Haute Talk with ReeseCycled | Turning Your Closet Into Something New

This week on The Lexy Show, Lexy sits down with Kelsey Reese, the designer and creative force behind ReeseCycled. What began as a pandemic closet cleanout grew into a fashion brand built around thrift flips, secondhand materials, one-of-one designs, and a willingness to create before consuming.

Kelsey shares how she taught herself to sew, turned vintage reselling into a business, and developed a design process that can begin with anything from a finished garment to an old blanket or a pile of neckties. She and Lexy talk about the patience behind made-to-order clothing, why a custom piece can create a stronger connection between the wearer and the garment, and how slowing down can make shopping feel more intentional. Kelsey also speaks honestly about the challenges of building a size-inclusive upcycled brand when every piece of thrifted material comes with limits. The conversation gets into common myths about secondhand clothing, the pressure on independent designers to do everything perfectly, and simple ways to rethink what you already own before buying something new.

Whether you love thrift stores, want to learn how to upcycle your clothes, or are simply trying to shop with more intention, this episode is a reminder that creativity often starts with using what is already in front of you.

Socials

Instagram: @reese.cycled
TikTok: @reese.cycled
YouTube: ReeseCycled

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe to The Lexy Show, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who's ready to make more mindful choices for themselves and the planet. For more information visit https://lexysilverstein.com/

Transcript

LEX-Reese Cylced

[00:00:00] Welcome to the.

Welcome to the Lexi Show Fashion. That gives a damn. This week I'm joined by the owner and designer behind Reese Cycled. Please join me in extending a warm welcome to Kelsey Reese.

 So a lot of people don't end up doing what they dreamed of as kids, unfortunately, but you did but just not like in the way that you originally expected.

So what made you shift gears back into fashion? It's really funny because it's something that I didn't realize until I was already doing it. I had this moment of realization that. Oh, hey, this is actually the thing that I dreamed of doing when I was in literally fourth grade. Because it wasn't something I aspired to throughout adolescence.

It was that first career dream. I'm nine years old, we have to write a little personal essay in my fourth grade English class about what we wanna be when we grow up. And I was obsessed with Project Runway, so obviously it was gonna be a fashion designer. And then I just developed so many more [00:01:00] interests after that.

I was actually really into math and science. I was also very into theater. I've always loved exploring so many different things. I think that fashion is something that I fell into because I got into sewing as a hobby during the pandemic, and it was just so clear to me once I really started investing time into it that this was what I needed to be doing.

I love that. I love when honestly, things just come to us. I always say, no matter if a situation's good or bad, or whatever, is that it has to have happened for a reason. Yes. It was so serendipitous. Yeah, exactly. And I love that. So what kind of made you realize, 'cause I feel like a lot of us, we have these hobbies that we do and I personally I work in the corporate world.

I work for a fashion company, but I work like a nine to five. And like I have all these side hobbies and I think that this is something that a lot of people, also experience on a day-to-day. So what, how did you turn this hobby into a [00:02:00] business? So the entire business just started out as literally a closet clean out on Instagram.

I think it was May of 2020. My hours had been cut back at my job. I was working as a paralegal. At a law firm, and my hours had been cut to the point where I didn't quite qualify for that unemployment benefit during the pandemic, but I was not making as much money as I was making previously. So I was very stressed out.

I was like, I need to find a way to have some additional income. I had lost a couple weeks worth of work and I went through my closet and I just said, I don't need these going out clothes right now. I hadn't gone through my wardrobe since I'd graduated from college, so I just started an Instagram page to sell out or to sell through some clothing that I've been sitting on for years.

And all of those pieces sold out within a day. [00:03:00] And then I saw, I had seen people doing like thrift style bundles, vintage bundles, et cetera, and I've always thought that would be something that I'd be good at that would be really fun to do. So then I dipped my toes into the vintage reselling world.

And it just, I was so lucky that the social media really connected with people and caught onto people. I tried to devote a lot of time and energy into Instagram and growing my page, so I, I just got very lucky that the strategies that I knew nothing about, by the way, going into caught on and worked, and I was just able to slowly grow it over that year.

