Understanding Your Kids Style with Elinor Mulhern

This transcript was created using AI. Please forgive any discrepencies.

[Intro] Welcome to Easy Style with Sami. I’m your host Sami Bedell-Mulhern. Each episode, I invite a friend, family member or colleague or just someone I’ve met on this journey called life to come and share their personal style and approach to business, parenting, life and everything in between. You’ll hear motivational and inspirational stories that will help you refine and build your own personal style. Remember, style is easy when it comes from within.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] Hey, welcome to Easy style with Sami. My guest today is my daughter, Elinor Mulhern who is cringing hardcore right now, aren’t you? She’s real happy to be recording with me this morning. But do you want to say hi to people and let them know a little bit about yourself what you’d like to do? I don’t know.

[Elinor Mulhern] Hi. Yeah.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] Okay, so we’re gonna talk today about this whole podcast is about style. But as she has grown up in, developed her own personal clothing style, we have noticed that a lot of things have come back from the 90s a lot of things have come back new and chopping together sometimes is painful. Yeah, 90% of the things that I say, Hey, do you like this? What do you say?

[Elinor Mulhern] No. Because you always pick up sadness, like from 2000s. And it’s not 2004 anymore.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] Okay, fair enough. So why don’t you share for all to help all of the parents out there that are shopping with their tween and teenage kids? How we can kind of support you and like figuring out what thing because when I drop you off at school, like you have your own unique style. I feel like a lot of the kids dress like you. And then half the kids only wear black leggings and sweatshirts. Was that fair?

[Elinor Mulhern] scary out there.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] But is it fair? Is that fair? Yeah, that was my college attire, leggings in sweatshirts. Okay, so what has inspired your person? Like, where do you draw inspiration from when you’re figuring out what you like to wear?

[Elinor Mulhern] And say, like, sound like friends, because like, most of them don’t wear like leggings, like pretty much all of them don’t wear leggings. And I don’t associate myself with those people. And then I guess, like, some of like, the, like music that I listen to, like does artists like kind of like what they like where and then I usually just get like inspiration from like, social media, like kind of stuff.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] So so let’s talk about the music that you listen to you are a big fan of Kpop. And your friends circle is a big fan of Kpop. And so that means everybody wears high top Converse sneakers. And combat boots, right? Yeah. Did that come from? Kpop? Yeah, yeah. And then like the wide leg pants and the cargo pants are coming back. Yep. And then what else like as you go into summer and spring like what are like, because right now you’re wearing a sweater and corduroy pants, which it’s still kind of chilly here in Minneapolis. But what like what are you going to be wearing going into summer?

[Elinor Mulhern] I don’t know. I haven’t decided that yet.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] I haven’t decided shorts. Yeah, you like button down shirts? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So to parents that like, because I think a lot of parents don’t necessarily want to control what their kids wear, but have an opinion about what their kids wear. So what would you say to parents who think their kids should dress a different way? Like what does? Like what would that feel like to you? If we said well, you have to you can’t wear this you can’t wear that.

[Elinor Mulhern] I think if you have like a reasoning behind it, and I like probably agree with you. But if you’re just like saying something stupid.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] Her the thing she hates most more than anything is because I said so. Yeah. But you also don’t wear things that are like, like, you’re not a big crop top person or you don’t like anything that’s low cut. Yeah. In fact, we went to h&m and went shopping a few weeks ago. And Holy Cow some of the things that they have in there are not appropriate for 14. Like

[Elinor Mulhern] people probably like buy them and then like put stuff under them for over them. Yeah. Yeah.

Fair enough. Like it’s not you just didn’t like don’t wear it. Yeah, because like a lot of the style now is just like actually like styling, like you’re like, add stuff to different things instead of just like slapping it on.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] Okay. Layers. Yeah. Um, you also wear a lot of monochromatic colors. Like you like black and brown and gray. Yeah, is that by choice?

[Elinor Mulhern] I think it’s like subconscious choice. I think I just like for some reason picked a bunch of like brown I like Tim Keller’s book because well, I technically it’s not monotone because monotone is like one color. Right? Well, that’s true. different tones.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] Like I’m wearing all black right now. Yeah. So but like you have this sweater if you’re watching us on YouTube, she’s wearing a gray sweater. You have this exact same sweater and bright yellow, but you never wear that one anymore. That’s a conscious choice.

[Elinor Mulhern] It just like a lot of attention to you. Oh, there we go. Now we’re going to interlace bright colors like the Weezer blue pants. Oh, God.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] So this is a new thing that I just learned. This is like a common term with middle schoolers is like well, I mean,

[Elinor Mulhern] I don’t think it’s like, it’s like common in my so it’s common in your like, my friend group, we just call them always

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] call them Weezer blue pants because it’s the color from the Weezer album, which is

[Elinor Mulhern] not there’s not a Weezer album. It’s the color from Weezer’s blue album. Oh, sorry, I thought this was your era.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] I know but I wasn’t like a huge like I listened to Weezer, but I wouldn’t be able to like recognize like I wouldn’t look at a blue color and say that’s Weezer blue. Yeah. So I’m just fascinated that that’s something that you understand. Okay. So clothing styles, very summer’s coming short shorts are coming all of the good things that we as parents love. Excuse me. What about like, hair and makeup? Because I remember I didn’t really wear makeup until high school. It barely even then I barely wear makeup. Now, you started wearing makeup this year? Just school? And is that like common to most kids wear makeup to school?

