From Hot Mama Bakery to Styling Society

Let’s talk Styling Society. What used to be Hot Mama Bakery is now going under a tiny rebranding. Precisely the name and the format of the content of teh service. Definitely lacking on the last part. Don’t get me wrong, Styling Society is actually starting to be interesting for the audience and slowly picking up (men’s edition brings me joy, we love it when men are putting in effort). But my biggest struggle with creating content is my brain.

As much as I love being neurospicy (totally self-diagnosed, btw), the side effects no one is talking about are what sometimes drives me crazy. Because in my head, I already know all about Styling Society Membership chat/subscription, which means YOU KNOW ABOUT IT TOO! At least in my brain, I think so.

Let me explain. By default, I assume that if I mentioned it briefly a few times now, you should now have all the information I possess in my head. Always weird to me that it is NOT in fact true. And that’s on me.

Guilty as charged

With that all being said, I thought this week I would pivot a little from my now what seems to be regular motivation talk, into a more storytelling approach. Perhaps even a little nostalgic one, and with tons of lessons I’ve learned along the way.

The idea of the service came to me 2 years ago while I was writing the last part of my thesis assignment as a soon-to-be fully qualified stylist. It was very vague; I just knew I wanted it to be a community. A safe space for everyone who is trying to improve their lives. Dressing up well was always a big part of my own psychology behind “feeling my best self”, although growing up in the 90s in a Slavic country does not really give you the budget to dress as I wished. Brutal winters did not help my brain to comprehend how Californian kids in the movies dressed in whatever during winter, and not 17 layers of clothing that your parents forced you to wear. Anyway, needless to say, my family had the money most of the time, though we were never rich, so going on a shopping spree was always viewed as a luxury I’d never have. So I had to figure out early on how to compromise between what I wanted to wear and what I could afford.

Believe it or not, I still own only one pair of jeans at the time. Probably childhood trauma, I need to work on with my therapist. But with a lack, my mentality was always thriving towards how to make it work, despite the fact that I have limited resources. Not only financial, but also, we barely had shopping malls yet, and those were extremely expensive places to shop at the very beginning.

I started working at the age of 15. Simply to afford things, my parents wouldn’t just buy me something because I liked it. If it’s not a necessity, you can live without it. I apply similar thinking when it comes to my clients and the never-ending fashion trends nowadays.

But 15-year-old me wanted to look cool. So I spent ages and secondhand piles nipping pieces from the piles of clothing somewhere in the far suburbs of Kyiv. My friends and I were looking so cool going out to dance. And it was already the time I started college/uni, which meant no more disgusting school uniform, and no one to send me home because my skirt was too short (not once was I actually sent home, at least I can’t remember, but definitely heard those empty threats pretty much weekly).

Anyway, the idea for the service, I would assume, was hiding somewhere around that time of my life. Where you desperately wanted to look fucking awesome, having someone to guide you on what is worth buying/wearing, and without spending tons of money, because mostly there was zero to no money. Student years and all that.

Now, as an adult and a stylist in my main occupation, I still don’t own tons of clothes. Because frankly speaking, you indeed don’t need this much. Take it from the person who’s moved 5 countries so far. So here is a fashion tip for you this week. If you wouldn’t pack it into your 22kg check-in luggage, 10kg on-board suitcase, and carry-on backpack to move countries, AND you haven’t worn that thing in the last year, chances are, you not only don’t need this item, you also don’t even like it that much. You weren’t wearing it for a year, for fuck’s sake.

It also took me a year and a half to let go of the old name. And yes, I had multiple strategists and marketing babes telling me to do so, but that time I forgot to cancel my stubborn subscription. But I don’t believe in regret, so that’s all good. I learned tons from this time and experience. Particularly, people thought that I was either a mother or a baker who owned a bakery. And I am neither, so I understand how confusing that was. You live, you learn, right?

So here I am, nearly two years since the idea was vaguely appearing in my imagination, trying to develop the structure for it, testing, and coming all the way through with a new name, strategy, and better understanding of what I need to do and where I am taking this wonderful idea of mine. Happy for you to tag along, if you are new here.

So what is Styling Society? It is an affordable personal stylist at the reach of fingertips.

That simple. Taking what is perceived as a luxury service and turning it into a supportive community of like-minded people who love to feel their best and look like it. And all at an affordable price. And I don’t mean by that hundreds of pounds. I am talking £25 per month. If you are this far, I would assume you are here for a long time, a fun time, not a short time. You are committed to elevating your personal style and ready to take your time. Moving at your comfortable pace. 

So here we are. And even if you wanted to go all in, as they say in poker, and get the most expensive tier, it would still be less than £100. And the perks that come with each tier of this membership are insanely good.

Do bear in mind that those tiers were created from a teenage girl in me who was deciding on what she would want to have in it nowadays, and not a calculated businesswoman who is here to just make money. Don’t get me wrong, it is a business that is not out of teh window. However, I am here, also for a long time, and I want to see all my people of teh society win. I refuse to just submit to one or the other. I say we can have it all.

And yes, it will get overwhelming at times, and yes, there will be weeks where you don’t have time, or don’t feel like participating, but that’s why it is billed to give you as much as you are willing to receive. Nonetheless, always have a community to run to and get back on track. I did mention a few weeks back that only you are in charge of what course your life will take. I am just here to provide valuable materials and my full support. The choice is yours.

Meanwhile, a little me is very proud of this project/service/idea, whatever you feel like calling it. I hope to see you soon as a member.

And if you ever have a question/suggestion/etc. – just call.

Now onto the honourable mentions this week:

Statement Piece Style Guide is ready for you to download, and it is completely FREE.

To get started with personal style on a little more advanced level, I’ve prepared for you a little something: Ultimate Style Guide, worth £79, is now on flash sale for £2.99.

Make sure you are following the Styling Society on Instagram or TikTok.

Your support means everything.

Never forget who the fuck you are, bestie x

Okay, that’s all.

Love you, bye xo

Your neurospicy fashion stylist,

Aya x