The Virgo Girl Blog loves nothing more than a fantastic success story—an empowering female with a success story even more so. Given that fact, we were thrilled to be able to sit down with former Miss Maryland Teen USA, influential lifestyle blogger, and power-woman Kamie Crawford, who is also a budding creative entrepreneur paving her way toward success in many different areas.
Kamie Crawford, a former beauty pageant queen, fashion and pop culture expert, host, and reality TV star, provided The Virgo Girl with an intriguing look into her life, with a list of accomplishments already lengthy and impressive. But that doesn’t stop her from pursuing even more goals though, as Kamie sets out to expand her lifestyle brand—a cool and informative blog, which is her current focus. The gracious, lovely, intelligent, and friendly star shared some of her fashion tips and secrets, news about her blog, information on products for sale under her brand, NOX, and more, in this in-depth interview with The Virgo Girl.
At only twenty-four, Kamie proves she is everything her brand promises! Vivid, lively, tasteful, smart, sassy, fun, and interesting are just a few of the adjectives that come to mind. We are certain you’ll enjoy hearing her tale about her climb up the ladder and into the digital world, and how she’s built an empire through it. It’s no surprise she continues to set new goals, either, and we look forward to everything Ms. Nox has in store for us in the future!
At twenty-one NOX was born while you were a college student at Fordham University; what was your inspiration behind creating a lifestyle brand?
I wanted to create something that would not only be my legacy, but something that I actually loved and would use myself! I knew I wanted to start with something sleep related, and I have always been obsessed with sleep tees so I decided to start with those. I also wanted a brand that would allow me to spread a body-positive message, while maintaining the transparent, humorous brand that my personal brand has. I wanted NOX to be an extension of myself in consumer form.
What is the biggest challenge to date you have faced with running NOX and how did you overcome it?
My biggest challenge has been doing it all on my own. A lot of people think I have employees and interns, and while I wish my brand could afford those things, right now I’m a one-woman show! Every product you get has been packaged and sent out by me. It’s been very important to me, at least in the beginning of the venture, to have put the work in myself so that I know what it takes and how every aspect of my business runs. I just keep going. J
What is your inspiration for creating the slogans for the NOX tees and which one is your favorite?
The slogans like “5 More Minutes” and “Beyoncé Wasn’t Built In A Day” were inspired by the fact that I hate waking up early and I have an unhealthy obsession with Queen Bey, but some of the others were sayings that my mom and sisters came up with. Sometimes my friends will text me like, “Can I get a sleep tee that says ‘xyz’ ” and I’m like, you got it! My favorite one would have to be “I’m Great In Bed, I Can Sleep For Days”—my mom came up with that one.
Currently your clothing products go up to a size large. Do you anticipate expanding to plus sizes at any point?
My dream is to have both XS and XL within the next year. All sleep tees are custom cut to fit looser as you sleep so the Large is already fit for my curvier ladies. Having a brand that is inclusive of ladies who are petite and those who have more to love is definitely important to me.
Being crowned Miss Maryland Teen USA in 2010, your first time on stage, what were your feelings about this and did this in any way impact your motivation for NOX?
When I won my first pageant I wanted to be a dermatologist, so having my own clothing brand wasn’t really a focus for me at the time. When I won Miss Teen USA, I still knew in my heart that I was going to be a doctor, so going back to school was very important to me. I was thrilled to be able to have the opportunity to be a role model and be the voice of teens everywhere and to be able to speak on behalf of certain charities and issues. If anything, being a beauty queen allowed me the body-positive platform that I have now and I couldn’t be more thankful.
Aside from running NOX you are a television host, fashion, beauty, and pop culture expert, and starred in your own BET series, F in Fabulous. What’s a day like for you and how do you balance it all?
I wake up every morning as early as my brain and body will allow, get ready for the day and get straight to work. I don’t stop working until like 3 a.m. and I can’t look at my laptop anymore. There isn’t much balance involved, but I make it work sometimes LOL. Longer days usually end with wine but most days are spent strategizing and brainstorming the next move.
Who in the fashion industry inspires you and why?
I’m inspired by brands that are inclusive and changing the game. Beauty brands including males, fashion brands including models with albinism and disabilities and people of all colors—this is what inspires me. I hate the idea of putting people in boxes and excluding them.
Kudos for having your products made in the USA; is this a must for you or did it happen to work out that way?
It’s definitely what I wanted even though it’s more expensive to do everything in the US. I wanted to be able to be hands on with the development of each product and that’s a lot easier when everything is made here at home.
You’re only twenty-four with so many milestones already behind you; what do you envision for life after thirty?
I’ll be having lots of babies—as many as I can afford! Living happily and in love with an amazing husband, and still being a mom with ambition and drive. I never want that to stop.
What scares you about being an entrepreneur?
Failure is always a fear, but I can’t live my life in fear, so I just keep going so I never get to that point.
As a strong advocate for promoting positive body messages for men and women, how do you empower and spread positivity?
I’m always reminding my viewers to never aspire to be someone else. You can certainly have people you look up to, but especially when it comes to celebs, models, and beauty queens—please understand that you typically only see the best parts of us. What we post on Instagram, photo shoot pictures, etc. We’re normal people and we have our fair share of basic days too J, especially me! Half the time I’m in sweats behind a desk, working my butt off for ten hours a day with that morning’s breakfast and lunch beside me. It’s not always glitz and glam.
Outside of your many business ventures, you are a global ambassador for Same Sky, a women’s empowerment organization in Rwanda that aids those living with HIV and survivors of the 1994 Rwanda genocide. What was the reason behind working with this organization and cause?
I’ve been working with Same Sky since I was seventeen as one of the charitable causes Miss Teen USA works with, but the women’s empowerment aspect of it really stuck with me and I signed on to be a global ambassador. I was just so impressed with these women who, despite their circumstances, refuse to stop reaching for higher goals and making a better life for themselves and their families.
A Maryland Girl living in a Manhattan World, what advice would give to the Marylander girls who have the same dream of coming to the big city to explore opportunities here?
Get out! Don’t let the fear of vulnerability keep you in a bubble. Go out into the world and find yourself and get lost in yourself . . . and get a Metro Card ;).
In a world driven by digital media, where your personal life is shared around the world through the click of a button, how do you stay humble and not get caught up in the “online persona”?
The person you see online and on TV is the person I am in real life. I have made a commitment to myself to never change for anyone or anything, and the self-confidence I’ve built allows me to keep up that promise. As a consumer of media on a daily basis, I know when someone I follow is being fake or disingenuous. That’s not something I ever want to be to the people who follow me.
What’s next for Kamie Crawford and NOX?
The sky’s the limit! I’m continuing to build NOX and my personal brand. Always creating content and brainstorming new ways to be the change I want to see. My blog has become a very therapeutic way for me to connect with my followers, so generating more content for that is always my focus.
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the VIRGO GIRL FIVE THINGS TO ASK:
What would you tell your 21-year-old self?
Keep up the good work and give yourself some credit every once in a while! Also, SAVE YOUR MONEY.
I start my day with . . .
A hot cup of French breakfast tea.
If you could invite any woman to dinner, who would it be?
Michelle Obama.
Best advice you have received?
Speak everything into existence.
Life motto you live by?
If it doesn’t apply, let it fly!
Co-Blogged by Nicole D’SETTēMI:
Nicole D’SETTēMI is an author and artist, whom recently published her debut novel “Addictarium.” She resides in New York, and has been writing from the time she was small. She is also a voracious reader, and runs a company dedicating to assisting those in need of artistic direction digitally; LCDS Creative Services.