This Fashion Influencer Fixed Her Cravings & Brain Fog | Merrick White

Today I'm joined by Merrick White, a style educator, content creator, and the founder of Merrick's Art with a community of over 1 million women who are following her for her fashion expertise. She's one of the top fashion influencers on Like to Know It. Merrick helps women put together better outfits, feel more confident in how they present themselves, and today we are diving into Merrick's personal health journey, changes that she has made with her health, her fashion tips, and also recommendations for other women who are building businesses online. Meric, I am so excited to have you here today.

Thank you, Brigid. I'm so glad to be here.

So we developed a relationship a few years ago when you started doing the blood sugar reset. I think you had found out about it through Brittany from Loverly Gray, and then you dove into the blood sugar resets. I'd love to start out by having you just talk through like what your health journey has looked like, symptoms that you started experiencing and what that felt like.

So I have— I, I was raised by parents that had like pretty healthy habits. My mom, you know, was a mom of the '80s and '90s, all the diets. She tried all the different things, but in general has been like Both my parents are pretty healthy, so I feel like I grew up with like good habits, eating pretty well. But as I had my kids, I— it was funny. I felt like as soon as I had my last kid, I was going to be like, this is great. I can maintain everything. I've got my body back and it's just smooth sailing. And it was like such an eye-opening experience for me that I'm like, oh, I have to actually work hard to feel healthy and maintain my body and all the different things. It wasn't just like easy, you know? And I'd been through this rollercoaster of like pregnant and breastfeeding and then not pregnant and all these things. We lost a couple babies and so it was just like, there was just like a lot going on for a lot of years. And so I got out of that and thinking like, this is it. I'm like in the golden years now. And I found myself so exhausted. And the, the biggest issue for me and biggest symptom was brain fog. And like, I'm a business owner, I've got 3 kids, like, I— there's a lot going on all the time. And so, like, I don't know what I was expecting, but, like, I was just tired and exhausted and had so much brain fog all the time. And I realized that it was from eating, like, the way that I was eating. And I feel like I was a teenager, like, in an adult body, like, with a teenage brain, that I'm like, I can't eat like a teenager anymore as a grown adult woman and expect to feel 100%. And so I really made some big shifts, and one of them was really being mindful of my blood sugar. And I was really, like, not familiar with that, um, but I started following you from Brittany's recommendation and, like, learned about this and realized, like, this was a great option for me that didn't, didn't need, like, a ton of change. It was just like these small adjustments, and they made such a massive difference. When I did the first blood sugar reset, it was like insane how different I felt. Like, immediately that brain fog was lifted. And I think it's just from imbalanced blood sugar, you know, that I was just like— I was eating in a way that was not right for my adult body with all of the things that my life demanded. And just making that shift, like It was just an insane difference right away. And so it, it started me on this journey of being careful with my blood sugar and also gave me all of these tools, even just in the— how long is the blood sugar? 10 days. Like the reset is 10 days. It just like set me on this journey of like, here we go, I've got the tools that I need. And I was able to maintain that. And I think my first one that I did was like 3 years ago. And like from there I've really been like in a pretty good place. And of course there's ebbs and flows all the time, but like for the most part, I really like learned so much and been able to get myself in a good place that like I can maintain.

Yeah, it was probably 3 years ago. I remember you actually just did it on your own, right? You, you had found it.

Yeah.

And then you did it on your own. And we then had started messaging on Instagram and you were like saying how you were feeling better and those sorts of things. And then, You, after that first round, I remember you being like, wow, this really, like, also I can't believe how delicious the food is, was something that you had highlighted too with being obviously a busy business owner, a mom of 3, and all the things that you're juggling. Um, in addition to then you saying like this, I just feel so much better with my brain fog and my energy, which then you became an affiliate for us and you've been recommending the Blood Sugar Reset to your community, which I'm so grateful for. Because we have so many of your community members that have done prior rounds of the Blood Sugar Reset. And so being able to organically help you initially and then be able to help, you know, have the trust from you to help other women in your community has just been such an amazing evolution in the last few years that I am so grateful for.

Oh, well, I, I would not recommend it if I didn't wholeheartedly believe in it. It is so good. And going back to like how delicious the meals are, that was the biggest surprise for me, honestly, because I feel like any kind of program like this, or any kind of like 10-day, 7-day, whatever kind of thing, it's always like you eat your broccoli and your chicken, or you're starving yourself, or you're just like, just get through it for the next 7 days and you're gonna see results. And like, this is nothing like that. I was so shocked. It was meals that I could feed my family, and I love that you get access to it forever. Like, you can use these recipes forever, and I have continued to use these recipes because they're that good. I just— your dietitians do such a good job of creating meals that are interesting, not just like the same old, same old that you would find, like, if you Googled healthy dinner options or whatever. They're unique, they're interesting, they're flavorful, but there are things that are, like, really helping your body be balanced. I just think that that's like you've, you've won the golden ticket with that. You just hit all the good points.

