewyork.com/products/elsewhere-co-gold-chunky-chain-belt-the-elsewhere-co_pos=1&_psq=chain+belt&_ss=e&_v=1.0 Follow Lindsay Nicholas New York on Instagram – @LindsayNicholasNewYorkVisit us online: www.lindsaynicholasnewyork.com Hosted by Lindsay Nicholas Produced by Sam Esquivel, Ally Beans, and Lindsay Nicholas New York This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit veryonlineally.substack.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lindsaynixx.substack.com