Meet Sarah Daxton and Taylor Couch: Sustainable Stylists

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sarah Daxton and Taylor Couch of Style for Good and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sarah and Taylor, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
Taylor:

I have always felt very welcome in the world of fashion. A motto in my family, generated by my Grandma Marge, was “When you feel bad, look your best.” This clearly communicated to me at an early age the power of wearing clothes that project how you want to be in the world. As I grew up, I used this power to change my life without realizing what a skill it was.

Wearing clothes that both looked great and made me feel good has become a significant coping skill for my lifelong depression. I have been a size 00 to a size 20 and, all along, I felt empowered to find clothes that fit me and who I wanted to be.

It wasn’t until college that I fully understood that many people did not have this sense, that clothes were meant to fit them, and not the other way around. I now understand my privilege in feeling free to explore my style and knowing that clothes can be a tool, no matter your goals, size, or body.

Helping as many people as possible connect with these life skills, regardless of budget, was one of my main drives in partnering with Sarah to start Style for Good, our mental health and sustainability focused styling company.

Sarah:

I believe fashion is for everyone, and it can be a force for positive change. In addition to feeling confident in your body, the clothing choices we make impact our communities and the wider world. Once I became more aware of the fast fashion industry’s negative contributions to the environment, I started questioning my own shopping habits.

How often do you think about where you shop? What materials are your clothes made with? Will the item last longer than a year? How much plastic is used in the fibers? Did you consider the global human rights standards and working conditions of the people who made these clothes? How does the manufacturing of garments impact the environment and contribute to global warming?

There was so much I didn’t know, but I wanted to learn. Then, I wondered how I could scale that thinking to make a positive impact in my community. Slowing down and taking time to think about what we wear, and why, is a large component of why Taylor and I started Style for Good.

We want to help our clients create sustainable habits, like repurposing the clothes they already own, shopping from ethical brands, and utilizing the abundant supply of pre-loved clothing in their communities. We don’t have to be perfect with every purchase, we just have to start somewhere. Baby steps can lead to bigger changes over time, and we’re here to help you start that journey!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Style for Good is unique due to our focus on style as a mental health tool and a force for positive change. Our motto is “feel good, look good, for good” and we work it into every client meeting and our daily lives.

After working as stylists for a popular clothing subscription company, we felt frustrated with the lack of sustainable inventory and breadth of people served. We became disheartened sending box after box of poor quality, questionably produced, cookie-cutter clothes to those clients.

We were both struck by what a difference could be made if all of those clothes were well-made in ethical conditions. What if shopping was more personalized and served more than the “typical” body type? How could we make shopping and developing personal style be more accessible? With our combined styling experience, plus our own individual strengths, we left our jobs and launched Style for Good earlier this year.

Working with ALL human bodies is what we’re most excited about! We prioritize supporting people by learning what truly works for them in style and function. Then, we help each client find ways to make more sustainable, ethically-sound choices within those requirements.

We’ve focused on virtual appointments as a covid safety precaution, but we will continue to offer online options to keep our services more accessible, as well as reach more folks across the country. As the world slowly opens back up, we’re now booking local in-person services (in line with CDC guidance). Our fee structure is value-based, which allows our clients to pay what they believe our services are worth, within their budgets.

In April we hosted an online clothing swap fundraiser and donated all proceeds to a local theater group. The extra unsold clothing was then donated to local thrift shops and Dress for Success. It was a massive amount of work for two people, but we were committed to doing it safely during the pandemic. We learned a lot and had a blast doing what we love. We can’t wait for the next one (hopefully with volunteers)!

This all adds up to a company that can serve any body, any budget, and any styling need in a welcoming, understanding environment!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We sadly haven’t made it to Atlanta (yet!), but if you were to visit our beloved hometown of Pittsburgh for a day, we’d start with breakfast on the river at Farmer x Baker in the Aspinwall neighborhood, then head down to the Strip District for some market-style shopping and people watching before grabbing a legendary Primanti’s sandwich (or, in Pittsburghese, “sammiches”) to-go.

Then, we’d take a stroll down the riverwalk to The Point where we’d sit and eat lunch at the very tip of the city and take in the sights of our iconic three rivers! We’d digest by walking across the Roberto Clemente, Andy Warhol, or Rachel Carson bridge into the North Side and up to The Mattress Factory, a site-specific installation art museum. Then, a quick jaunt around Randyland (a joyful, found-art museum that has to be experienced to be understood)!

To finish the day, we’d take you to Bloomfield for dinner at Apteka, our favorite eastern European vegan restaurant, Depending how tired our feet felt, we’d either decide to catch a funky movie and a beer at Row House Cinema, or go dancing at Belvedere’s in Lawrenceville.

Before we sent you off to bed, we’d either take the incline up Mount Washington or sit in the bed of Taylor’s truck at the top of Overlook Drive in Schenley Park for a stellar view of the Pittsburgh skyline.

With more time, we could have a day of “urban outdoors” in one of our many beautiful parks or the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden. If shopping is more your scene, we have a plethora of thrift stores, consignment shops, and local boutiques we’d love to show you!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We’d love to give a shoutout to Chi Ilochi! Thanks, Chi, for recommending us for this interview series and for being a supporter of our mission since day one. Chi was an inspiration before we launched Style for Good, and continues to be one every day! We look forward to making the fashion world a better place alongside Styling by Chi.

Website: https://www.styleforgoodpgh.com

Instagram: @styleforgood.pgh

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/style-for-good

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/styleforgood.pgh

Image Credits
Sarah Daxton