ROMPER REAL TALK: JILLIAN HARRIS
Our long-time friend and partner-in-design, Jillian Harris, talks with us about the upcoming JH x ST launch, juggling (figuratively), and what it means to live a big life.
New color. More sizes. There's so much to love about the new JH x ST drop—what are you most excited about?
The Harris Hoodie and Jilly Jogger are my absolute favorites come fall and winter—I wear them all season long. I even have a dedicated drawer for all of my Rompers! What I love most about this launch is the COLOUR!! The Okanagan Pine screams fall, and this shade of green is SO flattering!
What role does fashion play in your life?
Fashion is a pretty big part of my life. I love being in the know of all of the latest trends, and finding unique ways of incorporating new and trendy pieces into my daily outfits. For the ultimate confidence boost, I always gravitate towards dresses! The one I intended to wear for my TED Talk didn’t show up on time, but I picked another special one that I already had in my closet, and it brought me so much confidence. Rompers make me feel my absolute best—after a long day, there is simply nothing better than peeling off my jeans, tossing my bra to the side and slipping into a buttery soft romper, with a glass of wine in hand, of course! I think I wear my Rompers about 99.9% of the time!
You're an entrepreneur, partner, mom, friend, among many other things—do you ever feel like you have too many balls in the air? How do you find balance?
The short answer is ABSO-FREAKIN-LUTELY. I always feel like I have way too many balls in the air. It’s kind of a double-edged sword because I LOVE being busy but I’m slowly learning how to set and maintain boundaries in order to protect my downtime, especially with my family. In fact, this summer I decided to drastically cut back my work hours to spend lots of time with the kiddos, especially before Leo headed off to kindergarten...where does the time go?! This time off was exactly what I needed. I feel refreshed and recharged, heading back to work and into our busy season—but who am I kidding? Every season is a busy season at Team Jilly and in our household!
What does it mean to you to "live a big life"?
To me, the meaning of “living a big life” is all about the legacy that you leave behind, something that I really dove into during my TED Talk this year. One of the key points I really wanted to drive home is the fact that we are ALL influencers and hold the power of influence. Once you recognize that in yourself, it’s important to really reflect on this and take time to think about the impact you have on others. What legacy do YOU want to leave behind?
How has the idea of "living a big life" evolved for you over the past year?
There is no doubt that our lives have drastically changed since the beginning of the pandemic. One of the things that we loved to do pre-pandemic was travel, especially to Hawaii. But since we had to stay closer to home this last year and a half, we have found so much joy in exploring our own backyard. So this year, we decided to add a little more to our plate and buy a farm...without having any previous farming experience. It has been such an adventure renovating the farmhouse, planting thousands of flowers, and spending most of our summer with our entire family at the property. To me, living a big life is all about creating moments that bring you the most joy and surrounding yourself with the people who are constantly challenging you to be the best version of yourself!
There's often an unattainable standard set for women to "have it all"—what do you think it means to have it all? Any advice on how you can attain that?
Everywhere we look (especially on social media), we are constantly being reminded of what we don’t have, which can be so unsettling at times. I even find myself getting caught in this trap every so often, but what comes down to “having it all” is, in my opinion, simply who you surround yourself with. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how many designer handbags you have, but rather the moments and the people that brought you the most happiness. So take a look at your inner circle, are these folks bringing you joy and helping you become the best version of yourself? Or are they bringing you down? Make sure to surround yourself with people that lift you up and inspire you daily.