3. Extra AF Disney Style with Once Upon a Wardrobe

I'm bougie, and I love to customize my outfits for my Disney & Universal vacations. This fantastic service is provided by Once Upon a Wardrobe, and the owners are two of my very good friends. Ashlie and Lauren join me on today's podcast episode and we talk everything from Disney & Universal style, to how this podcast got its name, to whether or not to use packing cubes. Join us for a lively conversation among friends.

If you book your trip through Makin' Memories Travel and use any service from Once Upon a Wardrobe you get a bonus travel day outfit!

Connect with Once Upon a Wardrobe in all of these places:
Website
Instagram
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Facebook
YouTube
Pinterest

Download my free guide: 10 Tips for A Luxe Disney Vacation or connect with me on Instagram @michelevisitsmickey.

This episode was produced by The Podcast Teacher.

Transcript

Michele [00:00:00]:

I am so excited today to welcome my dear friends Ashlie and Lauren with Once Upon a Wardrobe. I wanted them to be my very first podcast because they were with me when the idea kind of was hatched. And they are just the coolest small business that's Disney adjacent that I know of, and I have just been dying to get them on here. So without any further ado, Ashlie and Lauren, will you each please say hello and tell us a little bit about yourselves that maybe even something that I don't know.

Ashlie [00:00:39]:

Well, hello there, Michele. Thank you for having us. We are so honored to be on your podcast as you have been wonderful to us in our business, and we just love you so much.

Michele [00:00:51]:

I love you, too. I'm so excited for this conversation we're going to have.

Ashlie [00:00:56]:

Well, I will go first with the introduction just because first thing that you should know about us is that…

Michele [00:01:02]:

This Is Ashlie, by the way.

Ashlie [00:01:03]:

Yes, I am Ashlie, and a lot of people might actually associate our business with me, unfortunately, because Lauren, my best friend, my business partner, the smartest, most beautiful woman alive, is actually super shy.

Lauren [00:01:20]:

This is very true. And you are also being way too kind, Ashlie. Yes, I am, Lauren. And yes, I tend to hide as much as I possibly can because I am very camera shy and will tend to try to avoid the spotlight as much as I can.

Michele [00:01:39]:

But everyone should know that the two of them together are incredibly photogenic, and that actually is a really positive thing for your business. So, Lauren, tell us what Once Upon a Wardrobe is, because I really think it's the coolest concept I've ever heard of, like, for a Disney small business. I love you guys and I use you all the time, as you know, but tell everyone how extra I am and that I use your services.

Lauren [00:02:09]:

Thank you. Yes, you really have been our biggest champion, one of our earliest clients, and definitely the most frequent. And we love you so much.

Ashlie [00:02:18]:

I appreciate that so much.

Lauren [00:02:21]:

Yes, you should get one because I think you've used this like 13 times now, honestly, which is amazing. You are back.

Michele [00:02:28]:

If I started okay, but what do you do? Tell everyone when we're teasing about that. I use your services 13 times. That is kind of a lot. What does that mean exactly?

Lauren [00:02:43]:

So we are essentially an outfit planning service, specializing in people going on Disney and universal vacations, or magical vacations, as we call it, but we do other things as well. We've done a cruise for you, for you and your mom, so we can do other things as well. But that's kind of our specialty and basically anyone coming to us. There are four different options that they can use. There's our custom services, which is a mini look or a full look.

Michele [00:03:14]:

For the Minnie look that's spelled M-I-N-N-I-E for those that don't realize.

Lauren [00:03:22]:

That's where you can select the three specific items that you would like us to search for. So that can be a shirt, necklace and ears or whatever you're needing. And we will then scour the internet and find the best options for what your personal style is for your favorite characters, movie ride, whatever. It's all very tailored to you to make it as easy as possible. And then each item in your final PDF that you get is directly linked to the retailer. All you have to do is click Add to cart and then it will come to your door. And then there's our full look which is full head to toe, everything from hair accessory, jewelry, bag shoes, your full clothing.

Michele [00:04:10]:

I mean, by bag you do mean lounge fly, correct?

Lauren [00:04:13]:

Yes, that would for you. Yes, Michele is our Lounge Fly queen for sure, which I love because I totally relate. And then we'll give you different options for each of those. And I should say to you also, the first thing that you'll do is fill out a survey and that's where we get to learn more about you and all of your personal preferences. And we also do coordinated looks as well, so whether you're a couple or a family but we do have a lot of people just going by themselves that are using our service and those are really fun to do or like a girls trip.