I think that, the amount of like social media's so crazy. Like it's it's truly insane 'cause it's. It's one post can like literally change your life or like years and years of hard work and it really depends. No, I do, [00:04:00] I tell people all the time because sometimes people will ask me, they wanna get into social media content creation and they'll ask me about strategy and I really had very little other than posting consistently, which I do agree is a great strategy to try to grow any kind of social media page.

It's luck. Half of it is just luck and you have to hope that the algorithm favors you and just keep posting. Yeah. And that's what I did. And it worked out exactly. I saw this thing and it like, I was like, damn that not even in a necessarily trying to. To grow my following kind of way.

But like it, I saw a TikTok and it was like, before you consume, you should create. And I was like, oh that's so true. 'cause I spend so much time like doom scrolling on TikTok or Instagram reels or whatever. And I'm just like sitting there and I'm just like consuming all of this content. And so it was basically like a challenge that was like every single time [00:05:00] you go to like scroll on TikTok, post something first.

And then that like really also was, I was like, holy shit. Like I just posted 10 times and one day I spent a lot of hours doom scrolling on TikTok. And not only did it like literally awaken like my, like something in me where I was like, I need to not be scrolling this much. But I think it was also like.

Really helpful where it was before I consumed content, I created something and then I gave myself the permission to then doom scroll. And so I think that, that's something that when people, like when we, when I get in a conversation about social media, I'll always be like, that's something that I think like really helped me a thousand percent in yeah, growing it.

But just in first of all, seeing how much time I spend on TikTok and second of all being like, the more, I don't know, I think a lot of people are getting really crafty in last year and then into this year. And as we're making [00:06:00] resolutions and like looking at how we want this year to go, like a lot of, I dunno, I see so many people online.

Maybe this is just my for you page because like I'm trying to be more crafty of a person. But it's, I feel like we're getting a lot more crafty. And so I think that's something that is like helping me become more crafty, I guess is like. Posting or doing something before I do. Yes. And I think that's applicable to so many different things.

I, that obviously resonates with my business so well before you consume, create. Yeah. Yeah. I like that. Yeah. So what's your design process like from sourcing thrifted materials to a finished piece? It really depends on the piece. So I have two different branches of what I would consider my designs or creations.

One would be the thrift flips, the upcycled pieces where I take a fully finished garment and then alter it in some way to become [00:07:00] a different garment. And then sometimes I'll work with typically an unconventional material like my blanket pieces or my tie pieces. Those I. Tend to have the idea for the design before I have the material.

So I will specifically seek out the material for the design. As far as thrift flips go, I have to go through the thrift store, literally look through every single garment there. Do not go thrifting with me. We will be in there for hours taking, so we should go thrifting together because of fame. Because so many of my friends are like, let's go thrifting.

And I'm like, I promise babe, you do not wanna play. You don't wanna go with me. If you wanna be in and out within the hour, you do not wanna go with me. Yeah, agreed. Because I will literally be taking, I'll get a cart full of things and then I'll go to a mirror and I'm just holding things up, taking up the hymn in front of the mirror, [00:08:00] looking at the stitching, trying to figure out.

I, if I have a little bit of an idea for it, I'll put it in the cart and then I have to narrow that down because I can't, I would love to be able to just do through flips all the time, every day, but that's not realistic. So I try to do about one a week and then I just pick the one that I think will have the best results.

That's awesome. One a week is crazy. That's so many, that's so great. I am not good enough at sewing, so sewing something for me that's like maybe I could do like one a month. That is the goal for this year is about one a week. Obviously I've given, my goal is 50 that I film all the way through this year and share on social media.

It is a lot. And sometimes I'm like, I just don't have any ideas or I'm not feeling it. So I've given myself grace. To just do 50 instead of literally doing one a week. Because sometimes I have weeks where I'm just on a roll and I'm like, I am going to [00:09:00] crank these out. I feel so creative. And then sometimes I have weeks where I just need to turn myself into a little robot and make a bunch of tie tops that are exactly the same and throw those on the website because I really have to take those creative impulses when they come.

It's very hard for me to create a set, this time of day or this day of the week is when I'm going to be creative. That's just not how my brain works, unfortunately. I wish it could. I think that's so that's so important. 'cause it's like that's what the creative process is like.

That'll be like me when I like get a random. Or a lot of people when we get a random like spark of inspiration at three in the morning and we're like, I'm literally gonna wake up the next day and change life. And then I wake up the next day and I'm like, I don't really wanna get outta bed. Oh, I can't tell you how many times that happens to me.

