We recently connected with Lauren Halsey and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Lauren thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to start by getting your thoughts on what you are seeing as some the biggest trends emerging in your industry
Being in the jewelry world has been a huge eye opener to the ever changing trends that sweep through the fashion industry. I started Classically Groovy as a way to express myself through my art, not knowing how I would be perceived, and diving headfirst into this fashion accessory world. I spend a ton of time researching, paying close attention to what people are wearing, and the trends that seem to be popping off. Luckily, I have my younger brother who is an up and coming fashion designer. I also have a younger sister in law who is always up to date with what’s new and thriving.
It is no secret that Minimalism has been in the forefront of trends in the last couple of years. From how we should decorate our homes to how we should be doing our makeup, “Clean Girl Aesthetic.” This is true for the accessory world as well from small, barely-there earrings to dainty chokers. I would say that the 90’s and early 2000’s trends are coming back with a modern, minimalist spin. Instead of doing the tight, chunky, stretchy chokers we used to see in the 2000’s, we are seeing a softer side of the choker. For example: chokers today feature a dainty chain that does not wrap around the throat, instead it hangs loosely with a 14 to 16 inches (38 to 40 cm) mark on the neck.
Believe it or not, I have seen maximalism coming back in style and I would not be surprised in the coming years this trend will be in full swing. We are in the era of expressing ourselves and being authentically you. One of the most fun ways, in my opinion, is through fashion and accessorizing! Classically Groovy is known for vibrant, colorful, and unique pieces. This was always my goal when I started this business since I rely heavily on expressing my own self through my art of course I strive to create fun pieces to wear. I like to call it “wearable art” and I truly believe as much as neutrals have been popular, colorful and funky is having a huge comeback. My most popular earrings are my Hanging Potted Plant Earrings. People either love them or they hate them! A personal story of mine is when I was at a vendor show and I had a young lady come up to my table, pick up those earrings while casually stating “wow people really wear anything these days…” I was taken back by this comment but on the other hand I have had hundreds of people pick up those same earrings and tell me how much they appreciate/love the design.
Everyone has their own personal style and I could go on and on about the trends that are forever changing. I also have many thoughts on why these certain trends are coming back around but this topic alone would be a 12 page research paper if i did!
Lauren , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Classically Groovy started in 2023 on top of a little coffee table in my living room where my husband decided to set up all my art things after having our first child as a way for me to use a creative outlet to process all my emotions of having a difficult pregnancy and delivery. I had an opportunity to start the business I’ve always dreamt about to share my art and story with the world. I want to bring a smile to others’ faces through my funky, groovy designs. Additionally I wanted to be able to share my own postpartum and mental health story with others so someone else might feel less alone.
I hand make wearable art accessories out of polymer clay. There are many amazing polymer clay artists all over the world and my goal is to make unique pieces. I am always trying to push the envelope with my designs and while sometimes it doesn’t work, it’s very gratifying when it does. Every piece is made with love, attention, hard work, and showcases my own personal style. It’s a big deal to me that it’s appreciated. So I say, “Stay Classy, Stay Groovy, Stay You!”
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
Starting a business can be difficult but with today’s technology it is easier than before to reach new customers. Social Media has opened doors for many people and has become one of the most important tools for a small business owner. The first question, where do I even start and what should I post? Social Media can be very intimidating when you make that first step into starting your business and I was no exception. I was as scared as anyone could be and I cried the night before I made my first declaration of my new business for family, friends and the world to see. As someone who has always kept their art private and safe inside their home for no one to see, I was terrified and felt exposed. My advice, just go for it! Put yourself out there!
I am my own social media manager and the learning curve to this tool was steep. I was never a social media expert or influencer by any means.First I watched, listened, and took notes on what was successful. I paid close attention to what other successful pages were doing by looking at what they posted and what type of sound bites they were using. I started following multiple social media manager accounts, like @diggs_design, that gave tips on what they were implementing with their clients’ social media. Managing a small business is already a full time job, you are never off the clock, but social media is a whole other full time job on top of that. I have a growing social presence with new followers every day. Facebook (Meta) is where I get most of my business. The algorithm is constantly evolving from: how many hashtags you should use, what type of hashtags to look for, what sound bites to use, if you should use certain sound bites, how many reels should be posted, and how many times a week you should be posting?
My advice is to always do your own investigating. There is no one article that can tell you the exact formula of social media success. Believe me, I tried to find them. Follow other pages in your field that have success along with pages that are not in your field, this will keep you up to date on trends. Trends are extremely important. With that being said, You need to be authentic and stand out as well. Sounds contradicting, right? Social media is walking a fine line between showcasing your authentic self and following the crowd at the same time.
When I was first posting on social media, my posts were not getting a lot of love and attention. Quite frankly, my content was not up to par but that is how you learn. What I noticed when looking back at my old posts, was that I was not personal or authentic. Who is Lauren Halsey? What is Classically Groovy? Consumers want to connect, they want to know who you are, and they want to relate. Once I started to showcase who I was and incorporated my personality into my posts I started to grow. Don’t only focus on selling your items, focus on selling yourself as well
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I found that reels and videos are extremely popular and important for outreach. I started asking myself “what do I usually like looking at or enjoying when I am scrolling?” That was a great jumping off point and it completely changed the direction of content I was putting out. I needed to make reels but how? I needed to edit eye pleasing media but how? Social Media platforms are one thing but the apps and technology behind the scenes are just as important. Social media is where you publish your content but now you need to create the content. What I did was start looking at what apps others were using, what watermarks might be on someone’s post. I started downloading apps and playing around with the type of features each one offers. I always started out with the free versions to see if I liked what they offered and if I did I would buy the “pro” version. We all want the free access but spending the money for your business is worth it. To make money you have to spend money.
My jumping off point started with asking my family and friends to follow my pages, there is no shame in that game. I joined facebook groups that had something to do with my niche and shared my content to get engagement. Eventually, I started to gain a following from people I did not know from all over. Don’t get stuck on the numbers, the numbers will come. Stay consistent, stay authentic, and stay open to learning there is always something new. Social media is a full time job in itself and you have to be all in.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Being in the handmade, artsy community is amazing because there can be a million people using the same type of product as you and yet we are all so different. What has helped me build a reputation within my market is that I don’t make pieces just to sell to a consumer, I make pieces for myself. For me, making jewelry has been such an amazing venture to express myself through art that you can wear. I fully believe that when people see my handmade pieces, they can tell there is a heart and soul that has gone into each and every piece that has run through my hands. I have been told by many people that they had never seen pieces like mine before and were pleasantly surprised with how intricate they can be. I love getting messages from people who want to share pictures of themselves wearing my jewelry and letting me know how much joy it has brought to them.
Along with having unique, fun handmade products, I think just being myself has helped grow my reputation. I do a lot of business at local vendor markets and events which means I get to meet all different types of people. My objective when anyone walks up to my booth is that they feel seen and I want to create a genuine face to face interaction with everyone I meet. I want not only the people shopping with me to have an authentic interaction with myself but other vendors, businesses, and the coordinators that make these amazing markets/events happen. I have only been in business since August of 2023 but I can happily say that sharing my craft and being authentically myself has helped build and continue to build a reputation in my industry.
Contact Info:
- Website: classicallygroovy.com
- Instagram: classicallygroovy
- Facebook: classicallygroovy