An Interview with Dr. Rynetta Davis of Really Rynetta

Monday is International Women’s Day and I’ve teamed up with Kendra Scott for a week of interviews that celebrate the Kentucky women who inspire me. Today’s interview is with my friend Rynetta Davis of the fashion blog Really Rynetta.

Rynetta is so awesome, y’all. I’ve gotten to know her over the past few months and she is so smart and kind and has such a beautiful, positive outlook. Her background is in academia — she holds a PhD in African-American literature! — and her blog is full of beautifully-styled outfits that work for real life. I was first interested in her blog because she lives in Lexington and styles many of the same Draper James, Lilly Pulitzer, and J Crew pieces that I own and love. After getting to know her a bit, I found that she’s an incredibly kind and supportive friend, and so much fun!

Thanks so much to Kendra Scott for helping bring the Kentucky Women Who Inspire Me series to life — stay tuned to HerKentucky.com and my Instagram this week for previews of the newest Kendra Scott jewelry collection and a fun shopping event!

(All photos of Rynetta are © Kirstie Dunston Photography)

HerKentucky: Please tell me a little bit about yourself and how you wound up in Lexington.

Rynetta Davis: I am Rynetta Davis and I am happily married to my best friend, biggest cheerleader, and favorite person on the planet, Toby. We've been married for 18 of the best years of my life! I was born and raised in Columbia, SC. I attended Clark Atlanta University, a prestigious HBCU, in Atlanta, George. I earned a B.A. in English at CAU in 1998. After graduation, my parents packed up my belongings and moved me to Lexington, KY to start graduate school at the University of Kentucky. I earned a Ph.D. in English, specifically African American Literature, from U.K. in August 2006. We moved to Rochester, New York for two years (from 2006-2008) for my first job. I was a Visiting Assistant Professor/Presidential Fellow at SUNY-Brockport. We returned to Lexington in July of 2008 and I worked as an Assistant Professor in the English Department at U.K. from 2008-2020.

HK: Please tell us about your blog and social channels,  Really Rynetta.

RD: My blog originally started as jcrewismyfavstore in 2009. I rebranded the blog and my social channels and changed my name to "Really Rynetta" in September 2019 so that I would be the center of my brand. My blog and my social channels reflect who I am at the core: I am just a girl who loves her amazing husband and a cute, colorful outfit. My goal is to empower women to love themselves, to love their bodies, and to love what they wear without focusing on what everyone else is doing. I post my daily outfits on my Instagram page, really.rynetta, and I post reviews, as well as new arrivals favorites, and outfits on my blog, reallyrynetta.com

HK: You’ve recently included some really fantastic resources about racial justice on your social media accounts. I know that, as a blogger, the events of the past year have really made me more aware of the content I post and a little less concerned about offending anyone. What does being “authentic” or “real” about social and political issues on social media mean to you?

RD: As a Black woman, social justice is a lifestyle for me. Advocating for racial justice is interwoven into every aspect of my life. So, it's natural for me to talk about how daily events, systemic racism, and politics inform the way that I think, live, and move through the world. Discussing these topics allows my readers to see the "real" me. For me, authenticity is about pulling back the curtain and exposing issues and experiences that others are often shielded from (because of white privilege) even having to consider.

HK: How has your life — professional, personal, side hustle, etc. — changed during the past year? I’m so fascinated by how each of us are pushing through during “these troubled times.”

RD: During the past year, my life has not changed drastically because I have typically worked from home three days a week for most of my academic career. Moreover, being an academic often means spending lots of time in front of a computer or in an archive in isolation. What has changed is how I engage with others. I leave the house for quick trips to the mall, to the doctor, or to the hair salon (masked up, with sanitizer in hand, while adhering to social distancing guidelines). Other than that, I have spent the last year at home, which has been challenging because I am an extrovert to the core. I LOVE engaging with others.

HK: What is the best piece of advice you have for others?

RD: The best piece of advice that I have for others is to love yourself and to block out the noise from the outside. What matters most is what YOU think about yourself. Embrace who you are and live confidently.

Thanks so much to Rynetta for the interview, and to Kendra Scott for helping me bring this series to life!

An Interview with Danielle Rudy Davis of LouWhatWear

Next Monday is International Women’s Day and I’ve teamed up with Kendra Scott for a week of interviews that celebrate the Kentucky women who inspire me. Today’s interview is with my friend Danielle Rudy Davis, co-owner of Lemonade PR and blogger at LouWhatWear.

Danielle is so knowledgeable about PR campaigns and Internet trends. She always has the funniest takes on celebrity culture and especially on reality TV, and she knows absolutely everything that’s going on in Louisville! Danielle is a great friend and an absolutely invaluable professional mentor; I so value her input!

Thanks so much to Kendra Scott for helping bring the Kentucky Women Who Inspire Me series to life — stay tuned to HerKentucky.com and my Instagram this week for previews of the newest Kendra Scott jewelry collection and a fun shopping event!

HerKentucky: Please tell me a little bit about yourself and how you wound up in Louisville.

Danielle Davis: How much time do you have? No seriously, I’ll give the quick version. I was born in Louisville, but my parents got divorced when I was three years old and my mom packed up and moved to Miami, Florida. So I grew up and went to school in Miami but I spent a ton of time in Louisville visiting my Dad and grandparents. I lived here every summer, so it’s always held a very special place in my heart.

