Valerie Wildes
Name: Valerie Wildes
Location: Nashville, TN
Profession: Owner and designer for Fields of Green.
Self-Description: My name is Valerie and I am a mom to two littles ones, ages three and five and wife to my husband Andy. I would describe myself as a huge dreamer and hard worker. I've always been a creative type that loves to find solutions to problems through design and appreciates and is inspired by beauty–whether that be through people, design, nature, music etc. More recently I've been very passionate about health and fitness and have become a huge pilates lover. I've lived and worked in Morocco, New York and Los Angeles throughout my twenties which have been very formative years as a designer and person. Five years ago my husband and I moved from Los Angeles to Nashville while I was pregnant with our first baby and we absolutely love it. It's been a nice change of pace where I've been able to slow down and focus on motherhood but also step back and ask myself what makes me unique as a designer and entrepreneur.
What would you say to your younger self? Don't stress! Looking back there have been moments I've doubted or stressed about getting to where I am now and honestly, it has robbed joy from the process.
On health & wellness
What is something you changed in your life, to change your life for the better? I recently had a health scare that made me consider everything I've been putting in my body. I immediately took away sugar and alcohol from my diet and started pilates for my mental and physical health. It's been four months now and I feel so much more energetic throughout the day and have been resting better at night. A total game changer!
What advice, inspiration, or motivation can you share to encourage someone to take care of their body, mind, or soul? I would say that taking baby steps is always helpful. I like to change little things in my lifestyle for a while until they become habits. For example, last year I started squeezing a fresh lemon in my water each morning for its crazy health benefits and now I can't live without it! I also read scripture, surround myself with solid community and talk to a therapist when needed. Metal health is so very important, and for me, these are great foundational things to help get started in that.
What is your favorite thing to do with your friends? Now that I'm in my late thirties I love to host small get-togethers at my house every once in a while for some girl time. Just quiet mornings or evenings where we can all catch up and laugh. I also make sure to fit in a lot of playdates for my kids where I also get to socialize with mom friends.
On business
Tell us about your business. About a year ago I felt inspired to get back to the craft of making clothing by hand and designed a women's wear collection for fun. My husband inspired me to host a pop-up to see if anyone would be interested in buying the pieces. I got a good response and formed the bohemian inspired brand, Fields of Green. As a designer I like to combine an interesting and sometimes unexpected mix of colors, prints and textures. I pay close attention to detail and always consider comfort and functionality. Currently each piece is one-of-a-kind and hand-made by myself, however I'm going into production with a fair-trade factory for my first dress this spring/ summer. I sell on my online shop and at different pop-ups around the Nashville area.
As the owner and designer I literally do everything. I make the patterns, source the fabrics and trims, design, sew the collections, do the photoshoots, update with website, sell at pop-ups and recently have been sourcing fabrics and working with a fair-trade factory in India for my first production run.
Were you always interested in it or did you fall into it? I've wanted to become a clothing designer since the age of twelve and was focused on the dream of working in the high-end fashion industry and living a New York life full of designer clothing and fancy parties. Certainly a different version of that twelve year old dream has come true and I'm very happy with how things have turned out so far.
What is your favorite part of your work? Finding visually beautiful solutions to a problem. For instance, one time I was making a dress and I wanted it to be longer but ran out of fabric. As a solution I cut the remaining fabric I had into squares and did an embroidery stitch between each square, allowing for an extra couple of inches in length. As a result I think the design was way more interesting and unique.
What advice would you give someone who is looking to get into the same industry? Try a bit of everything and make connections with lots of people. I started as a technical designer, wound up in production for a bit, did concept design and womenswear design for both small and large companies and freelanced as an independent contractor, all in a matter of ten years. All of these experiences set the foundation for being able to start my own clothing line. There's still so much for me to learn but with the connections I've made, I will be able to continue to meet others that will help me grow.
On motherhood
What advice would you give a new mom who is going through it for the first time? To give yourself grace and to not do it alone. We need other women around us that are going through the same stage of life. They're like medicine.
Was motherhood something that came naturally to you or did it take some time to find your rhythm? It felt very natural for me in some areas and unnatural in others. Little ones grow so fast and so by the time you feel like you're in the groove of things, change happens. What I will say is that their little personalities never change so for me, finding rhythm with that feels more productive.
Is there anything you'd want to say to women who are currently pregnant for the first time? I unfortunately struggled with severe postpartum depression and of course wasn't expecting it. Even if you're having a lovely pregnancy and you've never struggled with mental illness before I would recommend creating a list of people to call if that happens, just in case. By the time I realized what was going on I had to do the research and it felt unbearable. I would recommend having a psychiatrist's number referred by your OB and a therapist's number that specializes in postpartum depression set aside. It's unlikely to happen, but that's something I always recommend.
What is something you would tell a mom to start doing now to have as a keepsake later? A book where you write down all the funny things your kids say. It's been really fun to go back through the pages and laugh.
The full list of favorable mentions are linked below with a brief description.
What is a recent purchase you made that you love? A vintage pair of Levi's. What do you never leave the house without? My kids, haha. Book recommendation: I love to read and actually find a lot of design inspiration from books. I love reading memoirs and one that I read recently and found really inspiring is Ina Garten's, Be Ready When the Luck Happens. Artist Recommendation: I am obsessed with Jon Batiste. Makeup product: I like the Ilia Skin Rewind Complexion Stick and the Violetee FR Matte Lipstick in Petal Bouche. Skincare product: I'm a firm believer that less is more when it comes to skincare. I try and drink lots of water which I think is the best skincare tip, but other than that I use Based Supplies beef tallow every morning and night as a moisturizer and a nice lightweight mineral sunscreen each day by Mario Badescu. Health/wellness product: I love using beef tallow on my skin for deep hydration and healthy glow. The brand I use is called Based Supplies. Newborn/toddler product: Have lots of wipes on hand, always! I use them for everything. Baby/child clothing brand: I've always loved Pink Chicken for little girl dresses. Small business we should support: I recently did a nine week pop up event in Leiper's Fork, TN where I met a menswear designer who makes clothing and hats by hand. He finds a lot of inspiration from cowboys and uses the best of the best when it comes to fabrics. I really admire his character and style. Favorite store in another state/country: I will often watch French Vogue videos and even though I can't understand what they're saying I like to take in all of the clothing and/ or home decor. One small clothing brand I was introduced to through those videos and found really inspiring is Caro Editions, based in Copenhagen.
Want to follow Valerie?
Email: valerie@fieldsofgreennashville.com