Skillr Profile: Natasha Trim

Natasha Trim is a Stylist and Fashion Designer helping people level up their look on the SKILLR App. We chat with her about all things fashion, self-care practices and why she joined SKILLR. 

Mariama Hutson: Well hello. I'm Mariama, I'm over all of the social media content and influencer management at SKILLR. We're opening up a conversation with the Black Skillrs on our app, to really get to know them, to really promote them and to really make sure y'all voices are heard. I guess you can just start by telling me a little bit more about you and what your skill is in the app.

Natasha Trim: Well, I'm Natasha. Nice to meet you as well. I think my official skill is wardrobe consultant, I don't remember exactly what the name of it is, but it's styling something because that's what I'm good at. That's my skill basically. Basically I've been a fashion designer for my whole career but on the side. I was always styling my friends, then they would recommend me to other people like their parents. And I just started doing it on the side.

So once the pandemic happened in full swing and I was laid off of my job and I was still styling and I was like, you know what? I want to just focus on the styling portion for a little bit and see how that goes because I really like it. I love shopping, online, in person, whatever, you name it. I got you.

Mariama Hutson: What kind of things do you normally style? I'm a photographer, so I know I sometimes use a stylist for photo shoots.

Natasha Trim: I haven't done any wardrobe styling. This is more professionals. I've styled a lot of lawyers and doctors who have conferences and they have things that they have to be at. So I'll help them pick out their whole wardrobe for their trips, for things that they're going to be speaking at, things of that nature. I'm definitely open to other types of styling. It's just what I've done so far.

Mariama Hutson: That's dope, because I haven't really met anybody in that avenue of styling. Usually like, yeah, we're high fashion but you know, they need some styling stuff too.

Natasha Trim: It's the everyday person who needs the help. The people who are in it don't really need as much help, but every day Joe and whoever, they need the help.

Mariama Hutson: I can see that. What is your favorite part about styling?

Natasha Trim: It's the after. Once I meet with them and then we work on whatever their problem is and then they come back and say, "Oh my gosh, I got these shoes, the shoes that we picked and everyone noticed them." They just get so excited. They're just thrilled of this one thing that just made their whole outfit. That's the part that I love, when they come back and share stories or have a picture, anything like that where I'm like, oh, I feel kind of proud.

Mariama Hutson: Are you doing styling full time?

Natasha Trim: Yes. I am doing styling full time. I'm actually in styling courses. It's called Lauren Messiah, personal styling courses. And she has this 10 week program. So I was like, if I want to be serious about it, let me take the courses so that I'll know everything and just come out the back running.

Mariama Hutson: What interests you about SKILLR?

Natasha Trim: I just thought that it's a pretty cool way to connect with people. Especially during the pandemic, a lot of people weren't really going out obviously, but just everyone needs help in some type of way. So how easy would it be to be like, Oh, I need to know if I need to send taxes for this. If there's an accountant on there, then I can be like, Hey, do I have to have to do this?

Better than being Google and then you're not really sure because it's a bunch of information. But if it's a person who that's their actual job, I'm like, that's pretty dope to be like, all right, you're a legit person. This is the deal.

Mariama Hutson: I think so too. What advice would you have to someone who wants to get started in the styling type of field?

Natasha Trim: I would definitely tell them to go for it. Don't overthink. Don't hem and ha. Go on YouTube. Ask people or reach out to people until you see that's their actual job, but just go for it, for anything. Just try, go for it.

Mariama Hutson: I like that. How are you celebrating Black History Month?

Natasha Trim: I am celebrating it through more action. I think Black History Month comes every year and we just kind of like, oh, there's the same movies. The same, whatever stuff that... Personally, I don't watch any of those movies because they're a bit much in my opinion. I don't need that kind of negativity in my life. So I like to support businesses that I either know of, especially the ones that I know, like my friends, I like to actually buy one of their products or share more of their stuff. Or if someone's asking me for something, I'm like, Hey, you know what? I have a friend that makes this, actually use that friend instead of just being like, oh yeah, my friend does this and I don't really support them, support them actually.

