We recently had the chance to connect with Sydney Staehle and have shared our conversation below.
Sydney, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
The first 90 minutes of my day flow through a series of events. I start with 3 pages of journaling outside on my balcony. Getting fresh morning air and sunshine is so important to me, it grounds me and gets all my morning thoughts onto paper and out of my head. I make my way into my workout shortly after this. My workout routine is my church, it is where I think, feel, sometimes cry, and get my energy for the day. I rotate between my peloton bike, strength training, pilates, and yoga, I listen to what my body needs and follow that as my guide.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Welcome to my world of mindful styling and authentic beauty. I’m Sydney, a Los Angeles based hairstylist. I believe beauty is not a formula; it’s a living breathing expression of who we truly are. Since 2015 I have been fortunate to witness such beauty that radiates when you feel seen, understood, and fully yourself. I’m constantly working on creating a space where everyone feels safe, creative, confident, proud, and grounded within themselves. I always say I have the hands and tools to make what you imagine come to life, but we work together to collaborate and make magic as a team. I put so much value into how people feel when they are with me, not just how they look. In a bustling world that is changing quite literally every minute, I want my time is shared in a positive light and a feeling of self love and acceptance. I have trained alongside some of the most notable talents in my industry polishing off my own skillset and forever being a student, eager to learn. I specialize in event styling, red carpet/press days, weddings, coloring, cutting, and grooming. I have recently added a gua sha and head massage ritual to my practice ensuring the presence of the service is fully met with grace and calmness, My brand and who I am is what I strive to keep growing and reinventing as it aligns with my values and purpose. Beauty is such a broad spectrum of what it means to each individual and I will continue giving anyone the space to express that, together.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
Travel. And I don’t mean in the lavish luxury way. I mean getting out of what you know and your home base, Expanding hour mind, heart, and palette through experiences outside your own knowing is the most beautiful gift. I remember traveling from a young age and being so inspired by the way people dressed, acted, spoke, and how they spent their day to days. What makes their routine so different from ours? What food brings their people together? How does their culture celebrate differently than I do? Being from New Orleans I feel like I was in the middle of a cultural melting pot, then as I expanding my knowledge through more travel and moves throughout my life I began to see the beauty in all places, Every place has a story and that story is important to listen to. There is so much out there we have at our finger tips to experience first hand. I remember being in Mexico recently for a job and although the job was stunningly special, it was the people and the locals that I felt drawn to. The families all sitting at a table in their backyard sharing a meal as the children ran around entertaining themselves. The way the families seemed so happy and content with their lives because it is all they know and love. Nothing to compare things to. The way the spirit flowed through the city no matter where you were was something that truly left me in awe. We each have our own chance at this life and I think these experiences taught me how small we really are. Yes, we can go on to do great big things, but a we move through our day to day, there are millions, billions, of humans on this big round ball we call Earth just enjoying a dinner with their loved ones; content, probably thinking to themselves, this, this right here is what life is all about.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Ah, suffering. Something we all experience in this lifetime. You can’t escape it, I have tried. I think the more I tried to run from it the more it came to haunt me. Pleasure and pain must exist together. Without either, we wouldn’t understand the meaning of them. Success walks hand and hand with suffering. That dream job? How many hours did you spend obsessing, interviewing, perfecting, performing, suffering until you got the job? Then what? Success, you got it. Then the suffering of the new responsibilities, more time away from friends and family, more time dedicated to this success. Not all situations are like that, but I have had very similar experiences personally. I have learned that if I have lived a life without suffering I have learned nothing. Suffering taught me that I am capable of so much more than I could ever imagine. I have never been more proud of the suffering I have gone through to get to where I am today, And no, I don’t mean where I live or how I work, I mean the person that I am typing this response, who knows she has lived such a colorful life and will continue to do so knowing that suffering is and will always play an important role. Success shows us all the things we suffered through in order to achieve it. Success is a reminder that you can and will continue to do hard things, but success will only last so long. Suffering shows you the raw, exposed version of yourself that you may never be ready to face, but let me tell you something, you take one look at that suffering face to face and say, “bring it on” because I know who I am and this will only bring out more parts of myself I have yet to face,
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
That you have to constantly be keeping up with the trends of beauty. Beauty is forever changing. We ourselves change every single day. You, your individuality is what makes you beautiful. Do what you want, follow whatever trend out there, go see whatever specialist you’d like, but I think as we let society win and tell us what is beautiful and who is beautiful, we lose complete faith in ourselves and what make us so special and unique. It’s hard being in this industry and not feeling compelled to fix, enhance, or change the way I am. The more I started doing less, the more I came to love the face and body I saw in the reflection of the mirror. There will always be a standard, there will always be the next best thing, just ask yourself before you go buying the next trendy beauty product, “who am I doing this for” if it truly is for you, fantastic! If it is a confused answer of not knowing why, then maybe take a step back and align with who you are and what you think is beautiful. Individuality is beautiful, powerful, and sexy. Embody that before you embody someone else.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: If you laid down your name, role, and possessions—what would remain?
Funny, I just did a journal prompt on this recently! What would remain if all this was stripped away. Well for starters a woman who has so much energy she puts the energizer bunny to shame. A woman who loves deeply, so deeply everyone in her life. A woman who has danced, and danced, and danced through life and continues to do so. Dancing brings me a state of peace I didn’t know I could reach. I’d remain myself, even with everything stripped away I am myself at my core. The titles and possessions mean nothing in this lifetime compared to the adventure, love, experiences, connections, and food we get to share. I am such a foodie if you can’t tell. My story would still remain, that one of a woman who truly lived her life. She didn’t take one day for granted. She loved fiercely, she lived fiercely, and she explored fiercely. Not leaving one rock unturned. A woman who is surrounded by the most supportive and loving humans, the ones who inspire her daily. A woman of immense gratitude and a generous heart. I, myself would still remain true to who I am at my core, no name, role, or possessions, I have so much life within me, not having those things wouldn’t change that.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sydneystaehle.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sydstaehle/
Image Credits
Lindy Lin Photography
Monsoleil Weddings – Harper’s Bazaar
