Meet Moorea, jewelry designer, "pinfluencer", store owner, & best selling author

1) You are a lady of many talents. Why don’t ya give us a little list of what it is that you do!

Probably the best word to describe what I do is entreprenartist. Does that count?

• I am the CEO of Moorea Seal, yes, it’s a company that has the same name as me. I’ll explain why later (I promise I don’t have a huge ego!) Moorea Seal is an online retail site mooreaseal.com where we feature over 160 designers who are either handmade makers or focus in sustainable fashion/ethical sourcing. We donate 7% of all proceeds to non-profits.
• I also have a storefront in Seattle, WA. After having a cute little shop in Belltown for 3 years, we are now mid-build out on a huge new storefront in downtown Seattle, right in the heart of the city. The new store opens in October and we are having a huge party all weekend long, Oct 14th and 15th. You’ll be there, right Dani ;)
• I have been a jewelry designer for 8 years now! Though I took a little break in the middle while launching mooreaseal.com
• I am an author. I published The 52 Lists Project just 2 years ago and it’s gone on to be featured on Oprah and is currently being translated into 9 different languages! My second book 52 Lists for Happiness came out a year ago and has been been just as successful. And my new book Make Yourself at Home comes out Sept 26th. So exciting!
• I design desktop product, you know, since I seem to have so much free time. And I’m hoping to get a new line out this Winter/Spring.
• Above all else, I deeply believe in empowering others. I do advocacy work for women in business, I am extremely passionate about women’s rights, minority and immigrants rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and children’s rights and hope to create positive change within the Foster Care system one day (I hope to get into politics in the future). And you can bet that you’ll find me at a rally, protest, or meeting with local and national policy makers more and more as the years go on.

2) Walk us through the path that got you to where you are now. 

Woo! I’ll try and keep this as short as possible, haha.

I graduated college during the recession in 2009. And jobs were beyond scarce in Seattle so a few months before I graduated college and had to start paying back my college loans, I started a blog in hopes that I could get my voice and my art out into the world. By 2010 I was nannying over 70 hours a week, blogging daily, I was teaching myself graphic design and a little bit of coding, I was in a band (I sing and play guitar) and I was working as an artist’s assistant. Despite doing all that, I still had very little money and was barely surviving. I wanted to make art but I couldn’t afford to. So I kind of accidentally stumbled into business.

I started redesigning my blog as a way to practice coding and graphic design and eventually I started designing other people’s blogs as a side gig. As a musician, I had a ton of friends who needed design work for posters, album covers, etc. So I started doing design work for musicians. I started doing illustrated portraits for bloggers. And I taught myself jewelry making as a way to make mini sculptures that I could sell, get money back, and keep making more.

In 2010 I also started using Pinterest when it was in Beta. I thought it would be a great way to create inspiration boards for my blog design clients. Once I started using it, I realized it was like creating an online museum of everything I wanted and dreamed of but couldn’t afford, from “Beautiful Eyebrows” to “Dresses” to “Bathrooms” you name it, I had a board for it. It was the one space where I wasn’t hustling as hard as I could. And one day in 2012, when a sponsor for my blog asked me my stats on my social media channels, I checked out Pinterest, saw it say 250,000 followers and I thought, ok that’s a glitch. So I emailed Pinterest and they said, nope, it’s real. By the end of 2012 I had major retailers wanting to work with me as an “online curator” or “influencer” and it blew my mind because I had been hustling so hard just to survive since college, trying every job I could and making more up as I went, and somehow, Pinterest became the space where I really took off. My childhood dreams of being a museum curator somehow translated into being an online curator.

By late 2012 I had done content creation and collaborations with Madewell, Nordstrom, P&G, L’Oreal, Gap, and tons of other major brands. But I started to feel like my voice didn’t matter when I worked for other brands. I didn’t want to be known as “Moorea who has a big Pinterest following.” I just wanted to create and be known for being me.

So because my following online had happened so organically, I knew whoever followed me anywhere online trusted my voice for being honest. So I decided to create my own online retail site focused on handmade goods and that gave back to non-profits I deeply cared about. I was lucky to band together with my cousin and one of my best friends to bring it to life and now they are the CFO and COO of our company. We chose to keep the name of the company Moorea Seal because by 2013, I had almost a million followers on Pinterest who knew my name, my jewelry line was already under my name, and my blog was under my name. So here I am, with a retail site with my name on it! Accidental brand consistency.

Within six months of our online site taking off, we were growing fast and needed to move into a large office. So we figured, hey, all of these beautiful pieces of jewelry and goods are tucked away into boxes for online shipments. Let’s kill two birds with one stone, find a space that can work for a small storefront/showroom and then use the rest of the space for our online operations. So we opened a storefront in Seattle in 2014. Just a few months later, my publishing house approached me (literally approached me... they showed up at my store while I was working as the 6 days a week sales associate/owner) about a project I had done on my blog called The 52 Lists Project and they asked if I wanted to turn it into a book! Obviously, my answer was YES! And here I am, three years in with three books under my belt! I feel VERY lucky.

