In Defence of Pink

Or, the time I announced and then immediately changed my rebranded colour palette

Photo by Jessica Arends on Unsplash

Sigh. Just as soon as I’d gone ahead and announced that I’d developed a colour palette and would launch my new branding in May at a month-long market, everything went ahead and changed.

Such is life, n'est-ce pas?

Due to some (completely understandable) changes in the market venue I planned to participate in, I will no longer be revealing the brand at an in-person space in May, but I am definitely well on my way to being ready to launch. (And there will be other in-person opportunities to shop in the later spring and summer months!)

While I spent the winter curating beautiful coats and finding balance between online sales and in-person shop events, I also found a lot of creative expression and joy in the deep work I did to rebrand this business.

And now it feels like spring is for tweaking little details and bringing my creative work to life.

I’m already confident about my three brand mood words: timeless, authentic, beautiful.

I know in my heart that I believe in expressing ourselves through our wardrobes and homes and revelling in the beauty of the world around us, whether that is through fashion, the great outdoors, artwork, literature, music, film, or interiors.

And without a doubt I know my mission is to inspire you to seek beauty in the little details of your day-to-day life, provide an elevated secondhand fashion and home decor shopping experience, and show the world that vintage and secondhand goods can be stylish, high quality, and aesthetically pleasing. 

But. All being said about the non-negotiable pillars of my new brand… I’ve gone ahead and tweaked my colour palette. That part I wasn’t quite sure about, and when I compared my brand documents and my Pinterest board with the colours I’d shared with you, they felt a little… austere.

You can see a preview of my visual brand identity Pinterest inspo just below, and what was decidedly missing from my work-in-progress brand identity was a smidge more warmth and a smattering of (believe me I’m shocked as well) pink!

Not Barbie pink (though there is a time and a place). And certainly not pastel. But a deep, warm, feminine, aesthetic pink. A pink-ish red that evokes a little fun, whimsy even. I tweaked and I played and I arrived at a palette that makes my eyes light up every time I see it.

An amalgamation of the colours that comprise the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest, luxe natural fabrics, with a touch of whimsy and joy.

Meet the updated colours…

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Okay, and one more thing to tell you before I go. Even though I’ve been working on the brand behind the scenes, I haven’t taken a break from collecting. I could never resist early spring style, so I’ve been sourcing and still have some lovely pieces for you if you’re on the lookout.

Since my online home has been in transition during the rebrand, today I’m extending the invitation for you to shop my Poshmark closets. Click here to shop Poshmark Canada and click here to shop Poshmark USA. If you’re not in either of those countries but something catches your eye, just let me know and I’m happy to provide a shipping quote. I’m also happy to arrange local pickup if you happen to be local to me in Greater Vancouver!

I’ve hesitated to share my Poshmark in the past, publicizing my Etsy and market stall over the somewhat louder platform, even though I’ve used Poshmark for years. It always felt a little more personal, less polished, and somewhat “off brand” for The Story Kept. But right now, it’s the simplest place to list the plethora of clothing I’m finding, and a peek inside a closet that’s truly me is very ON brand for the next evolution of this business.

So do take a look around, and be in touch. I’d love to peruse your closet too, so drop a link in the comments if you happen to also sell on Poshmark!

x Sarah