GOLDEN ISLES DENTAL ASSOCIATES

C. Scott Morrison, DMD McDonald S. Morrison, DMD

able beauty. That’s when she discovered Operation Underground Railroad. The non-profit works to support victims of sex trafficking. Five percent of her company’s proceeds go toward the cause.

“They are a highly effective and transparent group of people that rescue and rehabilitate victims of sex trafficking and modern day slavery. They really bust in and make things happen for these children, so I really hope that as the brand grows, we can become a major contributor to their effort,” she says.

After taking the leap of faith on her company, LaPierre and her family took another. A mother of four, she and her husband decided to move from their home in Oregon to the beaches of the Southeast.

“We moved here in July. We’d been talking about moving to the South for a while and it’s so beautiful here. It feels similar in the way that people love nature ... but the weather is much better,” she says with a laugh.

Now, LaPierre is working to make more connections and possibly expand her product line. While the brand is available online at aspennaturalskincare. com, LaPierre is looking to partner with brick-andmortar stores locally.

“I do have my products in a clean beauty store in Fernandina Beach. It’s called Willow Beauty. It’s been pretty cool because we actually connected before we moved, so it’s been great to get to know her,” she says.

And while she’s still figuring out how to balance being a mother and a beauty entrepreneur, LaPierre is always quick to encourage other women to take a chance on their dreams.

“You can learn everything by trial and error, worst case scenario,” she says. “But you just have to get out there and start trying.”

Kam Throckmorton believes a confident woman can conquer the world. She leads by example. Often ensconced in shimmer and shine — bold patterns and bright colors — she is easily spotted in any crowd.

It may also help that this fashionista is 6’2.” But instead of causing her to shrink, it’s moved her to bloom, becoming comfortable in her body.

“I have been about this tall since the seventh grade. I have always loved fashion, but for most of my life felt like fashion wasn’t meant for me,” she says.

“Growing up, my only sartorial selections were men’s clothing, or as I would find out, maternity clothes. My mom was pregnant for a lot of my formative years and she would buy me maternity clothes because they were longer in the torso.”

But the challenge proved to be fortuitous. It motivated her to find ways of accessorizing to embellish her outfits.

“Thankfully, I had inherited a lot of my grand- mother’s costume jewelry. I noticed at a young age the power of a well-placed accessory,” Throckmorton says.

“When I would wear something interesting, people would comment on my creativity or style versus commenting on my size, which was much better for my self-esteem.”

Her experiences helped pave the way for her career. For the last 19 years, the UGA graduate has been sharing what she’s learned.

“I am a plus-size woman who treats self-worthiness like a full-time job so that I will inspire other women — most importantly, my daughter — to not spend one second of their beautiful life trying to shrink their bodies for the sake of vanity,” she says.

“Being 6’2” and plus size, I am going to take up space. I grew up in a time when the messages I was getting were just the opposite. I had to get comfortable with not only taking up space but being OK if I got attention for wearing a bright color or bold accessory.”

For her personal style, Throckmorton showcases her self-assuredness in pairs of high heels and widebrimmed hats.

“It’s impossible to look at a tall woman wearing head-turning accessories and think she is insecure about her height. Every time we leave the house we tell the world how we expect to be treated, I want to be treated like a confident woman,” she says.

That’s what she offers clients. Her business model is based on the show “What Not to Wear” and the process is similar.

“Unlike the show hosts, I am much kinder and it’s more of a collaboration than me telling my clients to throw out their entire wardrobe,” she quickly notes.

“I start with a client profile to get an idea of your lifestyle, wardrobe needs, desired style, and most importantly, your body shape. Your body shape (not size) is the most important element of dressing well.”

She begins with a closet edit to assess what one has and identify any buying patterns that might be holding you back.

“For example, I had one client who had 27 of the same shirt in different colors. When she looked in her closet, she had a lot of clothes, but the shirt she was buying was the wrong silhouette for her shape, so she never felt great in her outfits,” she says.

After the closet edit, Throckmorton and her clients make a plan. Sometimes that involves shopping (either virtual or in-person), and sometimes they create looks with what clients already own.

“Every client is different so I tailor each package to fit those needs,” she says.

The biggest challenge is often squaring off against a person’s perceived flaws. To counteract those, many opt to hide, but the result could create the opposite effect.

“We tend to hide the things we don’t like, which usually is the worst thing you can do. For example, if you think your hips are big so you wear a long top to cover them, now you have made your entire body look as big as your hips,” she says.

“If you will define your waist and draw attention to your neck, your overall look will be balanced. I often find my clients want to have fun with their style but lack the tools and the ‘permission’ to do so. They need someone to affirm they are doing it right. A lot of my clients have great style and beautiful clothes, they just need an unbiased opinion.”