Thank you. Thank you. So I love being able to talk about the experiences that women have with struggling with various areas because I think that it's always, we can see ourselves in other women to be like, oh, you went from feeling like that to now feeling better and it's possible for me too. So I'd love to hear some of the biggest things that from the time that you first did the blood sugar reset and now you've done many rounds of the Blood Sugar Reset, like what are some of the tangible things that you changed that you think made such a difference?

Okay, so there's two big ones for me. You know, there's a big like trend on social media about protein, right? Like everybody's talking about protein. And I know you've had, I've seen your newsletter and read your newsletter about that, you know, um, cuz there's a lot of information that's thrown out on the internet that you're like, Can I trust this? Can I not? Is this right for me? Is this not? And, you know, so I was hearing this like years ago, this prioritize protein, you know, kind of movement. And so I'm like, okay, I'm gonna start focusing on my protein. And so I'd like buy things with higher protein or like add protein powder to things or whatever, which is all fine and good. But once I actually started tracking what I was eating and like actually how much protein I was taking in every day, it was like prioritizing protein did not actually mean like getting enough protein for my body. And then the same thing with fiber, which I feel like you talk a lot about in The Blood Sugar Reset. And like, I didn't know anything about fiber, like how that was helpful to me or applicable to my body, or you know, how that helped affect things. I didn't know anything about that. But as soon as I started really focusing on those two things, making sure that I got enough protein and like figuring out how much protein I actually needed, you know, rather than just like guessing or like going off of some person on the internet that like they say that they're getting X amount of protein a day, so I guess I'll get X amount of protein. Like figuring out what actually was right for my body in terms of grams of protein per day and grams of fiber per day. Once I really started tracking those things, That made the biggest difference. And I think, like, I don't feel like in The Blood Sugar Reset you necessarily talk about, like, tracking macros every day, right? Like, that's not part of it. It's like just setting yourself up for success and figuring out how to make whole foods and whole meals with whole foods and eating whole foods. So that you feel better and that your blood sugar's balanced, finding meals that are balanced. But I think that that's kind of what I needed at the beginning rather than this like jump right into the deep end of like tracking everything or whatever. So like, I think that the Blood Sugar Reset is such a good introductory thing for people that feel overwhelmed by all the information that's on the internet or that's out there or that people are telling them or whatever.. And so it just gets you in a good place where you're like, okay, this is what it feels like to eat a balanced meal. This is what it feels like to buy good groceries at the grocery store. And you give so many tips on that, you know, like what to look for, what not to look for, and in terms of organic and, you know, all that stuff. And so I think it's a good education piece without overwhelming people. And for me, that was like a stepping stone to set me on a better path moving forward. Because Blood Sugar Reset only comes around twice a year, right? Or you do it two, two times a year or three times a year?

Two times a year.

Two times a year. And so, you know, I think doing it kind of set me up for success, put me on this path for this period, short period of time where I felt like, okay, this is manageable, this is maintainable, I feel amazing, how do I keep going forward on this? And then I was able to add different things in, like specific tracking and all that stuff. That then made a difference long term that I felt like I could maintain. But it wasn't like jump right in and, you know, like overwhelm myself right from the beginning.

Yeah, that makes sense. Do you remember prior to that, did you have like any cravings or things that you were— that were preventing you from being more consistent?

Yes. Oh my gosh. I'm— I love— I love dessert. So, so much. And I craved treats all the time. And my kids come home with candy and stuff from school or church or whatever. Like, there is always stuff around that I could eat that I always felt tempted to eat and that I did eat. And I feel like my issue was that I was not eating balanced enough meals that were weren't filling me up enough, that were satiating. And then afterward I would crave something because I wasn't satiated, right? And I think that that is such a huge part of your education component of these programs that you do, is like teaching women how to fuel themselves in a way that is sustainable long-term. And I just felt like I was never doing that, you know, that it was like these things that I would jump on for a period of time or whatever, um, or like cutting back on my calories or whatever, that I just, I didn't have enough nutrients to fuel my body for the level of things that I am required to do every day as a woman and a mom and a business owner and all these things. I was not fueling my body properly. And so then of course I was having these cravings. And I think that that first blood sugar reset was such an eye-opener for me, like these are the kinds of foods and meals that I need on a daily basis. And so how do I figure out how to get my life in a place that I can meal prep at the beginning of the week so that I'm set up for the week that I can have these meals like at my fingertips and not just like reach for whatever. And I find myself whenever I'm in that kind of mindset of like, I'm so hungry, I just gotta grab whatever, then I just continue to grab whatever rather than like having the meal. It's fully satiating, it has the nutrients I need, it's balanced, and then I'm fueled for hours until I'm ready for my next meal, you know, instead of just like grazing all day. And that, I think that that was my biggest struggle was just like the snacking, the grazing, and the cravings. And the blood sugar reset just like really heals all of that and it's short enough that you feel like, okay, I can realistically do this, I can set myself up for success. But then it sets you on this path of like actual sustainability.

