Candidly Quarantined- Stylist Melissa Garcia

1)   What’s your business?

 I’m an on-air fashion correspondent/stylist. (Melissa can frequenctly be spotted on the Today Show, Good Morning America, Extra And the Wendy Williams Show!)

 2)   How did you start?

 I practiced law for close to 10 years and was never fulfilled.  I always knew if I could do it over again I would go into fashion.  With 3 kids in tow, I decided to finally take a huge leap of faith and leave my career as an attorney to follow my dreams in fashion.  It was so scary, but I knew that I needed to take that leap.

I initially started with a website.  I was helping everyday women who struggled with their wardrobe, that was 7 years ago.

Lots of hustle and huge providential blessings, here I am, a nationally recongnized on-air fashion expert. I’m incredibly blessed to do what I love. 

3)   What’s the biggest Challenge of CoVid for you right now?

Since we are in quarantine the nature of my work has “changed” a bit.  A good friend of mine who is a host on one of the morning shows has been away from home much longer than expected and doesn’t have access to her closet so I have reached out to friends I have in the industry to pull her pieces to wear while she is on-air until she is able to get back home.

Segment work has also changed since no-one is really going into the studios anymore, anchors included!  I have however still been working on creating content for the morning shows.  

 I shoot the content in my home - I am the model, which is definitely a change for me, and send the raw footage off to the producers to cut and put together for either live TV or social channels. 

4)   What’s the biggest opportunity/insight you’re learning through this experience?

 Confirmation of how important my faith is and how having a solid foundation is imperative. 

5)   What’s a typical day look like for you now in quarantine?  What’s changed the most?

What’s changed the most is my schedule; in essence it has completely flipped.  Where as I used to wake up at 4am for work (morning shows film bright and early); I now find myself going to bed at 4am and waking up close to 10.

 A typical day I wake up, check work emails and social and try to get in a pilates workout or run.  While I have my coffee, I do a crossword puzzle and read a daily devotional. 

In the afternoon, I’m talking to producers, researching, and pitching stories. 

One of the many silver linings to this quarantine is that we have dinner together as a family every night.  I love cooking and this has given me the opportunity and time to do it.