Today we’d like to introduce you to Paxton Pojar-weatherly
Paxton, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
For as long as I can remember, I have always loved fashion. Ask my mom — at the ripe age of 1.5, I knew that pink and purple were the ONLY colors for me. So when it came to me wearing denim jeans and a blue polo for a church event…let’s just say it ended in tears.
I always had my own sense of style. I can remember countless days and nights of playing dress up, imagining outfits in my head, making sure everything matched and went together. Growing up in the 2000s subjected me to fashion in general, but also as a career (which I wouldn’t realize until almost graduating high school). There are a few things Raven Baxter, Jenna Rink, Betty Suarez, Sharpay Evans, London Tipton, and more, have in common — Not only did they work in fashion/had their own unique sense of style, and DREAM closets (*wink), but they were always the outlier. They always stood out not only when it came to their style, but also in personality and heart for others. They were always grounded in it too.
My LOVE of thrifting came from endless summers with my grandparents. Whose house was a treasure trove of goodies dug up from local antique shops owned by their friends, as well as thrift shops where we spent those endless summer days. It didn’t take me long to succumb to the MAGIC that hid behind every shop door. The desire and THRILL to search every nook and cranny until I found treasures of my own.
I also wasn’t blind to the DEALS I could get from secondhand. When it came time to spend my back-to-school money, Goodwill and thrift shops were the best. My money went a long way…. more clothes for cheaper prices…SIGN ME UP.
I often think of Dr. Seuss’ quote, “Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” I have always known I was different, the outlier. Although I had my own sense of style from a young age, there was a time in my adolescence when I cared a LOT about what others thought of me, and my clothing changed because of it. To fit in, to be a part of a friend group… “maybe they will like me more? Ask to spend more time with me?” It wasn’t until I found the right group of friends in jr. high who were all different that the personal style of my adolescence began to grow. We all came from different backgrounds, we liked different things but didn’t judge each other for it. We embraced one another and connected through our love of music and jr. high band. They accepted me for me. It was magic, to say the least, and it only grew and evolved from there. I found comfort in being the outlier through the clothing I wore. It brought me GREAT joy to curate pieces from those thrift stores that no one else would have, as well as style looks that only made sense to me. What an incredibly powerful skill to have and harness as a teenager?!
Once it came time to start looking for colleges, I considered options but had plans to go to school for interior design. I don’t know if it was because I grew up in a small town with no exposure to the possibilities or because the only fashion jobs I saw were on TV/in NYC, but I only thought of fashion as just a hobby. I planned to be an interior designer, and then I would “have my ‘own’ line of clothing on the side.” I was off to look at colleges, and the program for my first-ever college tour allowed us to choose classes to sit in and observe. Unfortunately, all the interior design classes were 3 hours long, and the slots were only 1-hour increments, but there were some fashion classes listed, and I said to myself, “Hey! I like fashion! I’ll enjoy sitting in on these classes, even if just for fun!” So I did. Starting in ‘History of Fashion.’ With a love for history and fashion separately, this was a match made in heaven! The second class I sat in was called ‘Advanced Apparel.’ In that 1 hour session, I learned about different pocket types and techniques when it came to sewing. In the end, I had the opportunity to talk with the professor, and there she revealed that “this is the class where my students get to make and present their ‘own’ line of clothing.” EUREKA!!!! My brain EXPLODED with the possibilities and the thought, “WHY HAVE I NEVER THOUGHT OF THIS BEFORE?! FASHION AS A CAREER?!”. It was then that I changed the trajectory of my university studies.
It was that same school where I had my revelation, my eureka moment, the moment my life changed, where I would obtain my BA of Science in Apparel Merchandising with a Marketing Minor. I graduated in May of 2022, and during my four years of college, I had some of the most INCREDIBLE opportunities. Attending and working fashion shows. Alongside my peers, we created and curated a fashion week hosted by our program. It consisted of a fashion museum exhibit (curated by Moi) and a fashion show that I was fortunate to be a coordinator of. I attended New York City twice with opportunities to meet fashion influencers, tour Broadway costume departments, and meet corporate employees from some of New York’s most iconic department stores. Towards the end of my schooling, I focused a lot on the psychology of dressing (in other words, dopamine dressing). Because I truly believe when you look good, you feel good. Clothes have always been a safety. It allows me to show others who I am and gives me every opportunity to live my most authentic self through them. That is one of my favorite things about clothing.
