Milk Baths & a Chat with the Aly Wolfe

Photographed & Interviewed by Daniela Majic

Make-up & Styled by Alyssa Winegarden

Q: Tell us about yourself?

A: I grew up in the country outside of a small town called Otterville, population 1,800 at the time. It was an intimate community where everyone knew each other; there were only 19 people in my grade 8 graduating class and I grew up with them from kindergarten. We didn’t live on a farm, but we lived surrounded by tobacco fields and spent the days plucking tobacco worms off the leaves, gardening with mom, saving injured butterflies, building small ecosystems for minnows we caught at a nearby irrigation pond, and biking down dirt roads. It’s the same kind of childhood I want for my future children.

Q: You are a self professed girl boss and lifestyle blogger/influencer how and why did you start your lifestyle blog?

A: I don’t know if it’s the millennial in me, or if I’m the product of hardworking, middle-class parents who had to survive the 2008 economic crisis, but I’ve always had a side-hustle. I’ve always preferred to be unbelievably busy than terribly bored. I was moonlighting before I knew moonlighting was a thing – juggling freelancing jobs, dog walking, my personal brand and blog, all on top of having a full-time job, a horse, and fiancé and pup at home. The blog itself was a product of my experience in the fashion industry and my way to stay close to it without sacrificing so much of myself or living according to someone else’s rules. The content I produce, whether it’s an actual blog piece or a styled flat lay, is completely reflective of my interests and my authentic self, and acts as a creative outlet for me.

Q: Tell us about your blog and your YouTube channel?

A: My YouTube channel is currently a work in progress. I recently got a new camera and my studio set up for shooting, and have been shooting and editing videos to create a backlog before I actually launch its revival. But in terms of topics, I’m covering everything from mental health and wellness to hacks for finding the cheapest prices for online shopping, beauty tutorials, wedding planning vlogs, and of course some fun challenges and tags with some of my closest friends.

Q: What’s the story behind the Alywolfe name?

A: I decided I wanted my brand and my online presence to be two separate things. Employers can find my LinkedIn profile, but those interested in my Youtube channel, Instagram, or blog will be able to find me using Aly Wolfe. ‘Aly’ is the first half of my first name ‘Alyssa’ and Wolfe pays homage to the Native side of my ancestry. I have the word ‘wolf’ tattooed on my ribcage and the wolf as a spirit animal is something that has always resonated with me.

Q: You did some pretty intense modelling a few years back & really made a name for yourself, it is one of the hardest industries to be a part of, what did you learn about yourself in the process?

A: It is one of the hardest industries to be part of. I think one of the hardest parts about it is the fact that the majority of people don’t actually realize just how hard it is because people only know what they see, and from the outside, the world of modelling can appear to be incredibly glamourous, tantalizing, and even easy. People outside of the industry tend to think you just stand in front of a camera and make a few thousand dollars in cash and spend the rest of your time country-hopping, clubbing in VIP, dating celebs and walking in Victoria’s Secret shows. Modelling is grueling. It’s both mentally and physically taxing. In what other job are you hired purely based on measurements and how symmetrical your face is? In what other job are you reprimanded, shamed, or even fired for putting on 2lbs? Praised for losing inches off your waistline? The thing I learned about myself was that despite how well I was doing as a model, despite the promises of financial success and travel and glamour, I did what was best for my mental and physical health and left. At the time, it didn’t feel like a hard decision, but in retrospect, I realize how much courage it took to look at my fragility from an unbiased state of mind and finally acknowledge that I was not happy or healthy and then pick up my life in the city (Toronto), decline my agent’s wish to move to England, and resign. I learned that despite my incessant need to please the people around me, at the end of the day, I will always have my best interest at heart, and I am strong enough to make choices and stick to them.

At the end of the day,I will always have my best interest at heart, and I am strong enough to make choices and stick to them

Q: You are an advocate for mental health and often openly discuss mental health issues on your social media, what message do you think needs to be heard regarding mental health awareness?