Loved it so much that I decided to go to University of Kentucky for college. Moved here when I graduated (during the great recession) thinking it would be for a couple years. Met a boy, got married, three kids and too many Derby Days to count later, it’s home.

HK: You are a seriously busy lady! You have a full-time job as the co-founder of a PR agency, you’re a wife and mother, and you have a side hustle as a blogger and influencer. How do you get it all done?

DD: The short answer is that I don’t. Truly, balancing it all is nearly impossible. Whenever one area thrives, another usually takes a bit of a backseat. I think our society puts such a premium on women “doing it all” and we’re expected to manage it all while looking perfectly put together. It’s a lot of pressure.


I try my best to keep juggling all the balls in the air but at some point, you end up dropping one. Right now, unfortunately that’s been the blog. I love it so much and it’s such a passion project of mine but with Lemonade being busy and trying to make my kids a priority, I’ve fallen behind with it. 


HK: Tell us a little about LouWhatWear, both how it started and how it's evolved.

DD: Before I started Lou What Wear, I had a blog called Secondary Embarrassment where I wrote long-form, snarky recaps of The Bachelor and Bachelorette. I was a journalism major/English minor in college, and I missed writing. It became an outlet to share my perspective outside of my 9 to 5 job. Honestly, at times I think I should have kept up with it because it was really growing but the recaps were LONG and they took three or four hours to write. It started to take the fun out of watching but it got me really into the blogging world.


I started following a lot of personal style blogs and loved the whole concept but one thing I noticed is that there wasn’t really anything here in Louisville. Lots of people were doing it on the coasts but no one was talking to our unique consumer. It was 2011 and the Courier-Journal had just shut down its style section, so I saw an opportunity. My friend Kelly came up with the name and from day one I invested in making it look professional. I hired a design duo to do the logo and website – I wanted to make sure it was something sustainable. I originally started by taking pictures of my friends at events and parties as well as sharing really locally focused shopping info.

I started it before Instagram, before being an “influencer” was a thing. It was just a way for me to connect with people, be a little creative and share my interests outside of work. Eventually I started sharing my own personal style and it’s grown and changed as my life has.

HK: I love that you include so much real-life, not-always-perfectly-curated content in your blog and social media along with the pretty pictures. Of course, I’m here for the #FREEBRITNEY and hard seltzer content, but I also love when you post about the often-hard realities of being a working mom or the hard truths of the racial, socioeconomic and political tensions here in Louisville. I know that, as a blogger, the events of the past year have really made me more aware of the content I post and a little less concerned about offending anyone. Tell me a little about what being “authentic” or “real” on social media means to you.

DD: Well first off, I appreciate that more than you know.

For a while, I tried to keep up with the Joneses but gah, it’s exhausting trying to be something you’re not. I’m sure this is something I fail at regularly but one of my goals is to be the same online as I am in real life. So yes, I will talk your ear off about Britney in real life, but I also want to go beyond that. I want to talk about how hard it is to manage the responsibilities of being a mother while also trying to excel in your career. I want to discuss the real issues in our city, the lack of funding and attention to underserved neighborhoods and the 9th street divide.

I think working in a field where you’re required to stay up to date with the latest news has made it feel more natural for me than maybe for others. I think everyone has their own unique perspective and I do my best to share mine. I will say though, people on the internet have OPINIONS. And all of that commentary certainly elicits some strong, even mean, responses.


At the end of the day, I try to be myself. I’m irreverent and depend on humor to make it through tough times. I’m also brash and certainly not everyone’s cup of tea. I’ve realized being everything to everyone is something I am terrible at and instead, I try to lean in to who I am and hope people will appreciate it.

Danielle and her husband Drew love Derby more than just about anyone you know!

HK: For anyone who hasn’t had the pleasure of meeting you, I don’t know how to describe how much your face lights up when the word “Derby” is mentioned. Please tell me a little about how much you and Drew love the Kentucky Derby and the role that Derby fashion plays on your blog in spring months.

The Kentucky Derby is simply the best. It’s my absolute favorite time of year and there’s just something so special about our city at Derby time. And actual Derby day is the cherry on top.

I went to my first Derby in 2004 and I’ve been to the track on the first Saturday in May every year since but two. My daughters were both born in mid-May and even being MASSIVELY pregnant couldn’t stop me.

I think people outside of Kentucky have a perception of Derby but you can’t really understand it until you’ve been here. There’s so many ways to experience it and enjoy it. You can go absolutely wild partying in the third turn of the infield, and you could be surrounded by actual royalty in certain areas. There’s something about being there, singing ‘My Old Kentucky Home’ with 100,000+ people with a Mint Julep in hand that is so unique and special. It’s unlike any other sporting event.

And then the fashion! It’s not all floral dresses and church hats, it’s so much more. I realized early in my blogging career that there weren’t many resources out there showing how people really dress at the track. And nothing breaks my heart more than seeing a girl dressed to the nines realize she’s going to be up to her ankles in mud in the infield. I wanted to be a resource for everyone from people coming for the first time to people going for their 21st time.

My Derby series has really been what set me apart initially. Now there are so many more bloggers and many of the amazing local bloggers here do such great Derby content but when I started, it was a chance to really share that true enthusiasm with an audience that was being totally ignored or pandered to with stereotypical choices.

