No. 12: Hey Sweetie, How Are You? with Nan Philip
Enjoy the latest and greatest guest column with one of my favorite follows turned friends <3
Hey Sweeties, hope you’re all enjoying the weekend. Sorry I’ve been slacking on the Thursday shopping newsletter. Life has been a bit chaotic lately but I will get back to it sooner than later.
In the meantime, I am super honored to have Nan Philip as my latest Hey Sweetie guest today. I can’t remember exactly when or how I found her on Instagram but, as soon as I did, I was hooked on her content. She shares incredible finds across fashion, beauty, home, travel, and more. What I particularly appreciate is first of all, she is so NICE. Not everyone in the creator space is willing to chitchat with perfect strangers but she was down straight away! And second, I so love her penchant for sharing openly and honestly about not being a traditional sample size - I didn’t necessarily grow up with people to look to for fashion inspo and Nan doles it out in spades. It’s AWESOME. And dangerous for my shopping habits lol.
We got to meet IRL at a client’s event and then she began sharing, so kindly, some of our Project MM brands on her IG. Not because we had struck up a friendship and she was doing us a “favor” but because she genuinely liked and used them - that’s another thing about Nan, you can really trust her recommendations. Next thing I know, we’re chatting in DMs and discovered our shared North Shore of Boston roots. And to make it even crazier, we realized that her nephew and my middle son Bing would be starting in the same Pre-K class this past Fall (they are now totally BFF). Such a weird, wild, small world but I always love when these things happen….feels like the universe aligning.
Anyway, what started as an internet friendship turned into a real life one and I highly suggest you hit follow, if you’re not already doing so. I am super grateful for the time and thoughtfulness she put into this Q&A and can’t wait for you to read. She is a busy bee so thank you again, Nan! Without further adieu…
Hey sweetie, how are you?
Hi hi! First off, thank you so much for having me, Madeleine! I’m so flattered that you thought of me for this!
How am I? I’m doing pretty well, I think…?! Hard to ever know for sure.
My life is currently in a bit of flux, so that has been a little tricky for me. (Generally, I’m not great with change and I prefer to have a set routine. But honestly, it’s probably healthy to be out of my comfort zone and shake things up a bit.) The reason my life is in flux is because I’m in the midst of renovating my apartment in New York City. The renovation will take 6-9 months (!!) so during that time I have moved back in with my parents (at age 31!) I spent the first few months of the year with them in Florida, and just last week I relocated up to their home in Maine. I am really close with my parents, so generally it’s been great to live with them again. That said, I definitely feel a bit off-kilter not being in my own space or having my usual New York routine. But in the grand scheme of things, this whole renovation/relocation situation is really such a “princess problem.” I’m healthy, happy, spending time with family, busy with work - so all is great!!
Ed Note: I legitimately cannot wait to see the “after” of your renovation - you have the best taste, no doubt it will be gorgeous!
What do you do?
I more or less wear two hats // have two “self-employed” type jobs!
First, I’m a publicist. I work with interior designers and help them with “traditional press,” meaning I help get their projects featured in magazines, newspapers, and online publications, such as House Beautiful, The Wall Street Journal, Domino, Coastal Living, etc. Some of my design clients include Chauncey Boothby, Jessica Alex, Lilse McKenna, and Paige Blodgett Scher.
In addition to interior designers, I also work with a few product businesses on their PR and influencer management; right now, my product clients are Mirth and Abby Alley.
Then, my “second job” is as a content creator or influencer. (Please know, I sort of hate the word 'influencer' but I am unsure of how else to describe what I do.) I share snippets of daily life on Instagram and Substack, mostly focusing on shopping and my favorite finds across fashion, beauty, and home decor but I also share glimpses into my travels and daily life. I have no huge audience or anything; I am very much a micro-influencer. I get the sense that my content resonates because it is far from perfectly polished and hopefully feels very real. I also do not shy away from sharing detailed (probably too detailed) reviews and notes on sizing. I am a size XL or women’s 14/16 and I think many of my followers appreciate seeing clothing and product reviews on someone who is very much NOT a sample size.
Ed Note: Literally love the things you share and all the specifics and detail you include - it is so helpful to those of us who have not traditionally been able to just shop off the rack.
What are you working on these days?
On the PR side, I’m constantly pitching interior design projects and new product collections to editors and influencers. Two fun recent press moments are: an Upper East Side apartment designed by Sarah Lederman was published in the May/June issue of Luxe, and another client, Libby Smith, had a lovely story about a project in Flower Magazine. These placements take a LONG time to come to fruition (we pitched each of those over a year ago!) so it is always exciting to see stories come to life.
