We’re looking forward to introducing you to Patty Gill. Check out our conversation below.
Patty, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I wake up fairly early, even though I’m retired now. It’s a hard-wired habit from working most of my adult life. The beginning of each morning is simple–make my herbal tea, clean what I didn’t clean the night before and loosely plan what I need to achieve for my business that day. This part of my routine gives me time to fully wake-up and clear my sleepy mind. But what comes next is my favorite part of the day.
I grab my hot tea, a notepad and pen and sit at my kitchen table for the next hour while I read and study my Bible. I love reading God’s word, it helps me stay focused on what’s important and helps me avoid unnecessary distractions.
Next comes the treadmill and then, I’m ready for a day of fashion mania!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Both of my parents were very talented and loved to share what they knew. I have always loved to create because of them, whether it was drawing, painting or writing (and illustrating) my own stories. My mom taught me how to sew at a very young age, and this began my love for textiles. I’m proud to say that I designed and made collectible mohair bears in the 80’s and even sold them internationally as well as locally.
My brand, Rocksteady Fashion, is a tribute to fashions from the past and the impact they had on the culture of those times, as well as now. It brings me great joy to find an item and restore it to back to usefulness, giving it new life.
One of my favorite upcycled lines that I’m currently working on is my line of wearable art fashion. I upcycle, enhance and hand paint a variety of clothing pieces to create a true one-of-a-kind fashion statement. Like my business motto says “clothing as unique as you.”
I also love to take items that may not be salvageable and use them in other interesting ways, such as using fabrics in paintings, creating stand alone artwork, etc. This is a project I am currently working on and hope to reveal soon!
And I will be introducing a line of Christian-inspired clothing soon that I developed from a drawing by my grandson when he was 4yrs old. This line should be out before the end of this year.
One of our goals at Rocksteady Fashion is to remind everyone that fashion is fun!
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
I grew up in the 60’s-70’s when the news was full of the Vietnam war, the fight for civil rights, the ‘hippy’ generation and a large shift in the family dynamics. There were drugs, mayhem, massive music festival’s and a generation looking for answers.
There was so much unrest. However, another movement arose during that time, one I became a part of. They called it the ‘Jesus Revolution’ and finding Jesus as my Savior has changed my life and how I see the world. Where once I could only see hopelessness, I now see possibilities, not only in my business but also in the people I meet. Everyone has potential—it’s our decision what we do with it.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I believe I would tell my younger self to remember to live in love, enjoy the blessings of God and stand firm in your faith when everything around you is shaking.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes, I believe so. I love meeting people and, perhaps getting a small look into their life’s. It’s not always about selling a product or making money. Sometimes it’s just about connecting with someone who may need a kind word, a funny story (I’ve got LOTS of those!) a hug and a prayer. I’ve got regular customers that I love to see and talk with, sometimes go to lunch with.
In this crazy world where texting, messaging and very little contact is becoming the norm, we are losing the wonderful, beautiful art of human connection. Setting up & breaking down for shows is very hard work and as I age, I think about stopping. But then I realize how much I enjoy the people I meet, the joy it gives me to ‘see’ them and remembering that gives me the strength to keep going.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
Yes! Years ago, when I was much younger, I trained and studied to be a fitness instructor and personal trainer. I had several certifications for teaching as well as a specialty in aquatic fitness and dietary counseling. I worked at numerous public gyms as well as corporate facilities and also trained people at home. It was grueling work, but I thought it was the path I wanted to go down. After several years, I became ‘lack-luster’ about doing it and realized I wasn’t giving my all to my clients/students anymore. Soooo, I dropped everything but the aquatic’s, got an 8 to 5 job in an office and began to breathe again. After 18 wonderful years of ‘working in the pool’ I also retired from the aquatics but not from my wonderful students–they were part of my family. I was blessed to be able to work with so many amazing people who became friends. However, I began to feel I was called to go down a different path—which I am truly thankful for.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rocksteadyfashion.com
- Instagram: rocksteadyfashions
- Facebook: Rocksteady Fashion
- Other: Etsy: www.rocksteadyfashion.etsy.com
