Meet Caroline Lawley: Fashion Lifestyle Blogger & Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Caroline Lawley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Caroline, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
Growing up, I was always so intrigued with fashion. I think a lot of it had to do with because I was so shy and reserved it was a way for me to express myself. My friends liked my style so much and would always ask where I got things that I figured I might as well just do it on a broader scale and make my own business out of it. I’ve been following “bloggers” for about 5 years now, so I decided to take the jump! Last March when Covid hit, I was out of work with the radio (my day job) and suddenly had all the time in the world to spend more time developing content and growing my brand. I knew I wanted to be in the fashion and lifestyle space because that will carry with me through every phase of my life. I not only am a blogger, but also am co-founder of an eCommerce business called Pyne Cove Galleries. We sell replica canvas art from some of the most famous artists in history. My partner and I both have an appreciation for home decor and aesthetics and desired the ability to work from wherever on our own schedule.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Caroline Lawley is a fashion and lifestyle blog with an emphasis on body positivity. I was born with omphalocele, which is a birth defect where the infant’s intestines, liver, or other organs stick outside of the belly through the belly button. The organs are covered in a thin, nearly transparent sac that hardly ever is open or broken. It makes me who I am and I feel so incredibly lucky to even be alive. Putting yourself on such a public platform as Instagram, chances are there’s always going to be some negative commentary. However, I totally believe in the benefits of the ripple effect – when one person sees another being vulnerable it creates a ripple effect and hopefully boosts their confidence in themselves. I’ve learned to practice patience because blogging exponentially grows. It goes without saying being an entrepreneur, but if you don’t invest the time or money into it, it won’t happen. Even the smallest of details such as most of the items in my closet being older pieces and not linkable on LiketoKNOW.it (the app where followers can shop influencers items and influencers make a commission off of it) is lost money (if you can’t link it, you can’t make money that way). I stated in my last interview with Voyage Houston that “I have very high expectations for myself and once I meet my goals, I make new ones. I found it very important to never settle with the goals that I achieve”. That is still just as true today, so watch out world! 😉

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oooh! So exciting!! I always love it when friends come to visit because I get to share the places I fell in love with when I was new to Nashville. First thing first is breakfast at Pancake Pantry. They’ve been around since 1961 and is definitely a local favorite. A local favorite deli of mine is Star Bagel Cafe. They offer a variety of bagel sandwiches and there’s always a line out the door! Bongo Java/Fido are another one of my go-tos. My aunt used to take my mom and I there growing up when we visited Nashville. They have the best coffee drinks and brunch. 🙂 12South and Hillsboro Village are both fun areas to walk around, shop, and eat. A few of my other favorites include the Farmers Market in Germantown, Radnor Lake, and Percy Warner Park. There’s so many restaurants I would recommend.. Green Hills Grille has a phenomenal happy hour menu that lasts from 2:30-6:30. Cole’s Kitchen offers the most killer truffle mac and cheese I have ever had and has an adorable outdoor patio. I would also hope to take my best friend to Bella Napoli Pizzeria. They’ve been in Nashville for 10 years now and even sang “happy birthday” to me in Italian! Sperry’s is another awesome restaurant with a tavern-like steakhouse atmosphere. If you’re willing to splurge, it’s worth the experience. I highly recommend the Banana’s Foster for dessert! Last but definitely not least, I would take her to Mafiaoza’s for pizza! Their pizza is made with a little bit of beer in the batter, so it provides a unique taste. In terms of drinks, I recommend going to Ember’s, The Local, Fable Lounge, The Patterson House, Old Glory, Greenhouse Bar, Skull’s Rainbow Room, Yee Haw Brewery, and Yazoo Brewery.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to shoutout a few people! My parents are always the first people to use one of my promo codes when I have a new partnership with a company. It’s awesome seeing how supportive they are when this is totally new for her as well. My boyfriend, Sam, has believed in me and supported me nonstop throughout this whole journey. That includes taking the majority of my pictures for content (which takes a lot of patience lol). I also want to shoutout my friend, Jenny. We met back in September on our mutual friends Bachelorette trip and have became the best of friends very quickly. For a large part of one of the days we weren’t doing anything on the trip, Jenny shot a lot of content for me in multiple different looks.

Website: https://www.carolinelawley.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinelawley/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-lawley-78035aa3/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarolineLawleyOfficial
Other: https://pynecovegalleries.com/