[Elinor Mulhern] Ah, I guess like, not like heavy? Well, actually depends on the person.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] Yeah. And is it for you because you like to play and have fun with makeup? Yeah, kind of, or do you feel like you look better with it or both?

[Elinor Mulhern] It’s kind of just because I like it.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] You like having fun with makeup? Yeah. So I remember a couple weeks ago, mom was like, you know, we never let you wear makeup until high school. I don’t even remember you asking me if you could you just did it.

[Elinor Mulhern] Yeah. Because I know you wouldn’t really care. Yeah, just be like, okay, so you have to

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] let me know parents out there. If you let your kiddos wear makeup. She’s not like crazy. Yeah. What was this cough that just will not go. Okay. And then you love to have short hair? Like, yeah, when I was younger, everything was about long hair. Still kind of is long hair in the side part. And now it’s short hair, shorter hair in the middle part.

[Elinor Mulhern] I mean, everyone has short hair. I just think short hair looks better on me. Yeah.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] I need to get a cut again. Um, I remember when you were younger, and you went to the salon and you said you wanted things bangs. And I remember the stylist looking at me like eight times because I think you were like seven or something. Were you Yeah, but she looked at me like are you sure you want her to have bangs? Like, are you really sure you want to do this? And I was like it. That’s what she wants, like hair will grow. And I feel like we’ve always kind of taken that approach with you in general with like, what you wear and what you want. Okay, so if parents are out shopping with their kids, give them some tips for how they can make it a less frustrating experience all around for you and for the parent.

[Elinor Mulhern] Well, I don’t know. It depends on the kid

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] like no, but what’s your what’s your feeling?

[Elinor Mulhern] It’s really overwhelming. There’s like a lot of stuff going on. And I’m like, really indecisive. Sorry, I saw squirrel. And it’s also kind of like, I’m like also kind of like, looking at it and like thinking about like, Could I sell this are like, is this like not appropriate for me to wear like that kind of stuff? Okay. Like whenever I go shopping, I’m always like thinking about you guys. Like what about my parents? What do you think about this? I don’t pick out stuff. Because I’m afraid we don’t care. I know.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] This is the anxiety that kicks in. The other thing too is you hate trying things on at the store so you’d rather get stuff if what I’m what I’m hearing you you’d rather get stuff bring it home kind of see how it fits in with the things that you have in your closet try it on at home and then decide if you like it or not. Yeah. Which post COVID A lot of the dressing rooms are closed anyway because they don’t have enough staff so that has worked in your favor. Yeah. Okay, where are some of your favorite places to shop?

[Elinor Mulhern] I like h&m have it I went to I went into Ragstock with my friends one time. Please as well stuff. Um, um, you like Target

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] in some seasons like you like winter target, yeah, summer target,

[Elinor Mulhern] because someone targets like a bunch of like sun dresses and like blouses and

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] yeah flowy floral things, which is not your style.

[Elinor Mulhern] Yeah, that floral dress you have every time I see it, I cringe, no ale.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] So I’m gonna have to have the same style. I remember one time when you were we were in our rental house in Oregon, and you were probably three, and I came down the stairs and you’re like Oregon? No,

[Elinor Mulhern] I was not three. We moved to Oregon for a year, I was turning five. And you

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] were five. And I came down the stairs and address and you said are you wearing that?

[Elinor Mulhern] You have a dress that makes you look like a hot water bottle.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] wear that dress to a workshop. And I came downstairs and you’re like, you look like a hot water bottle. And I was going to speak live at an event. It’s fine. I like that dress and I will wear to get you meant to speak

[Elinor Mulhern] like that all. I feel I feel okay.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] Okay. Well, I love that you talked about Ragstock, because we always went there in high school as well. So it’s funny to see some of these brands kind of recycle. Yeah. Okay. What would you say? Like how? Because you also go through phases. So like you went through a massive hoodie phase. And now you’re like, anti hoodie. Yeah. And like, what do you think is next? Or it’s just like, I’ll know it when I see it kind of situation. Yeah. Okay, and now that you’re not really growing as much. Are you excited to get some, like nicer pieces of clothes? Or are you just going to get bored with your clothes? And we’re still going to have to buy new clothes every season? Probably? Probably which one? Check on? Okay, so parents of teenage girls are tips for what we should do? Because we are not buying new clothes every single season. Some but not all. Yeah. Okay. And the last thing I want to touch on because we started talking about your shoes. You hate feet. Yeah. And you don’t wear flip flops or sandals? You mean when you go to the beach? So what are summer shoes gonna look like then? Sneakers? Still still high top sneakers? Yeah. So there, there you have it. Anything else you want to share about your style and what it’s like to be a teenager?