In the three years since, my team has grown and grown. Within six months of the store being open, we decided to take over the entire space next-door for our online offices. My crew has encouraged me to keep designing with my jewelry line and desktop products. And now after three years at our first little storefront, we are moving our store to a space twice as big and we’ve built out a two story space behind the storefront in a beautiful historical building to house our online operations. We’re moving in in less than a month!

3) In an era where the brick and mortar store is quickly being replaced by online retail how have you managed to succeed?

I think a lot of people are getting sick of seeing the same things over and over and over by big box retailers. In Seattle and across the globe, we're seeing people become more conscious of how they shop and where they are putting their money. And with a brick and mortar, you literally see where you are putting your money. I wanted a physical space where our customers could see and touch and feel the value of the handmade products we stock. From clothing to jewelry, accessories, home decor and paper goods, it’s all so much more fun to shop in person and get to talk one on one with customers. We wanted to not just build a store with beautiful things but also create a space where EVERYONE feels welcome. I see so many stores that look cool but don’t feel inviting, or feel inviting but there isn’t much progressive design to be found. My storefront is about providing a space to shop where you can find something you’ve never seen before while trusting, you are welcome here. Hosting events and parties all of the time also helps to cultivate and future that sense of community in our space. And I can’t wait to see that grow in our new store! Making the space Instagram worthy helps too ;)

4) How did you start the 52 lists project? What was your intention going into it and did you expect it to turn into a best selling book?

When I started the project, it was honestly just a way for me to battle my own depression and anxiety. I’ve suffered from both my whole life as have just about everyone in my family. And after getting to a point in college where I was at my lowest low, suicidal thoughts while also knowing I would never act any of it out, I hit just a snapping point of realizing, the only person who can save me is ME. And with the 52 Lists Project, I wanted to create a free online print out that anyone could use that would encourage people like me to list out answers to prompts like, “List what you are grateful for…” or “List the difficult things in your life that have changed you for the better…” Through the lists, my hope was to create visual evidence of why each person is valuable, worthy of love, worthy of loving and admiring themselves, worthy of living life to it’s fullest and celebrating themselves. It was a tool that I needed to feel well, to see evidence of who I am and what makes me me. And after posting a list each week on my blog for a few weeks, it started to spread across the web like wildfire.

When I was approached to turn it into a book, I was BEYOND shocked. To note, I was still barely surviving financially while trying to get my businesses going. And I thought only people who go to school for writing or just really famous rich people get to write books. But my publisher really believed in my voice and wanted to get my message out there. I expected it to not really take off, or just do well locally in Seattle. But that’s it. My publisher only printed 5,000 copies for the release of the book. But the day it came out, Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, Paper Source, and many other retailers picked it up. And now it’s been printed over 350,000 times. I’m still shocked. I still live a pretty quiet life with my husband and my dog in a little apartment. And it always amazes me when a friend texts me a photo of the book in their favorite local store or in a store they stumble into in a different country!

5) What accomplishment are you the most proud of and why?

When it comes to mooreaseal.com and the storefront, I have to give massive credit to all the people on my staff. I could have never done any of it without their incredible skills that I lack. So when it comes to what am I most grateful for, it would be the people on my team who believe in me even when I’m not perfect or mess up. And when it comes to what I’m most proud of on my own, it would definitely be my books. They are my heart. I’m still the three year old girl who dreams of saving the world. And now as an adult I understand, you can’t save anyone. But what you can do is support and empower and trust others have the capacity to find their inner strength to live and thrive. And I feel like my books help. That’s all that matters to me in the world, that I’m at least helping someone in some way.

6) As a multi-talented creator do you find it difficult to balance it all?

YES would be an understatement. I have a hard time pulling myself out of survival mode. I have had to work really hard for myself for a long time, even beyond business, just in trying to fight depression and anxiety and dysfunction around me as a kid. I am not always the best store owner, the best designer, the best author, the best wife, the best friend, the best person. But what matters is I try. And those who know me, know that. I love them and they love me, and I’ve learned in recent months to really just forgive myself and move on if I don’t live up to my own high expectations. Regret doesn’t help anyone. I don’t think there is any perfect work/life balance for entrepreneurs or artists, especially when you are a woman. But we all live our own juggle and our own hustle. And as long as we are kind to ourselves and each other, we can keep going to do great things.

7) You’ve talked about your identity being very tied into your work. As someone who feels the same I would love to hear more of your thoughts on this.

I definitely screwed the pooch on this one by keeping my brand name the same as my real name. YIKES. Separating your identity from your work can get very confusing when you share the same name as your business! But what I have learned over the years in identifying as “Moorea the artist, musician, graphic designer, illustrator, coder, nanny, big sister, friend, blogger, writer…” the list goes on, in all of it, I’ve come to discover that what you DO does not define who you ARE. I’ve had to leave quite a few modes of artistic expression behind as I’ve grown in my career, things that deeply fulfill me like writing and performing music. But just because I don’t do that right now, it doesn’t mean that I am any less me. I get to bring that back whenever I want, and right now, it just needs to be put to the side. And I hope all women understand that too: you don’t have to do EVERYTHING right now. Your voice will still be important, even if you did none of the things you are doing now. It’s your mind and your heart and your unique perspectives on life and your own values that matter most. YOU inform your work. The more I practice remembering that I will be fully me even if literally everything I do is wiped away, the more stable I feel in my juggles. The more I name what my followers and customers ARE allowed to be a part of in my life, the more I can feel comfortable owning what I want to keep separate in my life, apart from my business entirely. No one, not even your most trusted friends, business partners or family can tell you what you are comfortable with in the overlap of business and life. Decide for yourself and stick to it.

