During my senior year of college I spent two semesters researching and building a brand around the idea that all bodies are good bodies. Body positivity has been an issue for many women of many different ages. I wanted to build a brand that allowed women to express themselves. Through podcasts and blogs women can choose to tell their stories or can discover relatable content put out by other women. I wanted to build a community. Women are often not heard and I think as women we need to support each other.
Unladylike is a brand that can be accessed through a website. Social media and body positivity do not go hand in hand but people use it anyway. My thought was creating a safe space for women where photographs are not used and women can feel comfortable without the constant pressure of needing to compare themselves to each other. On this website you are able to do six things; join the Unladylike community, learn more about the founders and their mission, check off body positive daily goals, listen in through podcast or a music playlist, read blog posts made for and by women, and purchase an Unladylike subscription box.
Even though the subscription box was to be an after thought, but then it became the main bulk and focal point of my thesis project. I assembled the different parts of my subscription box to be put on display at the end of the year exhibition. Included in the box was: a water bottle with motivational words, a DIY friendship bracelet, a journal, cute drink coasters, a scented candle, 3 covid face masks, organic lip balm, a hair mask for wavy, curly, or straight hair, an essential oil diffuser, illustrated stickers, a business card with links to the website and to Unladylike's Spotify, a designed print of a Marilyn Monroe quote, and lastly, an envelope with a handwritten thank you inside!
With the whole semester to build this brand I took on the side project of graphically creating and then physically building the Marilyn Monroe saying. It reads, "Imperfection is Beauty, Madness is Genius, and it's better to be Absolutely Ridiculous than Absolutely Boring!"
