This is an All Ears English podcast episode 2036.
How to compliment someone's style in English.
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With your American hosts Lindsay McMahon, the English adventurer, and Michelle Kaplan, the New York radio girl, coming to you from Colorado and New York City, USA.
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On today's episode, we answer a listener question about the expression tie something together.
This can be used to talk about fashion, but it can also be used to talk about gift giving, presentations and more.
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Hello, Lindsay.
How are you?
Hey, Michelle.
Everything's good.
I'm psyched to be recording today.
Yeah, no complaints.
No complaints.
What about you?
How are things in New York?
Everything's good.
Everything's good.
Yeah.
So recently...
I don't know.
Did you do this for your trip?
Did you do any shopping beforehand?
Did you have to buy any new clothes, special outfits?
I actually did.
I'm not really a big shopper, but for Egypt, I definitely did.
I had to go and buy some special, like everyone just wears light clothes when they go to Egypt, right?
Like kind of creamy whites, earth tones, because it is so hot.
And so I had to get some very thin pants that would be breezy and light colored.
So you didn't wear too many jeans over there?
No way.
I didn't wear jeans at all.
It was way too hot.
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
I bought some things too.
You know what?
I was actually really proud of myself with my packing.
I almost under-packed.
I'm an over-packer.
But I actually think I more so under-packed.
And the tricky thing was, every time I looked at the forecast, it was you know that in between is it a pants day or a shorts day.
So that was the only thing I, I think I, I, I packed like I would have packed fewer shorts.
That's the only thing.
Well, also because you were in London and Paris, right?
So kind of like big cities, it's usually I tend in the, unless it's like August hot, right?
I tend in the direction of pants in big cities, just because they're so, there can be dirty cities, you know, like I don't know.
Yeah.
I wore more pants but but I was really happy, really proud of myself for was my shirt situation, because I basically like well, luckily we stayed in Airbnb.
So we had you know wash, we were, could wash our clothes, but like I only packed like really a few shirts, but I I bought the same shirt, one in black, one in white and one and black and white stripes.
And it actually, it worked out because then it was so easy.
Like I had some jeans, I had some whatever.
So anyway, so, but I was trying to coordinate.
So would you say you were very coordinated?
Oh my gosh.
No, I'm so not coordinated.
I have no sense of what goes together.
I get laughed at a lot.
You know, like I'll come down the stairs and I'll hear that does not go together.
Those two things do not go together. yeah all the time oh well that's what i that's what i say to dan i'm not so good at it myself but dan like it's not that he doesn't know it's that i feel like he's purposely trying to annoy me he's very funny oh i thank you he's he's very funny like he'll just like i don't he'll wear like you know these like striped shorts and then the shirt has bananas on it and then like it's just and and we always have this joke where i just say like You do you, you know, like, and he always said, I will come to love that outfit in time because like, that's what happens.
I just get used to it.
And then like, because when we were first dating, he bought these crazy shoes.
Oh, you told us about this once.
Yeah, I did.
Yeah.
Now I just say, I always just say you do you, you do you, you do you.
You got to let people be who they are.
Even if they know they're breaking all the rules of fashion, it's okay.
I mean, that's what we're getting into today, right, Michelle?
But we're talking about fashion.
First, though, we do have a couple of other amazing episodes that our listeners have to check out.
What are they?
Yes.
All right.
So episode 1539 of All Ears English is is that vintage English vocabulary to ask about hand-me-downs?
Love that.
And then there's episode 1235.
Way back, guys.
Are you rocking your outfit today?
How to comment on your clothes in English.
It's a great ability to be able to do this, right?
To say that something goes together.
And that's what we're going to get into today.
But first, Michelle, where can our listeners go to get the app? the All Ears English app.
Okay, guys, this app is excellent.
Go to allearsenglish.com slash app.
That's A-P-P.
So we have it for Android and iOS.
And on this app, you can get your vocabulary words.
We have specially picked vocabulary words for you and you can have them on your own list and you can follow along with a transcript.
And there's so much over there.
So go on over there and get it.
And check it out.
So, Michelle, we have a listener question.
So should I go ahead and read Laura's question here?
Please do.
All right.
And this came from YouTube, guys.
By the way, YouTube is a great place to consume this podcast.
If you're more of a video watcher, you can see us on camera.
See our smiling faces over there on YouTube.
Just search for the All Ears English channel.
All right.
OK.
Here we go from Laura.
She says, this podcast is the best, no doubt about it.
It's unique, educational, fun, and real.
I think I'm hooked.
That's awesome.
On a different note, since you're always encouraging us to send in questions, I was wondering if you guys could talk about the idea of tying something together.
Here's an example.
This hat ties the whole outfit together.
Does this tying together thing mean that the hat goes really well with the outfit?
Oh, fantastic listener, Michelle.
I love that.
Thank you.
Yeah, that is great.
I snatched this question up because this is so much fun.
