Meet Carrie Harkin | Personal Stylist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carrie Harkin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carrie, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Ah work life balance, it’s a hot topic, particularly in our culture right now. I believe balance is a deeply personal endeavor and it looks different for everyone. I say endeavor because it’s a journey and takes different shapes in various parts of our lives. Some people are able to grasp the idea and achieve it sooner than others. I’m definitely a later bloomer when it comes to work life balance. When I started my fashion career in New York City, over 15 years ago, the concept of work life balance wasn’t even in my realm of consideration. The conditioning of being a professional woman in my industry then was to work as hard as possible. It was a badge of honor to come to work ill and “power through” no matter what. My intuition knew this was not right for me but I was ambitious and on a mission to take advantage of any opportunity that came my way. As I grew in my career with it came more traveling, responsibility and pressure – more of me. To say my work life balance was off is an understatement – there was no balance. My life was work.
My husband and I then moved overseas to Singapore where I continued to work as a buyer and stylist. I started getting debilitating headaches and my anxiety was at its worst. However, being overseas, away from our family and friends, forced us to prioritize our social life and invest again in friendships because these people were now our expat family. And then came my son. At first, I was on the same professional mission, I’ll take time off for maternity leave and then go back to work and continue. However, as I went back to work and re-immersed myself into the mix of it all, I found it hard to invest myself as I used to. I hear this a lot from working mothers; if you’re in a job you aren’t totally passionate about and have a child, your new family life only exasperates the lack of passion. I think all working mothers can agree that having a child forces you to re-evaluate your work life balance. Some women are able to figure it out with their current job/career and continue on but that was not me. It made me question my professional life.
As a possible solution, I started to consult. I went on a cycle of consulting where I would have time off with my son and then work really hard and then time off. It felt like a roller coaster where my brain was jumping between two worlds which was mentally exhausting. It disguised itself as balance but because there was no consistency I never got the balance I desperately needed (this was my experience with consulting, for some people it’s a great fit). However, during this time we moved back to the US and then came the coronavirus. My husband and I were fortunate in the fact that we were able to keep our jobs, work remotely and relocate to our dream home – San Diego. But like most people the balance during this time was extremely tough and we found ourselves working harder than ever. During all of this abnormality and imbalance, it all became clear to me that I needed to take control of my life and my own work life balance. I needed to focus on my creative endeavors as this was what fueled me and didn’t drain me. I needed to take the reins and responsibility. Since then I’ve taken the time to treat my headaches, understand and get my anxiety under control and be present for my son. Don’t get me wrong, having my own business is stressful and hectic in itself but I love my clients, they give me a sense of fulfillment and energize me. Seeing their face light up when they try on the clothes I pick for them gives me a great sense of joy.

Through my personal journey, I’ve come to understand that balance is always a battle but I think it’s one of the most important battles to fight. Sometimes you’ve got it mastered and then life gets in the way and you’re back to feeling like you’re drowning. For me, work life balance is having the courage to set boundaries and stick to them. Know when to ask for help and when to say “no” or “I’ll get back to you on that”. Balance to me means knowing what you want your everyday life to look like and setting your priorities to mirror that vision. This may mean you won’t be the best or at the top but perhaps it will mean you are happier and healthier and isn’t that what we’re all striving for when it comes to balance?

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am the founder of Carrie Harkin Personal Stylist. I am a North San Diego county based personal stylist. My true passion is working with people to help bring their style personality to life. Putting together outfits, building out a wardrobe and fine tuning a client’s style is what brings me joy. My services range from closet editing, personal shopping, outfit creation, special event dressing and more. It’s cliche but style can give us confidence and joy, what we put on can inherently affect our mood. I’ve worked in the industry for a very long time so my mind is like a rolodex of brands and designers, knowing the way brands fit various body types is extremely important. After working as a buyer for many years I’m very good at tapping into a clients style and honoring that style when I dress/shop for them. My experience lends itself to all of this. A question that comes up a lot is, “What is the difference between a personal stylist and a subscription box?” A personal stylist is just that – PERSONAL. Unlike box subscriptions which send you new pieces from afar every so often, I come to your home, talk with you, go through your closet to understand your personal style and how I can build your wardrobe. A box subscription sends you clothes which may or may not integrate into your existing wardrobe therefore, you end up spending money for a closet full of clothes which don’t necessarily work together. The foundation of my style theory is versatility. The pieces in your wardrobe need to work together and should be able to do double/triple duty, thus saving you money in the long term.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love to eat and discovering new restaurants is one of my favorite things to do. So food would definitely be involved. I live in North County San Diego therefore, Encinitas on the 101 is a fun upbeat area for shopping, restaurants and getting a drink. Carlsbad Village is also a nice place to roam around for shopping and eating. Cardiff (don’t forget VG’s Bakery!!), Del Mar and La Jolla have delicious restaurants whose specialty is seafood which are right on the beach so you’ll get a beautiful view. My family loves exploring museums so Balboa Park and the Zoo downtown San Diego are a must. Walking along the beach during low tide is fun because you get to explore the tide pools.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Thank you to my husband, his unwavering support, encouragement and love gave me the courage to explore the idea of starting my own business and pursuing balance in my life.

Website: www.carrieharkin.com

Instagram: @carrieharkinstyle

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/carrie-harkin-personal-stylist-san-marcos

Image Credits
Kristin Bradford Photography The Marshalls Photography Jessica Davis Photography