Yeah, I love that because I think that what you're speaking to is this mindset shift that so many women have to go through with their relationship with food, where it's like not being afraid to eat more because we so often see women undereating because they think that that's the key to really sustaining their body composition. So because you're focused on building muscle and improving your body composition, like through just having muscle to help to preserve longevity and, and all the things through this next chapter of life, have you seen a change in that at all?

Yes, and that was such a big component for me of getting enough protein, and then of course the fiber balance of that, and getting enough calories, and just like having a good balance of my nutrients I have seen such a difference in my body composition, and it does make you so much less afraid to consume more food because you're consuming food that is actually good for you. It's not just like mindless empty calories, you know. And really having that, that shift mentally is hard as a woman, right? Especially being raised by parents in the '80s and '90s where that diet culture and like starvation mode was so prevalent, right? And I mean, it, that has not gone away. I know that we still deal with stuff here in 2026, but like, I think that that is such a mind shift that every woman needs to learn and it will change your life because if you're actually eating enough food, that's when you're gonna see those muscle gains and that body recomposition. And for me, it's like I'm showing up in clothes every day on the internet for fashion, and I want my clothes to fit well. I want the clothes in my closet for me to feel comfortable in them and to feel confident in them and for them to fit and hang well. Right. And so that's part of it that like this body recomposition works for that, but also as I get older, like, I really want to maintain my muscle mass. I know that that is so important as I get older to not get frail. And I feel like all of those older women that, like, you know, are still dieting or whatever, you know, they become so frail. And that's what's so dangerous, right? That you fall and you're out, right? I actually saw this girl that I follow, uh, online and she posted something about her grandma's, I think, 90th birthday or 88th birthday. Like, she was quite elderly, and they were like giving her a piece of cake, and she was like, I'm not gonna eat the cake. Like, I'll gain 10 pounds eating the cake. And she's like, that was such a realization to me. Like, this never goes away, right? This mentality of like being skinnier and being smaller as a woman, all these things, like, if at 90 years old, like, you're still unable to escape that. And we just have to make that shift of being stronger and healthier because that's what's gonna carry us through to have really vibrant, full lives forever. And like, I love my life. I love being a mom. I love being a kid. I, or I love having kids. I love traveling with my family and like, I wanna be able to do that for as long as I possibly can. And I think that fueling my body and not being afraid to fuel my body in healthy ways and like having the knowledge of that and like how to do that well, that will carry me throughout my whole life and is so sustainable rather than this like yo-yo dieting that, you know, so many people do and and that's just like so hard on your body and like so hard mentally. And if you can get yourself in these good places mentally and recognize like what kind of food your body really needs to fuel your day every day, then that's gonna, that's gonna help you long-term. That, that's what's sustainable. And I think that that's what your Blood Sugar Reset program really sets people up to do, gives them the education program in a small bite and then sends them on a good path. And you have other programs that like once they finish the Blood Sugar Reset, they can jump into another program to get more one-on-one coaching or group coaching or whatever. So like you really give them the tools to start small and sustainable and, and manageable and then moving to more advanced, more specific kinds of things for their specific needs.

Yeah, that's definitely the goal is to be able to have like the 7-day experience where like I could do anything for 7 days and then you're able to see the actual impact in your body for 7 days where you're like, oh, there's something something to this. And because I think that women have to experience that transformation in order for them to be like, oh, this is why it's different from all the other noise on the internet and other things that people are recommending. So that then they're like, maybe I should pay more attention. Kind of like how, you know, your experience has been, where then you like slowly become more and more bought in, where you're like, yeah, I have to focus on this if I want to continue to optimize my health in my, you know, 40s, my 50s, my 60s, into my 90s.

Um, yes.