8) Mental health is something you’re a huge advocate for. What sparked this interest in you?

As I’ve mentioned before, depression and anxiety are not only a part of me since I was little but also a part of my family. My great grandfather died by his own hand. Many of my family members have attempted and I’ve spent years of my life trying to talk some of them out of it. Thankfully, as of the last 2-3 or so years, no one in my family has been suicidal. And I think it’s because more of us have become vocal about our struggles within our family community and vocal within the communities around us. I believe in being a voice, a resource, and I’ve had lots of practice. I’m not here to save anyone or be a martyr, I just want to be a voice that I didn’t hear when I was younger, someone saying, “You are resilient, you are capable, you can keep going, you can thrive and you will."

9) What would you want to share with a girl who is struggling with anxiety and/or mental health?

My friend, I know you have some massive wisdom and strength. It’s inside of you, it has kept you alive up until this very moment. And you have the capacity to live and feel well. It’s fucking hard, but it’s worth every fight. You have had practice already. You can do this. Even in the place that I am with my career, it appears so shiny and fun and exciting, but girl, I fight battles everyday not only outside of myself, but inside of myself. And the same way that I have learned to use the trauma of my past as a resource for my own understanding and wisdom, I KNOW you can too. Those of us who have had trauma and endured pain and suffering that many people cannot understand actually have a secret power. We have knowledge. We have learned a lot quickly, whether we wanted to or not. And if we SPEAK more, honoring all that we are even in our darkest moments, we will find our communities. By sharing my battles with depression and anxiety, you know what I have experienced? SO many other voices around me saying, “Me too.” When we are trapped in our own minds, it can be so isolating. But I promise you, there are SO many of us out there fighting for our own wellness, our own lives. You have endured so much and you know what that makes you? You are not a fuck up. You are not stupid. You are not too much. You are not any of those negative things that have been placed on you. You are RESILIENT. You are mighty. And I expect to see you do great things for yourself because I know you can.

10) What’s next on the to-do list for Moorea Seal?

A nap? JK. My hope over the next coming years is to open another store in LA and Oakland, CA. Then I’d love a store in Austin, TX and Nashville, TN. One day even NYC. I’m dreaming up a new book that I can hopefully release in 2019. I’m working away on a new line of jewelry and desktop products. And amidst all that I want to adventure more, rock climb more, make friends everywhere I go, and continue living in the healthiest state I’ve ever been in. At the end of the day, if my depression and anxiety are manageable and I’m laughing everyday, it doesn’t matter what I do. It’s all a bonus on a joyful life.

11) What does being a Dazey Lady mean to you?

It means having a voice. And however you use that voice is up to you. But bonus points if you are using it to spread positivity and the empowerment of others :)

We are so loving this month's releases for Dazey Digital! For August we've picked out one design each from three different collections! Below you'll find this months digital release with both desktop and mobile formatting. You know the drill- just save right to your phone or drag and drop to your desktop. Have some favorite Dazey designs you'd like to see featured for next month's Dazey Digital? Let us know in the comment section! :) 

Dazey Your Desktop "EXPLORE MORE"

DOWNLOAD DESKTOP VERSION USING IMAGE SHOWN BELOW

DOWNLOAD THE MOBILE VERSION HERE

Dazey Your Desktop "BABES AGAINST BIGOTS"

DOWNLOAD DESKTOP VERSION USING IMAGE SHOWN BELOW

DOWNLOAD THE MOBILE VERSION HERE

Dazey Your Desktop "POSITIVITY PLEASE"

DOWNLOAD DESKTOP VERSION USING IMAGE SHOWN BELOW

DOWNLOAD THE MOBILE VERSION HERE

#DAZEYEVERYDAY

Feeling slightly silly writing a fashion post after all the really important social and self love subjects we have been tackling. But hey, I guess we are a fashion brand too! I believe you can be passionate about making a positive change in the world and also expressing yourself through what you wear.

As you know I LOVE wearing Dazey everyday and finding fun and new ways to style a graphic tee. One of my recent favorites is wearing overalls or a strapped garment with one side down showing off the graphic, like my first look below. I have started seeing you guys and some boutiques that carry dazey try this look as well and it makes me SO HAPPY!  

The looks below were all shot on different days around Los Angeles with actual outfits I happened to be wearing. I enlisted the help of two of my favorites @phillipbutler and @officiallyquilgey to snap them for me :) Hope it gives you a little outfit inspo! 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD AND SHARE VIDEO PREVIEWS

HELP US SHARE AND WIN A TEE:
👉Download one of the video preview clips above and post to your Instagram
👉Make this web page the link in your Insta profile 
👉caption: "#dazeysharesselflove, click the link in my profile to see full video"

"Self love isn't selfish, it's necessary." - Dani Dazey

Share your self love 

The theme of our most recent collection was The Summer of Self Love. Dazey's mission is to empower women, whether it be in their careers or everyday life. Empowerment begins from within and promoting positive self esteem helps with every aspect of your life.  

