We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Emily McMannis a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Emily, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s jump back to the first dollar you earned as a creative? What can you share with us about how it happened?

I love this question, my first dollar earned as a creative, I keep it in my wallet! When I was in college, I worked at a little yogurt shop down the hill from campus. It was the sweetest little place, and honestly the greatest job for a college kid. Being that we are in Nashville, there are songwriter rounds in nearly every little shop, and this place was no different. I don’t know how, or why, but one night my courage was greater than ever before – and I left my little station, took off my apron, and sang a song. Mid song, a customer approached with a dollar bill, and dropped it in the bucket. That made my day, my week, honestly my years, as I tell the story now :) It’s the only money I’ve ever made singing, my first love and what I thought I was destined to do….and I’ll keep it forever.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Thank you for giving me this space to talk The Girl With No Plan, a lifestyle blog that explores self identity through fashion and design! I started this brand a few months before the pandemic hit, in a time where I was heavily searching through life. I had been working in the music industry since graduating from college, and transitioned into a more office heavy role. TGWNP became my new safe space, creative outlet, path of wonder that allowed me to exhale and find myself. Now, nearly 3 years later, it’s what I hope becomes the future for me, and my family. Layering patterns, off the wall colors, and mixing old with new, keeps me wanting and craving more from this fashionable space. Creating looks that fully encapsulate us as a person is what excites me and leads me to wanting more! Looking back to my beginning love affair with fashion, it started in high school. Before then, whatever my mamma told me to wear was what I wore – I could not have cares any less! Which is so wild now, because my clothes have become my identity. I love finding expression through my wardrobe – you can tell where I’m at on any given day by what I’ve thrown onto my body. Whether it’s something more form fitting when I’m feeling confident and comfortable with myself, or 15 years old sweat pants with my hair in a messy bun (ok, this is actually my hair everyday!) When I’m feeling less than spectacular. Clothes complete me.
My goal is to help others find their spark in how they dress their bodies. There is no rule book, you don’t need to abide by anything, other than what helps YOU feel your best. That’s what I hope The Girl With No Plan evolves into, a community to inspire and help find your own confidence through the way your dress. So far, it’s helped me :)

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I’ve always had dreams, and goals burning inside me, but many times too scared or self conscious to speak them out. I’ve learned that without owning who I am, and what I hope for in my life, I’m only doing myself a disservice. Of course I want to succeed financially, but not just for me, I truly want to be able to take care of my entire family. Go to my mom and dad and say, thank you for everything you have done for me – I owe it all to you. It’s my biggest driving force, and part of my mentality each day while I go through the motions of work, creating, brainstorming, and messing up. Recently as well, I’ve worked tirelessly to help others succeed and accomplish, and I feel it’s my time to do that for myself.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Oh man, this may sound weird, but for me it’s being able to say – this is me, confidently, for the first time ever. In everything I do, and create, style and take photographs of, is a direct mirror of who I am. I am weird, a little confusing and outlandish, and someone who wants to bring love to the world. I hope my art does that – that would be the most rewarding thing I could ever think of.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @thegirlwithnoplan_

Image Credits
all photos taken by me.