Jennifer Cook

Name: Jennifer Cook

Location: Brooklyn, NY

Profession: Buyer, by day. Attempting to be a writer, by night. And yoga instructor, on the side.

Self-Description: New-ish mom, elder Millennial, and "fashion person" living in Brooklyn, NY by way of the Midwest. Trying to navigate life through a strange love of spreadsheets, too many lattes, and spilling my guts on the internet.

On health & wellness

What is something you changed in your life, to change your life for the better? There have been a few things throughout the years - I've dabbled in journaling, meditation, and therapy, which have all helped - but the two biggest changes I made have been waking up early and becoming a yoga teacher. I actually decided to do yoga teacher training during a particularly wild time in my life. I was in my 20's, and had fallen hard into the Brooklyn party scene. I recognized that I needed to do something for myself to take a little bit of a reset, and start to refocus on living a healthier and more grounded life. By spending my weekends in teacher training, I allowed myself a bit of a detox while recentering myself on what really mattered to me, and of course then it allowed me to involve myself in the yoga community here in New York City which is just such a special place to be a teacher. The waking up early bit came later, after baby, but those couple of hours (usually between 5 and 7 am) are so crucial to my well being these days. Between a full time job, a baby, a partner, and all the things that come along with that, carving out time for myself - even early in the day - has become a game changer. I am able to write, think, journal, plan, run, and just spend precious time alone that I need in order to be the best version of myself.

What advice, inspiration, or motivation can you share to encourage someone to take care of their body, mind, or soul? Everyone has their own reasons for taking care of themselves - mine have been built out of both necessity and a recognization that I needed a change - but if there is one piece of advice I can give it's that you don't get time back, so you may as well experience it as the best version of yourself. There is nothing like feeling good in your mind and body, and that energy exudes into everything else in your life. I'm not a big manifestation person, but I do believe that they energy we put out is the energy we get back, so why not put out into the world that you care about yourself?

What is your favorite health or wellness product? I'm not a big wellness product person, but I couldn't live without my at home SoulCycle bike! It helps me squeeze in movement and cardio even when I only have 20 minutes here and there. I also couldn't live without my water bottle, and of course, water is the most important wellness product there is. I'm a big fan of my Purist Mover water bottle that I carry with me all the time, and I leave a giant Hydroflask at my office desk during the week.

On business

Tell us about your business. Currently, I am a buyer for an independent retail store in Nolita, NYC, but I spent most of my career in wholesale. My job now basically boils down to shopping with someone else's money, so no complaints!! But all kidding aside, it's my job to curate brands and products in our store that complement one another and speak to our target customer. We sell everything from men's and women's apparel, shoes, accessories, jewelry, and home goods, so I cover a lot of ground. The store I work at has historically been focused on our two in house brands, so I was brought in to update our concept from more of a mono-brand shop into a multi-brand retailer, which has been a lot of fun!

Were you always interested in it or did you fall into it? A bit of both! I started working at the local mall in retail the moment I was able to, and fell in love with retail and fashion immediately. I stayed in retail for a bit, even after college, but eventually decided I wanted to be more on the business side of the industry. I interned in public relations during graduate school in Paris, but realized I wasn't so keen on working in PR full time, despite having a great internship experience. I ended up finding a job in NYC in wholesale after I graduated, and couldn't pass up the opportunity. I had never worked in, and frankly I hardly knew anything about wholesale when I took the role, but enjoyed it enough to stay in sales for the next twelve years! Last year, though, I was ready for a change, so I took a slight pivot from wholesale to buying, which is where I am now. It's been a super fun change, and my time in both wholesale and retail has absolutely given me a wealth of knowledge that I'm convinced makes me a better buyer.

What is your favorite part of your work? I really love being able to find and support smaller brands and independent designers. It's so fun to stumble on something special, and to then see our end customer fall in love with it as well. There are so many talented people out there, and it's a true joy getting to support their work in some way.

What advice would you give someone who is looking to get into the same industry? Buckle up!! Just kidding...most of what the media portrays working in fashion as really isn't super accurate, although there are always toxic bosses and offices - like any industry. Fashion can be difficult to break into, for sure, so I would recommend taking any opportunity that comes your way just to get experience on your resume and a foot in the door. It's also an industry built on relationships, so don't hesitate to reach out to someone who has a job you may want one day, try to join professional and networking organizations, and of course, just be nice. If you work hard and are kind to those you work with, that can get you pretty far.