I'm about to fall asleep and then I can't sleep because I'm so excited thinking about this idea. And then I wake up and I'm like, woo, I can't do it. I can't do it. I can't even get outta [00:10:00] bed today. And I think that's, that's honestly, I think it's that's really a part of being a creative and I think that it's so interesting 'cause that's a conversation I'll have a lot or I feel like a question I ask people often where it's like, what do you do to get into the creative process?

And everyone's different. And I feel like when you're like a creative, it just it honestly just comes to you and it's whatever works best. So I'm like, I always have a hard time I feel like explaining I literally just. Woke up at three in the morning, couldn't go to bed.

Yes. Decided to do this thing. I don't know why I have I think my favorite example of this was I had these like absolutely deteriorating like cowboy boots. Like they were literally falling apart. And I, it was like a trend at the time. It still is a trend, but to make these cake boxes and they look like vintage cakes, but they're like boxes and you can like store stuff in them or whatever.

And I was like, you know what, I'm gonna do that boat with cowboy boots and you just take like [00:11:00] spackle and you like paint it and like whatever. And I did it and they're really cute and they're sitting in my apartment. And the other day I like woke up in like a cold sweat and I realized that I was like about to donate.

Another pair of cowboy boots to a goodwill or whatever, because I didn't wear them anymore. And I was like, wait, why would I do that when I can just turn them into cowboy or like into a cake and whatever. And so I like literally woke up and started doing it and I was like, I don't know why I needed to do it in that moment, but I did.

And it was literally like three in the morning. And I'm like, sometimes these things just happen and no, you, you have to take it when it comes. Yeah, exactly. It's so funny. But, so when someone lands on the Reese Cycled shop, they'll see both upcycled items and items from your closet to buy. So what made you think of this format?

It's really just paying respects to the roots of recycled. I [00:12:00] think when I first started, when I first started the recycled page, I think I called it. My primary or personal Instagram account is smelly Kelsey. And so I think I call it like smell's closet or something, and it was just a closet clean out.

And that is what people started following me for, was just, resold pieces from my closet or pieces tailored to my style. And so that's something that I've always just kept part of the business at this point. It really is just a closet clean out. I'm not going out and intentionally buying pieces to resell anymore because I do, I just find so much more joy in creating and selling pieces that I make.

But quite frankly, at this point, it is just easier than uploading them to Depop or Poshmark when I'm already paying for a website. Yeah. And I think it, it's fine too. It gives people a glimpse into. My personal style and pieces that [00:13:00] I'm actually wearing there, there are a lot of pieces that I make that I love to make and I absolutely will wear them, but there's are certain styles that I make that are so my style as a designer, but less my style as far as my personal wardrobe would go.

And that's what makes it easy for me to sell them, because if I make things too tailored to my taste, I will keep literally everything. So yeah it's partially a convenience pack factor. Partially that's just how my page started and it's always been part of recycled. Even once I started making things, I've still always just used it as a platform to go through my closet and I don't like to have a lot of stuff.

I clean out my closet fairly frequently. Also, because I have to go thrifting so often for my job, I definitely end up buying way too much stuff at the thrift store than I could ever possibly wear. So it's a good way to keep my closet as manageable as possible. [00:14:00] I think that though it's, I always say this.

And then I always say that. I always say this, but sustainability is such an umbrella term and there are a lot of like different things that I think you can qualify as sustainable in the fashion industry. And I think that help, like honestly, it. Helps people when I talk to them about like random things I do that are sustainable without necessarily being like you could be more sustainable by doing this.

If someone compliments an outfit of mine or something, I'll be like, thanks, it's thrifted. And here's the tag. Or thinks it's from this small business called blah, blah, blah and you can, I'll send it to you on Instagram or whatever. And I think that it like shows people like that you don't, necessarily have to buy from this sustainable brand or you don't have to, throw out all your old.

Products to get new sustainable ones. Oh gosh, yeah, that kills me. I know. [00:15:00] I'm like, no, please keep everything actually to the opposite. But I think like showing that even just like selling things from your closet, keeping them in rotation. There's still good. I'm like, I had this conversation the other day with this person who was cutting my hair and I was talking about that I work in sustainable fashion and they had such misconception about it. And they were like, you're like, aren't your clothes like dirty and whatever? And I was like, oh no. Like also, like I, I own a washer and a dry. No. People ask me all the time, they're like how do you clean the things that you thrift? I detergent and a washing machine?