Natasha Trim: And it's actually now from the pandemic, I have so many friends that I've started off, started little businesses. It's super easy.

Mariama Hutson: We had so much time during the pandemic, why not?

Natasha Trim: Who doesn't have a little something now?

Mariama Hutson: I feel you almost have to for survivability. I think we all learned when the pandemic hit, you can't be dependent on one source because-

Natasha Trim: When source is cut, you're screwed.

Mariama Hutson: You're done. This year's Black History Month theme is Black Mental Health and Wellness. What comes to mind for you when you think of this theme?

Natasha Trim: I think of self-care and I especially think of that for Black women because they tend to take care of everyone else except themself. So I think that it's just imperative to take a beat out for you. Simple things. It could be going for a walk. It could be taking some deep breaths. Taking time that's just for you to just unwind, do what you want to do so that you have... You pour back into your own cup basically instead of always giving, giving, giving. Give something to you too.

Mariama Hutson: You're here with yourself for a pretty long time.

Natasha Trim: You are. You don't want to be beat up and ragged, running on fumes.

Mariama Hutson: What's your favorite way that you practice self-care?

Natasha Trim: I actually started a meditation practice, probably right when the pandemic started. I was always doing it here and there, but it wasn't a consistent daily thing. But once the pandemic started, I was serious about it. I was just like I need to stay on routine. And just having that every morning, I wake up, grab a cup of tea, get back in bed and I just do it. And sometimes I'll just do three minutes, sometimes I'll do 20. But I just like feeling I can start the day off on my own vibe first, and then whatever else comes, it comes. But at least I know I have that stillness to start it off with.

Mariama Hutson: I feel you. I try to meditate at least five minutes every day. And it honestly just makes me feel so... I'd be looking forward to those five minutes to just be with me. I don't have to worry about anything else.

Natasha Trim: Everyone else out, it's you time.

Mariama Hutson: It's a really peaceful experience.

Natasha Trim: I feel you.

Mariama Huston: But I wasn't really... We were just talking. What is a quote that you live by, if you have one?

Natasha Trim: I do have one. I'm a super nerd and I love me a quote, a little something just to bring it back. So recently mine is vision drives decision, but there's a longer part to it. But that's the part that sticks out the most. Cause I'm like, if you know what you're going towards, the actions you take, you can be like, is this going to help that or not help it? It's just easy to just be Boom, is this going to help me get to here or not? If it's not, then forget it.

Mariama Hutson: Vision drives decision.

Natasha Trim: Yes, and it's from this guy, I don't know if he was an FBI negotiator. His name is Chris Vos. That's where I got the quote from.

Mariama Hutson: That's a good one. I have to write that one down too.

Natasha Trim: Write it down, girl.

Mariama Hutson: What would you say is your greatest accomplishment?

Natasha Trim: Oh whoa, you're hitting me now!

Mariama Hutson: The questions get deeper as we go.

Natasha Trim: I'm seeing this. I don't know. I feel I haven't hit it yet. Everyone has milestones. Yes, I went to college and blah, blah, blah. But I feel I'm still on the path to having my greatest milestone. I haven't had it yet for sure. I look forward to having it, but I definitely haven't had it yet.

Mariama Hutson: That's interesting that you said that because a lot of times, even just being on the path towards something, when are you going to get there? When does it feel like you made it? When does [inaudible 00:13:04] where it's like, okay, this is it.

Natasha Trim: I feel most people that say that they're like, you may have made it for a minute or two where you got the one thing and you're like, Yes, I worked so hard to get this. Then there's that urge for what's next? Like I got this. You're like, I've doing all this work to get this. And now you're like, Okay, you're going to do something else.

Mariama Hutson: That's always a thing too. I definitely can relate to that. Praying so hard to get this and then I got it. It's like, all right, well I'm back to trying so hard to get something else.

