Cool It, Girl: The Story Behind the Name
There's a reason this shop is called Cool-it, girl, and it isn't because I think I'm cool.
It's a reminder to me, and to you: cool it, girl. Breathe. Get dressed in something that feels good, and let your nervous system rest.
Here's how I got here.
The diagnosis that turned out to be mine too
When my son was being evaluated for autism, I sat in those appointments taking notes, answering questions and nodding along. Somewhere in the middle of it, I started recognizing myself in the answers.
Not long after, I got my own diagnosis. I'm an autistic woman, and I was diagnosed late, during my son's diagnosis.
I won't pretend it was simple. But it explained a lot. All the years of "masking," of working so hard to look like I had it together while my body was quietly overwhelmed, suddenly had a name.
Being diagnosed alongside my son gave me something I didn't expect: a way in. I understand some of what he feels because I feel it too. He's still finding his voice, so I've leaned into my own neurodivergence to help him through a world that wasn't built for him, and to fight for the accommodations he needs.
I've always loved clothes
Long before any of this, I was the girl who loved color. Textiles. The way a seam can change a whole silhouette. Design lines.
I started my career in retail and found out I was good at it, really good at sales and merchandising. I spent about a decade working my way up.
Then I changed lanes and became a hairstylist. I worked behind the chair for almost 20 years. I loved making people feel like themselves again.
Then being a SEND mom (a mom of a child with special educational needs and disabilities) became my number one job. My son came first, and he still does.
What I found under the mask
Stepping back from work forced me to slow down and look at who I actually am. I don't mean the version I'd been performing for everyone else. I mean me.
What I found surprised me. Fashion isn't just something I'm interested in. It's a sensory need.
When I put together an outfit that feels good on my body and looks right to my eyes, something in me settles. It's a calm, satisfying feeling, and honestly I still can't quite put it into words. The fabric isn't scratchy. The fit lets me move. The colors work together. My whole nervous system exhales.
That's the feeling I build this shop around.
Why Cool-it, girl
Cool-it is a nod to that calm. Dress yourself, girl, and cool it.
Every piece I pick for this shop has to pass a few tests:
Does it feel good on? Soft, breathable fabrics and fits you can actually live in.
Does it make you feel something? Color, print, texture, a little fun.
Can it be you on a hard day and a good day? Your clothes should work with you, not against you.
For the moms who feel a little lost
If you're a mom who looks in the mirror some days and doesn't quite recognize yourself, I see you. I've been there.
Motherhood can take everything you have, especially when your child needs more from you than the world can see. It's easy to lose the pieces of yourself that used to light you up.
This shop is my way of saying you're allowed to hold on to some of those pieces. You're also allowed to reinvent yourself into someone more authentic than you were before.
It can start small, with one outfit that feels good on your body and makes you feel like you.
So cool it, girl. You're doing better than you think.
xo,
Cari