I don't know what, what do you mean? Actually, what do you mean I'm so confused? If it's really gross, sometimes I'll do like a vinegar soak and then wash it, but it's really it gets it clean. I don't, I've never had an issue. I've never had an issue. And they were just like, they were like, [00:16:00] aren't you gonna get diseases from it?

And I was like, no. Like I've literally been wearing like secondhand clothes, a majority of my life. And I'm clean so far. So I was like I don't think that's something I even necessarily think about. Yeah, there are so many grosser things in the world to me than a wash secondhand garment, like taking public transportation.

I'm so much more aware of the germs and stuff on there than I am on a thrifted piece of clothing that I have washed. Yeah. Literally. And so I was just like, I don't know. I think changing it, that misconception and showing that like when you go thrifting or b buy from someone else or borrow from a friend or rent or whatever, like all of those options are sustainable and they're cool and you're wearing cool stuff and it's not, disgusting.

I just was so shocked by this conversation. 'cause I was like, this is literally [00:17:00] like everything that I try to get people to not believe. And I'm like, I'll always get people commenting or asking me questions or whatever. But I was like, this is literally like a, you are like the direct opposite of what I am trying to get across.

And we ended the conversation and I was like do you have any like different thoughts about it now? And he was like, no. And I was like, okay, you tried. As long as we have the conversation, like maybe it'll be in the back of his mind for the rest of his life. What's also crazy is I work one day a week now.

I used to be like a part-time manager at anthropology and I still work there one day a week. People return worn clothes all the time. There's no guarantee that just because you're buying something new retail, that it has not been worn by somebody because we do have a pretty lenient return policy and obviously you can't [00:18:00] really prove that things have been worn.

Yeah. But there, there are times where I'm like, okay, you, I can tell by, the wrinkles in these pants that you have definitely worn these out and have been sitting in them for hours because they're like little wrinkles around the crotch area or. So there you're not necessarily scot-free shopping, new retail if you want fresh, newborn clothes.

Yeah. They're not gonna be necessarily pure. That's always a point that I'll bring up. 'cause I am from the east coast and there's this chain called South Man under there that I used to work for in high school. And I was like, we people would try on clothes all the time. And I'm like, yeah, they're not like necessarily going out and like partying in them and sweating or whatever, but like they would definitely try them on and we wouldn't wash them in between people.

No. Putting them on. So I was like, like not everything you get in a regular store is gonna [00:19:00] be clean either. I think it's just like getting rid of this misconception and just as use just wash it like it's so funny. It's so funny. But something you also do is you make, you have a couple of made to order items.

So what benefits are there to like offering made to order? So I do made to order for the most part in pieces that I feel 1000% comfortable in recreating in almost any size. And, I've made 20 to 30 of these pieces before I know that I'm not going to mess it up. I'm going to be able to make it tailored to somebody's measurements.

And I think that's a good option for if somebody can't find their size or maybe, I've made a piece that is in their size, but it's not in the colorway that they like. It's an opportunity for people to be able to choose their, their color or their design that they want and [00:20:00] then I can tailor it to their measurements.

I do, I pretty much only offer these in my Thai pieces because. They're some of the only things that I can expand to that size range comfortably and be able to do custom in that way. But I do, I try to keep that, I'm actually gonna restock that fairly soon. I just think it, it's a nice option for people to have to be able to pick their design, pick their color, and have something that is truly custom made for them.

I also think that's a great experience for the customer to be able to receive something that, maybe they've seen the bones of, and then they get to receive a fully fleshed out garment. Yeah it's a good way for me to try to cater to different sizes for customers because when I'm, I love, I prefer making ready-made items.

I think that I can be more organized and function better as a business owner with that. [00:21:00] But when I do feel very comfortable recreating a design, I like to have that option for people. Yeah. I think, and that's another avenue of the, this is more sustainable, where it's like, when it's made to order, it's made to you, it's made to your measurements.

And I think that when you have that being the case, like you're less likely to ever get rid of it. And so I think that whatever we can do to extend the life of a garment is so important. And having something like, I don't know, even same thing with like really investing in a piece rather than just like buying that, $8 t-shirt off of sheen or whatever.