HK: How has the past year changed your blog and life? I know you added Red the dog to the family, and he’s pretty adorable!

DD: The past year has been a lot. I love my kids but there’s a reason why I never stayed home with them. I am TERRIBLE at being a stay-at-home mom and even worse at being a teacher. I lack the patience, creativity and motherly instincts to fill their days in a way that fills their minds and imaginations. So that whole thing was really tough in those early days… which is probably why I broke down and got a dog!

One thing I did on the blog side was to check in daily on IG for my Corona Captain’s Log posts. It was a place for me to talk really candidly about everything from my kids driving me crazy to registering to vote. As with everything I do, I tried to bring some humor to the situation especially since most of the time, laughing was the only thing keeping me from crying.

As tough as it’s been though, we’ve been incredibly lucky throughout this and I have no place to complain. After a couple tough months, our business Lemonade (that I co-own with my business partner Lynsey Trager), is doing really well and my kids have been lucky enough to be in school on-and-off for the last year. I’ve pivoted a lot of my content on the blog to be more focused on who I am now and not who I want to be. It’s given me more leeway to be myself, share my true passions and connect more deeply with people (and I guess, piss some off even more!)

HK: What’s the best piece of advice you have for others?

DD: Those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind. A lot of times when I doubt myself or start having anxiety about what I should be doing, I go back to that saying.

That and - “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” Whenever I get overwhelmed (which is frequently), I go back to that and instead of getting into a worry spiral, I try to do something productive towards solving the problem that’s stressing me out.

Thanks so much to Danielle for the interview and to Kendra Scott for working with me to bring this series to life. You can find Danielle on Instagram, Facebook, and her blog.

An Interview with Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers of Pantsuit Politics

Next Monday is International Women’s Day and I’ve teamed up with Kendra Scott for a week of interviews that celebrate the Kentucky women who inspire me. Today’s interview is with my friends Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers, co-hosts of the Pantsuit Politics podcast.

I first met both Beth and Sarah when they were undergraduate students at my alma mater, Transylvania University. I was an alumna advisor for my sorority (Phi Mu), and they were collegiate members; even then, they both stood out as women with incredible poise, strong opinions, and a fantastic drive to succeed. They’ve carved out such an awesome niche as podcasters and speakers, sharing a unique message of extending grace and finding common ground during difficult conversations. Sarah and Beth are both smart, funny, and hardworking ladies whose friendship and input I treasure. Longtime HerKentucky readers may also remember that Sarah was one of the original contributing writers for HerKentucky.

Thanks so much to Kendra Scott for helping bring the Kentucky Women Who Inspire Me series to life — stay tuned to HerKentucky.com and my Instagram this week for previews of the newest Kendra Scott jewelry collection and a fun shopping event!

Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers.

HerKentucky: Can each of you please tell me a little bit about yourselves?

Sarah Stewart Holland: I’m an eighth-generation Kentuckian. After graduation from Transylvania University, I got married (very young!) and moved with my husband first to North Carolina and then Washington, DC, where I got a law degree and worked in politics for several years. In 2009, I convinced my husband to move back to my hometown of Paducah before the birth of our first son. I built a career in social media consulting and started a mommy blog, while having two more boys. Then, in 2015 I dove back into politics by starting Pantsuit Politics with Beth and running for Paducah City Commission, where I served a single term. Now, (thankfully!) Pantsuit Politics is my full time gig - along with raising my three sons with my husband Nicholas.

Beth Silvers: I also went to Transylvania with Sarah (and met Heather through Phi Mu!). After I graduated, I went to law school at UK. I moved to northern Kentucky to work for a Cincinnati law firm after graduation. I spent 11 years there -- six practicing law and five leading human resources for the firm. After Pantsuit Politics outgrew being a hobby, I left my full-time job to podcast, write, and speak. It’s been such a gift to be able to do work that I love and have lots of freedom to share life with my husband, Chad, and my daughters, Jane and Ellen.

HK: How did Pantsuit Politics get started? How has the show evolved over the years that you’ve been podcasting? It’s so amazing to see the way your community of listeners and supporters has grown! (As a longtime PP follower, I was so touched to see the outpouring of care when Beth’s parents were experiencing COVID complications!)


Sarah and Beth: We reconnected via Facebook years after college. At the time, Sarah had a blog for which she asked Beth to write a guest post. That post, about the need for more nuance in political and civil conversations, was well received. At the time, Sarah’s husband, Nicholas, had been encouraging (harassing?) her to start a podcast so she asked Beth if she’d be interested to which Beth responded, “What’s a podcast?” We did a test call and realized we had an interesting dynamic, complementary personalities and perspectives, and that we didn’t always agree but shared many common values. The idea behind the show was to create what we wanted to consume but couldn’t find - political conversation that works hard to avoid hyperbole, that makes room for different perspectives, that acknowledges what is hard or unknown or unknowable, and that recognizes that politics is one form of life but not its totality.

The show has evolved since we started it in 2015, as has much of the political landscape. The years of regular, intentional discourse have shaped us personally and politically and drawn in an ever-growing community of passionate listeners committed to practicing grace-filled political conversations in their own lives.

HK: Something I love about the message of your show is that we can find middle ground and keep the lines of communication open, not only in political discourse but also in everyday conversation. I’ll hear myself say something more diplomatically than I otherwise would have and I’ll think “well, that’s Beth and Sarah's influence!” Do you see the work you do on Pantsuit Politics playing out in your parenting styles, your marriages, and other relationships?