We started a challenge over Instagram asking women to share their self love by posting a photo of themselves and talking about their personal journey with self love, then tagging @dazey_la & #shareyourselflove. Whether you're head over heels in self love or still battling, it shows other women that they are not alone. It's a challenge that everyone has to face. The stories shared have been incredible and a true source of inspiration. Each month this summer we have been giving away a free tee to one of the brave babes who have joined the challenge. There's still a week left in August so we hope you share and win a free tee!  At the bottom of this post we show a few of the Dazey Ladies's posts who have joined the challenge. 

We made this video to highlight a few of the amazing stories and to continue spreading our self love message far past the summer! All the women you see in the video and photoshoot below were casted in one week through Instagram. We posted a last minute video asking if anyone was interested in sharing and we couldn't have asked for a more perfect diverse, dynamic, and inspiring group of Dazey Ladies! The girls gathered at a Downtown LA loft early on a Wednesday morning, got decked out in Dazey, snapped some photos, and bared their souls on video. Then something even more magical happened, they began sharing stories amongst each other, taking selfies together, and exchanging contact information. I received multiple messages later that evening saying they had never felt more embraced and empowered as they did that day. It really goes to show through openness, conversation, and community we can begin to build self love. Below are the faces and words of the women who joined us that day. Behind each beautiful smiling face there is a story.

We hope you share your self story love along with this video, we think the world need to see it :)

VIDEO BY: Marissa of @reelradfilms

PHOTOGRAPHY BY:  @danidazey of @dazey_la 

HAIR & MUA: Jessica of @bebeautybyjess

DAZEY LADIES PRODUCT INVOLED: @starkthelabel, @metalli_luna, @CBGems, @im_with_the_band_headbands

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR: Megan of @thelittleavocadoshop SELF LOVE

ADVOCATES & MODELS: Vanessa Acosta, Courtney Cain, Jeanette Ramirez, Alma Lake, Taylor Ulrich, Courtney Welch, Emily Kincaid, Chelsea Moon, Ruth Lanuza, Catrina Banci, Reid Cox Sarabeth Opplinger, Katelyn Suihkonen, Jess Dutkovic, Alexandra Tanner, Arlondriah Lenyéa, Sophia Carter-Kahn, April Quioh

"I'm always comparing myself to people. Wanting to be like they are or in the journey they are in. It's still something I struggle with" 

-Jeanette Ramirez (above)

"I do have a lot of trouble with fitting in with what society would describe as female. Having friends in the gay community embrace me allows me to accept that I can be both, and I can be myself."

-Arlondriah Lenyéa (above)

"Providing an avenue for all women to see themselves in the light they want to me seen is crutial, and that's why sharing your own self love journey is so important. Everybody out there is going through something similar or something different or whatever rendition of this they're going through. You have to share because you have to make sure everyone knows they are not alone."

-Courtney Cain

"Just because my struggle has lessened doesn't mean it's gone away. It is comforting knowing that probably every single person you encounter on a day-to-day basis is struggling with something within themselves."

-Emily Kincaid (above)

"For years and years I was having different types of eating disorders, I was trying to fill a hole with food. It wasn't until I actually started basing my worth on what's inside instead of what's outside, that's when I actually started to love what's outside!"

-Reid Cox (above)

"Crying actual tears right now because I have never felt so confident and empowered as I did after this shoot!!!" 

-Katelyn Suihkonen (above)

"I was the only brown girl in a private school that was not a size zero. I think it's okay not being 100% everyday. Having that self love mean that you're okay with not being okay all the time." 

-Vanessa Acosta

"One of my legs was shorter and larger than the other. I got made fun of in school as a little girl because it was obvious. After the birth of my son my heart started failing. I was dying. I wound up having open heart surgery. That put everything into perspective. I want to live. I've got one leg that's fatter than the other and you know what, I'm flipping gorgeous. I've got a husband who loves me, I've got beautiful children, and life is good."

-Cristina Nagel (above, left) 

"Sisterhood was crucial for me feeling good about myself."

-Sarabeth Opplinger

"I was bullied at a young age. A lot of times for me it was skin color or my hair color. (Self love) is about learning to be okay with me every single day, good or bad."

-Courtney Welch

"I deserve to be happy in my body. Whether or not I want to change it in the future I think is beside the point. I deserve to wake up today and think I feel beautiful. Or even if I feel okay, or I don't feel okay, but that doesn't mean I'm going to punish myself."

-April Quioh

"Self love is great, if you can get there great. If you're not feeling it today you're still apart of this community, you're still here, you're still okay."

-Sophia Carter-Kahn

#SHAREYOURSELFLOVE

 Below are some real posts by some of the brave babes who shared their story via Instagram. Be sure to check out the hashtag #shareyourselflove to see everyone's journey. We welcome all to join the challenge this summer and far beyond that! 

