I often boast that I’m the luckiest girl I know. That is not just because I have a wonderful family, the very best people around me, and the everyday blessings of a warm home and good health. I also feel lucky because, on the best days, I get to help women feel more like themselves through what they wear. Some days, that means watching a woman find her voice through style. Other days, it means dressing women who have lived long enough to know exactly what they like.
I started learning how to do that when I was just 13 years old, working in my mother’s store in Vermont. Most of the women I was dressing were much older than I was, and understandably, they did not trust me right away. I was young, and I knew I had not earned that trust yet. So I listened. I paid attention. I asked questions. I wanted to understand what they liked, what frustrated them, what made them feel comfortable, and what made them feel like themselves.
That eagerness to learn stayed with me.
Later, in high school, I worked in the ladies’ department at Sears, and I was especially interested in learning how to better serve generous-sized customers. I could see that so many women had been underserved, dismissed, or simply not offered enough good options. I wanted to understand what worked, what did not, and how clothing could make someone feel more confident, more comfortable, and more seen.
In many ways, that desire to listen, learn, and make customers happy is what led me here.
It is certainly part of what shapes how I think about FLAX. So many of the women who come to us know exactly what they want. They know what feels good on their body. They know what they will actually wear. They know the difference between something that is beautiful in theory and something that works in real life. And I have so much respect for that.
But not every woman comes to us with that same certainty, and that matters too.
Some women know exactly what they like. Others are still figuring it out. They may know what has not worked for them but not yet know what will. They may be looking for comfort, coverage, ease, or confidence, and just need someone to listen and guide them in the right direction. There should always be room for her here too.
To me, that is part of what good service really means. It is not about assuming every woman arrives in the same place. It is about meeting her where she is, respecting what she already knows, and being ready to offer thoughtful guidance if she wants it.
That is what we are always trying to offer at FLAX.
We think about the women wearing these clothes every step of the way. We think about comfort, yes, but also shape, proportion, and personality. We think about a generous fit that still has intention. We think about fabrics that soften with time and silhouettes that feel easy without feeling forgettable.
That is also why, within a collection or a season, we work hard to offer variety. We know there is no one silhouette, one pant length, one sleeve, or one neckline that works for every woman. So, we try to create a range of options—different pant lengths and shapes, different sleeve lengths and body styles, different necklines and proportions—so there is always something that feels right for you. To me, that is part of dressing women well: not asking everyone to fit into the same idea of what works but offering more ways for each woman to find herself in the line.
And of course, that does not mean we do not encourage trying something new.
In fact, I think that is part of the fun. Once a woman knows what works for her, she is often in the best position to branch out a little—maybe a new shape, a color she had not considered, or a piece with more detail than she might usually choose. And for the woman who is still figuring it out, sometimes the right suggestion can open a door. There is a difference between pushing someone into something that is not right and gently showing her a new possibility. That is always the sweet spot.
Because dressing women well has never been just about selling them clothes.
It is about listening closely enough to understand what they need. It is about helping them feel seen. It is about offering pieces that respect both their bodies and their point of view. And it is about honoring the confidence that comes from knowing yourself, while also making space for the women who are still getting there.
I have been learning from women like that for most of my life.
And truly, FLAX is better because of it.