A: I think people need to acknowledge how common mental illness actually is, and respect it the same way they would any other visible illness. There are many people from older generations who think mental illness is more present today because it’s just more talked about, but there was just as much depression and anxiety 40 or 50 years ago. I believe that to some extent, but I also believe that mental illness is more prevalent today because of the pressures millennials and gen Xers face that our parents and grandparents never had to. We are groomed to be students, told from a young age that we are special and can do anything we put our minds to, but that is just not reality. It came from a loving place, but the same people who built us up to be these special people, these people who believed they could do anything because that’s what we were told, are the same people who crucify us for travelling or feeling ‘depressed’ or frown upon us when we can’t find jobs in the field we studied in university unless it was to be a lawyer or doctor. Mental illness is something that needs to be acknowledged and appreciated and only once our parents and grandparents and the people we look up to start respecting it as a legitimate condition, only then will we be able to receive the support needed to overcome it. That was a bit of a rant – did that answer your question? Haha.

Q: What has been the most rewarding thing about being a lifestyle guru?

A: Having the platform and voice that allows me to spread messages I am passionate about, work with causes I believe in, and brands I love.

Q: We know you just got engaged congrats!!! We are expecting a full out alywolfe Instagram wedding take over, that being said what are your future plans for you and the alywolfe brand?

A: Thank you! Our engagement doesn’t even feel entirely real because I have been wanting it for so long, but I am thoroughly enjoying wedding planning do to my control-freak nature! I actually just launched my digital media business, The Social Factory. The Social Factory is a creative studio helping business ranging from start-up to seasoned find their voice in the ever-changing media landscape. I’m currently leveraging TheAlyWolfe to promote my new business and also continuing my influencer marketing and partnerships through TheAlyWolfe as well. Ideally I’ll get my Youtube channel launched, and then from there it’ll be a collaborative effort between my two brands.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS

Q: Favourite Colour?

A: Mint

Q: Favourite Food?

A: Give me all the chicken shawarma

Q: Favourite book?

A: Brain on Fire or Lord of the Rings

Q: Best place to shop online?

A: Etsy!!! Support your local girl gang!

Q: Favourite Childhood memory?

A: Any of my time spent up north with my family. We go to the same campground that my parents grew up going to and that family time is what I treasure most. I am so excited to continue that tradition when my fiancé and I have our own kids.

Q: Someone you admire?

A: I know this was supposed to be rapid fire, but I can’t possibly answer this without elaborating. As I grow older I become increasingly appreciative of my loved ones. My dad is an incredibly hard worker and I think I got my work ethic and desire to never not be busy from him. He’s worked in the same job for 30 years, many years working 6 days a week on top of always working on home improvements, vehicle maintenance while still making time for golf, fishing and going up north to our trailer. He is the one I ask when I have questions about anything ranging from investing to renovations to issues with my car, and somehow he always has an answer, and if he doesn’t at the time I ask, he finds one eventually. He’s a big DIY-er.

He’d rather do his own car maintenance, build his own deck, extend his own patio, and tile his own floor. He is also the absolute best at breaking up a tense situation with humour. My mom is always encouraging me to do what’s in my best interest. Whether that’s taking a break from extra projects to focus on my own mental health, supporting my travels (even if it makes her slightly paranoid), or following up after a phone call because she felt something was off. She’s also great at keeping me grounded when my grandiose ideas take over and I need to be brought back to reality. She also keeps me extremely organized and I also don’t think I’d have a handle on savings if it wasn’t for her support and financial advice. In addition to that, she never hesitates to show how proud she is. She collected all of my pictures and magazines from when I modelled, and was the first person to start calling people and gushing about my engagement when it happened (after she had permission, at first I told her she couldn’t tell ANYONE, and that was simply killing her). And my fiancé is just awesome. He grew up in a very different childhood situation than I did and is the oldest of five children. His perspective is one that I always value, and he supports all of my ideas ranging from getting a horse to starting my own business. If there’s something we want to happen, he will make it happen. I also love that he seamlessly blends in so well with my family. His ambition, intelligence and sense of humour are contagious, and I know he’ll make the best husband and dad one day.

Q: Your guilty pleasure?

A: Reality TV

Q: Something you are afraid of?

A: Open Water

Follow The Alywolfe:@thealywolfe

@thesocietyfactory.ca

www.thewolfandthewardrobe.com