Meet Allie Mood – children’s stylist extraordinaire. Allie and I forged our initial relationship on Instagram after I fell in love with adorable pics of her daughter Poppy and son Henry, and their beautiful lifestyle in South Carolina. When we opened our first store in the South I was lucky enough to meet Allie in-person and have her help host our Pink Chicken Charleston opening party. We totally hit it off! When we decided to do our Fall photo shoot in Charleston we reached out to Allie and she agreed to style the shoot! Allie welcomed us to Charleston and into her home with open arms. We shot the first book at a beautiful plantation with animals etc., and of course Poppy was the star of the catalog. Allie taught us a few of her trade secrets that cajole little Poppy to flash her adorable pearly whites. The second book was shot around Allie’s neighborhood. We were super smitten with Charleston’s old southern charm and architecture. Allie and local photographer Bette Walker introduced us to some amazing places. We are so happy with the books but even happier to have new friends in Charleston!
PINK CHICKEN Q. How did you get into styling?
ALLIE MOOD A. The entire process was pretty organic. I have always loved photography and fashion, and when I had my first daughter, Poppy, in 2009, I found a true passion for children’s fashion. I loved searching for unique and fun brands, which was especially challenging living in the South. My love for dressing Poppy in vintage, expanded to a new love for modern unique brands. Poppy’s style, (documented in social media), was soon noticed by bloggers and magazines like Babiekins. I found myself walking into children’s boutiques, picking up a piece of clothing, and instantly my mind would be flooded with ideas and images. I would picture a location, shoes, accessories, a certain feeling. I was virtually styling shoots in my head. Opportunities to style some shoots slowly materialized, and I am forever grateful to those brands, magazines, and companies that believed in me. Every brand or company has a story to tell, through their collections and clothing, and I absolutely love being able to express those stories through styling images.
PINK CHICKEN Q. What does being a mom mean to you?
ALLIE MOOD A. Everything and more. There really is no way to sum it up. Motherhood is the greatest gift- with all the stress and chaos, comes this natural and innate love that is completely irreplaceable and indescribable. There’s this feeling, that if the whole world crumbled, and my children were alright, I too, would be just fine. They teach me daily, constantly reminding me of everything I wish I could be. Motherhood makes me want to be a better wife, a better friend, a better daughter, a better sister, a better person. Motherhood is me.
PINK CHICKEN Q. So excited you are expecting another girl!! What will you need to change to balance the new addition?
ALLIE MOOD A. Probably just about everything. No, I really need to be more organized. I have always needed to be more organized. I just bought my first “mom calendar” a few weeks ago. It really says “Mom Calendar” right on the front. I am in love with it. There are little stickers for appointments and school events. I am going to predict I keep it up for 3 good months. I also cleaned my car out two days ago, so I am feeling pretty organized at the moment.
PINK CHICKEN Q. What does a typical day look like for you?
ALLIE MOOD A. During the week, I am usually rushing to get out of bed, get lunches made and get my children out the door. I have a problem; I like to stay in bed too late. I only have about three hours to myself, which usually involves me cleaning up from the day before and running errands. Honestly nothing too exciting. Our afternoons are spent coloring, playing, going to the park, and eating ice cream. This pregnancy has taken a toll on me physically, so our typical days aren’t nearly as fun as they once were for my children. Hopefully that will change soon. Weekends we are usually all together, and we savor every minute. I live for the weekends! - we love all of poppy and henry's vintage clothes, where do you shop for them? I love vintage, specifically 50’s – 60’s! Vintage pieces take us back to simple happiness and childhood innocence, a certain time in history we can never get back. I just can’t get enough. Luckily my mom held on to some of my dad’s old pieces he wore as a little boy, and today Henry gets to wear them. I am an avid ebay and etsy shopper; and I usually find my best vintage there. Goodwill and Antique malls are always fun places to look, but sadly it’s getting harder and harder to find quality pieces in stores. - you seem to enjoy a blend of vintage and modern (like we do here too! J), what is so magical about that style to you? I started to really appreciate the art and uniqueness of modern brands recently. The stories of modern brands can be just as exciting and beautiful as the vintage ones; I think it just took me a little while to find that out. There is something so beautiful about a modern and bright dress, one that makes a little girl feel so happy, paired with vintage saddle oxfords and knee socks. I think there was a moment I realized, it’s not just about the piece of clothing itself, it’s also about who designs the piece and the passion behind it. There are so many amazing people today creating beautiful clothes and it’s truly inspirational. I love helping those brands come to life, while adding a twist of vintage in order to keep the innocence of childhood alive. you have a huge following on instagram. what does it mean to you that so many people adore your family? what does the social media recognition mean to you? I love the positive comments and the friends and connections I have made through instagram. Because my photos are connected to my job, it’s nice to feel recognition after sharing a shoot (my love language is words of affirmation haha), but there is also a downside to social media and instagram. The little square pictures don’t show our weaknesses and our struggles, and our pains and our hurts, so while I love the platform of instagram, it’s so important to always remember that there is a story behind each person and each family, and no matter the number of followers or likes, in the end we are all just as valued and worthy as the person with two followers. Some of my best relationships through instagram (that I still have) were made when I only had 400 followers. Just as I may inspire people through my photos, there are so many people who inspire me- people, mothers, brands, companies, stylists, and photographers. Instagram is truly a place of art and I appreciate it for that.
PINK CHICKEN Q. Do you use any special tricks to get your kids to show off their gorgeous smiles?
ALLIE MOOD A. Ummm yes. Most of the time, if I really need a good smile or laugh, I resort to the “potty talk” or the candy bribery. 
PINK CHICKEN Q. Any special fall or back to school traditions?
ALLIE MOOD A. I love fall! The state fair is my favorite place and I usually buy 4 bags of cotton candy for myself. I can’t wait! I am taking my children to the pumpkin patch next week, which is another tradition we do every fall, and of course Halloween! We are all about some costumes in this house.
