Why "Let's Get Dressed" Podcast Host Liv Perez Advocates for a Non-Linear Career

Liv Perez is a content creator, podcast host, and journalist who built a career based on her passion for fashion and style. But her professional journey wasn't necessarily straightforward—which she couldn't be more grateful for.

On this week's episode of the Marie Claire podcast "Nice Talk," Perez opens up about her journey to hosting "Let's Get Dressed" and why she is an "advocate" for "non-linear" paths.

"I always wanted to go into school with the idea of being a storyteller," Perez tells editor-in-chief Nikki Ogunnaike on "Nice Talk." "I didn't know where that would necessarily land me, but listen, it was the era of Gossip Girl. I knew I wanted to go to New York. I had this perfect dream in my mind of working at Teen Vogue as a senior, getting hired out of college, and, like, that would be my life."

Very quickly, Perez got an internship at the magazine while she was studying at New York University. But it wasn't in fashion. "My second day living in New York, I was hanging out with a friend who, out of nowhere, was like, 'One of my best friends works at Teen Vogue in entertainment. They're looking for an intern,'" Perez shares. "That night, I was home studying the masthead."

Perez explains on the pod that she wasn't interested in entertainment—especially since she grew up amid the industry in L.A.—but she applied for the internship anyway, believing that it could lead to something else. "I was like, You know what? I'm gonna do this, and I'm gonna work my ass off, and I'm gonna prove to them that they should keep me hired, and I'm gonna go work in the [fashion] closet," the content creator reflects. "I ended up working in the closet for a year after that, and that was so formative for me."

After graduating from NYU in 2016, Perez held roles at brands like Hermès and Glossier, and worked for Ryan Seacrest for a period, before eventually leaning into social media and her blog, Friend of a Friend. The platform evolved into a podcast, which has since rebranded to "Let's Get Dressed."

"My journey was super non-linear, which I'm a big advocate for," she explains. "I think going out there and trying everything and chipping away at that sculpture of your life is really important."

Perez adds, "It taught me that if you're someone who's ready to move on in your career and do something new, closing something from your past doesn't mean that it failed, it just means that you're ready for the next chapter."

Perez also shares plenty of opinions on fashion and trends on "Nice Talk," including her tips for packing, so you can travel in style.

She says packing in outfits is number 1. "I'll spend some time in my closet putting together looks, but I will always pack in outfits so that when I get there, I have a 10 times better time," she says.

Within those outfits, she makes sure that pieces overlap to avoid overpacking. "You don't want to be going on a vacation where you're packing five different jackets...If you're going on a five-day summer trip, bring one pair of white pants and make sure that that's being used for three to five of your outfits."

Her other tips include taking a carry-on if your trip is under five days, and using packing cubes to divide up clothing by type or keep outfits separate on longer vacations.

"There was one trip I was going on where it was a multi-city trip, and I actually packed the outfits per each city in a cube, so that when I got to that city, I didn't have to unpack the whole suitcase," she shares.

Hear more of Perez's styling advice, her fashion inspirations, and details about her wedding on this week's installment of "Nice Talk." The episode is available everywhere you listen to podcasts.