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Bloomer in the Spotlight š¼
Meet Leigh, a talented graphic designer and seasoned thrift shopper.
Leigh is a stylish high school junior from Virginia, whoās into all-things vintage. Below, we chat about harnessing creativity during COVID, her thrifting secrets for newbies, and the story behind her *chefās kiss* hand-painted jeans.
Late Bloomer: Tell me about what itās like where you live.
Leigh: Where I live in the suburbs outside of Richmond is pretty OK. Itās obviously not bustling like New York but itās also not a small town in the middle of nowhere. We have malls, which is pretty good for someone like me who is obsessed with shopping. I actually like it here. I wouldnāt want to stay here as an adult but I like it here as a teenager.Ā
LB: In non-pandemic times, what kind of things do you like to do with your friends?Ā
Leigh: I have friends with strict parents but when I do get to hang out with them, we like to go to this outdoor mall called Short Pump. Thereās not that many stores there that are interesting but itās outside so itās more fun. If Iām going with just my family somewhere, I usually go to the James River where thereās a part that people can actually swim in. In non-pandemic times, itās mainly shopping, eating, and the river. It sounds boring but itās still not that bad.
LB: I mean, those things sound good to me! Whatās been on your mind when it comes to college or post-high school life?Ā
Leigh: Itās actually been a big stress lately. Everyone is always talking about your junior year and how your grades have to be perfect, you have to do all this community service, how itās the only time to wrap this stuff upāābut weāre in the middle of a pandemic. It was really hard during the first couple of weeks but Iāve gotten adjusted to it. But you canāt do community service. Even the virtual opportunities arenāt great or thereās limited space open. You canāt do activities at school. Iām in clubs but the virtual meetings are kind of weird. Itās odd because Iām pretty much in the most important moment of my high school career and I know what Iām doing but I donāt know whatās ahead of me.Ā
LB: Other than school, in what other ways has your life been impacted by the pandemic?Ā
Leigh: I started taking my skills more seriously. I started selling stuff on Depop and enhancing my art portfolio. I noticed I was doing more creatively. Overall, I honestly feel like Iāve had harder years in my life. It hasnāt been that bad. Iāve been more privileged than other people who have had it really hard. But I am starting to feel some of the social effects. I miss my friends now more than ever. As we approach this one-year anniversary of lockdown, I feel like, āThis is my life nowā and Iām really starting to miss these things.
LB: I think itās incredible that youāve been able to tap into your creativity during All This. When did you start graphic designing and whatās the inspiration behind your artwork?Ā
Leigh: When I was 13 I illegally downloaded Photoshop onto my computer. I was just playing around with it and at one point, I think I even made a logo for somebody and sold it to them. I just liked how Photoshop worked. Then I took a big break from age 13 to 16. I still did traditional art like drawing on paper but I didnāt pick up graphic design again until December of 2019 when I bought my iPad. I was like, āI really want to start taking this seriously.ā I was kind of feeling around but didnāt start pumping out quality work until the spring of 2020.Ā
Iām inspired by a lot of vintage stuff. Whenever I take clippings for my art, I donāt do a lot of news. Itās usually pre-ā90s from the ā60s, ā70s, and ā80s. I take magazine clippings or old ads, TV screencapsāāthings like that. Iām into making it brighter, bigger, and making it my own style. But I still have a retro thing going on. I honestly donāt even know how Iām able to do some of the stuff that I do but I just sit down, put on a podcast, and draw.
