Q & A: Grace Thomas, Ashley’s personal stylist and founder of Builtgracefully
First things first, tell the story of how you and Ashley met
When I started my company, building a network was one of my first priorities. I wanted to build up the community around me and learn from others who had started their own businesses, specifically women founders. Ashley and I had some mutual friends, but ultimately we met through an email I sent her asking if we could meet for coffee. Schedules were crazy at that time and we stayed in touch, but didn’t actually meet, until we had the opportunity to work together on a big project for AKL. From there, we’ve remained friends and I’ve had the opportunity to style Ashley for both personal and professional projects.
Tell us about your entrepreneurial journey
I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit, however my journey really started during Covid. After years working in corporate roles at Nike, I had decided that it was time to take my own fate and career path into my own hands and I made the decision to slowly leave the corporate world behind. While working at Nike, I dove into launching my own business. Of course, at the beginning it was slow, as I was working two jobs essentially, but slowly and surely I built up my brand and client base. Once I hit financial goals I had set for myself, I decided to fully take on entrepreneurship and left Nike. I used the first two years to learn from a range of clients, take on different styles of projects and hone in on how I wanted to run my own business.
Tell us about your business
Builtgracefully is a personal wardrobe styling company, serving professional men and women throughout the United States. I believe that everyone deserves to have great style and feel confident in their clothing, no matter their budget or who they are. Style can be one of the biggest challenges for people, making them feel less confident in their everyday life. Especially as social media tells us we need to spend more or wear certain trends, most people don’t know where to begin. I love to help people learn to style outfits, shop more thoughtfully and create a style that makes them feel like the best version of themselves.
How do you approach personal styling with a client? Talk about your process.
My process with clients is done both virtually and in-person or a mix of both. My biggest focus is the client and really developing their personal style. That being said, I take a lot of time to get to know each individual client before jumping into their wardrobe. We start with a style questionnaire and move on to a style deep dive, where we sit down together and build out the vision for their specific aesthetic and wardrobe needs.
From there, we edit through their closet. Most people are afraid of someone coming into this personal space, but they end up having so much fun. We talk through why they were drawn to certain styles, maybe why they haven’t worn something and really get down to the bare bones of what they truly love.
Finally, we shop! I create individualized catalogs and shopping bags (virtually) for clients to shop on their own. These can include everyday items, special events, travel or even items for branding photoshoots. Once a client has their new garments, we then style out a bunch of looks together, so they feel educated and empowered to start wearing all of their new pieces.
What are your tips for transitioning a wardrobe from summer to fall?
Building out core pieces of a wardrobe is my #1 step with every client and allows you to have the most versatile and transitional wardrobe. For every client that means something different but that could be a pair of denim that you wear with a tank in the summer and a sweater in the fall. Great basics like t-shirts also can be year-round pieces, depending on how they are styled. Once you have those core pieces down, then you can add in the seasonally appropriate garments to create an outfit.
I also love to organize closets based on season, so you have access to exactly what is right for that time of year. As summer winds down, store lightweight pieces like dresses, tanks, and shorts in a different closet or toward the back of your closet. This way when you are getting ready, you won’t be pulling out pieces that clearly don’t work for that time of year. (For more tips, be sure to check out Grace’s Instagram.)
Any specific pieces that you think are year-round must-haves?
A great pair of denim or two - doesn't have to be a certain style, just make sure you love the fit on you.
Sneakers - a neutral color in a leather material, I prefer a low top versus a high-top for most clients.
Elevated t-shirt - This can be a white or black, crewneck or v-neck, the style will differ for everyone.
Lightweight jacket - I recommend finding what you love best and incorporating one of these options; blazer, denim jacket, bomber.
Here are some items I love that Ashley has worn over the years!
How do you balance being a small business owner AND starting a family?
Before I decided to start my own family, I knew I wanted to fully embrace building my company. I took a couple of years to focus on building Builtgracefully so I could continue to work on something that brought me immense passion while starting the new chapter of my life.
2024 has been a challenge for me as I was sick for a large portion of my pregnancy, while also being my most successful year yet! I had to learn how to build boundaries within my packages and be clear with communication with clients. Sometimes this meant pushing out projects or lengthening timelines to give me a little more balance. I made sure to schedule “meeting free” days into my calendar to give me time for rest or just dedicated work time. To be honest, I’ve just navigated it the best I could and I am sure 2025 will be even more interesting as I balance both being a mom and a business owner at the same time. Ask me how I’m doing in 2025 lol.
What’s next on your make-it-happen list?
As I look ahead, I’m excited to continue to build my male client base. I also love working with people all over the country and would love to have my first international client in 2025. Lastly, I’m focused on some creative projects that bring me joy - which will also give me something fun to work on while I’m on maternity leave.
“For someone like me that runs a company and has minimal time in my day, it’s such a gift to have someone like Grace who can take away the guesswork of what to wear for events. I’m so grateful for her creativity, craft and support. She listens, asks all the right questions, and most importantly, understands what I need. She knows my body type, what looks good on me, and how to push me out of my comfort zone JUST enough. She’s amazing at sticking to my budget and has even given me complete looks with jewelry pairings and hair styles. Get on her schedule for holiday party styling! I PROMISE you will not regret it.”