Meet Caitlin Stolley

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Caitlin Stolley. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Caitlin below.

Caitlin, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

My clothing company is called Lily Guilder. It is named after my Granma Lillie who taught me to sew and lived through the Depression. She lived the maxim “Waste not, want not.” The fabrics I use took a lot of energy from the planet to be created and to get into my studio. I save every off cut and turn what would be waste in another studio into beautiful one of a kind garments. Lily Guilder also speaks to “gilding the lily,” which is to take that which is already beautiful and smear some glitter on it. And I spell Guilder with an emphasis on “Guild” as a group of people working together for a common cause. I have been making one of a kind garments for 20 years across the country and people wearing Lily Guilder will almost accidentally meet each other, admiring each other’s looks and become friends

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

Lily Guilder really sells confidence not just clothing. My favorite moment is how each person stands taller (you really can see it!) when they try Lily Guilder on. I am primarily known for in depth custom coats which I call “Personal Legend Coats” where I work very closely with a client to extract their highest dreams and hopes to create a piece of clothing that tells their story and can propel them into the next great thing they want to be or do. I just did a fashion show here in my hometown of Oshkosh WI to raise joy, connect Lily Guilder to my local community (most of my client work is in NYC, LA, Colorado, Austin), and raise money and awareness of Wisconsin’s oldest philanthropic organization the Ladies Benevolent Society: Advocates for Older Adults which provides grants to organizations in Oshkosh who serve people over 55. I also had a fashion show to support the Oshkosh Area Humane Society in the past. My photographer father & I went to the shelter and photographed the adoptable dogs wearing Lily Guilder dog coats.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I think learning craft from people who have experience is very important. Dive into something you are interested in. Read all of the books you can find on the subject. Take courses, ask people to mentor you and take on internships to really see what the day to day of a career is like. While I formerly studied theatre, art and costume design at Northwestern University, I did not do any formal fashion training. This affected the way I saw myself in the industry for a while. I finally read as many biographies of the great fashion designers and saw a pattern that they just kept going- finding new ways to get the work out. There is no one path that is correct in the arts. You can climb to the top of the mountain many different ways. They say you become a master of a craft after 10,000 hours doing it. My advice to people starting out is to keep doing your art. Work until you are exhausted and then work more. Experiment and follow your curiousity. I was a competitive gymnast from age 2-13 and I think being dedicated to something at a young age has helped me stay focused and true to my dream of Lily Guilder.

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?

The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo deeply impacted my work. It is where I got the phrase “personal legend.” I don’t have my own copy right now because every time I buy one I pass it onto someone.

Some impactful nuggets are the following quotes “Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure.”

“Everyone, when they are young, knows what their Personal Legend is. At that point in their lives, everything is clear and everything is possible. They are not afraid to dream, to yearn for everything they would like to see happen in their lives.” This is what I strive to connect clients to when making a custom coat

I think it is very important to stay connected to gratitude- this quote speaks to that
“But when he thought to complain about the burden of its weight, he remembered that, because he had the jacket, he had withstood the cold of the dawn.”

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Erick Anderson @eafoto

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Leadership Development
Empathy Unlocked: Understanding how to Develop Emotional Intelligence

“Empathy is the starting point for creating a community and taking action. It’s the impetus

Productivity
Where do you get your work ethic from?

We’ve all heard the phrase “work hard, play hard,” but where does our work ethic

Productivity
Boosting Productivity Through Self-Care

When you have a never-ending to-do list it can feel irresponsible to engage in self-care,