The fashion-editor-turned brand consultant talks about staying grounded after relocating from NYC to her childhood home.
– KEYS SOULCARE
From her stint as fashion editor at Harper’s Bazaar to her inspiring #OOTD Instagrams, Chrissy Rutherford is known for her impeccable style. Last fall, her story got even more interesting when she decamped from NYC, moved back in with her parents in Westchester, New York, and co-founded a brand consultancy firm called 2BG.
Rutherford recently dished about the rituals she’s rediscovered (and reshaped) to stay connected to herself and loved ones amidst all the change.
Who are you and how do you define yourself, in this moment?
I’m Chrissy Rutherford. I’m a Pisces, I’m a writer, an avid reader, a digital creator and a brand consultant. I’ve worked in the fashion industry for over a decade. I worked at Harper’s Bazaar.com for 8.5 years. Last year I co-founded a consulting agency called 2BG consulting, where we do diversity & inclusion work for fashion and beauty brands.
Can you define what your D&I work is via 2BG?
We are working across fashion and beauty brands to help them craft anti-racist identities, externally and internally. We work one on one with brands, and we also teach a two-hour workshop for brands, influencers, or industry professionals about how racism functions in these industries and how the media and imagery that we have created and been fed upholds the standards of white supremacy.
What does soulcare mean to you?
I think it means doing things that really bring us joy — and that means something different for everyone. We all need to feed our souls to feel truly fulfilled in life. We all get caught up in what we’re doing for work, what we’re able to achieve, and going after external validators. But, at the end of the day, we have to be at peace with who we are and feed our core emotional needs.
What are some of your go-to rituals for getting into your day and your headspace, now that you’re no longer in NYC?
Well, now that I moved back home with my parents — many things now include them. I meditate every morning, then I have breakfast, sometimes with my mom before she leaves for work. I try to be off my phone during this time. I also love to start my day with music, a podcast, or I’ll try to read a book for 20 minutes.
I also look forward to having dinner with my parents. When I was a kid I did ballet, school plays, I played instruments, and always had a busy schedule — and my parents were always working really hard, I have immigrant parents — so all of us sitting down together for dinner at the same time, was not really a thing. So, it’s one of the rituals I’m most grateful for now.
It seems that you’re seeing them differently at this pace.
Yeah. My parents are definitely at a different place in their lives now, they’ve really slowed down, my mom is retired. Of course, it’s not all rainbows and sunshine, it’s still stressful to be an adult living with your parents at time. I can definitely see how I’ve regressed into childhood patterns at times. At the same time, who knows if I’ll ever have time with them like this again? So I’m grateful to have that.
In December and January I was feeling really stressed out, I was feeling really anxious, and just having a hard time — my mom was able to really show up for me and be that emotional support that I needed. So, I appreciate those moments so much when I can actually be in her presence rather than calling her from my NYC apartment or somewhere I’m traveling to.
What rituals that have stuck with you, life transitions and all?
Taking an end-of-day bath is so, so needed for me. It restores my energy. Journaling is also really big. The last week or so, I’ve been journaling almost every single day, rather than my normal Sunday night routine. Mostly, I free-write, but I do have some journals that have been gifted to me that have prompts — like one that focuses on gratitude — which are kind of nice. I always have a lot of thoughts and a lot of emotions, so I like to get them all out on paper.
I’m very fortunate in that my parents still like to do their own things and give me space. We all have our own spaces in the house that we like to go to. And, honestly, I used to live in a studio, so my room now still very much feels like a little sanctuary.
What rituals, people, and ideals keep you inspired and grounded through life’s twists and turns? Shout them out in the comments!
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