Rising Stars: Meet Adele McGahey of Van Nuys

Today we’d like to introduce you to Adele McGahey.

Hi Adele, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started on TikTok Shop in December 2025 entirely for funsies. I love clothes, I like making videos, and I thought maybe I could make a little money talking about things I was already wearing. There was no strategy or five-year plan. At first, I posted whenever I felt like it and treated it like a hobby.

In February 2026, I made a video about a pair of pants. It went viral and clocked around $1,000 in GMV. That was my “Oh, wait” moment. People weren’t just watching—they were buying. So I started posting more regularly, paid attention to what people responded to, and the whole thing took off from there.

In April 2026, I decided to repost my TikTok Shop videos on Instagram. I didn’t reinvent the content or create some polished Instagram version of myself. I posted the same outfits, the same attitude, and the same slightly unhinged sense of humor. That account grew from about 900 followers to more than 22,000 in a few months, and one of my reels reached more than 1.4 million views.

The message is simple: confidence in alternative style at any age. I’m almost 50. I like black clothes, dramatic silhouettes, and things that are a little witchy, weird, or over the top. I don’t think women age out of any of that. Apparently, a lot of other people don’t either.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As with any vocation, the path to success is a winding road, not a straight line. There have been times when I wondered if I was completely delusional and should just quit. Then, almost on cue, a brand would reach out about a collaboration or a post would pop off. Every time, it felt like a reminder: You’re where you’re supposed to be. Have some patience.

Then there are the trolls. At first, I wasn’t sure how to handle them. Then I realized I could pin their negative comments to the top and make them work for me. The comment would pull more people into the conversation, my audience would respond, and the post would gain traction. I stopped being bothered and started finding it genuinely amusing. “Oh look, a new one. Let’s pin them and watch them work.”

About 95% of my audience identifies as female, and most are between the ages of 25 and 44. The overwhelming majority of them say incredibly kind things, like, “I see my future, and it looks bright.”

That is what I’m actually trying to do with this. Do I love receiving free merchandise from my favorite brands and getting paid to post? Obviously. Absolutely. But neither gives me the same feeling as knowing that a human interacted with something I created and left feeling more confident about her style, getting older, or herself. That hits differently than a box of free clothes on my doorstep—and I really love those boxes. 🖤

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
On paper, I make fashion content: outfit videos, styling reels, and shoppable product reviews on TikTok and Instagram. My style is alternative and mostly black, but it can swing from witchy and dramatic to whimsical fairy princess, depending on the day and what just showed up in the mail.

The clothes are the fun part, but they are also the way into a much larger conversation.

Women are handed a new set of rules every time we cross a life milestone. Reach a certain age and suddenly there are things you are supposedly too old to wear. Become a mother and people expect your appearance, priorities, and identity to change in very specific ways. Be single and people want an explanation. Be in a relationship and they make assumptions about who you are within it. Even clothing gets treated like a permission system: age-appropriate, flattering, too revealing, trying too hard, too much.

I think all of that is deeply boring.

I don’t make videos lecturing people about societal norms. I put on the dress, the pants, the bra, or the absurdly long cardigan, show up exactly as myself, and let the visual do the arguing. I’m known for my distinctive all-black style and my refusal to tone myself down, but the community has grown because people recognize the larger idea underneath the clothes. They don’t have to share my personal style. They just have to recognize their right to own theirs.

That community is what I’m most proud of. Women show up in my comments to encourage one another, share their own stories, and occasionally handle a troll before I even get there.

What sets me apart is that I’m not telling women how they should look or who they should become. I show up as myself loudly enough that they remember they can do the same.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
For me, mentorship doesn’t necessarily mean finding one person to formally take me under their wing. I look at the winners in whatever group I’m in and learn the scaffolding, so to speak. I pay attention to how they structure their content, how they communicate, and what their audience responds to. Then I challenge myself to create my own art within that structure. The scaffolding can be borrowed; the finished product should still look like mine.

One creator who inspired me was Morai Elise on TikTok. Her personal style is nothing like mine, and I wasn’t interested in recreating what she was doing. What stood out to me was her authenticity. She seemed completely comfortable being herself on camera, and that was refreshing. Her aesthetic wasn’t my takeaway—her authenticity was.

My advice is to study what works, evaluate what resonates with your intended audience, and then make it your own. Inspiration should help you find your niche, not turn you into a less convincing version of somebody else.

Pricing:

• I am currently available for paid collaborations featured on my TikTok and Instagram channels.
• I am especially interested in working with small fashion and accessory brands offering alternative style or elevated-but-edgy designs.
• Rates are customized based on the scope, number of deliverables, usage rights, exclusivity, and campaign length.
• For rates and availability, DM me on Instagram at @Adeleontiktokshop or TikTok at @adelelovesfashion.
• Email inquiries: Adeleontiktokshop@gmail.com

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adeleontiktokshop/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@adelelovesfashion

Image Credits
Adele McGahey