With that being just a prerequisite. So I'm, I'm glad that you had that experience. Outside of the nutrition piece, since you do like so many things in your day-to-day life, I'm super interested in how you take time. Like how many days per week are you strength training? What does your sleep schedule look like? How, what are like your key priorities outside of the nutrition world?

So key priorities for me is lifting weights and, you know, exercise in general. Sleep, I really, I really try to prioritize that. I struggle with sleep. I've always struggled with sleep. Once I'm asleep, I'm fine. I like to stay up late and I like to get up early. And so that's like always just, you know, a struggle for me. And I am one of those people that can can, maybe not should, survive on less sleep. My goal is 7 hours a night. I typically get 6 and a half. I feel okay about 6 and a half. Um, I get up early and I go to the gym in the morning because that, like, before my kids are up, before my husband's up, and I just knock it out. I'm there for an hour. Right now I'm doing a class that does half cardio and half strength training. And so, um, I usually will do that like 4 to 5 times a week. And then we have a gym at our house too that I'll do like one long strength training on my own with a program that I use, um, just at home. I'll usually do that once or twice a week. Uh, so 4 to 5 times at the gym and then 1 or 2 times at home. And I'm— what I'm really trying to get into this year is progressive overload because I feel like I've kind of been at the same place for a long time. And now that I'm really like honed in on my nutrition more than I ever have been in my life, and like really being, um, careful about what protein I'm eating and how much and all that stuff, I feel like I can really see some increased muscle gains if I'm really like upping my weights, because I've just kind of been at the same place for the last couple of years. So that's my goal right now. But I am, I am very consistent about exercising every day. I love to exercise. It makes me feel so good. And I will sacrifice 30 minutes of sleep in order to get to the gym early and just knock it out. And then I have the rest of my day to work and to be a mom and all the other things that I need to get done. So getting up early, I know that that's not always possible. I mean, I had little kids once too that didn't sleep through the night and all those, I don't know if your kids sleep through the night, but you know, I, like, I know how that is. Okay, good. I know how that is even when they're little and they're just like so much more exhausting. You know, I have like tweens and teens at this point and they're exhausting in a different way, you know, but they don't demand so much of my energy. In the same way that little kids do. And so it's, you know, I think it's just figuring out what works for your lifestyle and your, um, just like what you're capable of right now. And like back in, in the day when I first started lifting weights, like I've started running and I started lifting weights, uh, probably 8 years ago, um, I would do just like a 20-minute program and then I'd go like run around my block outside. And that was like all that I could do at that time. And that's fine. Like you just have to figure out what works for you. And now at this phase of my life when I have a little more flexibility, I'm able to get out early in the morning. That works for me now.

You know, I love that advice. It's so, it's so relatable. Um, especially, you know, like this morning even my kids woke up early. So I've been trying to do even just like 10 minutes of red light and vibe plate every morning., um, at minimum. And even this morning, like that just didn't happen cuz I'm solo parenting. They woke up earlier than expected. And James also still isn't fully sleeping through the night. So yeah, it's like you have to have the ability to be like, if I could go back, you know, 2 years ago and be like, it's gonna be okay and you're gonna make it through this phase. And then you can continue to like step by step add, you know, each additional habit on. Um, that would definitely be the advice that I would have because like you said, different phases of life, uh, You know, they allow us to do different things when it comes to, to our health goals. Okay, Maric, I'd love to switch gears and talk about your expertise. I'm amazed by women who build companies online, uh, by just being an amazing authentic person, sharing your skillset and your expertise, which you have done in the last 10+ years, the last almost 15 years. You started Maric's Art back in 2012, making you a true OG blogger and content creator. Can you explain how you got started as a fashion influencer and what it looked like in the beginning?

It was so, so different than it is now. It's crazy. Like, I started when, uh, family blogs and mommy blogs were a big thing. And so I actually started my website in 2008. When I was, um, in college and I was studying art. And so that's why it's called Merrick's Art. And I was painting and drawing, and my mom lived in a different state than I was going to school in, and she was like, you should start a blog and post your art on there so I can see it.

Wow, what a progressive mom.