Michele [00:04:48]:

Woohoo!

Lauren [00:04:51]:

And then the other two aspects of our business are we have the template shop which are pre-styled outfits. What you see is what you get that's there and it's an instant download. And again, immediately everything is directly linked. And then we have our virtual styling session which is also good for people that already own a lot of Disney items and don't necessarily want to buy anything new, but just maybe help coordinating, putting it all together or new ways to assemble them.

Michele [00:05:21]:

So my listeners already know how extra I am. I mean, it is in the tagline of my podcast after all. And I have to say that yes, I do use you guys all the time. But one of the things that I find most fabulous and Ashlie, I would love your opinion on this is that it makes it easier to pack. I know you have lots of packing tips because I of course watch you on Instagram stories and I know you do TikToks on this too. But we have kind of an ongoing battle, shall we say?

Ashlie [00:05:54]:

We do, yes.

Michele [00:05:57]:

I believe that you should always pack with packing cubes. And Ashlie wants to refute me, I can see.

Ashlie [00:06:04]:

I do! Because listen, I think that everybody should have their own thing and if packing cubes work for you, then that's fantastic. But I am team ziploc bag. I am not organized. Lauren is definitely the person that swoops in and is the organizational part of our business. And I don't know what I would literally do without her, but I need a Ziploc bag because I want to see when I am packing and unpacking within our trips. Because, like Michele, like you, we're not local. Every time that we go to the parks, we're having to pack for us, for our families. So I think that's something that we keep in mind as we're planning these outfits and kind of why we started our business, is because we saw how stressful that part of the trip can be of trying to decide what to wear, then trying to pack it. And once you receive your template from us, even if it's just from the template shop or a custom look, you can just look at that slide, you.

Lauren [00:07:09]:

Know, that it looks, and put it.

Michele [00:07:10]:

All in a packing cube.

Lauren [00:07:16]:

And I will tell you, Michele, so.

Ashlie [00:07:18]:

This past trip that I just went on, that Lauren and I went on, I didn't have any of my two gallon bags on hand, and I had to use packing cubes.

Michele [00:07:28]:

She's coming over to the dark side.

Lauren [00:07:30]:

I was wondering if you're going to do that or not.

Ashlie [00:07:33]:

I was heading over. I didn't love it because every day because I buy the two sided ones, so then I have the two sided ones. Every day, I'm having to open the bag because I like to keep it all in the bag. And I think that's why I like Ziploc bags so much, because I kind of just keep it all in there to keep it organized. And I'm like unzipping the thing every day to figure out which outfit is where. But if it works for you, it works for you. But I prefer a two gallon Ziploc bag.

Michele [00:08:05]:

Okay, so we would love to know what you listeners think. Are you hashtag team packing cube or team ziploc? You can, of course, always leave that in the comments on Instagram just for fun, so that when I win, I can tease Ashlie all about it. Okay. So hopefully, I don't know, we're three or four minutes into this already, and you can tell that the three of us have this great rapport. But the weird thing is we've only ever seen each other in person, I think twice. We had more trips scheduled, but weather was our enemy, not once, but twice. So, yeah, we met during the Pandemic, so we've only met IRL twice. But yet I have such affection for you guys. So, Ashlie, you're going to tell everyone how we met?

Ashlie [00:08:56]:

So it was actually yes, it was in the middle of the Pandemic. We launched our business in the middle of the Pandemic.

Michele [00:09:05]:

As did I. Well, actually, like two weeks before it started. Yeah.

Ashlie [00:09:10]:

So actually, Michele and I met through Facebook. We are both a part of a Facebook group called the Foamily, which is run by Carlye Wisel. And we met through there because once a week they have within that group. It's called Worky Wednesdays. And if you're a small business, you're able to kind of drop your information within that space, which I think is so nice and so cool. And Michele, I assuming, was just kind of perusing through there and saw that we had dropped our link and reached out, I think then through Instagram, and we kind of connected through there. And then on a whim, she kind of invited us to go.

Michele [00:09:57]:

And you know what?

Ashlie [00:09:59]:

It's probably not safe to say this, but I do have a history of meeting wonderful strangers for the first time at Disney.

Michele [00:10:12]:

Yes. So you guys came and met as part of my group that I led for the 50th, which also was during.

Ashlie [00:10:19]:

COVID But it was so wonderful. It was so kind. You took to us. You loved our idea. We were able to dress you for that, which was so fun.

