About Us: Hampton Ivy and I

I’m Melanie,

CEO of Hampton Ivy jewelry and accessories,

author of this blog,

and this is a little about me and my company!

A little bit about me..

Over the years, (meaning 8th to 11th grade of school and even a little of my freshman year of college (living in the city and going to FIT has its effects)), my style has changed from one thing to the next, as a result of trying to fit in or find my place. I’d set my eye on a friend group I wanted to be in and I’d completely change myself. It sounds odd but hey, it actually worked, but it was also exhausting. Every year was a different style; a different phase. By the end of freshman year of college, I called it quits. Quits on trying to be anyone other than myself. As I’ve matured, I’ve been able to let go of the fear of just being myself even if it means sometimes I stand out, and even the fear of people not liking me for just being me. I started shopping based on what I liked rather than what would fit the mold I was trying to put myself in. I had always admired style icons such as Ralph Lauren, Jackie Kennedy, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Kate Middleton, and many more, but now I was finally comfortable using them as inspiration, and they remain my inspirations to this day. The classic and preppy styles of these icons were also first introduced to me through my grandparents and my mother, whose appreciation for traditional preppy clothing and designs has always been evident in our home. (I laugh sometimes at how it must have been slightly torturous for her to see her preppy little baby girl not so preppy during those years..)

And after all those years of trying different styles and figuring out what style best fit me, I also realized something very important. Clothing is much more than what we throw on and walk out the door with. It’s not worn to fit in or to impress or gain approval from anyone else. What we wear represents who we are, it’s personal, and it should always be a reflection of who you are. When you feel good on the inside, you want to radiate that positivity outwards and share that with the people around you. The clothing you wear has just as much personality and feeling as you do, and it’s begging to be expressed. Nothing is more freeing than just being completely and utterly yourself, and you should be proud of it at all times. These lessons I've learned are a big part of why I started this blog.

A little bit about Hampton Ivy..

Hampton Ivy was created in August 2014 by myself and my family, at the start of my sophomore year of college at the Fashion Institute of Technology. It was after a summer of finally dressing for myself and building my wardrobe of pieces I actually loved when I realized that I could find preppy and classic clothes, but jewelry with fun designs to go with them just wasn’t available. My family and I grabbed at the opportunity. The name Hampton Ivy comes from our love of the Hamptons, including the style and the lifestyle there, and the Ivy League, where preppy style originated. Our designs draw inspiration from primarily old school, vintage preppy styles, but a little bit of the new preppy styles too. All of our products are handmade in the USA.

This blog started months before we launched our first line of products and it holds a special place in my heart and in the story of how Hampton Ivy began. The posts you’ll find here are mainly from me personally rather than from the Hampton Ivy brand and will involve my outfits, fashion tips and finds, inspirations, life experiences, and more. My goal is to give you all an enjoyable experience to walk away with and to share the things I love most in life! I owe so much to all of you for being a part of my and Hampton Ivy’s journey, and I cannot wait to see what more the future holds!

Thank you for reading, and I hope to get to know you all in the comments!

“Good style is traditional.” - Melanie Grace