This was before camera phones, so it's not like I could just snap a picture or send her a video. Like, that was not not a thing, right? And so I started this website so that I could take a picture of the things I was working on and upload it so that she could see it there. And I, so I just, it was art and then it was family stuff and whatever. And then we had a baby a couple years later. And so, you know, some of that stuff was on there. And then, um, I got laid off from my job when I was expecting my first. And so I kind of like found myself with all this time. And I started sewing and I had sewn a little bit like back in middle school, high school. I took some sewing lessons and I kind of pulled out the old rusty sewing machine and started up again. And I— this was like right when Pinterest was like the platform. Instagram wasn't around yet and everybody was on Pinterest all the time. It was like the height of DIY. And so I started sewing, and I would like go to the thrift store and buy things and then like cut them up and repurpose them and take them in or whatever and make them into clothes for me. And my husband was donating something from his closet, this old— he like went through his closet, was getting rid of stuff, and he got rid of this polo shirt. And I was like, I could do something with that. And so I like turned it around and I cut out the polo collar and like took it in and turned it into this cute top for me. And I don't know why, but I took a before picture. This was like— I don't, I don't know why I did it. I took a before picture. What year was this? This was 2011. Okay, 2011. I take a before picture. I was like dabbling on my blog just a little with— I don't even know if I'd posted any other sewing content on there, but I fixed the shirt and I took an after photo and it, I, it got pinned on Pinterest. I did not pin it myself. It got pinned on Pinterest and it went viral and all these people were coming to my website and like, show us more tutorials. Give us a full breakdown of how you did this. Can I follow you on Twitter? I literally Googled what is Twitter? I like, I had no idea what I was doing. And I was just like, from there I realized this is fun and I enjoy doing this. And so I started doing more refashions, and the more confident I got with sewing, the more I did like sewing on my own, uh, like from scratch kind of thing, rather than repurposing stuff. And so I dabbled in that for a couple years, and then we moved to California for my husband's job, and, um, I got a job as a fashion writer for, um, this platform called Babbel. And they had writers in all different categories— food and baby and home and fashion, all these things. And so I was writing 12 to 13 articles a month for them, and I just got really good at cranking out content. And, um, I realized like I'm putting out all this content into another platform when I could be putting it on my own blog. And like, I realized I was good at it, I loved it, it was fun. And so I continued to write for them for a while, but then I moved away and started working just on my own blog and writing these fashion articles, talking about my outfits, why I'm pairing this with that, and why this works, why this doesn't, how to do these little DIY hacks with your outfits, whatever. And, um, from there it just grew. And that was just like the, the height of— I'm not the height necessarily. I guess maybe now is the height. I don't know. But like, it was just like blogging and influencing was booming and Instagram started and people were posting things there. And I just, I jumped on that quickly and I just, I've just been consistent about it. And that's really the only thing I can say about it is that I found something that I love doing and I stayed consistent. And there's a ton of people that were all starting blogs back then that don't do it anymore. There's a few that still do and, you know, we're kind of the OG bloggers out there. Um, but that consistency piece is really the thing that has led to my success, I think. You know, it's not like I'm anything special. I just like to get dressed. I like to put together outfits. I like to teach people how to put things together. And I just stay consistent. I produce content every single day and, um, I do it because I love it and, and, and it's led to something.

So there's the whole backstory. I love it. I love it. Also because I think for people, I mean, I didn't start nearly as early as you, but I think that there was like a completely different energy back then of just like people who were, you know, like creative and like trying to just do something that they loved. And then, you know, we're getting people to respond that then created this idea of like, okay, if they like this, then maybe I'll create this for them. Or if this is helping them, then maybe I'll do this. An entirely different mindset than what exists today where it's like now the creator economy of like, let me start a blog and I know I can make this amount of money because this, I've seen all these people do it and I'm gonna like be so successful and I'm gonna get all these brand deals and how do I get an agency to represent me and all these things that I see around me today where it's a little cringe, right? It's not like the true authentic, like, let me just like put my skillset out there and help as many people as I possibly can, which I think is what makes you— it's not just the consistency piece, Merrick, it's like who you are as a person that I think you like listen to your audience, you engage with them, you're very authentic, you genuinely wanna help people. And I think that also really shines through, especially especially in today when like authenticity and being a real person, um, and not just out there to try to like, you know, sell and peddle as many things as you possibly can really sticks out.

Well, that's really nice of you. That, that is always my goal, you know? And I mean, as much as it grows or as much as it changes, I really always try to stay true to my roots and what I'm good at and what I love and not deviate from that. I'm never going to take a brand partnership that doesn't align with me and align with my, my values and my goals. And, you know, I hope that that shows through. And so you saying that means a lot. Of course.

So what are your top style recommendations that you would say that are like go-tos that you recommend to help women feel more confident when they're getting dressed?