One of my additional passions in fashion is accessories. Several things fueled this love. Part of it was rummaging through my grandmother’s jewelry box, part of it my love of history and the incredible stamp accessories have on the past, and part of it being a curvy girl, accessories ALWAYS fit. Thankfully, just 30 minutes from where I grew up is the only purse museum in the United States (also one of two in the WORLD). I had the incredible opportunity to work there during my last two years of college, where I learned SO MUCH, and my love and knowledge of accessories grew even deeper.
After college, in July of 2022, I started what I thought my dream job was as a Designer for Handbags & Accessories at Dillard’s Corporate for their private labels (perfect, right?!?!). I got to experience some incredible opportunities while at Dillard’s. I built incredible partnerships and relationships with vendors, saw products I worked on in stores, collaborated with influencers on products, visited LA (one of my fave places) twice, and so much more!! I will never forget my time at Dillard’s, but after two years, I felt it was time to move on. And Dallas was where we were led to. The change was scary but also so thrilling! I could see the POSSIBILITIES!!
Through August and September of 2024, I shared my journey of ‘Making My Bridesmaids Dress for My Friend’s Wedding that’s Less than a Month Away.’ From that series, I saw exponential growth and reach in my platform. One of my videos reaching over 65k views. It was the momentum I needed. The surge of those videos occurred right before the New Year, and since then, I have gained close to 200 followers in two months!! It’s very exciting!!
It’s always been my dream to be my ‘own’ boss. It wasn’t until the end of 2024, that I began to evaluate what my heart was for the New Year — or for my life at that — because I lost it for a minute in the last couple of years. I was reminded of my dreams again and feel INSPIRED by other’s dreams coming true to fully believe that nothing is stopping mine from coming true either. Whatever they may be!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My whole life, I’ve struggled with comparison. The unhealthy pursuit of perfectionism. We all know “comparison is the thief of joy.” It has hindered me from doing so many things I love. For several years, I have worked in several capacities to grow my social media to be a full-time influencer. I started a blog and posted outfit videos in college because I loved sharing my little outfits, but I never stayed consistent. Out of the fear that “I was not perfect.” I felt stuck most of the time and felt the unfortunate toll of comparison that social media tends to have on most people.
Thankfully, since our move, I’ve had a lot of time to work on myself. I am beginning to understand that on this journey of life, I am not always going to be perfect at something the first time…maybe not even at all?! But that’s okay! I am “perfectly imperfect.” My flaws, my faults, and my imperfections are what make me, uniquely me. That’s the beauty of GROWING and LEARNING! It’s a journey! Life is truly SO much easier when your mindset shifts to showing yourself a little more grace, love, and patience.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I enjoy MANY aspects of fashion! Currently, on my page, you will find ‘Get Ready With Me’ (GRWM) videos, sewing content, thrift hauls, styling videos, nail art videos (a craft I’ve recently taken up), inspiring others to dopamine dress (look good, feel good), accessories, and so much more. Above all else, my heart is to INSPIRE others to live a life of creativity and love through their clothing. I am working every day to make my dreams a reality, sharing them out loud, and hopefully letting others know their dreams are never too big…I sure as heck KNOW mine aren’t! And if anyone takes anything away from my videos or my journey, I hope it’s the belief that there is SO MUCH power in knowing who you are…even right down to your clothes.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
Follow me on all social media platforms!!!!! Any support, I am sooo immensely grateful for!!
Instagram : @paxton.pw
TikTok : @paxton.pw
Youtube : Paxton Pojar-Weatherly
Also, any Dallas brands that are willing to work with micro-influencers, let’s connect and talk about how we can help each other 🙂
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paxton.pw/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paxton-pojar-weatherly-279129192/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PaxtonPojar-Weatherly
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@paxton.pw?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
Image Credits
IMAGE 1 : First NYE since our move to Dallas, TX.
IMAGE 2 : @paxton.pw feed post — Accessories girl through and through!
IMAGE 3 : 2024 LA Visit — The Grove
IMAGE 4 : 2024 LA Visit — Melrose Place
IMAGE 5 : My first ever product I worked on at Dillard’s, IN STORE!! March 2023
IMAGE 6 : DRAMA is my middle name! Outfit pictures via iPhone.
IMAGE 7 : The ‘infamous’ bridesmaid dress that I made from my series “Making My Bridesmaid’s Dress for My Friends Wedding that’s Less Than a Month Away”
IMAGE 8 : Another image of the ‘infamous’ dress. You can find and watch the series on Instagram and TikTok.
IMAGE 9 : @paxton.pw feed post — February 2024
