PARIS: DRESSING FOR THE LIFE YOU WANT
A VINTAGE RESELLER BUILDING CONFIDENCE, COMMUNITY, AND IDENTITY, THROUGH CLOTHING.
WRITTEN BY: LEISA WINTER
Before vintage racks, pop-ups, and growing TikTok traction, Paris describes herself simply: a fun person who loves creating. But behind the effortless style and curated nostalgia is something deeper — a young creative learning to express herself in real time. “I love shopping. I love curating my business,” she says. “Upcycling clothes, creating things — that’s what I enjoy.” Her aesthetic sits somewhere between dreamy and playful: baby-core softness, bohemian energy, and festival-ready silhouettes inspired by early-2000s fashion. Think micro shorts, tiny tanks, whimsical textures, and pieces that feel ready for a festival sunset — even if she isn’t attending herself. “I’m sourcing like I’m going,” she laughs. “Even if I’m not.” Fashion wasn’t always the plan. Paris graduated with a degree in kinesiology, raised in a family rooted in health and movement. With a personal-trainer mother and a sister pursuing physical therapy, wellness was always part of her upbringing. Hot yoga sessions and daily workouts still ground her routine today. For a while, nursing felt like the logical next step. But creativity slowly pulled her elsewhere
Vintage began not as a business, but as thrifting — oversized sweatshirts, skater-girl energy, and experimenting with identity during middle and high school. The style evolution mirrored personal growth. “I used to be scared to wear things I actually liked,” she admits.
“Even stripes or colorful pieces felt like too much.” Clothing became a safe way to challenge that fear. As her confidence grew, so did her wardrobe — and eventually, her business. Paris’ sourcing style reflects the era that shaped her imagination: early-2000s fashion culture. She gravitates toward playful femininity rather than traditional vintage formalwear. “I’m not really into the poofy dresses or wedding-gown type vintage,” she explains.
“I like early 2000s, ’90s vibes — cute tanks, mini skirts, little statement pieces.” Interestingly, she often sources for others more boldly than she dresses herself. “I source for the girls,” she says. “Girls who want to show skin, who want to experiment.”
PHOTOS BY: LEISA WINTER
Her racks tell a story she describes as whimsical — almost fairytale-like — influenced by films such as 10 Things I Hate About You, Clueless, and early-2000s rom-com fashion moments filled with prom dresses, Juicy tracksuits, and confident main-character energy.
Fashion, for Paris, isn’t about trends. It’s about transformation. “Confidence changes everything,” she says. “It changes your mood. It motivates people. It inspires people.”
Like many emerging creatives, Paris’ inspiration lives online. Pinterest boards, TikTok communities, YouTube travel vlogs, and small content creators shape her vision more than local fashion scenes. While she acknowledges Fresno’s growing creative culture, much of her influence comes from digital spaces where experimentation feels limitless.
Through social media, she has built connections with other creators navigating the same journey — learning consistency, vulnerability, and visibility together. “I’m still getting out of my shell,” she says. “Before, my content felt surface level. Now I’m learning to share more of my life.” Despite appearing confident on camera, she laughs about still checking if anyone is watching before filming in public. The growth is gradual — but intentional.
Paris’ entrepreneurial path didn’t begin with clothing at all. She started by selling handmade jewelry, creating quietly from her room and posting product photos online.
The shift toward pop-ups changed everything. Meeting customers face-to-face transformed her relationship with both fashion and herself.
“I talked to so many people,” she recalls. “I’ve made an insane amount of sales since then. I’m not as shy as I used to be.”
Vintage selling became more than commerce; it became connection. Every rack represents conversations, shared style language, and the realization that fashion can build community just as much as identity.
Now stepping into her first magazine cover shoot, Paris approaches the moment with curiosity rather than pressure. “I’m excited to express my style and see what we create,” she says. “I just want to see the final result.”
It’s a fitting milestone for someone whose journey has been less about arriving somewhere and more about becoming comfortable being seen.
Vintage clothing, after all, carries history — garments that once belonged to someone else finding new meaning in new hands.
Paris’ work mirrors that process. She isn’t just reselling clothes; she’s reclaiming expression, rewriting confidence, and dressing for a life she once felt too shy to step into.
And like the early-2000s icons she admires, she’s learning that style isn’t just what you wear.
It’s who you allow yourself to become.
CREDITS:
HAIR: SALAI (@SALAINHAIR)
STYLING: VANESSA (@SUMMOUNEDCLOTHING)
PHOTOGRAPHY: LEISA WINTER (@LEISAVWINTER)
PRODUCTION: INDE TONE (@THEINDETONE)