Michele [00:10:33]:

We did a whole Remy outfit because I, unlike everybody else who was there for the, went to Epcot because I wanted to ride Remy on the first day. And I almost missed it when it dropped on the virtual queue. I didn't get it until the second one. So there was almost, like, some serious trauma going on. But we had a great dinner that very first night.

Ashlie [00:10:54]:

It was magical.

Lauren [00:10:55]:

Yeah. I have to say, like, Michele, truly, you have connected us to the most amazing people, yourself included, but just a whole network now that we have been able to work with, to interact with. And it's been incredible.

Michele [00:11:13]:

Okay, so that was the first time we met, was for the then we did this amazing trip just at the beginning of this year.

Ashlie [00:11:22]:

Yes.

Michele [00:11:23]:

January that I think might be in my top ten favorite Disney trips of all time.

Ashlie [00:11:30]:

Oh, my gosh.

Michele [00:11:31]:

Yeah. What was that like?

Ashlie [00:11:34]:

Lauren, do you want to talk? Do you want me to say you can go ahead.

Lauren [00:11:38]:

Okay.

Ashlie [00:11:39]:

I knew she was going to do that.

Michele [00:11:41]:

Lauren's, the shy one.

Lauren [00:11:43]:

Yes.

Michele [00:11:44]:

Okay.

Ashlie [00:11:45]:

So we went Michele was so kind and put together a girls trip, and it was so fun. We did a VIP tour, which Lauren and I had never been able to do. Like, we've never experienced that. And it was so fun. And we had the best VIP tour guide tommy. We love you, Tommy, so much.

Michele [00:12:05]:

Shout out to Tommy.

Ashlie [00:12:09]:

And then Michele, actually, we cannot forget the reason why she was there was the half marathon, and we were so proud of her. I mean, we were cheering her from in bed because I had to be.

Michele [00:12:27]:

There at, like, Zero Dark 02:00 a.m.. Yeah.

Lauren [00:12:30]:

Don't know how you did it.

Michele [00:12:33]:

Crystal and Wendy, who you will hear from on a Future pod, were there with me.

Ashlie [00:12:39]:

And you were awesome. And we were so incredibly proud of you because Lauren and I, you know, running is not our favorite thing.

Michele [00:12:49]:

No, I would say morning is probably not your favorite thing.

Lauren [00:12:52]:

Both of those yeah, both of those are true. But we are so in awe of.

Ashlie [00:12:56]:

The people that are able to do it 100%. I mean, honestly, like, the runners each weekend who not only do one race, and then you have people who do multiple races, and then you have people who complete the dopey, which is every single race, including the half marathon. We just are in awe of that kind of perseverance because Lauren and I donate if I'm running, it's because I'm being chased.

Lauren [00:13:27]:

And we also should point out that Michele beat her own personal goal, which.

Ashlie [00:13:30]:

Is all yes, I did.

Michele [00:13:33]:

So I'm actually going to do a whole episode on Run Disney because we made a promise to ourselves that that was going to be an annual girls trip. And so the details for 2024 are coming out very soon, ladies. And so if all of you want in on this great rapport that you are experiencing right now, you just need to stay tuned because there is a Run Disney pod and group thing coming soon down the pipeline.

Ashlie [00:13:59]:

I thought Lauren and I have this fear that you're just going to sign us up. She said she's going to no, I'm.

Michele [00:14:06]:

Not signing you up to run. I am 100% signing you up for the cheer squad. And that's spelled E-A-R. It's still kind of early. This I don't know if I would but where were we? I know we were working in a parking lot, and everyone should know that it was Ashlie and Lauren in the car. And we did actually stay off Disney property that time of Marriott Vacation Club ownership, so we stayed at Marriott Vacation Club. So I also had a rental car. Just call me Bougie. It's okay. I don't believe in taking off site shuttles. I like to be in control of my schedule. And then we had another person with us who is probably one of the people who has known me the absolute longest in this world. His name is John, and he worked with me. We were cast members together, and a long travel history as well, and many, many wonderful things about John. But so it was the four of us, and I know I was whining, as I tend to do, and John was helping me out by letting me adjust my ears and what I can't remember how it even came up that that should be the title.

Lauren [00:15:25]:

I forget what the specific story was. You guys were talking about something from back in the day when you were both working at Disney.

Michele [00:15:33]:

So many things.