Yes.
Yeah.
So today we're going to talk about tying something together.
So now, in this context, we're not being literal and talking about tying two things together like shoelaces, right?
Right.
Right.
So this is more metaphorical.
Yes lindsay, if a hat ties an outfit together, what does that mean?
Yeah, so you know the idea that maybe there's a color that the rest of the outfit has that makes it all match together, so that hat brings out a color in the rest of the outfit or a pattern.
See, this is the kind of thing i'm not very good at figuring out what would, what would tie it all together?
Right, but that's what it is.
It means it kind of completes the war, the outfit, the look Right right, right.
Exactly.
So I think that sometimes maybe somebody will wear two different items that seem like maybe it wouldn't work, but then you add something else and it ties the outfit together.
So basically it connects it.
It makes it make sense.
It's why something works.
Michelle, you know who we need on this episode, right?
Who do we need?
Of course, Dan.
We need Dan.
I was like guys, there's a new season of queer eye.
Uh, we just started watching it, loving it, and i still love tan.
He's my favorite, he's fantastic.
Um, he's awesome.
I love him too.
It's really.
It's such a cool show.
We recommend it 100 because you know the five, the fab five.
They come in and help someone kind of re redo their life, like look at their lives not just from the emotional angle, also from the fashion angle.
How can we, you know, spritz things up a little bit as a way to build confidence, to feel better about ourselves?
As from the interior design angle, the hair angle, it's really cool.
It's really cool.
And it is true that, and I remember um cause I watched this thing with Tan once, um I told you about and like it really does make a difference.
Like I I'll be honest.
So the other day yesterday I I decided I wasn't really seeing anyone much this week and I decided to let my hair go an extra day or two without washing it, because I actually got a little hair dye in my hair and I want to make it last longer.
So I was like, ah.
But then I was at the playground and all these moms were there and they were perfectly nice, but I felt so, You know, you don't feel your best, like yeah, and so your fashion.
You know, all this stuff it really can enhance your mood, like when i was on vacation and i had, you know, i had purchased a couple things for the trip.
I i felt better, and then, and then i come back here and i'm like living my day-to-day life and i'm like i don't care, but i should put more of an effort in because it does make me feel good, It does make you feel good.
Absolutely.
And so this language guys is going to help you have these conversations, to go ahead and compliment someone.
So that's what we're going to get into here and a little bit further in the episode.
So, Michelle, what's next?
What else do we need to know?
OK, so, well, we were going to give some examples.
Yeah, let's let's take a quick break first and then we'll come right back.
OK, Michelle, so what are some great examples for our listeners here?
All right.
So here we go.
Lindsay, that purse really ties your whole outfit together.
I love the green.
Nice.
Or this outfit works.
I didn't think it would.
But now that you've added the shoes, the whole thing ties together really well.
OK, so, yeah, exactly.
It goes.
It makes it work.
Right.
So, Lindsay, when you say tie something together, can this be used?
Can the same idea be used in other contexts that aren't fashion?
Totally.
Oh, yeah, for sure.
So things like writing a paper making an argument, kind of like a conclusion, a little bit wrapping up everything.
A presentation, I was also thinking of actually gift giving.
So there are people in my life who are very good at thinking about a gift.
So it's not just like a writ like, For example, I don't know if you give a cooking class to someone like to go learn Thai cooking and then you also gift like peanut sauce, so they can then go and use those skills at home.
That kind of ties the gift together.
That's really smart.
You know what I'm saying?
Right, right, right, right, right.
No, that does make sense.
Yes, that's very good.
Yeah, peanut sauce.
Yeah, now you're just thinking about peanut sauce yes, um so yeah, anything where things can be connected in a certain way.
So, for example, you could say in the conclusion you really tied all your points together.
Good job, yeah.
Or let me tie this all together for you.
The reason we need more social media is because we need more customers, plain and simple, And this is a really important skill.
Maybe we'll come back to it on the Business English podcast, guys.
But, you know, I guess it's kind of like a sandwich.
You're going to tell them what you're going to tell them.
You're going to tell them everything and then you're going to tell them what you told them.
Right.
And those two pieces on the end are really important because most people are really just going to remember those two pieces.
Right.
So tie it together for them.
Tell them what they need to come away with.
We do that on this podcast, too, with our take.
Oh, that's true.
We always have to tie it together at the end.
Yes.
Wrap it up with a little bow.
Wrap it up.
A little gift for our listeners.
I love it.
So you could say what ties this all together is the beautiful slideshow you made at the end.
Yes, I love that.
Very good.
Good stuff.
What else, Michelle?
What do you think?
So Lindsay, are you good at tying things together?
So outfits, presentations, points?
I think I'm pretty good.
I've gotten a lot of practice on this show doing lots of takeaways, right?
Just immediately thinking what is the most important thing for our listeners.
In terms of outfits, not at all.