Sarah and Beth: 
It would be nearly impossible to spend so much time practicing this kind of conversation about politics without it spilling over into other aspects of your life. We’ve both improved our ability to listen and ask better questions. Those skills definitely translate outside of politics. We’ve also talked a lot on the show about how politics doesn’t live in its own box separate from the rest of our lives. Our political opinions are shaped by what’s happening in our daily lives and our daily lives are shaped by the decisions made by those in our political systems. When we look at our lives holistically, it’s easy to see the interconnected web bringing us all together both as individuals and broader communities.

HK: It feels like your show came along at the absolute perfect moment. You’ve grown your message of nuance and open lines of communication as the country has experienced some divisive moments. Tell me about the way the show has adapted to the climate around us.


Sarah and Beth: When we started in 2015, we certainly could not have imagined what lay ahead. At the time, we came from different sides of the political aisle - Sarah was a Democrat and Beth was a Republican. In 2019, Beth changed her registration because of what she sees as the Republican Party’s embrace of Trumpism and abandonment of the reasons she was a Republican to begin with. We maintain some philosophical differences about the role of government and our styles and personalities are still very different. But, we’ve really had to talk about more fundamental issues over the past few years and, on those core values, we’re aligned.

Our longtime listeners have been with us as we processed some of the biggest, most shocking events of the last few years in real time. In many ways, the chaotic and divisive nature of politics have made it easier for us to clarify our values. Because we don’t always agree on the policy pathway to an outcome, people sometimes come to us expecting something like they see in other spaces - two people who can’t and won’t agree on anything. Our conversations sound different to listeners because we’re usually starting from a place of shared values or a shared desired outcomes. The hotter the discourse gets in the public arena, the more we find a need for space like ours where we take a step back and assess what we’re arguing about in the first place and where there may be more common ground than expected. We try to demonstrate that on the show, particularly when it comes to shared core values.

HK: In addition to podcasting, y’all are authors as well! Tell me about your first book, and what you can about the one you are currently writing.


Sarah and Beth: Our first book, I Think You’re Wrong (But I’m Listening), establishes some basic rules of engagement for political discourse. We hear from so many listeners who are struggling in their conversations with the people they love most who also disagree with them vehemently when it comes to politics. We wanted to offer a framework to help kickstart better conversations. We’re currently working on our second book, which will center around different types of relationships and how we create community in big and small ways.

HK: You’ve had so many cool experiences as you’ve traveled to primaries, party conventions and your own speaking tour. What would each of you say is the best moment of your Pantsuit Politics career to date, or can you pick just one?

Sarah: We were able to travel to the 2016 Democratic National Convention and were there to see Hillary Clinton become the first woman to accept a major party’s nomination. It just also happened to be my birthday. As a former Hillary staffer and someone who has been passionate about the role of women in politics, it was completely surreal to be there in that moment and one of the best days of my life.

Beth: Traveling to the Iowa Caucus and the New Hampshire primary in 2020 was an incredible experience. Because it was just the two of us often connecting with listeners in those areas, we were able to get a really intimate perspective on how the campaigns look and feel at that stage in the primary process. Particularly in Iowa, getting to see our democracy play itself out in such tangible, intimate, neighborly ways was very special.

HK: How has the past year changed the way the two of you do your jobs? We’ve all had to adapt to “these unprecedented times” in so many ways. I know you had to cancel a speaking tour, which had to be disappointing.

Sarah and Beth: It was definitely disappointing to cancel so much of what we had planned, particularly because one of the real joys of our work is getting to meet and interact with listeners. We’re incredibly fortunate that our work allows us so much flexibility and freedom to be at home. Juggling digital learning for our kids, the increased anxiety everyone has felt at times throughout this pandemic, and the increased workload as we covered the election and its consequences was definitely a lot to handle at times. 

Our community has been so incredible through all of this. In some ways, the increased isolation for many people has made the core of our listening community even stronger as people are looking for connection in less traditional spaces. We’re excited to think about what comes next - how we can continue to create space for people to engage thoughtfully with politics and each other in a post-pandemic world. We know the hunger for that type of political engagement is only growing. We’ll also be thrilled when we can get back on the road for live shows and other opportunities for in-person engagement with our listeners.

HK: What’s the best piece of advice you have for others?


Sarah: No matter what area of life we’re talking about - love, parenting, leadership, politics - it is better if you can respond instead of reacting. If you can claim even a millisecond of time to see what’s happening and think about how you want to handle it, your life will improve. I believe that. Meditation and mindfulness are how I’ve been able to claim even that tiny slice of time (or sometimes just observe how I wasn’t able to claim any time!) and I think it is so helpful.

Beth: The best piece of advice I’ve ever received came from a former colleague, Maria, who said we have to get more comfortable with change. She would say, “you do what works for you until it doesn’t work anymore, then you try something new.” I’ve found this to be freeing and so valuable, especially during the pandemic and in navigating politically tumultuous times.

An Interview with Sarah Weedman of Class and Contrast

Next Monday is International Women’s Day and I’ve teamed up with Kendra Scott for a week of interviews with Kentucky women who inspire me. Today’s interview is with my friend Sarah Weedman, a third grade teacher in the Jefferson County School System and a blogger at Class and Contrast.