Like really saving up money and being like, I want this piece, and thinking it through and you saving months for something totally. Is gonna make you way more, encouraged to wear it multiple times to never get rid of it, to, if you do get rid of it, pass it to [00:22:00] someone else. Like I, I don't know.

I think that made to order is something also I just wish more companies, mainstream companies, I guess would do, where it's I get that they wouldn't get as much profit all the time because obviously it takes more time to make a customized, made to order piece. But I think like when you're producing so much stuff from a lot of these fast fashion sites, like having it made to order again, just really lessens the need to produce so much and makes you keep something for longer. So I, I always think made to order is so cool. Yeah. I respect the customers who go that avenue too, because you're really practicing a sense of self restraint by ordering something made to order instead of ordering something that's already been made.

Because you have, you don't get that instant gratification Yeah. Like ordering something on Amazon and it's at your doorstep in two days. Yeah. Versus, it takes up to a month for me to be able to catch [00:23:00] up on major orders. I always, I try to get them out as soon as I possibly can 'cause I hate procrastinating, that kind of stuff.

But it, it does require a little bit of patience on the customer's part and I think that's very cool that people can want a piece enough to be able to wait for it because there is just so much want for instant gratification. Yeah. Right now. And I think that's honestly like a good. Practice that all of us should do?

Is finding out ways that we can slow down. Buy that thing that's gonna take longer to get to your house or whatever. Or not buy anything at all, but, or just just take slow down. I think that we want everything so fast, and I think that it's so interesting how convenient we've made things become.

And like where everything is, what's the convenience factor? And it's why do things always have to be so convenient? And I think that we're very, comfortable in this [00:24:00] convenience thing, life that we're living right now. And literally like a life lesson that I feel like is told in movies and whatever is sometimes it's good to be uncomfortable, or to go outta your comfort zone. Oh yeah. And it's we're, if we're not doing that quite as much and we're making things more convenient so that we can be more comfortable. And it's guys, like sometimes in order to grow you have to, get comfortable doing something that you're uncomfortable with.

And so I think a practice that I feel like I'm trying to do is like when I realize I need something, like instead of, pulling up the Amazon app and being like, this can come to my door tomorrow is like looking up where I can get it in my area. Yes. And then it's okay, low key, that's even more convenient 'cause I can get it that same day.

I don't even have to wait till next day. I just have to get in my car and drive and whatever. So I have to [00:25:00] do that gets to be outta the house. Yes. I much prefer, if I do need something in a short period of time, trying to find it locally. Yeah. Even if it's at Walmart.

Like it, I just prefer that. Yeah. And I'm not a perfect person. I do you wanna make that very clear with me? Neither too, not the slightest. Oh my God. I still have Amazon Prime. I still, I use Amazon. It is a necessary evil sometimes Yeah. For me. But I do, I am very conscious of when I use it and if I can avoid using it and find the typically very niche thing Yeah.

That I need, that I would somehow only be able to find on Amazon if I can find something similar to it or if I can make something similar to it, that's always gonna be the route that I choose. Yeah. But I'm also, it's about being conscious. Of when you have the power to not use these convenient, instant gratification things like Amazon Prime not cutting it out [00:26:00] completely.

It is it's a luxury to have in the modern world, but it's not something that we need to rely on for a pair of socks. If I need a pair of like white crew socks, I can go find those. Yeah. No, completely though. And I think that's not, we're not doing that. A lot of people aren't doing, it's like we're thinking of this Amazon as there is like this really random thing that I very specifically need, or Yes, maybe there is something that I need somewhat instantly and I genuinely like, don't know where to get it.

Like sometimes these things happen. I'll even say that when if I'm on. If I'm out and about and I, forgot my water bottle and I need a plastic water bottle, like that sucks. But I'm gonna do it like I need water. Exactly. It's girl, not about what's the girl to Doism.

And I, I also tell people I'm not, I don't even consider myself a sustainability creator. I consider myself like a DIY crafty, [00:27:00] thrifty fashion creator who is trying to do it as sustainably as possible. Yeah. And it's really not that hard because there's so much fabric in the world. Yeah. Oh my gosh.