But presentations, yes.
I need a little work on the fashion side of things.
So like I said, I need tan or someone like tan.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I'm trying to get into it and be a little bit better.
I recently bought pants that are wide leg pants.
Oh, wow.
You know, that's where they flare out.
And so, you know, we went all skinny jeans and now we're going the other way.
So I'm working on it.
Well, yeah, with the skinny jeans, it took me years to adopt the skinny jeans, right?
Like for so long, I was like, I'll never wear skinny jeans.
And then finally I did.
And now I can't imagine, I say to myself, I'll never wear wide leg pants, right?
Like, but probably I will in a few years.
I'm still a laggard when it comes to- But that's how, that's, yeah.
I know, no, no, no.
But I think, yeah, it's when you see it enough at first, you're like, what in the world is that?
And how could we be doing that?
And they're not that wide.
I'll send you a picture, Lindsay.
Okay okay, little wide, but i went to the store and then i and i was like you know what?
And now i'm like i can do it, i feel good, as long as they don't stop selling the skinny jeans.
I just or straight leg, you know, straight leg skinny.
I like those still.
I still don't worry, i'm still wearing the skinny too.
So but um So, anyway.
So how can you tie something together?
Well, I mean, I think for fashion, I mean, I don't even know.
I shouldn't even be giving advice.
But I came up with the idea of look at overlapping colors or patterns, things that might work together.
But don't listen to me.
I have no idea what I'm doing.
Or when you're getting a little fashion advice from Michelle.
It's probably better coming from you than from me.
I have a feeling you definitely have more intuition around fashion than I do, for sure.
Yeah, Michelle.
No.
I'm pretty sure about it.
But I can say, when it comes to presentations, you know, looking at main idea and points that might seem a little disjointed, but how do they connect?
And then always thinking your audience, what is their angle?
What do you want the angle to be?
Right.
Like here at All Ears English, our biggest value is connections.
And so we're always going to tie things together back to connection at the end of the episode, because that's what we care about, more than grammar, more than vocab, more than linguistics, more than being perfect.
Right.
It's connection.
So what is your angle on the topic?
That's important.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Exactly.
Exactly.
All right.
So should we do a role play?
Yes.
Here we go.
We are coworkers.
Okay.
We are almost done.
Want to see the last slide.
Sure, here it is.
Oh wow, this is amazing the information, the colors.
It really ties the whole thing together.
Oh thanks, lindsay.
Do you like making slides?
Do you like?
Did you like?
In grad school did you do a lot of presentations on powerpoint and things like that?
I did um, do I like making slides?
Do you mind it?
Like, do you like, I don't mind it.
I don't.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I like putting together a presentation.
Yeah, I do.
But, um, I also wouldn't say that like, that's like, like, yeah, I don't know.
There are just people that know colors.
Like, do you ever meet people who, like you, see what they do with their house or they, like you're just like wow that you can tell that somebody has that skill.
Like, so it is a skill.
And I used to wonder in, this is, silly that I'm bringing this up.
But I used to wonder like Oh, if I like there was like this girl that I felt was so fashionable in high school.
And I remember thinking Oh, if I like, if she were me, how would she dress me like?
Yeah, for sure it's good you want to get into someone's head because they have a.
Yeah, they have a yeah yeah, yeah.
I don't know where it comes from, but they get it somewhere, it's true anyway.
But yeah, it's a great way to compliment someone, to say oh, yeah.
So I mean let's go through this.
I mean yeah I, I wanted to show you that last slide.
And then I sound I'm kind of excited about it.
And then what did you say?
And then I said oh wow, this is amazing.
The information, the colors, it really ties the whole thing together.
So
You did something amazing with that last slide, Michelle.
I mean, what can I tell you?
Yeah.
So like we said, this is a great way to compliment someone.
But so this is this was a great, great question.
I mean, we talked about fashion.
We talked about how to use it for presentations, for all sorts of things.
Gift giving.
That's right.
That's right.
So, Lindsay, what do you think is the takeaway for today?
Well, let's tie it together.
I mean, it comes back to when you can give give someone these compliments.
Let's just start with the fashion level.
That's amazing.
Clearly, if someone has taken the time to think, does my hat work with the rest of my outfit?
They care about that, right?
Even if you don't necessarily care about fashion, give a compliment to someone based on what they care about, not what you care about right.
That's the interesting part about social dynamics and connection here.
So that's how I feel like it's the most useful is more in the fashion space.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I like it there as well.
It's fun.
So anyway, guys, thanks for listening.
Thanks for this great question of super fun to talk about.
Yeah, really fun.
Good stuff.
Yes.
And we'll see you soon.
And just to remind our listeners one more time if you want to go deeper with this episode and four episodes a week, go listen inside the All Ears English app, iOS or Android.
Allearsenglishcom slash app.
All right, Michelle, take care.
I'll talk to you soon.
Bye.
Bye.
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