july 19, a sunday

trying something new is always a bit daunting, at least for me. it's not that i don't love the challenge--i do--but the prospect of failure creates a fear seemingly ingrained into my DNA. usually this fear is unwarranted--usually i come out the other side unscathed and exhilarated and all the better for the experience. but i know that life is not always like this. the paths we take, the choices we make--they don't always turn out for the best. still, we trudge on, thrive, even, and live to take on a new challenge and a new day.

i'm grateful for the opportunity to try. i'm grateful for the opportunity to make scary choices, to make, sometimes, mistakes; to live through everything and learn from it all. i'm grateful that i've elected to not always take the easy path, the path most blindly trudged--i believe i gain immeasurably from each wrong turn, each new discovery, each time i push myself to face and confront and overtake the scary route. it's the scary route--the challenging route--which gains us greatness, in the end. and greatness is something we should all aspire toward, in whatever capacity it is that moves us. 

july 12, 2015

yesterday was rough. after a year of work, several months of promotion and a couple of weeks of being live; after all of the hours upon hours of busywork--put into making each and every item perfect not only for my collections but for the person who would, ultimately, be on the receiving end, i came to the realization that my sales were slowing to a fairly definitive halt. for someone trying to build a brand, it was a jarring, difficult moment. my friends and family tell me, "chin up, these things take a while"; and while i know in my heart of hearts that that's true, i, of course, thought MY venture would be a different one, that my journey would take a different route than the expected. 

today i'm still here, plugging away at the fine details, promoting my merchandise on social media, waiting for that turnaround. telling myself that what i have is a quality, desirable product and that eventually, the customers will come. telling myself that what i'm working so hard on day in and out is not necessarily for today, but for tomorrow. for the future.

June 23, 2015

after a 3 week road trip across the country to visit family and attend a graduation it's back to business. the trip, of course, included a few stops to search out some perfect items for my current and future collections. walking into a shop or a home and discovering something unique and ideal has become a not-so-secret thrill for me; on many an occasion i've had relatives, friends, or shop owners bear witness to my squeals of delight upon finding, for example, a vintage oscar de la renta scarf, hand-tooled leather bag or brooks brothers blouse. i envision in my mind how each piece will fit into a collection, i listen to how it speaks to me, i imagine building future collections around something totally unique and irresistible. there's so much satisfaction in creating a business around something you love, and something which innately drives you. from the films to the fashion, i feel compelled to not just collect but to immerse myself--to revel in the beauty, the mastery, and the eclecticism inherent to each piece.

Bright Lights Big Pretty

piecing together the bones of an online business sounds like a dream and it is, albeit a time-intensive, labor-heavy and sometimes mind-wracking dream. i'm a writer by nature but have never felt the compulsion to publish, and so this little e-commerce site, Bright Lights Big Pretty, this welcome and unexpected brainchild which marries so many of my interests--film, narrative, fashion, vintage, and more--is my first foray into public scrutiny and acceptance. it's terrifying, and i love the way the thought of all of it makes my heart race.

so please--look around, come often, check out my linked media sites and enjoy. you're always welcome.

marie