From Celebs to SAHMs, Why Does Everyone Love Stella and Dot?

I was first introduced to Stella and Dot by Orange County-based stylist, Melanie Nankivell. She is the mother of a sweet friend of mine. If you are in the West Coast and at all interested in hosting a trunk show, you must contact her!

But I can’t talk about Stella and Dot without also introducing you to Vanessa. Her full time gig is being a badass Navy pilot and foreign area officer. Her side hustle is being a stylist for Stella and Dot. While Yes, Stella and Dot is a direct sales company, but they’re different than many DS companies in many ways! I’ll let Vanessa describe why below.

Since she’s so amazing and encapsulates my whole Feminine + Fierce ethos (like my gorgeous detective friend Mary did in her post here), I thought you should get to know her! So here we go.

Some basic, getting to know the stylist questions…

Q: What’s it like being a female aviator in the Navy?

It feels pretty awesome to make up a small percentage in the military, and even more so in the aviator community. Females make up 18% in the Navy, a bit smaller percentage in the officer ranks. So, aboard an aircraft carrier or in a squadron, you and your actions tend to stand out a bit more. The Navy has traditions and culture, and I’ve lived within it since I was a child living as a military brat (my dad retired from the Navy). But I am glad to see that so many more women are taking ranks and doing the job just as well as their male counterparts.

Oh, and in case anyone cared, I’ve got to witness breakthroughs for mastering the “art of going to the bathroom” in jets (which used to be pretty difficult for us with lady parts), so there’s that.

Q: Any advice to girls wanting to join the military and possibly becoming an aviator?

Don’t take yourself too seriously, and learn to take criticism constructively. In the military, you sometimes need to put on that thick skin and realize that you will be a contributing part of the mission—something much more greater than yourself.

Q: Do you wear aviator sunglasses in the cockpit? If not, what do you wear?

Ha! Actually, I do not! I wear a helmet and depending on the time of day, swap between a sun visor or a clear visor. I choose to wear my polarized aviator sunglasses out of the jet. My pilots tend to sport their sunglasses though. I could never deal with the multiple things on my face.

Q: When you aren’t doing “Navy” things, what do you do?

I’m really just trying to dabble in everything. A few years ago, I took on marathon running and did that until I moved–as we do every 1-2 years. During my tour in Monterey, I got into freefall skydiving and crossfit. I want to try everything and do everything before I die.

Insider Stella and Dot Stylist Life…

Q: How/why did you decide to become a Stella and Dot stylist?

I joined because I had already been buying jewelry from my now-sponsor for about two years. My sponsor-now-friend had a pop-up shop in the gym I went to, and I fell in love with this black and white striped bag we call a “pouf.” She said I could have that and so much more if I hosted a trunk show, and in DC it just seemed like a fun thing to do. I could have some girls over and some sangria and try on some jewelry! Like playing dress up with wine and spirits.

In late December 2014, Stella and Dot had a signup special and I took the plunge because I realized I could use this fun spending money to pay off my student loans. I have been in a long distance relationship with my boyfriend (also in the Navy) and the extra flex money helps the travel between us both.

The great thing about this is that it’s really a side hustle for me! I have a full-time career in the military, but Stella and Dot really allows me to choose when I want to work. You get out of it what you put in. Flexibility in entrepreneurship. This past year in graduate school made it super easy for me to wear my inventory to work and style it so many different ways. As a walking billboard, it helped create avenues to sell socially and do trunk shows, which I think is the bread and butter of the business. It also has allowed me to use this platform to fundraise for certain charities and causes I think are important.

Q: Is there anything else you want us readers to know about Stella and Dot?

In a world where it’s often too busy to get the girls together, a trunk show does just that. For a few hours, you hang out with your girlfriends doing girlfriend things (and you don’t really have to go to Vegas for that, although that is another idea for another time). I’ve learned that ladies holding full time careers all the way to stay at home moms can do this job. Plus, if you’re like me and need some variety in your life, this allows me to get my mind off of military for a while. Through Stella and Dot, I have met an incredible tribe of driven women who also seek community in entrepreneurship. It makes me happy when we can bond on a shared ambition!

Ok, just for fun …

Q: Where do you most want to travel, but have never been?

Australia. I’ve never gone that far south before.

Q: What is your favorite book?

The Magical Stranger by Stephen Rodrick. The author wrote about his exploration into his father’s life as an aviator. A lot of this was nostalgic. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is a close second.

Q: Travel by plane, train, or automobile?

Train. After my experience in Japan, public transportation in style is a wonderful way to explore a country.

Q: Read on a Kindle or paperback book?

Paperback.

Q: Jeans or chinos?

Thanks to graduate school, my jeans inventory has gone down to 2 working pairs… so chinos. They fit so much better!

Closing Thoughts

So if you’ve seen any selfies of me on Instagram or watched any of my YouTube vids, you would’ve seen me wearing Stella and Dot. The pieces are so versatile and high quality!

​I love the Mixed Metal Sutton. It’s seriously sometimes the one necklace I’ll pack when going on a trip. You can wear it so many different ways, long or short, blingy or no bling. I am so into mixed metals but their silver sutton and gold sutton are also gorgeous pieces. This is a can’t live without piece. You can see it in action in my Sephora Play! July Unboxing Video and myBeautyDNA Unboxing.

My first piece of Stella and Dot was the Eclipse Pendant Necklace. This can be worn short or long. Although I normally wear it long because I like long jewelry, I did wear it short in my Summer Box of Style Unboxing, as seen in the image above. I get SO many compliments on this piece. As a matter of fact, I’ll even put an outfit together around this piece in mind.

I was, and still am so obsessed with the New Moon Necklace. I can layer it with other pieces, or wear it alone. It’s so delicate, but it still makes a statement.

I seriously own wayyyy too much Stella and Dot to continue sharing. The Rebel Pendant in silver is a big one for me (as worn by Selena Gomez above). I also love my Garland Fringe Necklace (a birthday present from my brother). Several of the pieces I own have been discontinued, so obviously I’m not going to show you a cute piece that’s no longer available. But I am hosting a Trunk Show with Vanessa, and we’re raising $$ for breast cancer awareness. My show is only open until November 21! There are some great sales going on right now! Please shop here!

If you LOVE Stella and Dot, please share your favorite pieces with me! Who knows, maybe I’ll feel giving and a little Setareh Beauty swag is in order!

Some of the links in this blog post are affiliate links! After all, I have purchased, vetted, and published all of this information all by my lonesome. Nobody has sponsored this content or compensated me in any way.

Stay Beautiful!

Natalie