Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacy Suarez.
Stacy, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve always been drawn to beauty, fashion, and staying up with trends. Creating outfits and different looks with my own style has always been my favorite part of being a girl. I am a firm believer that when you look good, you feel good about yourself, and that is exactly what fashion does for me. Growing up, I can remember my friends always asking for advice or to borrow clothes for events and this was something I truly cherished because I really enjoyed helping them and testing my creativity at the same time. It wasn’t until two years ago though, that I really decided I was going to put myself out there a little bit more and begin sharing pictures of my outfits, giving tips, and just sharing my life in general. My journey began by me sharing my “outfit of the day” on IG, to now sharing quick videos with different outfits and style tips. These videos can be very time consuming, but I truly enjoy making them and have gotten great feedback from the social media community.
One thing I will say is that I am very affordable when it comes to creating my outfits so don’t feel like you have to break the bank to look ca-yute, lol. I don’t like spending a ridiculous amount of money on my clothes and almost always shop deals because why pay full price right?! Ultimately, fashion is not about having all the brand names, or the most expensive pieces. Fashion is about being creative, adding your own spin to your outfits, and really just expressing yourself in your own way!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. For one, I am a full-time student and will be graduating this December 2019 (thank you GOD!!) as an occupational therapy assistant, so school does take priority in my life right now. I am also a wife, which definitely takes priority as well. Secondly, I feel like for the longest I was very worried about what others might think, especially with influencers being so in right now on social media. To say the least, I was afraid I wasn’t going to be “good enough” or wouldn’t meet “expectations”. Social media is very powerful because it almost seems like it’s human nature to always compare yourself to others and start self-doubting yourself and it’s honestly very sad. For the longest, I was struggling with things like “is this post-IG worthy?” or “what if people don’t like this post?”. Pitiful right??! I know! I can’t believe I allowed my mind to go there, but it’s true. As a content creator, I feel like the pressure always rises when trying to make yourself stand out from the rest but it should definitely not cause any negative feelings, especially if you are being true to yourself.
I think it’s important to remember social media can be very deceiving because it definitely paints a picture-perfect and we all know that is not the case. You have to remember NO ONE is YOU, and that is YOUR power! So, for any other women/young women beginning their journey… do not let social media make you feel any less than who you are, EVER! Post the dang picture, share what you like, make real connections, and be YOURSELF! Authenticity is key!
Please tell us about your work.
Currently, I am a full-time occupational therapy assistant (OTA) student. I decided to pursue occupational therapy as a career because I love helping others and have always envisioned myself working in the medical field. Before going to OTA school full time, I had always worked in the finance industry, and honestly, it was just a job for me. Not really ever satisfied, or happy so it felt like I was always craving that fulfillment.
Initially, I didn’t know if occupational therapy was going to be a good fit for me because I only knew the basics of it. And deciding on what to study/invest in for the rest of your life is not that big of a deal anyways right? LOL. So, I decided to take a chance and try it out, and shortly after, my love for occupational therapy really began to bloom, especially as I found out it had a huge focus on mental health. Occupational therapy actually has its roots in mental health and interventions are lead with it being the main component. Mental health is such a crucial topic to us as humans and I feel like sometimes it is not talked about or acknowledged enough, so personally, I really try to stress the importance of it along with self-care and positivity. Aside from fashion, I feel like this is something I am most known for and am very proud of since it’s something that truly matters to me.
There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that a lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
I myself did not have a mentor throughout this whole journey, but networking is definitely something I would recommend. I have done a bit of networking here and there and have met some amazing people along the way while making connections. My advice would be to not be afraid to get out there and make suggestions on collaborations if you are trying to become known in the community. Odds are someone else who may be thinking of doing the same and hasn’t gotten the courage to ask you. If it works, great! And if it doesn’t, then at least you can say you tried it and move on to the next.
Contact Info:
- Email: stacerdz@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stylexstacy/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/stylexstacy
Image Credit:
Emerierosephotography
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