Insight from an Intern
First Day Nerves
When I first stepped foot off the elevator and into Jackie HQ, I noticed that the space felt warm and bright. With red, orange and pink hues, the space felt energetic, joyful and comfortable. It was as if every nerve I had about being the new girl from Arkansas melted away.
I spent my first day with Sabel, Jackie’s Head Buyer & Stylist, sitting at her desk and learning about all things Jackie; brands, buying, orders, and shipping. I was quickly put in an outfit to be posted onto the Instagram story by Amber’s request. Amber, Jackie’s CEO, has the ability to make you feel empowered in just a moment, especially when she uses clothes as her tool. This skill is something she has instilled in all of the Jackie women. Being personally styled by Amber in the new sustainable and vegan friendly clothing pieces set an amazing precedent for what was to come. Have your heard that Jackie V is launching soon?
Knowing that I was working for a company that values more than the clothes they sell, put me at ease instantly. Jackie values intentional community, confidence and empowering women to be the best version of themselves. Clothing is just the tool to bring this vision to life.
The Women
Day after day, I found myself sitting with the Jackie women at The Table brainstorming, delegating and presenting new and exciting ideas to the team. Everyone takes the time to get to know one another both at work and outside of Jackie HQ. We had meaningful conversations while eating salads from Central Cafe for lunch, but as with everything here at Jackie, it was more than a seriously delicious salad.
The friendships I began to cultivate at Jackie carried on past 5 o’clock. Nothing like a mani-pedi after a day’s work! The encouragement and advice I received from the honest women at Jackie was something I could rest in. In a company that is full of incredible women it can be easy to feel intimidated and have a tendency to compare yourself to them, especially when you are new on the scene, but with Jackie, that wasn’t the case. I immediately felt a sense of comfort with these women. I could catch my breath and have endurance to take on the rest of the day.
The Work
The women at Jackie pushed me to use my creative skills. Social media is a creative outlet for me and being able to create for Jackie was gratifying. I was asked to do a few videos which was out of my comfort zone. Anyone else kind of cringe at the sound of their own voice? I leave Jackie with not only others appreciation of my voice but greater appreciation of my own voice. When I speak, I know that what I am saying has value. The risk of saying what you think or sharing an idea you have is worth being misunderstood or even turned down. Creativity takes courage.
Going to Tampa for a meeting with Brave People, Jackie’s Web Design Team, was a highlight for me. The space reminded me of a more masculine version of Jackie. I was able to learn so much in one meeting about content creating and marketing.
Jackie is always seeking out new ways to engage and serve their local community. One of their most recent developments is a partnership with Bayside Community Church’s Women's Night, an event with a very similar goal to the one we have at Jackie, empowering women but through worship and a message. I was able to assist in creating merchandise designs and in branding the event.
Honestly the work I did at Jackie did not feel like work. Jackie Kennedy once said, “You have to be doing something you enjoy. That is a definition of happiness.” I did things I loved here at Jackie and I did them to the best of my ability, which brought me joy in the work I was doing.
The Clothes
I’ve had experience working for great boutiques, but I have found that Jackie is set apart by the quality of clothing that they carry. Because there are different styles and body-types represented by each stylist, they are able to provide high quality pieces for many different types of women. The selection is unlimited here at Jackie.
Unboxing new inventory was one of my favorite experiences. Everyone would leave their desk to gather around and see what the buyers have brought in. The stylists automatically named their clients who would look amazing in certain pieces. At Jackie, buying is done with each client in mind. The intentionality of the buying to the shipping is so special here.
I was able to assist in planning and executing one of our in-house “The Table” event series “Invest in Better Basics” on July 9th. This event was created to help women find the most sensible and dependable white or neutral tees. We were able to showcase the different ways a basic can be worn. My favorite part was meeting the women in the community and introducing them to the space and the products.
The brands that Jackie carries are high-end but worth every penny. They carry brands from LA and New York that are ethically made, sustainably sourced and crafted with incredible attention to detail. Amber constantly stresses quality over quantity and that value that was already instilled in me has risen in importance.
The thing I regret the most about coming to Jackie is not bringing an empty suitcase for Jackie clothes to fly back with me! I’m leaving with a Sen Jumpsuit, Strut This athleisure wear, and a pair of Kaanas slides. As I head back to Arkansas, I leave with more confidence in my abilities, a community here, and amazing clothes. My time here just wasn’t enough. Thank you Jackie team for the experience of a lifetime!