Olivia Stefanino | Author, Speaker, Founder of The Money Types
Coming from a world of finance journalism, executive coaching and training, you are certainly met with an incredible vibe when you meet Olivia. If it involves money (which lets face it most things do), Olivia has the skills to help you understand how to build a better relationship between it and you. Having had a money session with her, I can tell you with first hand experience…that it is a life changing experience. But more than this, she shares with us her approach to her choice in clothing and why it helps her inside and outside work.
How would you describe your occupation and what does it involve?
I’m so grateful that I get to do work I absolutely love - helping individuals, teams and organisations achieve their goals and aspirations. As well as writing books and developing new tools - like the ‘Money Types’ emotional profiling system (which wonderfully, I get to do from the comfort of my own home!), I also work with corporate clients as a mentor and trainer - and also have my own private practice. Increasingly too, I’m being invited to speak at a variety of different events, which is exciting (and sometimes a little nerve wracking too!).
2. Describe your fashion style to me – what do you like to wear, what do you never wear? Why?
While I wear them less nowadays, I do think that a jacket can pull a ‘look’ together - and I’m a fan generally of block colours rather than busy prints. I find myself wearing a lot of monochrome black and white - with an accent colour, although I’m getting a real sense of wanting to vamp it up a bit by introducing more bright colours into the mix.
If I'm doing a speaking gig, I tend to wear a single colour tailored dress - and I do have quite a few ‘jersey’ dresses too, which can hopefully drape over and cover up a few lumps and bumps. Good underwear certainly helps too! And I love boots…ankle boots, knee high boots, cowboy boots…and shoes with a heel too.
3. Do you have a different style for work and home? Why?
I seem to have a mix of styles. If I’m running a training event or have been invited to speak at a conference, then I tend to prefer a more tailored, streamlined look - and always, ALWAYS with heels!
Chunky jewellery is also a bit of a favourite. When working with clients - either at their offices or in my private practice at home, I try to dress in a way that fits their vibe (I want them to feel comfortable with me, without how I dress becoming a distraction.) Weirdly, that has on occasion led to me changing clothes several times a day! And when I’m working at home - writing or creating a new programme, then comfort is my main focus.
4. What advice can you give to someone who feels they have no style or feels they are just stuck in a cycle of no identity?
I think we all have a style, although sadly, we’re not always happy with it. But hey, the fabulous thing about fashion and clothes is that we get to choose, we get to change it up and experiment.
For me, I think the first step is understanding your body shape - what suits, what enhances, what detracts and taking it from there. Similarly, colour can be pivotal - wearing the colours that suit you, rather than slavishly following what’s in fashion is pretty important.
At the end of the day, you should be wearing your clothes, rather than them wearing you. I also think that we can learn a lot from designers like you - and fashion magazines too. Being inspired to play and express who we are can be fun and inspiring - rigidly following ‘the rules’ though, is less so…
5. Who’s your style icon and why?
From the past, I think Audrey Hepburn and Sophia Loren both had charisma - a powerful quality that came from being comfortable in their own skin.
Today’s style icon? Watching the recent Netflix documentary on Michelle Obama revealed her too, to be a highly stylish woman with an eye for not only what suited her, but for clothes that make a ’statement’. And those belts…oh, to be able to get my hands on some of those belts and all those other delicious accessories... Actually, I’m beginning to see that how we wear our clothes - and how we choose to accessorise them - is the way we express our individuality, and isn’t that a major point of fashion and dressing up?
6. Give me a quote to inspire someone who needs an injection of motivation to find themselves.
"Style is the only thing you can’t buy. It’s not in a shopping bag, a label, or a price tag. It’s something reflected from our soul to the outside world—an emotion.” — Alber Elbaz
To contact Olivia, visit:
Books (available on Amazon):
The Money Types Guidebook - understand yourself and others through the medium of mone.
Be Your Own Guru - personal and business enlightenment in just 3 days!