So I think that the biggest piece is— and a lot of women don't want to hear this— but it takes trial and error to find what works for you. You know, I can recommend things all the day long, but the reality is that everybody's bodies are slightly different or vastly different or whatever. And so even if you're the same height as me or you wear the same size jeans as me, like it's going to fit you differently, right? And so there is that trial and error piece. And so I try to do this like general education, like this works with this and this doesn't necessarily work for this. But also based on what you have in your closet, you're going to have to try and see what works for you. You have to try things on. Does it fit? Does it, you know, move with my body in a way that feels comfortable? And so that trial and error piece I think is an important style tip that people don't necessarily talk about. And it feels annoying to try things and maybe they don't work. But I think that that is what's going to lead to a closet full of pieces that you actually love rather than just like exactly what I recommend. Right. And so I'm recommending a lot of different things and some are going to work for some people and some are not. Also, I think I love basics. And I mean, this is kind of a generic answer also, but like having a good foundation of basics is going to be the foundation of your closet. And that means like at least 2 pairs of jeans that like fit you great, that you love, that you feel amazing in. That means like a basic tee that you can wear by itself, you can layer, a couple of sweaters. Um, I talk a lot about, uh, better than basic pieces. That's like a little catchphrase that I came up with a few years ago that I use a lot. Um, just like better than basic tops, better than basic dresses, you know, things that feel special, that feel interesting. And like one of my go-to formulas is like a great pair of jeans that I feel amazing in and a better than basic top. And it's like as easy as putting leggings and a t-shirt on, but it makes you feel so much more amazing. So starting with the foundational pieces that you can wear in a lot of different ways that are versatile, but that like fit you well and are good quality, and then adding on those better than basic pieces to kind of flesh out your wardrobe. And I've become a big accessories person in the last couple of years. I love, I love jewelry. I wear a lot of jewelry. And even if you're not a jewelry wearer, you know, just like a belt or interesting shoes or whatever, just to kind of like make your outfit feel a little bit more special. And I mean, we all have to get dressed every day, so why would we not wear things that make us feel amazing and that, you know, show our personality? As much as we might not want to admit it, people judge you as soon as they see you and what you're wearing. And so you would hope that you could show some of your personality and some of the amazing things inside of you in your brain and your heart and your soul on the outside, you know, with that immediate first interaction or first glance that like, oh, that's, that looks like a fun person, or that looks like a put-together person, or, you know, whatever that you can like show some of your insides on the outside.

I think it makes so much sense. And you know, my, my mom is, she's like always so put together and she actually follows you and she follows Brittany from Lovely Gray and she'll like buy things that that you guys recommend, she's on your newsletters, and then she'll be like, I got this from Merrick recommended it, or Brittany recommended it. And she's always been like, you know, shopping at TJ Maxx and other places to find just like really great staples that are stylish. And she's been saying to me for so many years, like, you have to be more presentable. You have to care more about your, your presentation because, you know, I'm like just in the weeds in PubMed, like trying to, to study the nutrition piece. And she's like, You need, you know, she's continually reminding me not being like you have to spend hundreds of dollars on every outfit, but you, you know, like can find ways, which I love is how you incorporate the budget-friendly items as well. But I also think that I've heard you say is that like it's important to get dressed every day and how much that can even shift your confidence. I'd love for you to, as someone who's like trying to learn more about fashion, I do think that one thing that you've helped me with is the visuals with the accessories and how much when you do the like without accessories and then with just like a staple necklace or even like the bracelets that you're always wearing, how much that can elevate a look. I also would love for you to explain what the better than basics means because I can visualize it from the pictures that you share. But for people who haven't seen it, obviously go to Merrick's Instagram so that you can see all of her amazing content that she puts out. And she also has a great blog and a newsletter. We'll link to all of her stuff. But can you explain what the better than basic tees are?

Or better than basics is? Yeah, so it can be anything. It can be a better than basic coat, jacket, or like a jacket, a t-shirt, a sweater, a top, jeans, whatever. Think of like the basic version of it. Let's just say, uh, a sweater. Okay, so a basic sweater could be like a gray sweater or a black sweater or a navy sweater. If you want to make it better than basic, you could do a bright color, right? And so this is still like a very simple basic sweater, but it's in a bright color, which makes it just a little better than basic. You could also do something with a print on it, like a floral print or a stripe or whatever. That just makes it a little better than basic. I have a sweater that I just got that I love. It's like hanging right here in front of me in my office, so that's why I'm thinking about it. But it has these like pockets with little, um, like ribbing detail and then it has a collar and it's in a bright color. So it's just like these little details that make a sweater, which can be super basic, better than basic. And then the same thing with your jeans. There's a lot of— or pants— there's a lot of fun pants out there, fun jeans out there in different colors. I'm actually wearing a pair of, um, leopard print pants right now. Uh, so you could do like a pair of basic blue jeans, or you could do a leopard print, or you could do one with studs down the side, or you could do one with a track stripe down the side, or whatever. Um, sometimes when I'm talking about better than basic tops, I'll talk about like a blouse that's like a little nicer than a basic t-shirt, you know. Like, I would say, Brigid, your top right now is a better than basic top. It's an interesting color, it's got the eyelet fabric, it's got the little— looks like pearlescent kind of buttons on it, you know. And so you could have put on just like a basic t-shirt, or you could put on this better than basic top, right? And it just— it has a little puff sleeve that gives you a little shoulder structure. It has this V-neck that shows your neckline, elongates your, um, you know, neck and opens up your face. And then it's in this pretty color. So that is the difference between basic and better than basic.