Ed Note: Isn’t it the best feeling when those placements, that you’ve been working on for so so long, land? Especially print, gosh I still love a print placement. After nearly 20 years in PR, nothing feels quite the same as seeing a project you’ve worked on in a magazine.
On the content creator side, I’m working on being more consistent with my content and building out a regular schedule and workflow. I started sharing my life online years ago (really just as a fun hobby/side hustle) but in the past year or two, it has really turned into a business in and of itself. Which is exciting! But now I am just really trying to build out my routine and work habits to help my influencer/content work thrive and (hopefully!) continue to grow.
Ed Note: I think you’re already doing a great job of this but can’t wait to see where you go with this…
Where do you live?
Technically, I live in New York City (on the Upper East Side.) I’ve been in NYC for the past nine years (minus a short Covid-era Boston stint). It’s crowded and dirty and ALL the things, but I absolutely LOVE living in New York and feel so grateful to call it home.
That said, thanks to my renovation, I’m currently living at my family’s home in southern Maine. I’m a New England girl through and through. I grew up in the Northwest Corner of Connecticut and later on the North Shore of Boston, so I’m very happy to be on the East Coast for the summer.
Ed Note: New England Summers forever!
Are you traveling this summer—and if so, where?
No big trips planned for now (any and all my travel funds are going to my renovation budget) but honestly, I’m not mad about it. To me, there’s nothing better than the summer in Maine. I have spent part of every summer in Maine my whole life so it truly feels like “home.”
That said, I do have a quick trip to Martha’s Vineyard to visit friends; I haven’t been there since I was a little kid, so that will be fun. I’ll also be down in Massachusetts visiting my brother and his family, so Madeleine, I will surely be texting you when I am down there so we can hang out!
Ed Note: You MUST! Can’t wait to hang <3
What are you packing?
During summer days, I pretty much live in breezy linen or cotton sundresses, paired with either my go-to Havaianas flip-flops or my well-loved Hermès Oran sandals. When the temps drop at night (as they do in Maine), I’ll switch to jeans and a cozy sweater.
I really want to play more golf and tennis this summer (I am leaning fully into that country club lifestyle!) so I’m planning to order some collared shirts from Renwick. I’ve also heard good things about Rhone—I haven’t tried it yet, but this athletic skirt is in my cart!
Ed Note: I wasn’t familiar with Renwick or Rhone, super excited to check these brands out!
Top 5 General Must-Haves
Therapy. I’m a big therapy girlie! I genuinely think everyone can benefit from it. Life is hard, and having a space to process things can be SO helpful.
Alone Time. I’m an introvert at heart, and I really need alone time to recharge.
Fun Hobbies. I love hobbies! Needlepoint, knitting, reading, mahjong, any sort of craft - you name it, I am game to try it. For my next big project, I think I want to sew a quilt, but I am not sure if that is too ambitious?!
A Sweet Treat. I have a major sweet tooth, especially for dark chocolate. While I know we all want to be as healthy as possible, I also think life is short so why not order dessert!
Dogs! I got my Cavapoo, FitzGibbon, last year, and it was one of my best life decisions. I am obsessed with him and have surely become one of those crazy dog moms. If you’re thinking about it: get the dog!! It’s work, but oh so worth it.
Ed Note: Can you even deal with the CUTENESS of little Fitz?!
Top 5 Beauty Must-Haves
A Great Dermatologist and Annual Skin Checks.
I go to Dr. Ellen Gendler in NYC. I actually need to call her office and book a year’s skin check, while I am there, I will probably also get a little forehead botox.
European/International Sunscreen.
I love Ultra Violette's Supreme Screen (though it's been hard to find online lately) and La Roche-Posay's Anthelios UVMUNE 400. I usually order the Anthelios from Stylevana, but the new tariff drama is making it trickier…
Laser Hair Removal
Last year, I started getting laser hair removal, and it has been some of the best money I have ever spent on a beauty treatment. Not having to shave every time you are in the shower = heaven!
For any NYC gals, I go to Satori Laser (they have tons of locations in/around the city.)
I feel like I often hear people say that they never leave the house without mascara, for me, I don’t like to leave the house without filling in my brows. I’ve tried so many brow pencils over the years but always seem to come back to this one from Kosas.
Also – I am always tempted to microblade my brows (aka get them filled in with semi-permanent makeup) but then I get scared and back out. If anyone has experience on this, shoot me a message! I need someone to either convince me into it or out of it, just so I can stop thinking about it. Ha!
Glycerin Gleanser (Cleanser) by Prequel.
I love this cleanser – it can be for your face or body. It is simple and effective. (And hard to beat the $18 price!)
Words to Live By
“Treat others how you would like to be treated.”
and
“Kill ‘em with kindness.”
Where Can We Find You?
@Nan.Philip on Instagram
Nan’s Notebook on Substack