Sarah is such a delightful person, and she loves teaching so much. I’m always inspired by her creative classroom decor and her commitment to making every student’s life better. As a friend, she’s funny and supportive, and so, so positive — an absolute delight to know!

Thanks so much to Kendra Scott for helping bring the Kentucky Women Who Inspire Me series to life — stay tuned to HerKentucky.com and my Instagram this week for previews of the newest Kendra Scott jewelry collection and a fun shopping event!

HerKentucky: Please tell me a little about yourself and about your work as a teacher.

Sarah Weedman: I am a 2nd grade teacher at Atkinson Academy in the Portland neighbor of Louisville. I work at a Title One school which means that my school receives additional funding in order to help prevent students from falling behind and help bridge the gap between low-income students and other students. I work with at risk learners and spend everyday trying to help them develop skills that will help them be successful in the classroom and also in life.

HK: I know that, like me, you grew up with parents who worked in the school system. Did you always want to be an elementary school teacher?

SW: I grew up in a family of teachers and most of our family friends were people from the school system. When I was younger I didn’t want to be a teacher because that just seemed like what everybody did and I wanted to be different. However, as I got older, I realized that I really felt drawn to being an educator and that even though it’s a very hard and misunderstood career, it’s very rewarding.

HK: Class and Contrast is such a cool blog and social media platform. What inspires you to share your amazing ideas online?

SW: I started my social media accounts because people (who weren’t me) were posting pictures of my classroom and it was getting attention! It honestly kind of upset me because I had spent so much time and effort on it and then other people were sharing it like it was theirs! So I decided to create my own account and share my classroom, which lead to also sharing some of my teacher outfits and then teaching strategies! The account has really evolved and I feel like I can do so many different things and share about almost any area of my life. I love being able to connect with thousands of teachers in an instant. I can ask a question and have 100 DMs with suggestions, videos and ideas within an hour! The same goes the other way, I will share something I’ve been using in my classroom and people will be so excited and start using it in theirs! I love when I am able to share a successful teaching strategy that helps other teachers because the positive impact stretches far and wide.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sarah (@classandcontrast)

HK: I can’t talk about your social media feeds without mentioning your over-the-top ideas — the flamingos, the doors (the Drake door was insane!), and so much more! How do you think of all this? Do the kids absolutely love it?

SW: I have always been creative, even as a kid. Growing up I was particular about how my room was decorated, I was always wanting to change up my color schemes and thankfully my parents let me do that (more often than most parents would have) and they suffered through me wanting to repaint my room every couple of years. I am a very visual person and how a space looks is important to me. I want my classroom to always feel fun, safe and welcoming. I love working with a theme and building from there. I picked flamingos for my classroom because I really instill in the children being a part of the flock. They really do love it and rally behind the idea. As far as my classroom doors, I just try to find something trendy/pop culture that the kids would know and create something that would all recognize and that is school appropriate (Ha!). My head is constantly spinning with new ideas and dreams and I wish I had more time and energy to make all my visions come to life!

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A post shared by Sarah (@classandcontrast)

HK: How has teaching — and blogging about teaching — changed in the past year? I know that “these unprecedented times” have been so hard for all the teachers and kids in my family!!

SW: In the last year, I’ve had to continually push and stretch myself to keep the kids engaged and participating online. I’ve had to learn new skills and spend way way way more time on the computer than I ever expected! Since I am on the computer more this year, my desire to be in social media has decreased because usually at the end of the day I am beat and don’t want to continue to look at a screen. It was hard at first teaching so many new things to 7 year olds- like presenting their screen, opening a new tab, clicking the link in the chat... but now they are reallly good with technology and sometimes they will teach me things!

HK: Tell me all about Gwen the puppy! I am obsessed with her!!

SW: Gwen is a Boxador (Boxer/Labrador) from a shelter in Cincinnati. I got her when she was 8 weeks old and she has already brought so much joy into my life. Since I have been working from home for a year I have been insanely lonely with minimal (in person) human interaction. I’ve also experienced several of my best friends moving this year and I am happy/excited for them but it’s been hard to meet new people during the pandemic. I decided to get a puppy so that I wasn’t constantly alone, had something else other than work to focus on and would have someone to go on walks with. Gwen and I have been going to puppy socialization classes, working with a trainer and going on short walks. In the 3 weeks I’ve had her- I have met more people than in the past year! Everyone wants to stop and meet the puppy! And she has had several play dates and the whole neighborhood loves her. She has been wonderful for me.

HK: What’s the best piece of advice you have for others?

SW: The best piece of advice I have is:

You’re always going to disappoint people, don’t let it be your people.

There are words I live by and will share with anyone and everyone who will listen. Overworking is glorified in all careers, especially teaching. My first 2 years I prioritized my job over everyone. Instead of going out to dinner on a Friday night, I sat at home and got lessons together. Instead of visiting family on Sundays, I wrote hours of lessons. In the end, I left a lot of people disappointed and felt burnt out. Now I will happily wait till Monday to respond to an email. I will spend my weekends resting or having fun. I am a much better person for it.

This is irrelevant to teaching but this is my best advice for young girls my age who are dating: What you catch them with, is what you keep them with.

