For Brenda Song, feeling confident in her body has been a journey.
“I think when you’re a parent, you just don’t have the time to think about your own personal style or to think about yourself anymore,” Song, 38, exclusively told Us, while promoting her partnership with Marshalls for the Fall Fashion Field Guide. “So it took me, actually, a minute. I actually really struggled the first couple years after having two kids because my body had changed, what was important to me in my wardrobe changed, and there was a second there where I was like, ‘I don’t feel confident in my body, I’m just gonna wear sweats.’”
She continued, “I realized that that was a mindset. I was like, ‘OK, let me find comfort. Is it possible to find comfortable clothing that feels accessible, that still feels trendy, that feels fashionable?’ And that was what it really took, was sort of me kind of breaking down, ‘What do I like now? What fits my body?’ I can’t wear what I was wearing when I was 27. I’m 38 now. My body has changed, and my lifestyle has changed.”
The mom of two explained that it was “really trial and error” to see what worked best when it came to her wardrobe. (Song shares sons Dakota, 4, and Carson, 3, with longtime partner and fiancé Macaulay Culkin, whom she got engaged to in 2022.)
“It was me trying on a million different things, trying on these different archetypes to see what felt the most to me,” she said, revealing there were particular items in her closet that looked fabulous and buoyed her spirits. “And knowing that I can’t follow all the trends, but I can find ways to incorporate it into my wardrobe and still feel hip and cool.”
After adjusting her own collection of clothes, Song has now partnered with Marshalls to launch its Fall Fashion Field Guide, a shoppable edit full of high-quality finds for every style and budget.
“When this came about, I felt, first of all, so honored because I have been a Marshalls shopper my entire life. There was nothing like making a stop that turned into a two hour shopping excursion with my mom in Marshalls,” Song told Us. “Fall is also my favorite fashion season because I love layering, I love accessories, and when we were kind of going through these sort of archetypes, I realized, ‘Wait, these are all just different versions of Brenda’s mood throughout the day, depending on how I feel.’”
Song hopes that shoppers “pull inspiration from these vibes” from the Fall Fashion Field Guide and put their own spin on it.
“It’s not about finding that exact jacket. It’s about finding a version of that jacket you feel confident in, that you like and that suits your lifestyle,” she explained. “I just want to make it easy for women and people to still feel confident and still feel on trend, but accessible.”