[Elinor Mulhern] Um, let’s like to be a teenager.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] And how we as Iris can teenager

Speaker 2 12:40
for almost two years? So, so far? Not been good?

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] Not at all? Not really. Oh, it’s morning before school. So we’re getting ready to go to school, which is never the best part of the day? No. Well, I do ask the same questions of every single podcast guest every single time. So I’m going to ask them to you, you may not have answers for all of them. Okay, but we’ll go with it. Okay. Where do you go? If you are looking for inspiration on style? And I think you already said this? Yeah. But say it again, social media. Do you have particular people you follow? No,

[Elinor Mulhern] I just look it up.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] You just look for what

[Elinor Mulhern] I don’t know what I wrote feeling that day.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] And I think it’s interesting that you say social media because like a lot of there’s a lot of commentary out there about girls specifically seeing images on social media and feeling bad about their bodies or bad about themselves or like them dressing in a more provocative way. I

[Elinor Mulhern] so sh for like a specific kind of style. So it

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] can be so what terms are you using for that style?

[Elinor Mulhern] Well, um, depends on what I want. If it’s like, more like a dark academic kind of thing, then I’ll look for that

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] dark academic. Yeah.

[Elinor Mulhern] You’ve never heard of that before? Oh, it’s dark academic. So my favorite thing in the entire world?

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] Is that like gos? No. Okay, she’s gonna show me out we’ll make sure don’t well, I will post some screenshots in the show notes. Because people are listening to this. They’re not necessarily watching. Okay, so dark academic,

[Elinor Mulhern] or then like other kind of, like, value stuff? Yeah. But that’s like, only if I’m like really like me to like, find something so it’s never like, like, kinda like weird Coachella stuff that I look for. It’s just like, Coachella does have its own fashion style, like baggy and like the dark academic. They’re very, they’re not like, got it. They’re not very, like show ease. Yeah,

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] yep. No, I love that. But I just think it’s good to talk about a different perspective like that. There is other things that are out there. Okay. Would you consider yourself to be an introvert or an extrovert? Yeah. I don’t even have to get the whole sense that she’s definitely an introvert

[Elinor Mulhern] was an extra I think I forced myself to be an extra? Well, I think

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] you’re like you’re much more extroverted when you’re on stage, or when you’re performing. And like you have moments like you like to be around your friends, but yeah, so my friend, but you need to have your own space.

[Elinor Mulhern] Yeah, yeah. I don’t like talking to people.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] Well, and you notice she’s not looking at the camera really at all. She’s being distracted by what’s outside the window. Okay, what is a piece of advice that you’ve gotten from somebody or that you’ve heard? And if you can’t think of anything, so I did not prep you for this. Something somebody has said to you that has like kind of made sense. And you’re like, Yeah, okay. It could be something your mom has said to you. No, it’s

[Elinor Mulhern] not something you said. Definitely. You don’t tell me anything? You don’t I always remember it for you.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] Okay. Nothing comes to mind. I usually ask for advice. Often. You don’t ask for advice. No, because

[Elinor Mulhern] I don’t like to ask him for like, I know. advices. And, like, help out, but like, because I don’t like ask for help. In general. I just kind of figure it out. Well, fair enough.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] Fair enough. Um, oh, I forgot the next question. What is it? No. Do you have a goal for yourself this year, like something you want to achieve? Maybe Driver’s Ed?

[Elinor Mulhern] No. Like this whole year? We’ll just one thing that you

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] want to do, like at some point this year?

[Elinor Mulhern] I’m not have to retake algebra. That’s a good goal. Yeah. It’s not going very

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] well. She has my math skills and or lack of math skills, not

[Elinor Mulhern] just my class crazy. And I hate it. Yeah. And there’s like a lot of assignments that we have to do is very frustrating.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] Okay, and what is a non negotiable? Like, what’s something that is it like you won’t give up? It’s a requirement. It’s part of your life, no matter what

[Elinor Mulhern] music.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern]  Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. Yeah, she listens to music all the time. So we’ll put some of your favorite songs in the show notes. We’ll put the dark academic look in the show notes. You can grab all of that https://easystylewithsami.com/18. Right. Because this is episode 18.

[Elinor Mulhern] Dang it. We should have done episode 17.

[Sami Bedell-Mulhern] Okay, and she’s out, folks. Anyway, thank you so much for listening. Subscribe, wherever you listen so you don’t miss out on a single episode every Thursday. Check us out at teen easy style with Sammy on YouTube to watch the video version and see her swarming all over the place. Thank you so much for doing this with me. I know this isn’t your favorite thing, but I appreciate you stepping in sharing some insights. Hopefully you enjoyed us picking on each other and got some inspiration for how to help your child develop their own personal style. See you in the next one.