If you catch a guy with your body/good looks, that’s what you’ll always have to work on to keep them. If you catch them with your heart/compassion, that is how you’ll keep them. Be the girl who catches a guy with her heart, personality and passions.

Thanks again to Sarah Weedman for the interview, and to Kendra Scott for working with me to bring this series to life! You can find Sarah on Instagram, Facebook, and her blog.

An Interview with Anne Bogel of Modern Mrs. Darcy

Next Monday is International Women’s Day and I’ve teamed up with Kendra Scott for a week of interviews with Kentucky women who inspire me. Today’s interview is with my friend Anne Bogel, who is the author of three books and the popular blog Modern Mrs. Darcy, as well as the host of the podcast What Should I Read Next.

Anne is an incredible writer — she writes the most exquisite essays that transform everyday occurrences into life lessons. She’s also kind and warm and funny and lovely — one of my very favorite people with whom to catch up over a cup of coffee! But, most fascinatingly, she’s found a way to read books as her full-time job! Who wouldn't want to do that?

Thanks so much to Kendra Scott for helping bring the Kentucky Women Who Inspire Me series to life — stay tuned to HerKentucky.com and my Instagram this week for previews of the newest Kendra Scott jewelry collection and a fun shopping event!

HerKentucky: Please tell me a little bit about yourself.

Anne Bogel: I’m a Kentucky girl who always thought she’d grow up and move away, but is currently happily living in her hometown of Louisville with her husband, four kids, a yellow lab named Daisy, and a few thousand books. My job is to help adult readers create and cultivate vibrant reading lives for themselves, which means I get to read books, write books, and talk books for a living.

HK: Your blog, Modern Mrs. Darcy, just celebrated its 10 year anniversary. Tell me a little about how it got started and how it has evolved.

AB: In late 2010, my husband suggested I start a blog. I told him that was ridiculous, because I didn’t even read blogs at the time. I’m so glad I decided to give it a go anyway! When I began, it was a tiny creative project that gave me a way to explore questions that interested me, and doing it in community. I quickly discovered that one of my favorite ways to approach a new idea was through the lens of a good book, and over time the books themselves became more and more central to the blog.

HK: You also have a podcast, What Should I Read Next?, which has its own incredible following. I absolutely love the premise of the pod — connecting readers with the right books. Please tell me a little more about WSIRN.

AB: As I began talking more about books online, I realized that the biggest reason people don’t find satisfaction in their reading lives is because they’re choosing books that are all wrong for them. On WSIRN, we match real readers with books that are right for them.

Here’s how it works: every week, a guest tells me three books they love, one book they don’t, and what they’re reading now, and I recommend three books they should read next. And every week, as you listen to a real reader describe what they enjoy—and don’t enjoy—and why, you gain insight into your own reading life. Plus you come away with several titles you may enjoy reading next!

My fuzzy iPhone photo of Anne interviewing Liane Moriarty. Anne looks chic as always with her trademark bangs and Tieks flats!

HK: Some of my favorite moments as a Modern Mrs. Darcy/ WSIRN/ Anne Bogel fan have been the podcast episode you recorded with Jennifer Weiner about her Big Summer release, and your interview event with Liane Moriarty. What interviews or events really stick out to you as the “wow” moments of your career as a professional book lover?

AB: It’s funny, meeting renowned authors and other Very Important People is a lot of fun, and I’ve so enjoyed my time talking books with authors like Celeste Ng, Kathleen Grissom, and (your favorite!) Elin Hilderbrand. But my favorite moments are often quieter connections with readers who feel like kindred spirits. You wouldn’t recognize their names, but I’ll never forget our conversations.

How has the past year changed your work style? We’re all adapting to “these unprecedented times” in unique ways.

This year has been rough for a lot of reasons, and with six people under one roof practically all the time, I’ve struggled to carve out that quiet alone time I prefer for focused work. I’ve been diligent about prioritizing, and have done a lot more of my quiet thinking while walking the dog than I’ve ever done before. I’m also not getting it all done these days, and I’ve had to make my peace with doing less work, but (hopefully) doing it well.

HK: You’ve written three books of your own, with subtitles that tell you everything the reader needs to know. What are those books?

AB: Don’t Overthink It: Make Easier Decisions, Stop Second-Guessing, and Bring More Joy to Your Life.

I’d Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life

Reading People: How Seeing the World Through the Lens of Personality Changes Everything

HK: What is the best piece of advice you have for others?

AB: Build in some margin. My tendency is to pack my calendar (and my bookshelves) full of good things, but both need a little room to breathe. When you build in some margin, you don’t panic when things don’t go according to plan, and you’re peaceful when things are going well.

Thanks again to Anne Bogel for the interview, and to Kendra Scott for working with me to bring this series to life! You can find Anne on Instagram or Facebook, on her blog, or on her podcast.

The Diaper Fairy Emily Weixler McCay's Forecastle Goals

I'm so excited for Forecastle Festival this weekend! I'm also extremely honored to bring you this story about hope, happiness, and healing today. Emily Weixler McCay is known around Louisville for her beautiful smile, her love of spreading glitter, and her Highlands-based business, The Diaper Fairy Cottage. Emily, a wife, mother, DONA trained doula, and entrepreneur, was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia last fall; she set "attend Louisville's Music Festival season" as a healing goal. I felt so humbled that Emily agreed to share her story with HerKentucky readers, and I look forward to seeing her (and all of y'all!) at Forecastle!