On motherhood

What advice would you give a new mom who is going through it for the first time? Trust your gut. Sure, you can read books and blogs, but they don't know you or your baby. Also, it's ok to put them in their crib and step away for a deep breath or a cry or a scream into a pillow. They'll be fine, and you'll feel better getting your feelings out.

Was motherhood something that came naturally to you or did it take some time to find your rhythm? It actually surprised me how naturally it came. I never thought I wanted to be a mom, it was always something I was on the fence about, and I didn't really feel that pull or that calling. But when I had my daughter, I was blown away by how natural everything felt. Of course we had our hiccups - breastfeeding wasn't for us, for example - but I surprised myself with how comfortable I felt in the experience and how much intuition I had (have). Like everything, there are ups and downs, and I'm sure I have made mistakes and will continue to make mistakes, but being her mom has been so seamless. But that's not to say finding a rhythm was easy! It has been really hard trying to carve out time for myself, work our schedules in a way that benefits everyone, and finding a balance for myself between baby and work and home. It's a lot, and babies change so frequently! I feel like as soon as we get into a rhythm something shifts and we have to start again. I guess that's part of the adventure...

What is one product you'd recommend for a mom of a newborn? I cannot rave about the Artipoppe carrier enough. I know it's spendy, but if you have the means and live in a big city where a carrier is easier to navigate than a stroller, it really is worth the money. There's also a really robust resale market, so you'll make at least some of your money back when you're done with it!

Is there anything you'd want to say to women who are currently pregnant for the first time? Being pregnant was terrible for me, and I'm a little angry at our society for leading me to believe that it would be beautiful and special. I feel like no one ever talks about just how miserable it can be - rather we are conditioned to believe that everything about it is amazing - and that just isn't true!!! So listen, if you hate being pregnant, you're not alone, and that doesn't make you a bad mom. The good news about it though is that it is only for a finite amount of time, so there actually is a light at the end of the tunnel. Also, use this time to indulge and take care of yourself. Take all the naps, get all the manicures and massages, read all the books. You deserve it.

What is something you would tell a mom to start doing now to have as a keepsake later? I may not be the person to ask, as I did not journal or take notes on her growth or keep any keepsakes!! But, what I have found myself loving through this experience is Polaroids!! We take them frequently, and they are easy to date and pin up to the fridge. When I'm ready to rotate the old ones out I put them into a Printworks photo album that looks like a coffee table book.

The full list of favorable mentions are linked below with a brief description.

Favorite gift to give: I am truly a horrible gift giver, and I am working on it. I have a tendency to drag my feet, waiting for the *perfect* gift to come along, and then it ends up being too late and I drop the ball. Alas, I actually am a big fan of gift cards, as impersonal as they may be. But really, no one needs more STUFF these days, but most people I know want experience and/or time. By giving a gift card to a spa, or restaurant, or even a simple manicure, you're allowing that person to carve out time for themselves, which is what most of us (at least the people in my circle) really need! What is a recent purchase you made that you love? I recently bought a name plate necklace from Etsy, which I customized with my daughter's birthdate. I never take it off. What do you never leave the house without? Summer Friday's lip balm, sunglasses, my AirPods, and if I am taking the Subway somewhere, a book. Book Recommendation: Demon Copperhead was incredible, and everyone should read it! Podcast Recommendation: I start most of my days with Up First from NPR and The Daily, but I am also a huge fan of The Ezra Klein Show and Hard Fork as well. If you want something a tad more fun, I recommend Sounds Like a Cult. Artist Recommendation: I have been playing London Grammar on repeat lately. Gives me all the feels! Skincare Product: SuperGoop Glow Screen. Wear your sunscreen, people! Makeup product: Ilia Brow Gel. Life changing. Favorite kids clothing brand? Oat Children makes beautiful knits, but it can be a little pricey. I end up buying most of her clothes from Zara and H&M! Favorite store in another state/country: I used to live next door to Merci in Paris, which is always one of my favorite stops when I'm there. Especially for a coffee at their bookstore cafe. Recipe: We make Alison Roman's Buttered Salmon with Red Onion, Capers and Dill at least once a week.

Want to follow Jennifer?

You can find me on Instagram @jennifersandra, on Substack as Mom Friend, and via my website at jennifersandra.com!