🚨 The #SHAREYOURSELFLOVE challenge has been so impactful I've decided to keep it going all summer long 👊 We will give away a tee each month 🙌 June's prize winner is the amazing @ms_rains ⭐️ Her powerful words: "My journey to self love was long and physically painful. I had always judged myself the way we are taught to do. I could always loose a few more pounds, tone up, wear less makeup, wear more makeup, whatever. Then I was diagnosed with stage III breast cancer at the age of 26. Suddenly I no hair, I gained 50 lbs, and lost both of my breasts. I didn't even resemble what I thought a woman looked like. Neither did my husband. He left me right after the mastectomies & I was devastated. I hated what I saw in the mirror, but it got worse before it got close to better. Due to radiation therapy damage to my skin, I couldn't have implants. My only option for breasts was to cut off my bottom ab muscles and my tummy and turn that into breasts. 40 hours of surgeries, leech therapy, 30 days in the hospital, and one boob later, I was worse than when I started. One breast transplant hadn't taken so now I had tons of scars and only one breast. I had almost died. I had put my life in danger for boobs! How crazy is that? After the months it took to heal, I learned that cleverly designed graphic tees were a great way to distract from the imbalance in my chest. I lost all of my chemo weight and I noticed that people didn't look at my chest. They had no idea, unless I told them. My insecurities where mine, no one else saw them. They saw a warrior, a badass! They were right! So everyday I would look at myself in the mirror naked and touch my scars, there are many more now, and admire the fight it took to earn them. I remembered willing myself to get up, put my life back together, and I did it in a new body. The body of a someone who went into battle and won. How could I not be in awe of myself?" She is one strong and inspirational Dazey Lady 💪 I love how she specifically uses graphic tees to give her confidence ❤️ I can't wait to add one more to her collection ✨ #summerofselflove #howdazeydoes

A post shared by Art Apparel 👉 Shop Dazeyla.com (@dazey_la) on Jul 3, 2017 at 7:15pm PDT

I've been at war with my body for as long as I can remember. I always felt too fat, too flat, too blotchy and blemished. The world teaches girls from an early age to despise and abuse these vessels as loathsome works-in-progress. And if you ever do find peace with your body, confidence is often criticized, self-love is slut-shamed. Our society celebrates body-hatred disguised as modesty. . It's taken me about 26 years, but I am finally learning to love this body. With all its lumps and dimples, mysterious bruises and scars. While in Iceland, I had to shower naked in a room of other women before entering the hot pools. Maybe this isn't the biggest deal to other cultures, but in America, the only naked bodies we see on a regular basis are the ones deemed "desirable". Unceremoniously stripping down in a roomful of bodies of all shapes and sizes, and then going on about our business was strangely momentous to me. These bodies are incredible. They take us on adventures, conquer tremendous feats, bear life. And yet we spend most of our lives hiding and hating them. . I'm done doing that. I'm sure I'll lose some followers and get some flack from those who are more offended by naked bodies than our society's gross body standards. But I'm done trying to maintain the approval of those who'd rather see me secretly at war with myself than proudly loving my body. . Iceland, thanks for helping set me free. 🍑✨ . 📷 by my incredible Instagram husband @realdavegargula ;) . @dazey_la #shareyourselflove

A post shared by Corinne Alexandra (@stuckwithpins) on May 21, 2017 at 7:55pm PDT

I thinks it's pretty obvious that I am an open book! This year isn't even over yet & it has been one hell of a roller coaster. What happen to me in December is old news to some folks but it is still very relevant & real to me! Everyday I wake with it weighing heavy on my chest and every night I go to bed with flashbacks. I don't expect anyone to fully understand how that incident has changed my life. Yet, I do expect consideration, compassion & love. Sexual assault, verbal, emotional & mental abuse is NO JOKE! It hurts in every way imaginable! I am always on high alert. I still have fear of walking or driving alone since it happen. I still struggle with men looking at me or even complimenting me. When I smile or when I laugh know that it is genuine. When I am quiet & closed off ... please don't judge me! Know that I am still healing. I mean no harm & I do not mean to offend anyone when I choose to hide out or not speak. This road to healing & recovery has been very difficult. I don't know when I will be back to "normal." Yet, I do know that I am able to do small things for myself again & that to me is victorious. My attacker changed my entire outlook on life. I do forgive him though and I STRONGLY encourage who ever has endured any sexual violence or abuse... regardless if it is a stranger, family friend, sibling, family member or partner. If it is WITHOUT your consent ... Please speak up! Go to your place of safety and get therapy! Believe me, I neglected therapy for as long as I could after my incident. Feel down inside I was hurting in every way. I was scared of everyone! I struggled silently feeling like I was robbed of my purity for my fiancé. I still struggle daily with my body too. Always feeling like "someone wants to hurt me or take advantage of me." Indeed it is a shitty feeling but it has been much easier to process w/therapy! After several months of therapy, I understand this! YOU ARE NOT DAMAGED GOODS! YOU ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH! YOU ARE WHOLE AND BEAUTIFUL! YOU ARE WORTHY! & " IT IS OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY" Believe me, it's hard but it gets better.