Emily Weixler McCay, photo by Sarah Schweizer Hester of SSH Photography. 

Louisville folks know you as the Glitter Fairy. Can you please tell me a little bit about your business, The Diaper Fairy, and about your penchant for spreading glitter and happiness wherever you go?

Seven years ago, I opened a modern cloth diaper delivery service, The Diaper Fairy, to fill an unmet need for Kentuckiana families. Our specialty door-to-door laundry service offers the opportunity to set dirty diapers out on the front porch with the promise that we will come by and replace them with cleans. How cool is that? A Diaper Fairy lands on your porch and takes the dirty work out of choosing cloth diapers. Let’s face it, what we do isn't glamorous and we’ve always been in on the joke that we’re #1 in a #2 business. So, if we can throw some glitter and fun at the dirty work of parenting, my Flock of Fairies and I are all for it! 

Around 4 years ago, we saw an opportunity to fill another niche and expanded again into a brick and mortar boutique, The Diaper Fairy Cottage (because every Fairy needs a Cottage). Our goal is to provide parenting items and resources that could be hard to find locally. Our boutique offers much more than diapers. We’ve focused on natural parenting gifts and gear, classes and private consultations on topics such as breastfeeding and baby-wearing, and we’ve built a vibrant and inclusive parenting community that meet for toddler crafts hours and new baby support groups. 

You’ve been through so much in the past year or so. Can you please tell me a little bit about your diagnosis, treatment and your wonderfully positive outlook?

Last year on Halloween, after being fatigued and anemic for several weeks, blood work and a bone marrow biopsy uncovered an underlying blood marrow failure cancer called Myelodysplastic Syndrome. I was quickly referred to Siteman Cancer Center in St. Louis, MO and by my first consultation, just 11 days later, my aggressive cancer had progressed to Acute Myeloid Leukemia. I was basically admitted on-site and underwent two back-to-back rounds of induction chemotherapy to try and get me in remission.   

I was hospitalized for a solid seven weeks in St. Louis during the process which is incredibly isolating and hard. I relied on daily meditation, an escape into the music playlists that my husband would make for me, and constant walks up and down the hallway. I found strength and support in focusing on the pictures and cards that plastered the walls of my hospital room and would take time to sit in windows streaming with sunshine to help keep my inner light lit. 
The induction chemo worked for just a few weeks and my cancer quickly returned as soon as my bone marrow attempted recovery. My doctors had to move up a timeline for my stem cell transplant because I was so ill. My brother was identified as the fastest, closest match and he donated his stem cells in early February with another month long hospital stay. To (over)simplify an explanation of how a stem cell transplant works, his cells were transfused in, they engrafted into my bone marrow, and started to grow new healthy blood for me. I’m now 100% my brother’s blood inside and right now, I’m 100% leukemia-free. He has literally saved my life. 

Early on in my diagnosis, my husband and I made the decision to share the news and my journey through a group we call “Emily Conquers Leukemia”. The group now nicknames themselves “ECL Nation” and it’s filled with friends, family, and colleagues that are nationwide! I have been so fortunate to have an incredible amount of support  through my treatment. I have often said, I have felt like we have a network of hands under us, holding me and my family up as we CONQUER this. I’ve had people thank me for staying visible during these past nine months and honestly, I don’t know how else I would have done it. 

Maybe the silver lining in this terrible strike of lightning is for us all to recognize it’s about living a life of intention and loving those around you. A life of gratitude. The reality could be that life is quality over quantity. None of us are promised tomorrow.

The journey hasn’t been easy, at all. But I do credit having a “Good Vibes Only” outlook for helping me reach each daily milestone of survival. I have learned so much through this process. I very much take it one day at at time. There were days where I have had to take it one hour at a time. I now move at a slower pace and I don’t multi-task nearly as much. I find it easier to stay present and be in the moment. 

Emily's "Festival Season" kimono, custom-made by Louisville designer Gunnar Deatherage. Photo by Sarah Schweizer Hester of SSH Photography. 

I know Festival Season has been a huge milestone in your recovery. Can you please tell me about how you set Forecastle as a goal for yourself and your physicians?

Live music has always been a very important part of my life and has fed my soul for years! In fact, before my diagnosis, my husband and I were planning to attend My Morning Jacket’s “One Big Holiday”, a destination music festival in Mexico in February…But as it turned out, my stem cell transplant timeline settled in during the *exact* dates of the tropical festival. (We’ve often joked that I attended “One Big Transplant” instead!) I knew I’d be just under 6 months out from my stem cell transplant when music festival season was underway, and Forecastle specifically. I’ve always loved our hometown, yet national, music festival and we’ve been honored to be vendors the past couple of years. 

While being a vendor wasn’t going to be an option for us this year, Forecastle and AC Entertainment made it clear that if my health allowed it, they would welcome us as guests. As soon as I heard that, I prepped my transplant team for making it a recovery milestone. My health and endurance has continued to improve since my move back home in early May, and so my transplant team approved me to go! This year will be a little more chill for us as I’ll need to make sure to stay super hydrated, take breaks from the heat and sun, and I honestly can’t give out a lot of hugs because I’m still immunocompromised. Still, to be here, meeting this milestone, feeling healthy and normal, feels AMAZING. 

Finally, can you tell me a little about the Parent Comfort Tent? 

