Trusting in Tricia- Interview by June Monteiro of Enamour
The great thing about the fashion industry is the ability to connect and network. Last Spring while participating in the Catwalk for BMC Cancer Care event, I had the pleasure of being interviewed byTricia Cromwell for a Style It Up segment. Sometime later we crossed paths again. Knowing, from our last encounter, that she was a stylist I asked her if she’d like to style my upcoming show: Artists Closet in Rhode Island. She agreed, and did an excellent job styling my resort collection with select accessories from Stella and Dot and Lindsey Tia
I decided to interview her and find out how she got into the styling industry:
Tell me a little about yourself? I am self motivated, a hard worker and a dreamer. I’m also a major goofball and I laugh at everything! I love travelling but don’t do it nearly enough. I’m outgoing, never shy from the spotlight and am always up for a good challenge. I’m also pretty type A to-do lists for everything!
When did you first become interested in fashion? Thinking back maybe it was when my little cousin was making mud pies and I refused to help her because I didnt want to get my clothes dirty. Instead I wanted to teach her how to “walk like a lady” (true story)! not sure what 80′s movie I saw that in but I guess it inspired me! My mom was also into fashion and as a little girl I was always decked out and accessorized… and I better not get my clothes dirty! She created a monster!
Did you always want to be a Stylist? If not what did you want to be? When I was younger I actually wanted to be an author or a veterinarian. The author dream is still alive however the veterinarian has been substituted by just animal lover. Apparently when I was young I didn’t realize exactly what a veterinarian’s job consists of! My mom worked in retail and that definitely rubbed off on me. I knew I wanted to be in fashion but I sort of just thought that only meant working in a retail store so that’s what I wanted to do. I also used to help my grandmother pick out her clothes and put outfits together and even go shopping for her when I was young. Had no idea back then that I was acting as a stylist or that it was even a career option. But now looking back it’s really so funny how things happen!
How did “Trust in Tricia” come to be? With some coworkers at a part-time job! I have always worked two or three jobs since I was 17. About 6 years ago working full and part-time I decided I wanted to own my own business and I wanted to be a stylist. I was always the go to person for styling and shopping among friends and family and after watching What Not To Wear I realized strangers may want my services as well. So I literally just put myself out there! I would show up at my part-time job armed with a notebook and my coworkers and I would brainstorm a bunch of ideas such as my business name, logo ,mission statement, etc. It was actually a coworker that came up with the name Trust in Tricia!
What’s your “go-to” piece for any client no matter what their style? A great fitting pair of jeans. There is no better feeling than just knowing you are rocking the hell out of your favorite jeans! These days denim is more acceptable in different environments and its so versatile because it can be dressed up or dressed down. So even for the clients who have to get dressed up 5 or 6 days a week, there’s still that day off or that night out where they want to dress down and jeans are the perfect balance of dressy casual.
What was your worst styling experience? Ugh…major miscommunication backstage at a fashion show and the models were rushed out before I could give them a once over and some weren’t completely done dressing. One model went out with her back zipper only half way zipped and another apparently mini-mooned the crowd because her shirt wasn’t pulled all the way down on one side. THAT was a learning experience that wont happen again!