But that's something else that I think there's. A friend of mine, Leah, her Instagram handles Green girl, Leah, and she started another Instagram account that, I can't think of what it is, but it's like, all about crafts and stuff. And it started because she was doing this series online and I really loved it.

Where like she was seeing something and then she was like, okay, I could buy this or I could do it myself. And I was like, that I think is another thing that we should, start practicing more where it's instead of going on Amazon and buying that one thing, like how can we do this ourself?

And I and getting crafty and again getting rid of that like convenience factor where it's okay, it might take a little bit more time 'cause I'm figuring it out on my own, [00:28:00] but. My, oh my God, I, the other day I got this insane lampshade at the antique mall. It's so cool. And it looks like it's like a busier that they turned into a lampshade and then she Oh, obsessed.

A boa at the bottom. So it's it's the coolest thing ever. And it technically is not even a lampshade, it was like an actual lamp that you can hang up and it had like already a light bulb and like a. Plug for the light bulb or whatever. And I was like, okay, I could hang this up, but I have a really ugly lampshade and I really wanna turn this into a lampshade.

And so I took the old lampshade that I had, and there's like this thing in the middle of it, to stabilize it so that when you put it on, I don't know, whatever, it stays in one place. And I was like, okay, I could probably go on Amazon and I could probably buy that, but I want this done right now.

And so I took to my lampshade and I just pulled out the part of the lampshade [00:29:00] that I needed and I stuck it into my busier whatever lamp, and I turned it into a lamp shade. And I was like, you know what? Like this is exactly what I'm talking about, people that works. No, that's being creative, like that works.

Like I was like, I'm either really gonna regret this or this is about to eat and it, and I was like. I was really happy with how it turned out and I was like, you know what, like I could've, waited the day to probably get something from Amazon, but I'm just gonna do what with what I have now with my resources here and make it myself.

And I did. And I think that is something we should all practice more is just like getting crafty. And sometimes the things we think are convenient can actually be done even more conveniently if we just slow down and take a second to Yeah, just think, just, yeah, just use that. No, again.

Exactly. We have it up here for a reason. What challenges have [00:30:00] you faced? I think that this is something that we're talking a lot more about sustainability in the fashion industry and while. Not necessarily your main, point is sustainability, but it's something that you do, focus on.

So what challenges have you faced growing a sustainable fashion brand and maybe how did you overcome them? One of the biggest ones is trying to have even somewhat of a size inclusive brand. One, because in order for my business to thrive, content creation has to be a part of it.

And when I am making content and advertising things, I'm going to tailor those samples to my size. And I'm like around a size too. So that's always going to be my base sample size because that's how I need to know if it's gonna fit and if it's gonna work. And I'm my own fit model. So if I'm making a one of one piece.

A lot [00:31:00] of the times it's going to be my size and I'm working with limited materials. And it's something that I really had to let go of the guilt of in this past year and why I leaned more into the content creation side of things, because I can't push myself creatively if I'm trying to constantly regurgitate and make multiple sizes of the same garment.

It's also quite literally not possible because the largest piece of material I could work with is like a king size bedsheet because I thrift everything. And quite frankly, working with bedsheets sucks and I hate it. And they're, they don't make great clothes in my opinion. I like, I like thicker materials.

I like materials that have structure, some structural integrity to them. So that is a huge struggle because I want to have the perfect business obviously, but. If I'm working with a blanket that is only 50 [00:32:00] inches wide and it has a trim on it that I can't use in the design, and so that reduces it to 44 inches of usable fabric.

I can't expand that into a garment that the bust to, or the pit to pit measurement would be 50 inches on because there's literally not enough material. So that has been my biggest struggle is because I work with such a finite amount of material. But it's something that I just I chose to pivot and lean into to documenting more and trying to monetize that way and not rely so much on selling pieces.

And then I get to keep some of them too. There are things that I've made that I, through creator funds and et cetera, I was able to make more income from that piece than I would if I just made it and sold it. To begin with. So I've tried to find the bright side in that and not be so hard on myself, but that I think is the biggest struggle with trying to be sustainable [00:33:00] because there's no actual limit of resources.

It's just of specific materials at a time. Yeah. I think, and that's definitely something that like I've heard feedback on, and same just, discourse about on social media where it's unfortunately a lot of sustainable companies aren't that size inclusive. And I think that's where it's again, like how we think about necessarily sustainability is like, if a company has your size and unfortunately sustainable companies don't, then.

