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When it comes to working with new clients, celebrity stylist Molly Dickson says it's all about that first impression. "I feel like the initial meeting with a client is more about personalities and how well your energies mesh," Dickson says. She has amassed an A-list roster of clients, including Lana Del Rey, Keke Palmer, and Lexi Minetree, the star of the Legally Blonde prequel Elle.
For the latest episode of The Who What Wear Podcast, Dickson shares what she looks for when working with new clients, how she started working with Minetree, her go-to travel pieces, and more.
To read excerpts from the conversation, scroll below.
One thing I really wanted to cover today is your work with Lexi Minetree because she is playing young Elle Woods in the new Legally Blonde prequel, Elle. How did you and Lexi get connected, and why do you think that you work so well with these rising stars who are such powerhouses?
She, I think, took meetings with a few stylists. I had a Zoom meeting with her probably like three months ago. I feel like the initial meeting with a client is more about personalities and how well your energies mesh. At this point in my career now, my one big thing is I only want to work with nice people, and Lexi is literally the biggest sweetheart. Our Zoom was an hour and a half, which is really, really long for an initial interview. We were talking about boys, and it was just… It was like two girlfriends catching up. I think we literally talked about fashion for maybe five to 10 minutes.
We are seeing them at their most vulnerable. They're coming to my office, and they're literally stripping down naked, and we're dressing them. There's nothing more vulnerable or intimate than that, so a huge part of my job is making them feel comfortable, and also, every female has their own insecurities. Then you have a conversation like, "Okay, do you not want to show your legs? Do you not want to wear short skirts?" It's just finding the things that will make them feel their best because that's going to translate to the red carpet. When they're feeling hot and confident, those photos on Getty and the red carpet are going to be way better.
You wrote a story for us about the eight wardrobe basics you and your clients spend your own money on, and the recommendations are fantastic. Inspired by that, I would love to do a little bit of a travel rapid-fire. Favorite sneakers if you're going to be on your feet all day, running around airports, traveling, sightseeing, etc.?
I have two. Salomon sneakers, I love. They're my everyday go-to shoes. If I know it's going to be a really, really, really long set day or I'm working out, it's going to be Hokas.
Best cozy socks for airplanes?
Barefoot Dreams, their socks and their bathrobes. I would literally show up to a fitting in a Barefoot Dreams bathrobe. They are the coziest things.
Best seamless underwear, because no one wants to have itchy underwear?
Commando.
What's your travel uniform these days? What are you wearing right now when you travel?
I'm only wearing sweatpants. I flew in last night to L.A. I wore my dad's sweatshirt, my ex-boyfriend's T-shirt, sweatpants, and my Hokas, and I looked like a hot mess. But you know what? I was very comfortable.
Do you have favorite sweats?
I like the Skims ones, and I like the ones that have pockets. I need pockets in my sweatpants.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.