A post shared by #becomingRamirez (@desiraeramirezz) on Jul 23, 2017 at 9:33am PDT

Growing up, I was very self-conscious about being tall and curvy. Most of my friends were shorter and thinner, and I wasn't confident because I was different. Now that I've grown up, I realize how crazy that is! There are so many women built like me, and so many other beautiful body types! There is no "right" body type. We're all unique, and we're all beautiful! With all the negativity that there can be on social media, I think it's important to empower each other. @dazey_la has created a great community across multiple social media platforms for women to share their stories, and for all of us to support each other, which is truly inspiring! The tee says it all: love more. #shareyourselflove #dazeyla #dazeylady

A post shared by Lindsey Livingston (@thelindseylook) on Jul 1, 2017 at 12:08pm PDT

I recently saw @dazey_la post about #shareyourselflove and I thought it was a way to share this message and get this new account started. Whenever I go to a new place people always notice my eye. One is a lot smaller than the other because it's a glass eye and I can't see out of it. In a new place I'm always reminded that I'm different because of the weird stares I get. As I get ready to go to a new country for gap year I think this message is important. I need to remember that the things that are different about me are what make me unique and totally unlike anyone else and I should be proud of that and so should you! #shareyourselflove

A post shared by @mayatakeschile on Jun 17, 2017 at 10:34am PDT

"Body confidence does not come from trying to achieve the perfect body, it comes from embracing the one you've already got." || Shorts or skirts were never really a part of my wardrobe. I would always try to cover up as much as possible because I despised my wide hips and thighs. When we live in a society that profits from our self loathing, it's very easy to succumb to their beauty standards while accepting ourselves is considered a rebellious act. Shopping for pants or jeans were and still are a pain. But, it wasn't until recently that I began to embrace this part of my body. #shareyourselflove @dazey_la | If you haven't already, check out my recent blog post. Links in my bio 🤗

A post shared by D C A D (@intodeeseyes) on Jun 30, 2017 at 3:25pm PDT

When I was younger you would never see me in a photo standing up straight with a huge grin 😁 I hated my smile, my glasses, my flat chest, my scrawny body that made me feel more like a little boy and not a woman coming of age. I created the @dazey_la #shareyourselflove challenge to helps girls of all ages realize we are way too hard on ourselves 💕 As I get older I learn to appreciate the things that make me ME 🤗 I used to be self conscious and shy. Now I love being bold, unique, and standing out 🦄 Last day to enter the contest and share your story ✨

A post shared by Danielle Roxanne Nagel (@danidazey) on Jun 29, 2017 at 9:56am PDT

Fighting for Equallity

Growing up in left-winged California around so many different cultures and people has somewhat shielded me from the bigotry and racism that still happens today. With the current politically charged climate and hate crimes happening all around us, racism in America has become alarmingly apparent. I am shocked and ashamed that in 2017 this is still happening in my country. After the most recent attack in Charlottesville we wanted to use our platform to stand up to violence and racism. I choose to peacefully make a protest against hate using what tools I have, artwork and photography. Dazey firmly believes in equality for all and wants to give marginalized women (and men) their power back.

After the recent attacks my Facebook has been filled to the brim with articles and comments on the matter, but one status stood out to me in particular. A friend of mine, Gleeven (@afro.vogue), posted a status saying how heartbroken she was and how she didn't feel like her friends and family were safe in her own country. That really hit a cord with me. There is zero difference between Gleeven and I, and yet she fears for her life just because of her skin tone? It made me feel even more upset, I had to do something! By chance she reached out to me that same day asking to shoot. We had been trying to shoot for awhile and toyed with the idea of a protest-style shoot before, but now the timing was perfect. She helped me come up with some great signage, grabbed her gal pals, and we took to the streets!  

Gleeven is a model, stylist, influencer, and huge advocate for racial equality. She has incredible creative vision and a strong voice. She wanted to go for a very 60's style shoot which I thought was appropriate because it was in this era that people had to fight for their cilvil rights. I could not think of a more perfect person to collaborate with on such an important shoot. Below you can see the photos as well as some amazing words of wisdom from Gee herself in an open letter.

"I believe one of the most important first steps is realizing that when an issue affects any group, it affects the entire country. Many people go through their daily lives with a privileged perspective, ignoring issues that don’t affect them directly. They don’t speak out on injustices or bat an eyelash on plaguing issues simply because they are not suffering from these problems. If we start to become allies and speak out on behalf of one another in solidarity, I infer that we will start to see changes for the better." -Gee via galore 

Models:

@afro.vogue
@loveebonique
@iamlindaelaine

Photog:

@danidazey

"The United States is seeing hate crimes at an alarming rate. Black men are losing their lives because of the belief that their life is not worth as much as yours. Are you that filled with hatred that you would rather see another man slain than to change your heart." -Gee

"This country was founded on the belief that all men are created equal. If so, why do you perpetuate an idea that in order for this country to thrive, we must rid ourselves of minority groups..in particular; the blacks. Are we not all equal? It took leadership like Martin Luther King's to shape this country. Was he not as important as his white counterparts?" -Gee

"I was birthed by an incredible black woman, Davreen McBeth, who taught me the importance of self love and I hope to serve as a reminder for black women across the globe that black is strong, beautiful and resilient." -Gee via Galore

"I implore you to look into your heart and try to empathize with minority groups that fear for their lives because of the agenda you fuel. Imagine yourself in their shoes. How would it feel being hated for things you couldn't control like your skin color? Would you think America is great? How can you help to combat the racial injustices in this country?" - Gee

New the the Dazey Lady Shop

At Dazey our mission is to empower women. We love working with and promoting fellow female entrepreneurs through our Dazey Lady Features. At the beginning of this year we took it one step further and began carrying a curated collection of girl boss goodies on a section of our shop called the Dazey Lady Shop!