I feel like that's a justified purchase from an, a company that Oh, 1000%. Yeah. I've never I'm not on a high horse when it comes to people buying new things. If it is clothing that they're going to wear and Yeah. Have a sustainable mindset with, yes it's more that oh, [00:34:00] impulse buying something because it's your cousin's birthday and you want a new outfit to go out in and you're literally only going to wear it one time and then turn around and donate it to Goodwill.

And that is, that's the mindset that I have more issue grasping, not people making conscious choices to buy things new. I still buy things. I buy jeans almost exclusively new because I hate jean shopping. And there are like three denim brands that I really love and I will save up and I will buy those jeans new because I know that I'm going to wear them so often.

Yeah, no, completely. That's where I'll always lead the conversation with where I'm just like, you know what, if that's what's out there, then that's totally fine. But exactly what you said where it's just again, being sustainable isn't necessarily buying from that sustainable brand or whatever.

It's just like how we go about these purchases and if we're going about a purchase, I'm, I for the holidays, [00:35:00] like strictly asked for like sustainable thrifted, whatever things except for this one, one pair of boots that I was like, they're from Jeffrey Campbell and they're. I love Jeffrey Campbell.

Yeah. It's so justified. Yeah. I'm like, Jeffrey Campbell is not sustainable, but these, I, first of all, I am a Boots girl. I wear boots every single day. Me too, girl. Me too. And I was like, and this is something that I literally I had a list of things that I'm like, I think it's called like my save up for list, like on my notes app.

And it's just like I'll see something and I'll put it on that list and when I come back to it, if I still like it or whatever, then I'll keep it on the list. And if I don't, then I'll delete it. And this is something that's literally been on my list for the entire year. And so I was like, that's something that I'm like, I have been thinking about this for an entire year.

[00:36:00] They're an expensive pair of shoes, but they're a shoe that I'm going to wear literally all the time. And I'm like. That's where I'm like, okay. See, it's not maybe the most sustainable company, so worth it. So worth it though. Yeah, but I'm, but it's a, it's a sustainable purchase because it's, what boots were they, I like, I have to know, my God.

They're so sexy and so hot. They're like used they're like cow hide boots. Already speaking my language. Yeah, they're so hot. Cow boots. Let me find them. Okay. They look and so like, all of the cow hide is different, I believe because I don't know. It's not the same as this picture, but, oh, they look like that.

Oh, I love, I'm so into a cow print right now, like cow print and tiger print are, I need like a pair of tiger print boots yesterday, but they look like different. So Cool. They all look different. And so mine are like more brown with a little less spots [00:37:00] of the white. And I felt I was like, I actually really like that because I was like, I constantly wear like a classic brown boot, but this is like an elevated Yes.

Like brown boot. Oh, I'd be wearing those into the ground. Absolutely right. I was like, I, these are going to be dead by the time I'm done with them. But yeah, I think it's just how we go about these purchases and and I think that's, a really good point to bring up because I think that is something that gets talked about a lot in the sustainable fashion industry is like, it's not very size inclusive.

And so while I think that should be a goal and something that we definitely strive to. Make more accessible. It, I'm also not gonna sit here and be like, you're a horrible person for shopping from a company that gives you clothes that you can fit into. No. And I'm like, I, when I can offer something, I always try to, but it is, I'm literally just one person.

I'm the only employee [00:38:00] that I have. I am like thinking about trying to hire an assistant this year. Preferably somebody who can sew. So when I do, multiple designs of the same thing can expand that out. But I'm wearing so many different hats and this isn't like making excuses for not being size inclusive.

No. Because I think, if I had the capacity 1000%, I would, I just it's just very hard. That is the thing that plagues me. As a business owner, like the number one thing that I criticize myself on, and when other people are like, why don't you have more expansive sizes? I'm like, girl, I wish I did too.

Yeah. But I think this is, a great conversation. 'cause I think that, if we have any entrepreneurs that are listening, wanting to start a business, like these are real struggles that go into creating a business. And so I think that, it's important and I think that you're [00:39:00] also definitely not the only person out there who probably is like also wanting to expand their sizes and feeling guilty about it, if that makes you Oh, my, my best friend also runs her own sustainable.

