Remember, make your own kind of music every day. Dolly Pearl started with a unique vision. Does your day start with a unique vision? Don’t forget, without individuality there is no progression! Have a lovely DollyPearl day! -RGM
Hope you’re having an inspirational Monday! Here’s our Monday inspiration: fuchsia Ranunculas and vibrant Craspedias! Love this gorgeous color combo. Beautiful for a special event or wedding at any time of the year!
Short bridal dresses are in demand for modern day weddings, rehearsal dinners, and bridal showers. Introducing the Dolly Pearl ‘Elyse’ bridal dress, available soon in white, ivory, blush, and eggshell (shown). www.dollypearl.com.
A classic Dolly Pearl silhouette with our classic ruffle accent, and a lovely bow trim. Introducing the Dolly Pearl ‘Elisabeth’ dress. Available at www.dollypearl.com ❤
Loving this vintage inspired Dolly Pearl ‘Claire’ dress. Perfect in it’s simplicity and femininity. Available at www.dollypearl.com
My girlfriend Margaret sent me this inspirational bio of designer Anna Sui today. It was a brief description of how she started and how she catapulted her company to the amazing brand that it is today. A great read for those who are in need of some inspiration lately. Just remember that achieving goals are not always easy, especially when you have little or no help. Remember to have faith in yourself and to never let go of your determination and drive. Thanks Anna Sui, for showing us that it can be done.
{ Thanks Marg, for sharing! ❤ }
Inspiration music for the day—Cinderella’s ‘A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes’
“Have faith in your dreams and someday,
Your rainbow will come smiling through,
No matter how your heart is grieving,
If you keep on believing,
The dream that you wish will come true.”
The Mind vs The Heart
The way I see it, there are two kinds of people—those who follow the heart, and those who follow the mind—i.e, the risk takers and those who play it safe. There is nothing wrong with either, by the way. The way you live your life makes you who you are, and as long as you leave a footprint you feel is worth leaving, then that is more than great.
I myself, as you can probably already tell, am a dreamer. I live ruled by the heart, utterly and completely. Blindly optimistic—so much that I firmly things often work in my favor. Remember? The energy you give out to the universe is the energy that you receive back. When you are positive, and you truly believe—you will receive. When you are negative, and you lack faith, you will only continue to see the glass as half empty, and you will see zero returns. I believe the universe is very giving as long as you believe with all of your heart. I am not bound by rules, society, or what people think. Some might find this to be wreckless, but let me tell you this: every time I have deviated from society’s expectations, something magical has happened. I tell people have been lucky all my life, but in all truth, I know that I’ve been responsible for the magic that I’ve created in my life. Though my life is nowhere near perfect, I think it is so important to dream and live by the heart. This is who I am. No apologies, no explanations. Even if consequences are inevitable—if I am gone tomorrow, I can at least say I lived for today.
“Oh continue to love me—never misjudge the most faithful heart of your beloved.
ever thine
ever mine
ever ours.”
The Evolution of Dolly Pearl
In April, I will be coming up on the 3rd anniversary of the birth of Dolly Pearl. Many of you knew how I actually started the line, but for those of you who don’t, let me tell you the story:
It was the end of my first year at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) in NYC, and I was sewing for fun (it seemed ages ago that I actually loved sewing). One night, I decided I was going to make a top for myself to wear, and after I finished, I beamed at it, happy and proud of myself for having done it in less than an hour. My husband looked at it and said, “You know, you could start your own line.”. It felt like a total lightbulb moment to me. I thought, ‘wait a minute, I actually can!’ That moment was the birth of Dolly Pearl. I decided to quit school and start my own line. I was confident in my sewing abilities, technical knowledge, and design aesthetic.
When I first started the line, I began to sell individual pieces on Etsy.com (an amazing site for handmade and vintage pieces). I posted a few designs on the site, created a logo, and began to plan my collection. To my absolute surprise, I woke up the next morning to see that I had sold my first piece—all within a day of posting it on the site. I actually couldn’t quite believe it. Someone wanted to purchase my designs? Really? No, seriously? I was floored. After months of successful sales via Etsy, I knew I had something very very special.
As with every line, there is a slow evolution that occurs. I wanted to post a handful of photos of my first pieces on Etsy, and show you how much different the line is today from 3 years ago. Amazing isn’t it? I have grown so much with the line, and I am just so amazingly proud of how Dolly Pearl has positively affected and inspired others. It is now a full on special occasion and bridal line, and I am immensely happy with the reception it has received. It makes me happy to know that independent designers can work insanely hard, have people believe in their work, and for them to see success (in their eyes) from it. The support I receive with this line is more than I can ask for. Dolly Pearl is moving towards the direction I have always dreamed for it, and it has been quite a whirlwind.
To this day, my reaction is still the same as it was when I made my first piece. I finish a new design in the wee hours of the morning, sit and stare at it, and think to myself, “Wow. I am just SO happy.” I literally feel my body filling up with joy. So this is how it feels to love what you do, and do what you love. I wish someone had pushed me to do it sooner, but I realize that the timing was just right.
What does your list of favorite novels say about you?
One of the ways that I gain inspiration in design from is reading. I have to admit, I haven’t done much of it lately, but once in awhile I’ll get back into it, and I come out brimming with imagination and creativity.
I believe that the books/novels you read and love say a lot about your character. For example, some of my favorite novels to read again and again include Anna Karenina by Tolstoy, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, and The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. In that order, brief descriptions of those novels to me are wildly romantic, artistic and controversial, and emotionally haunting. These to me, are all classics that not only enrich your mind, but also explore and enhance the parts of it that lay dormant when they are not being exercised by result of mind numbing television and prolonged periods of internet exposure. I am a classic novel kind of girl, but more so, I love historical novels that bend the rules, spark controversy, and move you to think deeply and multidimensionally. What better way to get the creative juices flowing?
So, I’ve decided to blow the dust off of my Tolstoy and crack open Anna Karenina again. We’ll see what kind of designs I come up with in 2012. Happy reading!
What has inspired you so far in 2012?
I know its terribly cliche, but I’ve started watching Breakfast at Tiffany’s again, and I just love how every time I watch it, I discover something new and something special that I didn’t see when watching it in the past.
One of my favorite scenes in the movie is when Holly & Paul visit Tiffany & Co. When Holly explains to Paul Varjak that nothing bad could ever happen to you at a place like Tiffany’s, it makes me smile. This is actually true! Sometimes when I’m feeling low, or in need of inspiration, I actually make the 15 minute walk to Tiffany’s from my studio, and simply take it all in. It is…magical. When you come in, you are simply amazed by the grandeur of it all. The sales associates greet you with a warm smile, and there’s actually someone there that will tell you about the history of Tiffany—from each floor to the type of wood on the walls. What I love about this is that it forces you take notice of the details—and that is what is inspiring me. Seeing the functionality of every piece it takes to form something aesthetically splendid. It exercises the mind and moves the soul.
So since I’m in a Breakfast at Tiffany’s kind of mood, I think I’ll take a visit there this week, and see what I come up with. Have a lovely and inspirational week! ♥