Lauren [00:15:36]:

Well, and that's the thing, is you guys have so many stories. And also, yes, we have to say we adore John as well.

Ashlie [00:15:42]:

We love John.

Lauren [00:15:44]:

Yes. Love all of you. I cannot stress enough how much we love all of you guys.

Ashlie [00:15:48]:

Also, we're so sorry, John about Space 220, if you're listening.

Lauren [00:15:53]:

He needs a do over for that.

Michele [00:15:58]:

We can make that happen. John.

Lauren [00:16:00]:

Yes.

Ashlie [00:16:01]:

Sorry, Lauren.

Lauren [00:16:04]:

Yeah, just like the chemistry between the two of you and so much shared history and also just your own individual experiences, there's so much and it's so entertaining to listen to, really. You could listen to it all day long and finding all these new pieces of information that we had no idea. So I think in that moment, it was just like, you should really start a podcast. There's so much that you can entertain people with and share and that they can learn from.

Michele [00:16:36]:

So here it is. And, yeah, while we were having that conversation, I know I had too much in my hands because I had my coffee and I was trying to adjust my ears. And so, as usual, I whined at my best friend John, and I was like, John, can you hold my coffee while I adjust my ears? And that was it. Apocalypse was born.

Lauren [00:16:57]:

Yeah, I think in that exact moment, you were like, that could be a good title. And we're like, yes, it could. That would be perfect.

Michele [00:17:03]:

Yeah, that was before I knew anything about title length and SEO for podcasts or anything. I was looking at it from a blogger perspective, but now I'm so well educated. Shout out to all my podcast friends. Okay, so just a few more questions, because my episodes are short and sweet, and people can come in and listen with their cup of coffee in the morning. The quick jolt of Michele. So you mentioned earlier that you've done a vacation for me with my mom, which I had forgotten about. You've done Disney Cruise for me? Done Halloween. Mickey's not so scary. Remy 50th, our VIP tour day. Oh, my God, that might be my favorite. And Disneyland Avengers campus. Is there a favorite outfit that you guys have done for me? My Crewella outfit was pretty good.

Lauren [00:17:59]:

Yeah, we did love the crew that might be up there. That might have to be up there.

Ashlie [00:18:05]:

The one that I always think about is that initial fifty th one with, like, Universal.

Michele [00:18:11]:

You did universal too. But yeah, the initial 50th was pretty.

Ashlie [00:18:14]:

I don't know, because I'm a lot about nostalgia, which is why I have this deep love for Disney, but because I feel like that connected us to you, and you looked gorgeous. I just love that outfit. We're still Linked on our MDE, and it's my favorite. Whenever I can see photos of you.

Michele [00:18:39]:

Yeah. This is, of course, an auditory medium, not visual. But I will tell you that there are pictures of me in that outfit all over Instagram, and I will make sure and post one when this episode drops as a throwback so you can see the outfit that Ashlie just mentioned. And just so you guys know, Ashlie and Lauren, that coming up. I have my milestone birthday for Mickey's not so scary Halloween party, we have our annual girls trip, which is going to be in February of 2024, princess Weekend. And hopefully there's another cruise in there for me coming up because I'm feeling my sea lakes. Anyway, I love spending time with you guys. I wish we did it all the time. Alas, we do not. But for everyone who has now heard about my extra styling needs, but also how amazing my packing cubes are now, because they're sorted by outfit and day. And really and truly, what I really want to say is as much as I laugh about how bougie and extra that getting styled for my Disney trips or all my vacations really makes me, is that it has given me extra special confidence. And that now I love to take pictures of myself as I travel, which makes more memories. And that is really what my business is all about, is creating travel memories. So if you ever do book a trip with me, you automatically get a free look from Ashlie and Lauren if you use their services to help you get styled for your trip, too. I forgot we also did that group look for Halloween on the Disney Cruise that everyone yeah. With Aaron. And everyone blinked out of except me. We did the Rescue Rangers. Anyway.

Ashlie [00:20:34]:

We did.

Michele [00:20:35]:

You or your family want to use their services, you get an extra travel luck. I'm not an affiliate. I don't get anything back. It's truly because Ashlie and Lauren and their business has made creating memories for me personally so much better. And so how can people find you guys, aside from through making memories travel? Please tell us. Please tell us how we should hook up with you.