LB: Which podcasts do you listen to?Ā
Leigh: One of the big ones that I look forward to every week is the āOffice Ladiesā podcast. Itās Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey. The way they interact is a really funny dynamic because theyāre obviously friends. Itās enjoyable and they talk about behind-the-scenes stuff from The Office.Ā
I like this podcast from these YouTubers called āTiny Meat Gang.ā Theyāre very funny. Iāve also listened to āMy Favorite Murderā since I was like, 13.Ā
LB: I saw on your Instagram that you have these amazing jeans. Did you paint them yourself?Ā
Leigh: Yeah, I did paint them. I did them for a concert in November 2019 when you could still go to concerts. I got this old pair of thrifted jeans for seven bucks. I was going to this concert for this rapper called Lil Tecca. My sister and her friend were going and I was like, āI need a hot concert outfit.ā So I spent three hours at my dining room table just painting anything that came in my head. They actually got a lot of compliments on my Instagram. People really seemed to like them. I never painted a pair of jeans after that but I feel like I should have. I really love those jeans.Ā
LB: Where are you finding joy right now?Ā
Leigh: Itās definitely taking pictures for my Instagram. Iāll have these ideas for outfits or poses I want to do. I actually talked my parents into getting me a Canon camera last April and Iāve been taking pictures on it ever since.Ā
Another thing is my graphic design. Artsy things are the things Iām finding joy in at this point. I canāt really do anything else so Iām just going to pour myself into my art, which people really seem to like.
LB: What are a few of your must-follow social accounts?
Leigh: @laurenlicupāāher style is unmatched. I love the mix of thrifted and retail pieces she puts together.
@fieuidāāIāve actually been mutuals with her for quite a bit but I just LOVE the way she lays stuff like accessories or clothes out for pictures. Her collages are so cute.Ā Her taste in accessories is superior. Iām not the best at shopping for accessories so her page is really cool for anyone looking for necklace, earrings, and rings inspo.
@thevaultarchiveāāthe BESTTT fashion and archive account that fits the aesthetic Iām going for.Ā They post a lot of model stuff (runways, candids, photoshoots) and itās just amazing. 10/10.
LB: Where are your favorite places to thrift and what are your tips for beginner thrifters?Ā
Leigh: I prefer to go to independently owned thrift stores because things are individually marked so youāll get better deals. I usually go in Richmond but I havenāt been there in a while. The ones in the city are better than the suburbs but if I really need to thrift something, Goodwill will always do. Goodwillās not my favorite because they have set prices for everything. Youāll pick up a pair of jeans and be like, āThis is not $8.ā Itās not worth it. There are three Goodwills where I live in a five-mile radius and I only like one of them. But you have to drive because itās in the middle of nowhere.
For people wanting to get into thrifting, you have to look through everythingāālike, everything. Itās not even a joke when people say that. If you have a specific style, Iād look in the menās section more than anything. The menās section always has better T-shirts and they always have better, older jeans. If youāre looking for the big, bootcut, straight-leg jeans, youāre gonna find those more in the menās section than the womenās. Unless you have a specific style, avoid the womenās section.Ā
LB: Whatās the best thing youāve ever thrifted?
Leigh: I found this furry cheetah mini-bag at this one thrift store that was like four bucks. It was super trendy. And I found this vintage Nike shirt, which Iām still trying to date. I canāt figure out when itās from but it has the Nike letters in a college font. And then I found this pair of overalls last year that Iāve only worn a couple of times but I was just obsessed because they were 12 bucks and they were super what I was going for. Around October I found this full velour tracksuit that was this blue-ish, green color that was exactly my size. Itās very early 2000s. Itās my favorite.Ā
A few (more) of Leighās favorite things:
NK Auto Eye Pencil: It is eyeliner but I actually use it on my lips (itās the same formula). The lip liner with a clear lip gloss is an UNMATCHED combination.Ā I donāt even wear lipstick anymore because of it. I also use it for my eyebrows???? Ninety-nine-cent brown lip liner has taken over my life.
Turkey bacon and avocado toast: Turkey bacon is literally SO good. It tastes so much better than regular bacon and is great with avocado toast.Ā Maybe avocado toast is an obsession, too. I eat it every day for breakfast with a smoothie (and ofc turkey bacon).
Anything Fiona Apple: I love that woman from her first album to her most recentāāāeverything is just exquisite.Ā My favorite song by her is āPaper Bag.ā I cannot stress enough how much that song resonates with me. Itās literally my version of āDrivers License.ā
OneNote: An app that saved my online school career??Ā I did not want to pay for GoodNotes or Notability so I got OneNote, which is free and itās been an absolute necessity.Ā It makes it super easy to do online PDF assignments and just makes online school more engaging because Iām actually writing notes on OneNote rather than typing them.Ā OneNote was essential in my learning of mole conversions for chemistry.