Brand. Her name is Claire. She runs Clark Fart and we shut up. I love her clothes. Yes. Yes. So that's, she's literally like my neighbor, one of my best friends. We did, we became friends through our jobs, but she's so awesome and we lament about that all the time because it's just not within our bandwidth right now as each being a solo entrepreneur and trying to do our best day to day.

But and I've al I'm always on the lookout too, if anybody's listening to this and, somebody who is, if they specialize in, upcycled plus-sized garments, like I want to be able to like, shout those businesses out too. Or if you follow a creator and [00:40:00] they're like a plus size thrift flipper.

I think there's one creator who I follow, and of course I'm blanking on her name right now, who's a plus size thrift flipper, and she's very talented, but she also only posts like a couple times a year. I want to follow more creators like that yeah. I think this is also good 'cause if anyone's listening and knows how to sew and wants to be Kelsey's assistant yes, please.

We get you an, a fricking intern from this podcast. Yeah. Anyways, I think this has been a great conversation. I always like to end the podcast on. What are your top tips for someone who is trying to be more sustainable? Oh, gosh. I wear what's in your closet. Wear what you have work with what you have.

When I first got into thrift flipping and learning how to sew, I didn't go out and buy fabric to work with. I took pieces in my closet that I didn't like and practiced sewing on those, the pieces that were going to get donated. Anyway, [00:41:00] and just like you were talking about with your Boost Day lamp, be resourceful.

Just think before you have an impulse purchase. Try if there's a brand that you like, like I was talking about, the denim brands that I like, that I buy new. Sometimes I, with jeans, I do like to try them on in person, but if there's a specific style that I know that I like, check on Poshmark before, like if I'm trying it on in the store, I will literally look up that exact same style on Poshmark before I buy it.

New. Just one. A lot of times you can get it cheaper. Two it's more sustainable if somebody bought it and it didn't work out for them. And then it can be your treasure. So those are the things that I live by the most. And what you said earlier, create before you consume. Yeah. Those are great tips. I always suggest screenshotting what you're interested in reverse image.

Searching it. It does wonders. [00:42:00] Yes. Oh my gosh. The things that you can find on Merc too. Yeah. People really sleep on some of the smaller resale apps like Thread Up or Merc, like there are treasures there that we haven't even. We haven't even discovered yet. We haven't even touched it. Yeah. I think that'll be a conversation I always have with people when they're like talking about Depop and stuff and I'm like, Depop is great.

I shop in it all the time, but I cook on eBay and people are like, really? 'cause like I find it so hard and I'm like, no, like no vintage. What do you know about eBay in the search engine and your life will be changed? What do you know about eBay? What do you know about Thread Up? Yeah, it's, there are so many just, you just have to be willing to, just like how you dig in a thrift store, you have to have the patience, but you have to be able to really lock in and just scroll for a little bit.

You will find something good. Yeah. And I think that's, again, back to circling back to our earlier conversation where it's [00:43:00] like sometimes it's worth it to slow down and just wait. There have been, I was just looking online, literally just now, right before this podcast. And there was this jacket that I saw and someone like had gotten it, I think she was saying from h and m.

And I, my search engine knows me so well now, because when I look up things on like my Google or Safari or whatever it'll immediately show me like Poshmark, Depop, whatever, before it shows me anything else. And it was like the exact thing I was looking for on secondhand apps. And I was like, oh my God, like this is so great.

Like sometimes it's worth it to just like chill and wait a second, and then get it for cheaper later on secondhand, and it's more sustainable. And you just you learned a little bit of patience in the process, without a doubt. Yeah. Thank you so much. Where can people find you on social media?

Oh my gosh. Thank you for having me. I am at Reese, like the candy, R-E-E-S-E, cycled. [00:44:00] At, on Instagram and TikTok primarily. I'm trying to expand into YouTube, but for some reason my brain just doesn't wanna go there with long form videos. So we'll see if that happens here in 2026.

Welcome to the Lexi Show Fashion. That gives a damn. This week I'm joined by the owner and designer behind Reese Cycled. Please join me in extending a warm welcome to Kelsey Reese.

How are you doing? While you're at it, you can follow me on my socials, my Instagram, TikTok, and YouTuber. All my name at Lexi Silverstein.

That's LEXY, silver like the color, S-T-E-I-N. And remember to live a life and look fucking good doing it.