Okay, great. That's super helpful. Also, I'm so glad that this is Merrick approved. You look So one thing that I am curious about, because you share so much content, like how do you buy all of the clothes through just like a budget that you have through the business, or is it a combination of that? And then brands, obviously you do a lot of brand partnerships with companies that probably give you the clothes that then you style, that you pick out. Like, how does it work?

It's a whole process, but yeah, it is a mix of me buying the things or the brand sending it, depending on the brand, some will give you like a line sheet and they'll say, choose, you know, X number of things from this, these new arrivals. And you have to show in your content something from this line sheet. Some just say like, here's a gift card and you can buy whatever on the website and you have to show something from there. It's a total, it's totally different, but a lot of the clothing that I'm showing, I'm buying on my own. I mean, I do partnerships throughout the month, every month, you know, a handful of those. And, you know, maybe half of them are sending me clothes. So it's maybe 3 to 5 that are sending clothes, you know, 3 to 5 brands that are sending clothes per month, you know, a couple of things from their new arrivals or whatever they want me to feature. Uh, but along with that, I am very careful to choose things, and I always make the brands let me choose what items I'm going to be featuring. I will not ever let them just like send me random things because I don't know if it's going to fit with my style. And I will never partner with a brand that is not in line with my style. And so if they sent me options and they don't work, then I will pull out of the brand partnership because I'm not going to show something just for the sake of the partnership if it's not something that I would organically show. And part of what I do, and I get a lot of messages about this, that people like that I do this, is that I show the same things over and over and over again in different outfits, different ways, different seasons. Or they'll show up, like if it's a specifically summer kind of item, it'll show up year after year. I'm like, I'm really wearing these things. Like, I'm not going to show something that I don't believe in, that I don't love, that I don't, you know, actually want to wear. And so I think that that helps people see themselves in it. You know, it's not like this thing that showed up one time and then you never see it again. They bought it and then they're like, how do I wear it? I'm not— I, you know, you've never worn it again. Like, I'm wearing these things over and over. If I'm going to tell you to buy something, I'm going to show you how to wear it for years to come. So yeah, I think that's an important piece that I don't see a lot of other influencers doing that I think is just an important part of my brand to show like and, you know, to kind of create that level of trust with, with my followers, which I think you do a great job of.

Thank you. You're welcome. One other big career moment that you had this past year was the Anthropologie collection that you launched. What was that process like?

Oh, that was so fun. So that was my second one. We did our first one in, uh, fall 2024, and then second one in, uh, fall 2025. And, um, it was like the most exciting email that I ever got from Anthropologie saying, we would like to do this collaboration with you, you know, to create this line of pants. And it's a pant that's already on their site, tried and true, and I've worn it for years. And, you know, kind of going back to this conversation we were just having, these, you know, I'm wearing the same things over and over. I think that that was a big part of it, that they saw that this was a piece that was a staple in my wardrobe that I had worn for years, I'd recommended for years. And so it was an easy fit for them to say, Let's create your own line of these pants. And so we got to pick out the fabrics and the details, the buttons. Um, you know, we didn't change the overall pant, but they let me choose, like, do you want full length, do you want cropped? You know, there's some decisions that I got to make there. And working with their team and letting, uh, you know, they sent me swatches, and, and as a seamstress myself, like, feeling the fabric and you know, seeing it in person was like such a thrill. And, um, anyway, it was just like the opportunity of a lifetime. I have loved working with them on these two. I hope that there's more to come. But it, it was, it was just exciting to put my name on something that I really love and, um, and recommend to people, and then also have my name next to Anthropologie was just like like a pinch-me moment. So that was kind of the process there. And then the funnest part was when we got the samples and then we got to do a whole photoshoot styling them in all different ways. And then I spent the next weeks and months styling them in all my content. So I— it was just such a, such a cool opportunity.

