The Maison Gaton Podcast

Pull up a chair. It's 1951. The linen is crisp, the coffee is strong, and you and I have nowhere to be for at least an hour. This episode is inspired by Part 3 of The Misadventures of Madame J: Chortler on a Train, and three things it made me think about for all of us. Three stylish missions this week: Eat one meal alone. Unhurried. No phone. Order exactly what you want. Slow down for five minutes...

Chortler on a Train, No. 1 is live on Substack today. This episode is the companion to it. Madame J notices what people wear because what people wear is information. She was a spy. That kind of attention doesn't retire just because the war ended. This week I talk about: What Madame J sees when she opens that curtain and looks at the dead man across the aisle Why I built her eye for style into the...

She's Here. Almost.  This episode is about what a story can do that an essay cannot. I have spent years writing essays about formidable women. About refusing smallness. About taking up space without apology. I meant every word of every one of them I have been sitting on this long enough. Madame J arrives Tuesday June 2nd on Substack. Five installments. Every Tuesday. Free to read. Connect: Instagr...

Where Do You Want to Be? This week I talk about the very human experience of looking for your reflection in someone else's record of the night, what I actually found when I looked, and the distinction that changed everything for me: I wasn't missing from the night. I was missing from the record of the night. Those are two different things. This week I talk about: The event, the Instagram carousel,...

This week I want to introduce you to a woman you haven't met yet. And before I tell you about Madame J, I have to tell you about Elle. Elle was my imaginary friend when I was eight. A 1920s movie star with a jet black bob, cupid bow lips, and apartments in Paris, Hollywood, and New York City. Whenever I opened the imaginary door to her apartment I never knew which city I'd land in. Sometimes I hel...

This week we're continuing our A Collection of Lovely Things series with a theme of Blue: Hopes, Dreams & Aspirations, and this week's room is a little different. The Blue room has comfy couches, table space, journals, notebooks, whiteboards. It's a space for dreaming. And more importantly, it's a space with a microphone in the center because this week we're talking about something rarely discusse...

This week we're continuing our A Collection of Lovely Things series with a theme of Green: Home & Environment, and it's all about turning the space you already have into the retreat you've been waiting for. The episode opens with a reflection on a self-scheduled weekend retreat: a whiteboard in the dining room, a pillow nest on the couch, and the question that started it all: do you want your home...

This week we're continuing our A Collection of Lovely Things series with a theme of Yellow Friendship Gathering, and it's all about the little pieces of ourselves we give to one another.   The episode opens with a reflection on being truly known by a friend, the kind of friend who can read a book you wrote and spot little pieces of you scattered across every character.   From there, we dig into wh...

This week on the Maison Gaton Podcast, we're stepping into the Orange Room, a space dedicated to creativity, whimsy, and permission to be a messy beginner. Drawing on a reframe from a MythBusters creator, we explore how creativity is really just problem solving in disguise, something you're already doing every day. Your missions this week: try micro creativity, be brave enough to be bad at somethi...

Petite Pleasures and Everyday Glamor: The Red Collection   In this episode: What petite pleasures and everyday glamor actually mean (and why it's a mindset first) Judith's personal story of finding glamor in the smallest of things, even a 99-cent Shasta soda Why you work too hard not to be savoring the life you've built How to do a Color Walk through your home and rediscover the gorgeous things yo...

Welcome to the first episode of a new series! Step inside the Maison Gaton house: an eccentric, curated space full of trinkets, textures, and treasured collections. This episode is an invitation to take inventory of the lovely things you've gathered throughout your life, and to truly enjoy them. Timestamps: 0:00 — Welcome & introducing the Maison Gaan house 1:17 — Grandmother's Folgers coffee jar...

Why I Abandoned the Airbnb at 2am It started with a smell. In this episode, Judith shares the full story of abandoning a vomit-soaked London Airbnb at 2am — and what hauling a giant suitcase into a perfumed hotel in the middle of the night taught her about the year she was actually having. This is the episode that introduces the 2026 theme: Misadventures. In This Episode: The Airbnb from hell — fe...

Episode 337: The Lost Pleasure of Getting Ready - 30 Acts of Resistance Through Style Why has getting dressed become a lost pleasure for busy professionals? Host Judith Gaton reframes intentional dressing as an act of resistance and shares 30 compelling reasons to find joy in your getting ready routine again. What You'll Learn Why the ritual of getting ready has lost its mystique How style and fas...

Episode Overview In this special episode of the Style Masterclass podcast, host Judith Gaton introduces a new format inspired by her Substack's "First of the Month Files." She shares five things she's currently loving and working on, along with encouragement to pursue your own creative projects and find joy in the everyday. Key Takeaways Imperfect progress > perfect inaction Find your accountabili...

In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Andie Geyer, the owner and operator of Rebel Reads, a mobile romance and fantasy bookstore based in Redlands, California. Andie shares her incredible journey from third-grade teacher to entrepreneur, proving that you don't need to quit your day job to build a thriving passion business.   Discover how Andie went from seeing a video to launching her pink m...

In this episode of the Style Masterclass podcast, the host delves into the concept of goal-setting, encouraging listeners to shift their focus from grandiose outcome goals to specific, daily processes. Sharing personal realizations and examples, such as making a million dollars, losing weight, creating a stylish wardrobe and writing a novel, the episode emphasizes that real progress and satisfacti...

In this episode, Judith explores the tension between setting ambitious goals and leaving room for flexibility, creativity, and possibility—especially at the start of a new year. She shares personal reflections, style advice, and encouragement for high achievers to embrace both planning and the unexpected.

In this transformative conversation, Judith is joined by friend, colleague, and certified coach Sara Fisk, creator of The Stop People Pleasing Program and host of The Ex Good Girl Podcast. Together they explore what people pleasing really looks like beneath the surface, why high-achieving women are especially vulnerable to it, how it shows up in both obvious and subtle patterns, and what it truly...

In this episode of The Style Masterclass podcast, the host welcomes Lisa Haukom, the founder of The Golden Brand, to explore the journey of creative entrepreneurship. They discuss Lisa's background in art history, culinary arts, and her transition into running her own businesses, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and visual storytelling. Lisa shares insights on her remote photography sess...

In this episode of the Style Masterclass Podcast, I'm welcoming Coach Chris Coulson for an honest, empowering conversation about fitness, mindset, and self-care. We discuss overcoming injuries, integrating mental health with fitness, setting meaningful goals, and embracing failure as a learning tool. Chris shares his unique "nerd quest" approach to habit-building, while I reflected on my own journ...

In this episode of the Style Masterclass podcast, I'm welcoming Abby from Abby Lane Designs and Holistic Homes. Abby, an intuitive interior designer and 'house therapist', breaks down the ancient Chinese art of feng shui. She explains its principles, its impact on our living spaces, and how adjusting our environments can enhance our lives. The discussion delves into practical tips for creating nur...

In this episode I am talking you through the idea that style is a creative act rather than a checklist, and how I came to this realization for myself.  You'll learn:  Getting dressed is a daily moment of authorship The false narrative that professional women are not creative How to use your closet and your style to build your confidence and creativity Join our Morning Coffee Newsletter: https://ww...

In this episode I am talking about the one summer item.  Not an entire wardrobe, not an entire outfit, we're simply starting with one item. You'll learn:  What to do if you're feeling overwhelmed about your summer wardrobe this year The gift you can give yourself to take the pressure of this summer Items I suggest (with the caveat that you're going to repeat this item over and over) starting with...