Americaās Next Top Model: Watching old Americaās Next Top Model seasons!! Seriously, they were SO bad by todayās standards. Tyra Banks and Janice Dickinson were menaces on that show but I canāt look away.
tysm, Leigh! š¼
Beyond the Algorithm š®
If life feels extra difficult these days, youāre not alone. Pandemic fatigue has set in and the feeling of despair is more present than ever before. So we asked: When youāre feeling stressed or anxious, how do you center yourself?
āThe first thing I do is recognize how I'm feeling rather than trying to ignore it because then it just gets worse. Then, it really depends on the mood I'm in. I would really recommend getting your body moving. Whether this is a high intensity workout, some yoga, or a walk, I always find it makes me feel so much lighter and that the release of endorphins immediately helps me put everything into perspective.Ā
If I'm feeling really unmotivated and working out is not something I want to do at all, I go to something creative. Sometimes this is writing, drawing, or just scrolling on Pinterest. I try to stay off TikTok and Instagram as they make me feel really unproductive and try to do something that I enjoy and that will improve how I feel mentally.ā āāEmily Shapton, 17
āIn the past year, I have started journaling, and it has made aĀ hugeĀ impact on my mental wellbeing. I love @wellnesswithsophās journal prompts, too! I will sit down with my journal and just write until my hand cramps and my mind is at ease.Ā
Iāll also go on a long walk or run. I love nothing more than a nice, 4-5 mile walk while listening to a podcast. (My favorites are @margot.leeās āWorking Title,ā ā@Lexieā podcast, āWhat the F*ck is Sea Moss?,ā āNice White Parents,ā and NYTās āThe Daily.ā) If I am feelingĀ superĀ frustrated, I will go on a walk-run (two minutes walking followed by two minutes running)Ā until I canāt go any fartherāāor until my podcast episode ends.ā āāMaggie Shuffler, 17
āI ask myself, āWhat is making me feel this way?ā (usually itās homework lol). Then, I try tackling whatever the cause is and I motivate myself by setting little goals like if I finish my homework, I get to eat some ice cream. If I finish reading I get to use my phone or talk to my friends, etc. Iāve seen it also helps with my productivity in general!ā āāMarisol S., 17
āWhen I am feeling anxious my go-to is walking my dog, Bailey. Going out in nature always centers me as well as being active because itās so easy to stay inside all day. While I walk I love either listening to music or a podcast to calm down. My favorite song that always makes me feel better is āUnwrittenā by Natasha Bedingfield. Itās very cheesy and clichĆ© but sometimes those types of songs are the best.ā āāGrace Mulock, 16
āWhen I'm feeling stressed out, I like to light a candle and watch either a documentary or a TV show (preferably with British accents) with my pet hedgehog. But honestly, when I'm too stressed out to even consider getting up and lighting a candle/turning on my computer, I usually just complete a ton of NYT crossword puzzles (the Monday ones make me feel smart).āĀ āāJules Spector, 20
If youāre in crisis, text āHOMEā to 741741 (Crisis Text Line) or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK). For more mental health resources, head here.
ICYMI š
Bumble CEO Whitney Wolf Herde made history as the youngest female in the U.S. to take a company public. The 31-year-old is also the worldās youngest self-made female billionaire. š
Applications to become a Girl Up Teen Advisor are now open. āļø
TikTok queen Addison Rae graces the cover of Glamour UK. āSelf-worth is a big thing that I've been working on the past few months because it's definitely a real struggle, and it does affect you in your daily life, not having high self-worth,ā she tells the magazine. āTherapy is a great way to work on that and itās an outlet to speak on things that are bothering you internally. Just being able to have someone to talk to has been a big thing for me and understanding that if you let people understand you a little more, then they will.ā š
In the meantimeā¦ āØ
Weāre looking forward to diving into Rainesford Staufferās An Ordinary Age, which hits shelves on May 4. (You can preorder here.)
And hereās a song to get ya through the week:
P.S. We wanna hear from you! š
Want to nominate a friend (or yourself!) for āBloomer in the Spotlightā? Got a burning question for āPlz Adviseā? A brilliant recommendation for āBeyond the Algorithmā or an idea for something else?
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