We are always looking for ethically made brands owned by inspiring women. Today we are are excited to add a bunch of new stuff to the shop. Many of the women we feature in our shop reached out to us via email or Instagram. If you're interested in joining the Dazey Lady Shop email collab@dazeyla.com! 

Meet the Dazey Ladies:

TAMGA Designs - Gorgeous Dresses, pants, kimono

Yana emailed me awhile back and sent me a few of the items from her shop. I loved the bright colors, loose fits, and playful patterns. I wore them a few times on the story and I began to get questions. The only logical thing to do was add her to the shop :) We love that all of their clothing is ethically made and environmentally friendly. TAMGA started with two simple questions - is it too expensive to produce a socially and environmentally responsible piece of clothing? Does style have to be sacrificed for accountability? The obvious answer to them was ‘no’, and so they set out on a mission to prove just that.

Wyeth Eyewear - Handmade sunglasses 

Stef has a background in fashion marketing and after watching all these brands grow over the years she decided she wanted to try it herself! She loves the bicoastal lifestyle and wanted to create a product that made sense in both LA and NY. She considers sunglasses a necessity to protect your vision, and enjoys being apart of that. Stef sent me a few pairs when she started out and I fell in love with both the quality and vintage style. They are designed in NY and handmade in Italy. I frequently see her billboards and marketing around town and am so impressed, this gal clearly knows what she's doing! 

Bohindie Stream - Earth inspired handmade jewelry 

Bri started Bohindie steam at the young age of 19. Proving it is never too early to start your entrepreneurial journey! She loves the free-spirited bohemian lifestyle and successfully captures that in her brand. Her jewelry has such a magical feel to it. Everything is handmade and most of Bohindie Stream’s pieces revolve around crystals. Bri sent over an email asking to be apart of the shop! I had been wanting to get some more fun and interesting earrings into the shop and hers are to die for. I'm a big advocate for just being bold and asking people for the things you want in life. Bravery is often rewarded. 

Model: Christine Barraco

Photographer: Dani Nagel  

From LA to Reno

I have been quite the traveler lately! Wedding season has me going all over the country and last week's destination was Reno, Nevada for my sister's wedding. I drove up from LA with a few of my best childhood friends and my boyfriend. We took the 395 N most of the way up and wow what a gorgeous drive. There were scenic views, vast and varied landscapes, and so many cute little towns!

I was both the maid of honor and photographer for the wedding so I brought my camera along. Luckily my bags were packed with Dazey so I could snap some fun photos along the way. Always a huge thanks to Phillip for being my "Instagram husband" and taking awesome photos :) 

There were so many cute motel signs, as a graphic designer heavily inspired by vintage type I could hardly keep it together! We snapped photos in front of a few as well as some incredible landscapes. If you're ever on your way to Reno or Mammoth be sure to stop by Red Rock and the adorable town of Lee Vining! 

Little Dazey Lady

Today's shoot is with this itty bitty cutie named Zahara. She is a mini-blogger with a not-so-mini following! Her mom, a fan and supporter of Dazey, reached out to set up a little mini shoot with Zahara. I usually shoot with an older age group, but this shoot really was the perfect opportunity to showcase that Dazey is for women and girls of all ages.

It's estimated that up to half of adolescents will struggle with low confidence levels during the early teenage years, so this is a very important time to teach young girls self esteem! Especially in this day and age of social media and comparison it's more vital than ever to spread the self love. No one is ever too young to promote and share the positive message we've got going on over at Dazey LA!

We receive a lot of emails from mother's thanking us for creating positive, feminist tees and buy them for their daughter's, so it made sense for us to highlight that with a rad, little feminist in the making! Scroll down to see all the pics from our day outside the Museum of Ice Cream, I just can't get enough of that pink wall! :)

This past weekend I flew out to Chicago for @officiallyquigley’s wedding. My boyfriend @phillipbutler and I decided we may as well make a mini vacation out of the trip! We love exploring new cities and I had never been. My dad lived in Chicago years ago when he first moved to America and always had great things to say about it. Other than him I really hadn’t heard a whole lot about the city, so I feel like I was able to go there with a clean slate and no preconceived expectations. Let’s just say it did NOT disappoint! Everything was incredible, from the gorgeous architecture, to the vast blue lake, and the adorable brick filled and tree lined neighborhoods like Wicker Park. This is one under rated city! I really fell in love with Chicago. If it wasn’t for the wild winters (so I’ve heard) I would move there in a heartbeat! 

