Hi dears! I’m so excited to introduce Katie of A Girl Named Katie to you today! She has a beautiful blog and website, as well as some of the prettiest handmade products for sale in her online shop. And she has generously offered one of her gorgeous clutch bags as a giveaway prize to one of my readers…so don’t waste time in entering at the end of this post…it just might be you!
Hi Katie! Tell us more about yourself!
I began dating my husband, Josh, in our junior year of high school. I wanted to pursue fashion design and he was a dairy farmer…I thought we would never work. We’ve been together seven years now! We got married on his family’s farm two years ago and moved into an old farm house in a small town near Lancaster, Pennsylvania. We seem to always be busy with house projects! We just had a baby girl named Olivia in August. She is three months old and is filling our home with joy. I am blessed to have a supportive husband that allows me to pursue my dreams.
This past winter after finding out we were expecting a little one and needed the second bedroom for a nursery, we renovated a back room into a sewing studio for my business. Running a business and taking care of a baby has definitely brought a lot of challenges in time management and bewilderment. I’m constantly trying to find a balance!
What is the vision/dream behind your blog and shop?
When I first started my business, I always struggled with the “why.” Why am I doing this? I knew that sewing and designing has always been my gift, but I never knew how I could use that gift for God’s glory. When I started learning more about ethical fashion and minimalism, I began to see how I could pursue this dream and be a good steward. I realized that I was already making a lot of sustainable decisions in my collection and began to focus my energy on rebranding to get my message across. The passage in Luke 12 has become the base of my business and a way for me to encourage consumers to make conscious decisions when shopping. Therefore, A Girl Named Katie is both ethically made and environmentally conscious.
Tell us more about ethical fashion.
Ethical fashion is fashion that is able to be produced without harming people or the environment. Most people do not know what goes into making their clothing and who it is affecting. Cheap fashion comes with the high cost of putting workers in dangerous work environments, sometimes costing them their own lives. It also takes a toll on the environment.
A Girl Named Katie products are all made by hand from recycled materials by a small team of seamstresses.
To learn more about ethical fashion, you can read my post on What is Ethical Fashion. I also highly recommend the documentary True Cost. To learn more about how our products are made, you check out this video or my About page.
What inspired you to open up your shop?
Having my own business has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl. I always had an entrepreneur spirit! I learned how to sew when I was six years old, and knew I wanted to pursue fashion design and one day own a boutique. I began making handbags after I made one for my mom as a gift when I was in high school. I thought it would be fun to make a few make-up bags in different prints and share them on my social media. I had friends and family asking me to make them bags and A Girl Named Katie officially turned into a business!
What’s your best advice for other women entrepreneurs or working moms?
Don’t be afraid to ask for help! I spent a couple years trying to do everything myself. You cannot be a master at everything and trying to do too much can actually do more harm then good. Prioritize networking and keep a mental list of those who can help propel your dream forward…especially with the gritty things like business finances!
Describe your fashion style. How does that style work its way into your products?
My capsule wardrobe is a mix of comfortable closet staples and boho-inspired pieces. I like to keep it pretty casual with a t-shirt and jeans or loose knit shift dresses. I create interest with my accessories, which is why I chose to design handbags. When it comes to bags, I like to have something that is a simple shape with a bold element of color. Versatility is also top on the list, which translates into my two-way fold over clothes and reversible totes. Even the geometric tote can be used as a work bag, a diaper bag, or an everyday bag. My pieces can be dressed up or dressed down…worn both with distressed denim or a chiffon dress.
You’re launching a new clothing line in a few days! Can you tell us more about it?
The Gently Loved Collection is a 21 piece collection of secondhand clothing and accessories that are handpicked to fit A Girl Named Katie’s aesthetic and ethical and sustainable mission. Each item is carefully selected, laundered, and pressed while paying attention to detail and overall cohesion of the collection so you can style your recycled fashion finds with the handbags in the online shop. Sizes vary and are limited due to the nature of the search for each piece, I hope to expand the amount and range of sizes as you help us grow.
Beautiful Undefined readers:: now you have a chance to win one of Katie’s gorgeous hand-made clutch bags for yourself…how fun, right?!? I think these darling little bags make a great addition to virtually any outfit OR a perfect gift option for a mom, sister, or friend.
To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment in the comment section below telling me which one of A Girl Named Katie’s products you would love most to have in your closet!
Winner will be chosen on Tuesday, December 1.
Open to U.S. residents only.