Yeah, such a huge opportunity. I mean, you've had a lot. You've had— I mean, you've built such a big brand and the partnerships that you have, you're like one of the top like-to-know-it fashion influencers. Influencers, which I think says a lot given how many, how many fashion influencers are on Like to Know It. There has to be like thousands and thousands. They say that there's 300,000. 300,000, and you're in their top, top— like, I know that they— I've seen you go on trips with them and things of that nature for people, for all the creators that are like their top, top— what do they call it—

influencers, right? Yeah, yeah. So yeah, I mean, it's such a— it's such an honor to, to be in that group. Um, but it does take so much consistency, so much work, so much effort to, um, and, and along with that, not just work of creating content, but also like that trust aspect of the followers so that, you know, when I recommend something, people, people want to buy it and they trust my recommendation.

Yeah. So for any people, any women that are starting their own businesses that are thinking about doing more content and, and other things, what would, what recommendation would you give? Or like, what recommendation would you give to yourself now looking back at when you just started that you think has contributed to a lot of your success?

So two things. One, I think just start, cuz everybody thinks like, I have to have my website perfect, or I have to have some followers before I can start sharing, whatever, you know. There's no better starting time than right now and just start putting out content. You never know who's gonna see it and how it's gonna go, especially on Instagram and TikTok with their algorithms. You don't know when something's just gonna randomly hit. I see people all the time on TikTok that are like, this is my second video, and then it has like millions of views, right? You just, you don't know where those algorithms are gonna take you. And so if you wait for the perfect time, there is no perfect time. And there's no perfect setup and perfect whatever, you know, outfit or, or hook or something. It just, just start right now. And then the second piece of it that, you know, I've talked a lot about this over the last few minutes since we've been talking about my brand, is that consistency aspect. And I don't think that you can have the consistency aspect without doing something that you're actually passionate about. And I think when you're starting something, you have to feel out like, what, what am I good at? What do I know a lot of information about? And what could I talk about endlessly? And I think that for you, Brigid, with your background in medicine and all the health knowledge that you have, that sets you up perfectly to be able to talk endlessly about health, right? And food and nutrition, right? 'Cause you have all this background knowledge and it's something you're so passionate about. So like you, whether you were making money on this, on your platform or not, you could talk about it all day, every day.

Oh yeah. There was years that I wasn't paying myself and like, yes.

Right? Yes. And same for me when I was starting out, like when that thing went went viral on Pinterest. Like I was creating content on my blog every single day or multiple times per week making $0. I finally put Google Ads on my sidebar on my website like back in 2012 or something, 2011. And I remember my first month that I made like $13 on those and I was like, I actually made some money. Like this is awesome that I can make money off of this. Off of this platform. But like, nobody was getting paid for this. It was just all for free. And I did it because I loved it and because I had endless things to talk about. I could talk about how to wear this pair of jeans or this pair of shoes, or, you know, how to put together a date night outfit or whatever endlessly. And it's awesome that people can step into it now and immediately start to make money. Like, there's avenues for that. You get on YouTube and you get views and you, you're in you know, uh, ad program or whatever, and you can immediately make money on that. Same with TikTok. Like, you don't have to necessarily have the following in order to make money at this point, which is great, but that shouldn't be the reason that you go into it, right? You have to have something that you can consistently talk about, that you're interested in, that, um, you would talk about even if you weren't getting paid for it. And I think that's been the key for me.

Yes, I couldn't agree more. Merrick, I am so grateful to have you in my life. You have been such an amazing friend over the last few years, and I always love being able to talk to you about business, about life, about the Blood Sugar Reset, and all of the things. I would love for my audience to be able to benefit from all the amazing work that you're doing and putting out into the world, helping women feel more confident in style. So can you share the places that people can follow you?

Yes. So most of our content that you would find every single day is on Instagram. I'm @marixart there. Uh, we also have our website marixart.com and we're putting up content on that several days a week. We have a newsletter that you can sign up through the website. It's down at the bottom. There's a place to sign up. Um, and then I'm Marix Art on all the other platforms, YouTube, TikTok.

Pinterest, all the things.

So, and Like to Know It, and Like to Know It, of course, that is the shopping hub.

I'm Merrick Sart over there too.

So that's M-E-R-R-I-C-K-S-A-R-T. Yes, and it's a little confusing. Some people think my last name is Sart, S-A-R-T.

Wait, I thought that your last name was Art for a while.

It's confusing. I feel like, should I rebrand? Should I change to just Merrick White?

But Not today.

Not today.

Maybe in the future. If you can't find her there, you can find her at Merrick White. But today it's Merrick's art. Yes.

Amazing.

Thank you so much for being here, Merrick, and thank you for tuning in to the Being Brigid Show.

I'll see you soon.