What’s In My Clutch: Violet Tinder

A note from Kelly: Hey guys! Wanted to pop in with a quick note before we jump into this month’s feature. After reviewing some of the feedback from our first two interviews, I wanted to clear up some confusion on the goals + purpose of this series! We are interviewing different female entrepreneurs to learn more about their story. What they carry in their clutch is just a jumping off point to learn more about their style, careers and advice as it pertains to their expertise. The visuals that accompany it aren’t intended to only showcase what they carry in their bag, but to showcase their talents and express how the clutch has inspired them! I hope you enjoy discovering and learning more about these amazing women. Without further ado…

SO excited for this month’s interview with Natasha of Violet Tinder Studios! You may remember her from our rock candy adventures together!

Natasha is a stylist, photographer, art director and content creator with an eye for color and SUCH a creative mind. If you don’t already follow her, you definitely should! Her use of color is impeccable and she has a strong brand aesthetic that I really admire. She also has been known to throw in a Barbie shoe and it kind of felt like our credit card clutch, in all it’s pink glory, was made for her!

We sat down with her to learn all about how her personal style (past and present!), the lip color that lasts all day, and even a few business tips and tricks for those of you looking to jumpstart your creative career! Lets get to it!

What are your must-have items that you always keep in your purse? Anything you absolutely can’t live without?

I always have gum, a few pairs of big earrings (for those times I need to throw on a little extra pizzazz), and a minimum of three lipsticks/glosses/chapsticks! I am obsessed lip-anything and am constantly reapplying throughout the day. I love trying new lip ones and I try to keep a couple different color choices on hand. Lately I’ve been loving Beauty Bakerie’s Lip Whips, because they’re super easy to put on, but the color literally does. not. budge.

I love the earrings for “emergency” situations! Ha! Have you ever found anything really crazy in your purse? 

I am always surprised at what I pull out of my purse when I clean them out! I love to save astrology readings and magazine clippings and fortune cookie fortunes to turn them into collages later… except usually they just all pile up in my purse and then a few months later, I pull out library’s worth of paper from my purse. But at least it’s fun to sort through!

What was your very first purse? Tell us about it!

Haha, oh man! I think I came out of the womb holding a purse! I’ve just alllllways loved them (they’re still to this day my go-to treat yo’self purchase)… but, the first one that really sticks out was this paisley-print granny purse I bought at a thrift store when I was like 6 or 7. I filled it with clipped coupons, rubber bands, lip smackers and my mom’s old checkbooks (I figured that’s what grown-ups carried!) and carried it everywhere. I mean, my purse contents these days aren’t far from that soooo…

That’s awesome you started shopping at thrift stores early on! How has your style changed over the years?

It’s gone through different phases (grunge! 40’s retro! bohemian!), but I think no matter what style I gravitate towards, the color and bold accessories are a constant. I worked for years in the retail world, specifically in accessories, so I love to pile them on. Bracelets, necklaces, rings, even the occasional hat… bring it on baby!! Granny-chic is a thing, right? Lately, I’ve been loving graphic prints and chunky heels, piled with fun jewelry.

Do you carry the same purse every day or worry about matching your purse to your outfit?

I definitely like to switch it up! I love to coordinate different colors to what I’m wearing so I usually cycle between different bags throughout the week. I don’t worry about them being matchy-matchy, but I do like the whole ensemble to flow!

Tell us a little about what you do.

I’m the owner of Violet Tinder Studios- I create custom styled images for brands/businesses that are looking for eye-catching photos + content! It’s been a really gradual evolution to what I’m doing, but I’ve never loved my work more. I work with a small team to keep everything going and long-term, would love to have a larger creative team to really expand what we do.

Your styling and photography skills are out-of-this-world amazing, how did you get started? Did you go to school for it?

Everything I know is from lots and lots of trial and error! I used to spend hours arranging things and photographing them, just for the pure enjoyment. I had no idea it was a career path (I actually felt embarrassed by how much I enjoyed styling things!), until Instagram became a thing and I started sharing my photos. Eventually, as I realized it WAS a career path and something I wanted to pursue, I realized I needed to get much better and I threw myself into learning as much as I could about photography and lighting and styling tricks. I’m still learning, constantly! I look back at old work (even just a month) and think wow, I would do that differently now… but I think it’s that obsession + passion for what you do that keeps you moving forward.

You have a great eye for color and love it just as much as we do! Are you as bold with your wardrobe as you are with the colorful images you create?

Thank you! I am, mostly. I mean, I don’t dress exclusively in neon or pastel, haha, but I never wear all black or all neutrals. I just MUST have color on me, preferably as much as possible! I feel like it’s a reflection of my mood and outlook. Even on days when I’m not feeling “on”, it helps me feel more so. Color just reflects my inside, I guess!

I try to create work that I love and am proud of and that is usually work that reflects me… so it would make sense that my style is similar.

What is your number one tip for others looking to jumpstart their creative career?

Practice, practice, practice and do the work, even before people want to pay you for it! Build a portfolio of great work that shows what you’re capable of, so that others want you to create that for them. And just keep going… even on the days that you feel like you’re not getting anywhere (there will be plenty of them), all that matters is you don’t quit. I think the most successful people aren’t always the “best”, they’re just the most determined.

Photos by Violet Tinder Studios

All those horoscopes and magazine clippings at the photo towards the top? Natasha told us those are the actual ones she had pulled out of her purse that week. Ha, as a magazine-loving girl at heart, I think that’s so awesome! A huge thank you to Natasha for hanging with us today! I already told you ya gotta follow her on Instagram for her out-of-this-world creativity and color, but if that wasn’t enough… she’ll also be hosting a giveaway of the sold-out credit card clutch today! So if you missed it and want to get your hands on one, keep your eyes peeled over there!

And if you want to secure your spot for the next clutch, be sure to join the waitlist here!