What it was like styling Priyanka Chopra on Quantico: ‘These shoes are like $1,000’

Priyanka Chopra set the screen on fire with her electrifying performance in Quantico. Styled by renowned Montreal fashion stylist Cary Tauben, the Bollywood icon looked sharp and powerful while bringing down bad guys as a special agent. During a candid conversation on the ‘If You Know You Know’ podcast, the stylist shared a few fun anecdotes from his styling days with the former beauty pageant winner.

He revealed that during fittings, she was a little rough on the clothing, which he “personally thought was disrespectful”. “I was taking these items from high-end stores. She would take a Givenchy shoe and kick it to the side, and I was like, ‘These shoes are like $1,000. And she kept saying, ‘Oh, Givenchy, they love us. They love us. It’s okay. They love us,” thinking maybe they were samples, but they were actually purchased.

Even though he had a big budget, Tauben thought, “Maybe you could be a little nicer to my clothes, regardless of whether it’s expensive or not. Just be respectful to someone’s time, talent and also to the clothing.”

Tauben also shared another fun anecdote about Chopra: “Before she would go on to set and film, she had an assistant with a hand mirror, and he would hold it in front of her face, and she would like to fix her hair, and she would go, ‘Okay, I’m ready’. And I was like, ‘wow, this is like serious’, you know what I mean?”

“But every time she would go on, he would hold up the mirror so that she could give herself a pep talk, which I thought was fascinating,” he recalled, adding, “She killed it obviously, and it was amazing, and I thought that was very interesting.”

Decoding the psychology

Dr Rimpa Sarkar, clinical psychologist and founder of Sentier Wellness, Mumbai says pep talks and affirmations can be helpful because they influence the way we interpret stressful situations.

“Before an important presentation, meeting, interview, or performance, many people experience self doubt, anxiety, or fear of failure. A pep talk acts as a form of intentional self guidance, helping the mind shift from threat mode to challenge mode,” she tells indianexpress.com.

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Explaining the psychology behind it, Dr Sarkar says that the way we speak to ourselves matters, and our internal dialogue can either increase anxiety or build confidence.

“A constructive pep talk does not mean pretending that everything will be perfect. Rather, it involves reminding ourselves of our strengths, preparation, past successes, and ability to cope with challenges,” she adds.

According to her, affirmations can also help counteract negative self talk, which many individuals engage in automatically during stressful situations. When used realistically and consistently, they can strengthen self belief and emotional resilience.

How do pep talks improve productivity?

According to Dr Sarkar, research in sports psychology and performance psychology has found that positive self talk can improve concentration, confidence, and performance outcomes, particularly in high pressure situations.

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– They reduce performance anxiety by creating a greater sense of control.

– They help redirect attention from fear of failure to the task at hand.

– They improve focus by reducing mental clutter and self doubt.

– They increase motivation and willingness to take action.

– They help individuals recover more quickly from mistakes or setbacks during performance.

How do pep talks influence self image?

“Self image is shaped not only by what happens to us, but also by how we interpret our experiences. Repeatedly speaking to ourselves with encouragement rather than criticism helps build a healthier self perception over time,” says Dr Sarkar.

“Pep talks encourage self compassion and self support. When individuals regularly remind themselves of their capabilities rather than focusing only on their shortcomings, they gradually develop a more balanced and confident sense of self,” she concludes.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to.