Yes! As it turned out, while we aren’t vendors this year, a last minute opportunity presented itself to host the Parent Comfort Tent again this year. The space is located at the back of the festival grounds, where it’s quieter, on Kentucky Landing’s Buy Local Boulevard. The Parent Comfort Tent gives space for parents to comfortably feed a baby, change a diaper, or pump milk if they are away from their nursling. The booth features fans to cool the private tent, comfortable chairs for feeding, extension cords for breast pumps, and a diaper changing table for the littles. We are also providing breast milk storage bags, disposable breast pads, diaper wipes and diaper cream. The space will be available all three days of the Festival and will be open until 9pm each night. We hope knowing this tent is a comfortable option for families means more parents will attend Forecastle and enjoy the festival. Because, honestly, couldn’t we all use a little more music and celebration in our lives? 

Thanks so much to Emily for sharing this journey with HerKentucky! Wishing you continued healing and happiness, Emily!

The Hat Girls

Kentucky Derby hats are a tradition as old as the race itself. Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. organized the race in 1875 based on the Epsom Derby, and Kentucky ladies looked to their British counterparts for fashion inspiration, including the formal hats of the day’s fashion. Over a century later, the tradition remains.

The Hat Girls, the Official Hat Designers of the Kentucky Derby Festival, put a hip couture spin on the traditional Kentucky Derby hat. The Hat Girls’ creations are stunning and unique and often unpredictable, but what can you expect from a duo who cite Lady GaGa as an inspiration and who debate the merits of the color pink? I caught up with the Hat Girls – Louisville natives Rachel Bell and Kate Welsh – to talk about their design inspirations and the best looks for Kentucky Derby 142.

Kate Welsh and Rachel Bell. Photo via The Hat Girls.

Heather C. Watson: How did The Hat Girls get started?

Rachel Bell: We started off making hats for ourselves, and people liked them. We incorporated as a business in 2013 and here we are.

Kate Welsh: 60% of our business is custom work, which wasn’t in our original business plan. We find that, typically, a lady wants to pick out her clothes around the hat. Others want a custom design made from dresses they’ve already picked out.

RB: And, then we have the customers who have an eye for design, and they want us to be their hands.

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A customized Hat Girls creation.

HCW: So, it’s a lot of interaction with the customer, and a lot of customization?

KW: A lot of times, we get into a text chain with the customer, and we give them ideas. This year, we’ve gotten really good at reading the customers to see what they want and what will flatter them. When we don’t have to work around a strict vision, those hats usually turn out the best.

HCW: How long does it take to make a Hat Girls hat?

RB: It depends on the day and the hat. It can be anywhere from one hour to thirty hours, depending on the level of customization. If we’re sewing on individual beads or sequins, it can take a while. But, on a good day, each of us can make two to three hats.

HCW: I always feel so bad for those women you see at the track who chose a hat that’s too big and drooping in her eyes. You know they’re going to have Facebook profile pictures that completely block their faces.

KW: And they’re miserable at the Derby because they couldn’t see the race. We’re very honest with customers about what works for them. People try the hats on, and they don’t always realize that an adjustable hat brim only helps them so much.

RB: You go into a department store, and you only see the pretty hat, not how it’s going to work for you.

KW: As designers, we try to limit how many feathers or sequins we add to the hat so thatit’s not sagging down into the customer’s face.

RB: But, at the same time, the hat usually is the focal point of the outfit.

KW: And, a lot of people go for the goofy, big hat look!

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Hat Girl Kate demonstrates a custom order

HCW: What trends are you seeing for the 2016 Kentucky Derby season?

KW: People ask us all the time “Are fascinators still in style?” Yes! Of course they are; look at the styles in Europe! We love fascinators for three reasons: your face isn’t shadowed when you wear one, you look great, and a fascinator is light and comfortable to wear.

RB: We always tell people who are scared to try a fascinator, “Put it on the side where your hair parts.” Fascinators don’t always sell as well in retail stores because people don’t always know how to wear them. We put photos of a lot of our fascinators on social media so that people know how to wear them.

KW: Also, about 90% of our fascinators are adjustable, to accommodate deeper partlines.

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HCW: What colors do you predict for this Derby?

KW: Yellow

RB: People want a lot of navy.

KW: And light blue!

HCW: Right, fitting in with the Pantone Color of the Year, serenity?

RB: Absolutely. We overstocked rose quartz, the other Pantone Color of the Year for 2016, but we just aren’t seeing people choose it.

KW: We do always know to have a lot of pink; it’s like black and white. So classic, and so feminine. Plus, we need a lot of pink for Oaks hats.

RB: I’m the wrong one to ask; I hate pink. It’s just not my thing.

A wall of feathers at the Hat Girls' studio.

HCW: What makes a hat a Hat Girls hat?

KW: At first, we only wanted to do funky, Lady GaGa types of hats. We’ve had to tone that down over time, sticking to our aesthetic, but knowing what sells. We’re both such perfectionists. We know how we want things to be. For us, we work better with a higher-end, custom vibe.

RB: Each hat is a work of art!

Learn more about the Hat Girls’ custom works of art on their website, and visit their Facebook and Instagram pages for daily millinery inspiration.

This post also appears on the Kentucky Derby Book Blog. Check out The Kentucky Derby Book for an interactive look at the Greatest 2 minutes in Sports!