Every morning while Alki and I are in Greece we have somewhat of a daily routine. We wake up, have our breakfast which always consists of hard boiled eggs and avocado with olive oil, and then go into town where we stop at the magazine shop and then head to a cafe for our morning espresso and my favorite, Frappe. This particular magazine shop has tons of english magazines so I grab 2 each day and look through them for outfit ideas, swimwear inspiration and interesting stories.
In this magazine called Grazia from the UK (which I LOVE and I'm totally going to subscribe to) there was a story about woman who "Married rich and lost their ambition" which I took a particular interest to. The question that started the article was,
"Would you give up work if your partner earned enough for both of you"?
Cherie Blair, a barrister and ex prime minister Tony Blair's wife, and writer Elizabeth Wurtzel say that woman who do indeed leave their jobs after marrying a "very rich man" are "betraying feminism".
Here in this article a former lawyer Francesca,37, tells her story and gives her view.
I thought this article was really interesting. I get a lot of heat from randoms/ haters on the internet and although I expect it for putting myself out there, I do feel the need to defend myself and my life from time to time.
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| Having my Frappe reading the article above <3 |
So heres my story.
I grew up in a upper middle class Italian family in what is referred to as the "second city", White Plains, NY. We had the typical "american family", mom , dad, my brother and myself. Within a 3 mile radius you can visit the hospital I was born in, my nursery school, my elementary school, my middle school, High School and so on. I grew up with mainly the same group of kids from elementary school all the way through high school, and I still keep in touch with most of my graduating class through both twitter and Facebook.
I was an average student excelling in all things Artistc, my entire family is in the arts from opera singers with full scholarships to Juilliard, fashion and jewelry designers, seamstresses and web design and the list goes on. Its a no brainer I became a swimwear designer. I was friends with everyone in high school, A Cheerleader for both Basketball and Football, dated the quarter back of the football team, and went to cosmetology school in both 11th and 12th grade half day to get my license.
My parents divorced when I was 13 and up until then my mom was a stay at home mom, we didn't have any nannies. When we got a little bit older she started her own company of sewing upscale window treatments which she was able to do at home to make some extra money and keep her busy while we were at school. My father worked in construction and design. He designed kitchens and bathrooms, outdoor decks and patios and still does to this day.
I worked since I was 14 years old . I started at a popular clothing store called Havana Jeans in Scarsdale, NY. During the summers when I was off from school I worked at the local pool club behind the concession stand working the register, flipping burgers the whole nine. From there I went back into retail and worked at Aldo Shoes. When I was 18 I started working in an upscale hair salon in town called Salon Savior where I started as an assistant and eventually was doing makeup and waxing. While working at the hair salon I was also working the door and guest list at a number of clubs in NY and CT at night and on the weekends for extra spending money, I figured I would be out partying anyway so might as well make some money doing it.
It wasn't until I was in college that I started modeling. I signed with a few agencies in NYC for Fitness, Parts, TV and Commercial and Commercial Print. Im only 5'6 so doing runway and high fashion editorials was unfortunately out of the question for me. It was then at age 21 that I signed my first big endorsement deal with a Fitness Supplement company called Met-Rx. I was the youngest one on the team, was their cover calendar model and was in all of their ads. It was a dream job for me! Around the same time I signed that contract I started booking everything I went on an audition for, literally. My body was perfection and was bringing in the big bucks LOL, well, thats relative really, but it brought in enough that I was able to quit my job at the hair salon and went into pursuing my dream of modeling full time.
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| So proud to be on the cover of the 2007 Met-rx Calendar! |
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| Up there with Phil Heath |
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| BSN with my girl Alicia Marie <3 |
My mom always told me, "save for a rainy day". I had a bank account since I was born and would always put 2/3 in the bank and keep 1/3 to spend of any paycheck I brought in. A few years after I started modeling the economy crashed, 3 of my agencies closed and there was no money in modeling and acting at that time. My passion was fashion. My entire family knows how to sew. My grandmother would sew her own dresses to wear to weddings and my mom would alter all of my clothes as a kid because I was so skinny. They all taught me how to sew on a sewing machine, but when it came to designing and sewing swimwear- I'm happy to say I'm self taught!
During my contract with Met-rx, later BSN and then STS- Supplements we would go to the Mr. Olympia Fitness convention every year in Las Vegas. I LOVE Vegas! I live for the pool parties, I love to dance, and when you work hard for your body- who wouldn't want to show it off. I would design and sew my own outfits to wear at the fitness booths at the show and also make my own bikinis to wear at the pool parties once work was over. So many girls would come up to me asking where I got my bikinis from that I decided then I would turn it into a line, and thats how I started my now very successful swimwear line.
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Vegas with my boo.. I hand made this bikini ! |
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Hand made bikini by me before I started my line. |
What does this have to do with the article above?
In 2009 when I decided to start a swimwear line I also met me now husband Alki. He is a wealthy business man with both old and new money and lets just say he makes enough that I wouldn't have to work a day in my life... ever, if I didn't want to.
Running a swimwear line is not easy. I WISH people knew what went into producing those cute little pieces of barely there material that can be rolled up and fit into a sandwich bag. It's not something to just " keep me busy"as lots of haters people think. I thoroughly enjoy being my own boss and doing what Im doing and can side 100% with the article above. There is nothing wrong with giving your career a break or quitting your career all together if you can financially do so but more importantly, want to. I mean, don't we work to be able to save for retirement one day and not have to worry about working anymore anyway??? Like the article said, being a woman and having that choice is both liberating and free, what more could you ask for.
I was 24 when I got engaged and 26 when I got married. I enjoy having my swimwear line and hope it turns into something huge and amazing so I can be accomplished and feel like I'm contributing to mine and my husbands lifestyle. If it does succeed, and even if it doesn't, I will eventually want to stop doing what Im doing and be a stay at home mom/ wife, raising children the best I can, going to the gym everyday, having lunch with other moms like me and so on. For now however, I'll stick to designing swimwear with my partner Lilly :)
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| Have Faith Swimgerie Lilly Ghalichi and I www.havefaith.com |
I don't see anything wrong with making that choice though. I don't think that betrays feminism or that it is something to look down upon. There is no wrong or right when it comes to what you want to do with your life and how you want to live it. I think quite frankly, if you could, you would and those who look down upon the 'one per cent wives' who choose to trade in their careers to be stay at home wives/ moms are just jealous and envious that they can't.
Thoughts ?!
xx
Jennifer
A future "one per cent wife".
Greece Picture Update:
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| View from our bedroom window |
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| Having my Fav Frappe and reading my mag |
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| Leaving the house to go to Hydra |
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| Shirt from Urban Outfitters, skirt from Jens Pirates Booty |
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| My brother and I |
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| The boat is a Sunkeeper- so classy! Bottom pic is Hydra, Greece. <3 |
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| Poolside boot camp with my step sons and friends. <3 Bikini from www.havefaith.com |
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| In town after dinner having fresh greek yogurt from I love Yo . |
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| Top, American Apparel, Skirt- from Intermix. |
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| Going into town via dirt bike. xx |
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| My new Celine Gold Chain Sunglasses.. OBSESSED!!!! They are waiting for me at home in NY |
ADDITION!!!!!
My very well known friend Jayne Wallace who is a psychic is in California until monday and is able to do readings both in person and over the phone. If you didn't read my "How I met My Husband" blog post click the link below to learn more about what Jayne did for me. She is so legit I swear you will be amazed and 100% happy with her.
You can email Jayne directly at Jayne@jaynewallace.co.uk
to schedule your reading either over the phone or in person.
Let her know I referred you :)
