One of the best things about being a small business is that we get the opportunity to truly connect with our customers and fans. In doing so, we’ve made a number of meaningful relationships with the #paradoxmafia. We’ve learned just how inspirational our boss babe following is一 hence, we put together this series on our blog as a way to better get to know and highlight the bad*ss women that support our female-founded brand. Keep reading to learn more about this week’s interview feature…
(all photos from @trulyaria on Instagram)
“I first got into fashion, like most people at a young age, by watching fashion related films and TV shows such as ‘The Devil Wears Prada,’ ‘The Rachel Zoe Project,’ and ‘America’s Next Top Model,’ and then wanting to be a part of that world. I would make my mom buy every fashion and beauty magazine whenever she’d go to the store, and then I’d spend all day flipping through them and cutting them out. Sometimes I’d use my own money to buy two of an issue—one to keep on display and read, the other to cut up for inspiration. Throughout high school though, I actually took a greater interest in fine arts and art history. It wasn’t until I saw the 2011 A/W Haute Couture Givenchy collection (check it out here) under the creative direction of Riccardo Tisci online that I realized I could combine my interests in art with fashion. I had then taken any opportunity to get involved in the industry whether that be by starting my own fashion club, attending NYFW, participating in the 3 Days of Fashion at FIDM in LA, or interning through Nordstrom’s Fashion Ambassador program. It all helped me figure out what it is that I wanted to do.”
“I use my platform as a way to explore my own aesthetic and hone in on my personal style. Everyday I’m inspired by those around me, and it keeps the creative wheels in my head constantly turning. It’s also an amazing way to connect with others and gain some insight into the daily lives of those I admire. I follow Harper’s Bazaar’s former Senior Digital Fashion Editor Chrissy Rutherford, and she’s extremely transparent about her editorial career, which helps me navigate my own career path and motivates me to keep working towards my goals.”
“I use my platform as a way to explore my own aesthetic and hone in on my personal style. Everyday I’m inspired by those around me, and it keeps the creative wheels in my head constantly turning."
(all photos from @trulyaria on Instagram)
“With my Instagram, there’s a point in my feed where you can visually see how my focus shifted from trying to get the best photos to simply posting my everyday life but still a curated and aesthetically pleasing way. I used to overly edit and Facetuneeverything, but now, it’s just my life in little squares. I love that I challenge myself to find beauty in the mundane, and the pandemic helped me big time with that. As far as my blog, I’m still finding my way with it, but I love that it’s my own little corner of the Internet. I have the freedom to do whatever I please with it, and I can share more thoughtful content.”
“Minimal meets city chic. I only wear neutrals, but I like to play around with different textures, silhouettes, and proportions to make my outfits more interesting. Shoes and accessories are a must especially since I wear a lot of tonal and basic styles. For me, they’re what makes my style standout.”
“If it’s a long work day, and I know I have a long list of tasks to do, I dress up that way I won’t be tempted to lounge around. Other days, I’ll opt for my nicer loungewear. The key is to work at a desk or at your dining room table, not in bed. I try to separate my relaxing areas from my work areas, so I have some kind of separation from my work space. It’s harder when I’m in New York though. My studio doesn’t have a living space to do work in, so I usually go to a nearby cafe and work there.”
"I dress up that way I won’t be tempted to lounge around. The key is to work at a desk or at your dining room table, not in bed. I try to separate my relaxing areas from my work areas, so I have some kind of separation from my work space."
(all photos from @trulyaria on Instagram)
“Invest in quality basics in neutral tones. Those include a blazer, longline coat, knit sweater, pair of black trousers, plain t-shirt, black dress, pair of mom jeans, and a pair of white sneakers and Chelsea boots—those are good starting pieces. You can style them in so many ways and wear them almost all year round. I used to buy up trends like everyone else, but I knew that it was wasteful. The only way I was going to refine my style was by essentially purging my wardrobe of trends and styles that I no longer cared for and in turn, only buying what I knew I would wear repeatedly and with a range of other pieces.”
“Invest in quality basics in neutral tones. Those include a blazer, longline coat, knit sweater, pair of black trousers, plain t-shirt, black dress, pair of mom jeans, and a pair of white sneakers and Chelsea boots—those are good starting pieces."
“I say if you want to experiment with your style, look into the different trends happening by looking through magazines or scrolling through Instagram or Pinterest first. Then go to your local thrift store and see if you can find ways to recreate it. It’s a great sustainable and inexpensive way to see if something works for you!” (Check out our Style Inspo Pinterest board and our article “The Definitive Guide to Developing Your Personal Style” for more tips!)
(all photos from @trulyaria on Instagram)
“Statement outerwear and shoes are important because most people don’t see my actual outfit while walking around the city!”
“That’s really hard because I’m a skincare enthusiast, but it’s a tie between a good vitamin C serum and moisturizer! Bonus if the moisturizer has vitamin C. My skin is so dry and prone to hyperpigmentation, so I can’t go without these.” (Quick! This is your sign to shop our Vitamin C Serum and moisturizing Facial Oil!)
“I think those are both extensions of my lifestyle, and in one way or another, they’re all interconnected. I aim to use clean and high quality skincare and my everyday makeup is a minimalist’s approach to soft glam, so when you look at my style it all makes sense. My curiosities and interests in fashion are similar to the worlds of skincare and makeup. I try to translate my style through trying different makeup trends that fall under the same aesthetic.”
“Toning, surprisingly. After double cleansing, there’s something about taking a good toner and adding hydration back into the skin that does it for me.”
“They’re fast acting and flatten any blemishes without over drying my skin! I love that it has tea tree and calendula oil in it because it helps calm inflammation and redness. My skin easily scars due to inflammation, so I often deal with hyperpigmentation. Whenever I have a hormonal breakout, I like using products that pinpoint my problem spots and fight against that and the spread of acne causing bacteria, and the Lucky Star Blemish Patches do just that!”
“Your Retinol! I have yet to find a retinol product that I love, so I’m always open to trying out new ones.”
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