Meet Alex Amborski

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alex Amborski. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alex, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?

I love this question because a lot of my brand’s mission is centered around helping others find their confidence. But that does not mean it came easy for myself. It is something I have struggled with my entire life. I also think it is important to recognize that there are many aspects to be confident about

I remember specifically in fifth grade I was much taller than just about everyone in the entire grade. I remember that being the year that girls started talking about their weight and what they looked like and brands of clothes they were wearing. I remember being 123lbs in fifth grade and feeling like an outcast, a giant.

Looking back, I would never categorize myself as obese, or even overweight growing up. I look at photos of myself and honestly, I think I look extremely healthy. My family has always been bigger boned and larger overall but I cannot remember a time in my life I did not feel “fat”. The way I viewed myself physically is what set the president for how I viewed myself entirely. I lacked confidence in myself and had absolutely no self-esteem.

That feeling only grew with time, middle school only escalated the importance of looks amongst peers and theres many days I came home sobbing from feeling so alone. I was bigger than all the other girls and they didn’t want to associate with someone that boys didn’t find cute and whatnot.

But by 8th grade, something changed in me. I still didn’t love the way I looked, but I like who I was. I liked my personality. I was kind, smart, funny, artistic, and most of all I was quirky. I liked things that others didn’t. I dressed a little different, and I loved it. I started leaning into what I liked and I started not caring what others thought. That is not to say that I never cared about others opinions of me because I am human, and I really think just about every one of us has insecurities, but I really enjoyed expressing myself how I wanted. I was creating art regularly and it made me so happy. The more I did what I liked, the more I grew confident in that.

High school came and again, I was not confident in what I looked like, but I was confident in who I was, what I liked and my artwork. I leaned into that when I could and it really started to let me blossom. I am an extremely introverted person, but I was the Vice President of my student council. I would talk in front of a huge room full of my peers and would hold leadership roles. It took baby steps, but my overall confidence kept growing.

Fast forward, and now I own 2 separate stores, one of which is centered around body inclusivity and positivity, I put myself on social media daily, trying on clothes, and being extremely transparent about my size. When I started, I was extremely uncomfortable, but the more I did it, the more I felt comfortable with it, and the more comfortable I was, the more my confidence grew.

I opened Lady Monarch because I wanted a space that I could find clothes that would comfortably fit my body, all the while be the artsy flare style that I encapsulate. I wanted a space that allowed others to find clothing that fit while being able to be comfortable, expressive, and affordable. I don’t want others to feel the embarrassment, shame, and ugliness that I felt for so many years. I want to instill confidence, beauty, happiness, and comfortability. I want people to try on clothes and smile. “I often say, don’t look at the tag, look at the garment,” partially because a lot of the clothing I carry runs oversized and can fit many body types, but also because I do not like the idea of negative stigma that comes with different sizes. I think bodies are beautiful the way they are, they are a work of art and should be celebrated.

I quickly found that as much as I want others to feel this empowerment, it would be hypocritical for me to think otherwise of myself. I started saying affirmations in the mirror, I started listening to others’ complements to me, and I started allowing myself to feel beautiful. I started listening to the words I would tell strangers.

Am I confident in how I look now? Sometimes. And that is a huge step for me! More than that though, I am confident in myself and my abilities. As I have grown up, I have learned to value my insides far more than my outwards appearance. I have found that I make choices that I like or that make me happy and that is what has worked so well for my business. What I get most complimented on is my eye for detail, and creativity and that only fuels me to continue doing what I do best, being myself.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I own two boutiques: Modish Moth and Lady Monarch. They are combined through a large arch but are two separate entities. Modish Moth is focussed on “quality goods for little babes” and Lady Monarch is a size inclusive women’s boutique.

Modish Moth carries all things for your littles. We specialize in neutral tones, with many gender neutral options, and quality fabrics. We carry an array of books, toys, feeding supplies, accessories, and nursery items.

Lady Monarch carries women’s clothing in sizes small – 3x and denim sizes 1 – 22. Most of our pieces fit many body types and we value comfort and quality materials all while maintaining a neutral, and artsy style. We also carry shoes, hair accessories, jewelry, and bath and beauty products. In addition, I custom burn hats! I freehand designs into felt or suede hats and then add fun accessories like bands, chain, feathers, etc. I take custom orders and have pre done hats in store.

Both stores are entirely curated by myself and each item is thoughtfully picked out due to quality, aesthetic, and function. I take extreme pride in the details and small moments I create throughout my stores. We care about each of our customers and want to offer that “small business” charm to everyone that walks in our doors. You will be greeted with a smile, we always have the best candles burning to make you feel cozy while shopping, and we love to chat and learn more about you!

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?

1. Resilience: Owning your own business is not for the faint of heart! The retail world in particular is a roller coaster and one moment you are at the very top, feeling your best and so proud of yourself, and then an hour later you can be crying questioning all of your life’s choices. This can happen several times a week. It takes resilience to pick yourself up time and time again and keep going. Remember your reason for why you do what you do, and believe in yourself. There will be curveballs, times will get so hard and bills don’t stop coming, but you have to keep going and you just figure it out, because you have to.

2. Hard Work Ethic: Owning your own business is hard work!! You will work, all. of. the. time. It important to work hard, but it is also important to remember to rest.

3. Passion: Owning your own business you need to stay passionate about what you do. That is what makes your business. When you lose your passion, you lose your fire.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

As someone that has struggled with anxiety for most of my life, I get overwhelmed, often.

Let me just say, mental health is extremely important and get help if you are struggling!!

I am on anti-anxiety medication that helps me stay at a nice baseline, however if I do get overwhelmed, I typically like to make a list of what is overwhelming me. (Usually its because I have too much to do). Seeing it in a list form allows me to focus on one thing at a time rather than everything at once.

I take each line one at a time and cross them off as I work through the list. This also gives me a sense of accomplishment as as my load becomes less and less.

Another thing I like to do is take 3 large and deep breaths, this helps calm and center myself.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Morgan Seaver Photography
Four Lane Photography

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