That's funny. I guess just to get a little deeper, after everything that happened in 2020, and obviously the Black Lives Matter movement really took off. Do you, over these past two years, feel some things have changed? Do you feel hopeful for the future? What are your thoughts on the progress since then.

Natasha Trim: You weren't lying with the depth of these question. I do feel hopeful. I'm going to start with that, I do feel hopeful. I really am hopeful about the way the youth is taking up the cause of things are wrong and this is it. And showing people this is what's happening. We need to fix it. Instead of it being in the past where people see things, and don't believe it or it gets swept under type of thing.

I'm hopeful in that aspect. As for progress, I just think we need more time. We've all been shut inside for the most part. So everyone's not living at full 100 capacity. We're not all out and about mingling. There are still a lot of people who are in their houses. They haven't been really living it up. So until we get back to that point, then I could really judge it. But as for now, I feel everyone's preoccupied with just making it from this.

Mariama Hutson: Surviving and then-

Natasha Trim: Surviving is right. That's the perfect word.

Mariama Hutson: I feel that. And how do you feel something like what you do, styling or just any skills in general? Something like SKILLR. How do you think that could help our community?

Natasha Trim: Well, number one, it'll show other Black women that there are personal stylists. Just seeing my face, honestly, because I've been in fashion for a while and I can honestly say I'm usually the only one or it's one of two of us. There's never enough of us. It's one Spanish person, one Asian person. There's always one. I just think letting them see, Hey, that's an option they could have. Because anyone can do any job, but I really feel when you see people that look like you, you feel like that's a possibility versus being, Oh, I don't see anyone like me in fashion. So forget that.

Mariama Hutson: I feel that. And I think it just comes with seeing one person can do it, I can do it too.

Natasha Trim: A hundred percent. Yes it does.

Mariama Hutson: What was I about to say? Oh, I forgot. So where do you see your styling going from here? Or what would give you that moment where you feel you've reached that milestone?

Natasha Trim: Once my website goes live and when I'm back working with clients in real life. I guess I'm one of the rare people, I like to go shopping with the client, in the store versus everything online. I like to be with the people, get the vibe of it, feel it out, be in person. I feel once I have that back on, then I'm going to feel like yes, I'm an official, real, real stylist.

Mariama Hutson: A real stylist. I didn't look at your Instagram or anything, but are you making anything on that?

Natasha Trim: My Instagram, this is so shameful. I haven't posted a new picture since 2018 or 2019, like forever. I never go on that. It's very horrible. I know it's horrible.

Mariama Hutson: Do you post any of your work or the styling that you do?

Natasha Trim: No, I don't. So that's what I'm working on with my styling courses is how to do all that. I don't really know how to show these people transforming, or if they want me to take pictures of that, I just don't know how to do it. So that's one of the things on my box to do, is to show my work, to show people, oh, this is what I actually do.

Mariama Hutson: And most people have been finding you through word of mouth since you don't have any-

Natasha Trim: It's straight-up word of mouth, friends of friends and they're like, Hey, you need help. And once I get one, I get five or six. I'm like, oh, yeah. God is good, right?

Mariama Hutson: All the time. I feel using your Instagram and stuff would definitely take it to the next level since people seem to obviously like your styling.

Mariama Hutson: Well, if you ever have any content that you want to share, you can send it over my way.

Natasha Trim: I will keep that in mind for sure then. Thank you.

Mariama Huston: That's what we're here for but that just concluded most of my questions. I didn't want it to be anything extra long or drawn out. I think we had a really great conversation. I enjoyed talking to you. Can someone call you if they're already shopping, can they call you to get your advice?

Natasha Trim: Yes. Anything. If you're in the store and you're like, should I get the black one? Should I get the red one? Call me. I can help you, for sure, for sure.

Mariama Hutson: So I might be calling you.

Natasha Trim: Call me girl.

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