The January Edit

People often ask me, “what defines a GIRLY”, or “at what age does one become too old to be considered a GIRLY”, which I find to be comical… for so many reasons…My long answer, short: GIRLYs are extremely dynamic and cannot be defined by something so objective as age. 

My short answer, long… but it could be longer, and less politically correct, if we were sitting at a bar, I was not pregnant, and had a few glasses of champagne: They are not defined by and age, life events, or circumstances, but rather as someone who is constantly striving to approach every stage of life as the chicest version of herself. A GIRLY is not set in her ways but is willing to push herself to do what is necessary to achieve what she wants. Because of this she is constantly evolving. If she needs to meet people, she becomes a going out GIRLY. If she needs to focus on her goals, she becomes boss b!tch GIRLY. If she needs to re-center after hustling too hard, she becomes zen GIRLY. Like Barbie, there are many different versions, but at her core, she has her values that make her recognizable and more confident at every stage – big or small. 

Between the new year and the massive life change I am personally encountering; it has been a time of deep reflection. Not in the way of deciding what my New Year’s resolution looks like (more on that later), but more so determining the theme in which I want to embody as I step into the most important chapter of my life – becoming a new mother, while my career is taking off. Each year, I pick a word to use as a motivational theme and for 2026, I am choosing evolution. There is a part of me that wonders how everything is going to shake out as I become this new version of myself and go through what feels like a personal rebrand. Inevitably I will need to let go of many things that a past version of myself would cling to. My time and attention span will become more valuable than ever requiring a new level of efficiency because this evolved version of me still has massive ambitions personally and professionally. 

Rather than fearing the massive change and the calling, I look forward to it. Because evolving is chic and I have faith that I will be as much of a GIRLY tomorrow as I am today that can handle it. I encourage you to do the same as you take on this next ride around the sun as the iconic GIRLY that you are!  

Tasteful Truth – New Years Resolutions are out & New Years Rebrands are In

The sad truth is that by the time you read this, many people will have already trashed their new year, new me mindset, and be back to the toxic behavior they tried to leave behind in 2025. This level of flippancy is to be expected for the same reason brands can’t get buy-in into their merch, because these resolutions typically lack strategy.  The biggest mistake people make when setting resolutions is that they don’t clearly define the identity they need to assume and outline the steps necessary to achieve the desired results they are looking for. Instead, they have an idea of who they want to become, make a general statement on December 31st and then annihilate their self-confidence when there is no immediate progress toward their resolution. 

Whereas, if you treat the new year like a rebrand and decide what you want to become, run an audit of where you currently are at, look at who you need to become to get there, and run a variety of exercises to get to a place where you can be honest with yourself about what steps need to be taken to get there, you give yourself a fighting chance to actually make those changes. The truth is resolutions are making a statement and hoping it happens, when a rebrand entails a commitment to different messaging, a different look, different habits with intention to become something else entirely.  It is not just hoping you become a better version of yourself but strategizing the steps necessary to take for your personal evolution that allows yourself and others to believe you are becoming a better version of yourself. By committing to your rebrand, you will become more confident and comfortable with this new version of yourself in a way your resolution could never – thus, proving New Year’s Resolutions are out and New Years Rebrands are in ;) 

Chic – Personalization  

People don’t throw stuff away that feels specific to them, which is why adding some element of personalization to your merch strategy is very important. Gone are the days where people just want obviously branded things, unless the perception of value is high OR there is a level of novelty to the product. People now look for some level of specificity to make it feel more relevant to their personal experience. The traditional examples of personalization, such as names, departments, and roles will be here to stay, but knowing personal details about the people receiving your merch isn’t the only way to make it feel more personalized. 

We have seen an increase in popularity of pins, patches, and stickers because they easily allow for an opportunity to use these pieces as relatable motifs that will resonate with your audience and they can make an otherwise generic piece of merch feel more like “them” and less like a walking billboard. The best part is that there is not just one way for this tactic to be successful. You can use humor to make your brand more approachable, you can use it as a tool to illustrate and reward loyalty or achievement, it can be a seasonal thing to add to a collection, the sky is the limit. You just need to determine what your brand is looking to achieve, what product is generally useful for your desired audience, and what messaging matters to them. If you lean into the details from there, the intention will be appreciated AND your merch will feel much more personal, which is incredibly chic! 

Chit – Crinkle Paper 

They say glitter is the STD of arts and crafts and I am here to tell you that crinkle paper is the STD of the merch mailers. As someone who does at least one unboxing a week, let me tell you that stuff is not only a waste, but it is a hassle. Even at this point, no matter how careful I am to keep it contained to the box, it always finds a way to inexplicably scatter on my floor, which is a problem for someone who will go soooo far out of their way to not pick up a broom and dustpan. 

Please know that I have not always been a hater, because at one point, I used to use it as an upsell opportunity as an “on brand way to fill the void between products in a box for a premium presentation”. But after much reflection and personal growth the real premium presentation does not involve being on all-fours trying to pick up tiny scraps of shredded paper off the floor. At this point, I would rather just use tissue paper, or maybe even just try to properly measure the box because crinkle paper is incredibly chit!!! 

Mantra of the Month – I am equipped for evolution 

High performers don’t fear change, they fear stagnation. Change is the only constant for those who remain at the top of whatever field they seek to master, personally or professionally.

The inconvenient truth about achievement is this: when you do something remarkable, you become known for that one thing. You’re celebrated for it, even defined by it. And while there’s nothing wrong with that, people don’t prepare you for the moment that you come down from the high and realize you must do something bigger and better, which requires evolution because you don’t want your act to get stale. 

Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot of value in honoring a win, but there is also power in continuing to grow, learn, and ultimately evolve. Seeking the next peak after reaching the first can feel daunting, especially when you look back at the effort it took to get there. But when you return to sea level, don’t be surprised when you find yourself already looking forward to the next climb -because you are equipped for evolution! 

Stay hydrated. Stay fabulous. Stay on brand.

XX,

MERCH GIRLY