Jacey Duprie, fashion and lifestyle influencer, joins Cheddar News to discuss her new memoir, 'Liking Myself Back,' and her journey in creating 'Damsel in Dior.' 

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Influencer Jacey Duprie Talks New Book 'Liking Myself Back'

and let's stay in the wellness space where millions of followers, our next guest is affectionately known as the damsel in Dior, but now jay z Dupree is more than just her fashion and lifestyle expertise in her new memoir, liking myself back and influencers journey from self doubt to self acceptance. Du pre pulls back the curtain behind her perfectly curated photos and she gets real about her struggles with her marriage, depression and childhood trauma joining us. Now to discuss is the damsel in Dior, Jz Dupri influence your digital entrepreneur and author of liking myself back, Welcome, welcome to the show. Such a pleasure. What I love about this book is how transparent you are, you're so honest and vulnerable about your journey. When did you realize that this was the time to write this, which you needed to get your story out there? Yeah, thanks thank you so much for having me. Honestly, I always wanted to write a book but the timing just was never quite right. And honestly it wasn't until after I had my daughter june that I felt like we had just such a sweet ending to the story, but we actually took it one step further. The final chapter was written during Covid. So yeah, the timing just like never quite felt right until after I had her honestly, I want to share a quote with our viewers from your book. And this resonated with me because I couldn't agree more. You wrote this in my career. I have learned that the things that happened the most naturally with the least amount of stress and pressure are the ones that are meant to be. I love that and I it took me a really long time to learn that not only in my career but in my personal life, but why do you think it's so important for people to listen to their instincts? I mean we live in such like a competitive world, right? And when you're looking at social media, you're looking at instagram and you're seeing what everybody else is doing. It's hard not to compare yourself to what other people are doing. And it's hard not to like put those standards up for yourself. Um anytime I've like really thought I wanted to do something and I just like fought tooth and nail to get it, even when I ended up getting it, it just never quite felt like the right time for the right, you know, the right thing and the right timing. Like even this, this book, I started writing this book like five or six years ago and I had a deal and it fell through and I was, I was really like fighting tooth and nail to do the book five or six years ago and honestly, like thankfully it didn't end up happening then because it wasn't the right timing at all. I think just trusting in the timing of your life is just one of the most important things that we really need to start to pay attention to? I love that while you were writing your book, Is there anything you discovered about yourself? Oh my God, that's such a great question. Um I think I discovered that I've really come a long way, like, you know, until you really sit and look back at where you've been and how far, you know, you've come. Um it just really, it really made me appreciate how far we've come, not not only in my marriage and my career, but just, you know, and growing up, essentially, I mean, gosh, I started this blog 10 years ago um and it was just kind of cool to kind of go back and and see what all I've learned throughout the, throughout the whole journey, you we were talking about your beautiful daughter a moment ago, you talked about your pregnancy in the book, you talk about the weight gain as an influencer. How did you learn to ignore that perfect image that so many influencers live by on their social media platforms? I mean, I don't know that I actually learned it at all to be completely honest. It was very challenging. It was really challenging. Plus a lot of people when they are pregnant on social media, they make it seem so easy and I feel like that's slowly starting to change. I feel like some of the influences that I follow now that have recently had Children or are pregnant are starting to really share the truth and I think that is so important, especially for women, especially for pregnant women and mothers for us to really pull back the layers and pull back the filters and really share what it's honestly looks like, what it honestly looks like you are a fashion grew by the way loving that blazer you're wearing. You have to tell me where you got that after this after this interview. But when did your love for fashion really blossom. Honestly I blossomed in Chicago which is where I am right now. I went to college in Chicago. I was working at my aunt celeste boutique over on armitage avenue and that's honestly where it really started to like connect you know I always was drawn to the fashion when I was a young girl and I loved playing dress up on the farm. It was a means of you know a way to escape from my reality and my dad was an alcoholic which we mentioned before and dressing up playing dress that meant that I could you know become someone else that day. But it really started to blossom when I came when I came to Chicago to college and learned you know how to like wear a coat and a scarf together because I definitely didn't have any of those things growing up in south texas. Well it's been about 10 years like you mentioned since you started your blog damsel in Dior. You built it from the ground up. You even quit your job. I'm sure there are so many people. I know there are so many people out there that are influenced by you that are inspired by you. What advice would you give to them that are maybe thinking of doing the same thing? Honestly, I would say just do it, you know, just go for it. Um It's scary. Yes, but like you don't really have to announce it to the world that you're doing something. I know when I started I was a little bit embarrassed that that was something that I wanted to do and I didn't like announce it to everyone at first. I just started doing it every day to make sure that I really enjoyed doing it and once I started doing it and I got better and better and I enjoyed it more and more. Then I took ownership of this project and this new business that I was forming but I say just go for it, make sure that it's something that you actually want to do. You know great advice and it's not even like it. Yeah, sure. All right. I have about 15 seconds. Any summer trends that people should know about JC. Oh my God, this summer is all about color just busted out. You're wearing beautiful color today, You're right on trend. Um I just feel like this summer is just gonna be blowing up with color pink right now is like the color yellow orange. Um and anything like kind of, I feel like the roaring twenties are coming back so bright sparkly, have some fun with your makeup. Um yeah, just get out there and have a great summer. Oh God, that is like my favorite genre and we love sequence here at cheddar, Thank you so much. JC Dupri, influencer, digital entrepreneur and author of liking myself back and influencers journey from self doubt to self acceptance. You can grab your copy of the book anywhere books are sold. Thank you again, Jason, we really appreciate it.