Ashlie [00:21:03]:

First of all, thank you, Michele, sincerely, yes. And by the way, the travel outfit, we love doing those because, again, part of I think the fun of a vacation is that anticipation. And I know sometimes it's really easy to be like, oh, I can just wear whatever to the airport.

Michele [00:21:23]:

It doesn't matter in today's Instagram age.

Ashlie [00:21:28]:

Well, I think even creating an extra special Disney or Universal Travel Day look helps with that excitement and just gets you ready. And you can step off of the plane going, I'm here, let's go, let's do it. I love that we get to do those for your clients, and we're so grateful to do that. Well, you can find us through our website, which Lauren, let's hope that I say this right, because sometimes I misspeak.

Michele [00:21:55]:

Maybe, Lauren, you should say the business.

Lauren [00:21:57]:

Yes. Okay. So our website is www.ouawardrobe.com. And you can also find us on Socials, on Instagram and TikTok. We are at OUA Wardrobe on Pinterest. It is once upon a wardrobe. Yes. Okay. Sorry. Pinterest and YouTube, right?

Ashlie [00:22:22]:

YouTube it is. Now OUA, they have created now handles very similar to Instagram. But if you just search, I think the most important thing is if you're Googling us, please put Once Upon a Wardrobe disney Outfits or something kind of behind it. Because there is a book. Yes, and it's probably a great book. I don't know. I don't want to discourage that. But we're not the first ones to pop up. If you are just Googling us, if you're just trying to find it that way, you can just put Once Upon a Wardrobe disney Outfit planners and Disney.

Michele [00:23:04]:

Outfits, and we'll pop up and oh, my gosh. Even though Lauren is always behind the camera and Ashlie is the one doing the famous Instagrams and TikToks, her stories and TikToks are freaking hilarious. And even if you could care less about wardrobe planning, which then you're probably not listening to this podcast, but you have to follow her because she is so funny.

Michele [00:23:36]:

We love you both so much. And I am so thrilled that I finally got you on here and that you're here to tell everyone about how my podcast got its name because I was whining in the heat, probably. And you definitely have to come back later and talk about the full on how we style Michele and make her look good. Because that is not easy, I swear.

Ashlie [00:24:02]:

Yes, it is.

Lauren [00:24:03]:

It is. And I do also have to say, when we are recommending these different looks, especially for a full look, there's a lot of different items that go into that PDF and into that outfit.

Michele [00:24:14]:

Like my lounge fly.

Lauren [00:24:15]:

Yeah, exactly. And we always say, even if you decide that you just want to purchase, like, one or two and then use your own items for the others and kind of assemble it however you want, that's totally great. Any way that we're able to help, we're happy. But, Michele, I feel like you buy literally every single item that we recommend, and then we actually get to see it all put together on you, and that's so much fun.

Michele [00:24:40]:

Okay, I think that might be true, except for the shoes, because I have really bad feet, and so I'm always wearing my fabulous walking shoes, and I do not buy a different color of all birds for every trip. I wish I could, but my husband would not like that. Okay, and just a hot take for you guys. I almost forgot, and I've been meaning to tell you. So next week on The Pod, there is going to be a live episode that I did when I was at Universal, which you guys actually did style me for, but you didn't realize because you styled it for me for a trip that didn't happen, and then I wore it this past trip. But here is very good information for you all. I did a VIP tour, and our VIP tour guide explained that three prong fanny packs are the key to seeing universal expeditiously, not a backpack. Because you can actually wear your three pronged fanny packs on almost all the rides, except the ones where you actually go through metal detectors like magnets, which are, of course, veloci coaster and Rip Tide Rockin. Whatever. I obviously didn't do those because I don't like roller coasters.

Lauren [00:25:54]:

Same.

Michele [00:25:55]:

But backpacks you have to put in the lockers, whereas the three prong fanny pack, you don't. So all Universal outfits from now on should have three prong fanny packs.

Lauren [00:26:06]:

That's really good to know.

Ashlie [00:26:07]:

That's another value. I don't disagree. Yeah. Do you remember, because I don't, about Hagrids. Do you get to wear a fanny pack on Hagrids or do you have to put that on?

Michele [00:26:17]:

You can wear a fanny pack on Hagrids and I did it again, which is like, freaking amazing that I wrote it twice because after the first time I was like, I'm never writing it again. And I liked it. But that's a sneak peek for next week. So everyone be sure and hit what is it now? It's not subscribed. Hit follow. So you can come back and hear all about my non fanny pack day but my very cute Harry Potter outfit at my Universal. Perfect.