We were only in town for about three days so we were scrambling to get everything in! Wicker Park and Logan Square were adorable and the ultra hip parts of the city, so we spent a lot of time eating, drinking, and shopping in that area. We love to ask the locals where to go so we can see the city from their perspective. We always play the “what if we lived here” game in all of the places we visit :) Phillip and I normally shy away from the touristy stuff but actually had an amazing time seeing the landmarks and just being in awe of Chicago. Seeing everything from the Sky Deck was so cool, the buildings and lake just went on forever. The city planning, overall organization, and cleanliness of the streets was unlike any city I’ve seen before. It seemed like every building, bridge, and art installation was so thought out and made with intention. I highly recommend visiting if you haven’t, I’ll certainly be back soon! 

Below are some of the photos we took around town at some of the magical places we found. We also have some snaps of the gorgeous blogger wedding! Of course I was wearing Dazey Everyday (aside from the wedding night lol) so there is some fun outfit inspiration there too!

Spots to check out as shown in photos:

Doves in Wicker Park - Amazing dinner, 70’s style diner 

The Violet Hour in Wicker Park - Tastiest Cocktails, cool cozy chairs

Lula cafe in Logan Square - Brunch, sit outside by the planters and enjoy a mimosa

Estero in Logan Square - Coolest Cuban inspired bar, great for day drinks

Passion House Coffee Shop in Logan Square - Good lattes and plant wall for insta pics

Giordano’s - Classic Chicago deep dish Pizza

Millennial Park - Ultimate tourist spot, but gotta get that Bean pic

Goddess and the Baker by Millennial Park - Quick and yummy lunch, cool chairs for photos

Lucy’s in the Chicago Athletic Club Hotel - Drinks and an amazing view

Fairgrounds in the Chicago Athletic Club Hotel - Cute coffee shop for a pick me up 

Chicago Sky Deck - Lines for days only made worth it by views for days and the ultimate city-top Instagram

The River Walk - So gorgeous you will think you’re in Europe 

Navy Pier - Grab a beer and walk the pier, the lake seems like and endless ocean

Best Boutique Lineup 

Here is an awesome little line up of our favorite LA based boutiques. You can also snag Dazey goodies at a few of these shops which makes them pretty cool in our book! I love gorgeously curated stores. As a clothing designer nothing beats the feeling of browsing through a truly inspiring boutique. Of course the shops we have featured below are ran by equally inspiring women. When I support local businesses like these I know my money is going towards a hardworking entrepreneur who's adding value and a special touch to the city. It literally feels GOOD to spend money lol. 

This article was written by our awesome contributor Shiloh C. She is a forensic psychologist and travel blogger, basically a badass Dazey Lady. She wrote an article when we first launched the Zine on the 10 Best Coffee Shops in LA you can see HERE.

The Canyon

5911 1/2 Franklin Ave.

Franklin Village

This cute shop is brand new to the neighborhood, but already looks like it's been a staple for years! Decorate with big beautiful cacti it definitely fits it's cool, SoCal feeling name. Set up right in the front of the shop is a table with a bunch of Dazey tees, so you know they've got good taste! Mainly an apparel shop with a range of super charming accessories and home decor too, this place is a one stop shop to find your new favorite, bohemian style outfit.

 

Friend Mart

970 N. Broadway #105

Chinatown

Friend Mart lies in the center of Chinatown in a shady little courtyard. But the neon logo sign hanging on the wall is like a ray of sunshine once you step foot into this cheeky shop. There are virtually endless rows of patches, enamel pins, and apparel adorned with cool pop culture imagery.  You can also find hotel room keychains, hair clips shaped like dogs, and butt-printed socks. But the real highlight of this unique shop is the embroidery station. You can bring in that boring denim jacket (or whatever) and get lettering and graphics embroidered right there in the store. 

Nico & Bullitt

2205 W. Sunset Blvd.

Silver Lake

Entering Nico & Bullitt is like stepping into a rad time warp where you want to try on everything and just kind of hang out for awhile. There so much to look at that it's difficult to keep focused! The decor is amazing, and the fashion is exceptional, especially for ladies who love the Dazey look. Aside from some great graphic tees, I had my eye on the candles and ceramic mugs; the necessities of life!

Shout and About

1547 Echo Park Ave.

Echo Park

I was pleasantly surprised to find this sweet little shopping district tucked into an Echo Park nook. Shout and About is distinctly Californian and makes you want to spend your pennies on adorable little cactus pendants and, "Oh hey these cactus dessert plates match!" There was an impressive selection of original artwork and beautiful wrapping papers as well as more functional items like water bottles and blankets, all in beautiful bold colors.

Shorthand

5028 York Blvd. 

Highland Park

This adorable store was like medication for my OCD tendencies. A place for everything and everything perfectly in its place. Everywhere I turned there was no shortage of colorful rows and containers of office supplies (another obsession of mine) and beautiful paper products. I love a place where I can indulge in all things girly and still feel like I'm purchasing items that will ensure my productivity, while promoting a sense of female empowerment. Shorthand was all of that, wrapped up in a very neat, colorful, perfectly-shaped bow.

Myrtle

2213 Sunset Blvd. 

Silver Lake

Located a few doors down from Nico and Bullitt, Myrtle is like the more responsible older sister. The shop is definitely a reflection of how I aspire to dress; classic clean lines with a sprinkle of patterns and charming details. The more you browse, the more you view the depth of the inventory here. Lovely printed dresses and funky neon jewelry feel quite comfortable next to each other in this sophisticated space.