Hi! I’m so glad you are here. Welcome to my Substack.
What is this?
I already have my blog, The Stripe (I still post there 4-5 days a week!) but think of this as a more casual, informal space where I will share my favorite things. By subscribing, you’ll get all of my posts automatically delivered to your inbox.
You can expect more personal essays, in the moment content, reader Q&As, shopping tips, sales, ETC.
Who Are You?
Hi, I’m Grace. I am the founder of The Stripe; which I like to think of as a fashionable lifestyle site for the stylish bookworm. I started it back in 2010 and am pretty much a social media dinosaur? I still post to my blog quite a bit but Substack has become my new favorite place on the internet.
I’ve spent the last fourteen years running my blog. Before that? Social media for a fashion startup. And before THAT, I spent eight years working in the beauty industry. (If you are curious, I was an assistant buyer of women’s fragrances for a department store and then did brand management for a variety of fragrance + cosmetic brands at Procter & Gamble and then Coty).
Before I had my blog, I was always the “recommender” of my friend group. Need a new moisturizer? Lipstick rec? Mascara that won’t smudge? I’m your girl. I am, and always have been beauty and fashion obsessed and love finding the best of the best (especially when it comes from an unexpected place). I also spend a lot of time reading and watching TV so I’ve usually got a recommendation or two there as well.
I moved to Charleston two years ago and purchased my first home last year. Prior to that, I spent 15 years living in New York. (Before that, I was in Boston for about 7 years: college and my first job). I loved my time in New York but moved south to live closer to my family and enjoy a slower pace of life. Better weather doesn’t hurt!
I am also the mom to two beautiful flat faced cats, have a boyfriend who lives in LA (I’m back and forth a lot!). I love reading, film, TV, fitness, and skincare. (Does skincare count as a hobby? It does for me!) I’ve also been getting really into cooking. And some newer hobbies include needlepoint (obsessed!) and Mahjong this year.
Why Should I Subscribe?
There are a million and one Substacks out there but I hope you’ll subscribe to mine. I try to try everything, so that I can be your informed friend with good shopping recommendations. I put a lot of time into testing and researching a wide array of products to bring you the ones that are actually worth your money.
I love talking about my favorite things and my taste runs the gamut from Amazon finds and bad TV to good wine and Loro Piana cashmere (always bought secondhand via of course!). It’s all about mixing it up, right?
Paid subscribers receive all free content plus
Automatic entry in my monthly giveaway (usually a big box of beauty + books)
Monthly “unfiltered post” with more personal updates, things I bought and didn’t like, books I didn’t finish… the sort of thing that is best behind a paywall.
1-2 additional paywalled posts - think Q&A’s, more personal stuff, small businesses I love, and more.
Paid Subscriber chat and AMAs.
My gratitude— seriously —because being a paid subscriber means you’re directly supporting me and my work.
