A long time fan of Mestiza NY, Patricia Mae Olson is an expert at keeping the modern preppy lifestyle alive through running her firm, Piqued PR and hosting guests weekly on The Preppy Podcast.

I’m Patricia Mae Olson, I live in the Philadelphia suburbs (although everyone always thinks I’m from the south) with my husband Will and our two jack russell terriers Marty & Miles. I own Piqued PR, a public relations and marketing firm where I work with brands and businesses getting them featured in publications like Oprah, Southern Living, InStyle and more as well as planning events, managing social media, creating influencer marketing campaigns and we also represent talent and influencers. 

In addition, I host The Preppy Podcast where each Tuesday I interview the brands, businesses and influencers who are keeping the modern preppy lifestyle alive. Lastly, I’ve had a blog for over ten years where I share my outfits, tips for entertaining and parts of my colorful home. 

Patricia wears the Phoebe Sweater & Teresa Skirt

I also rave about using social media to your advantage. I got my first job out of college through Twitter actually and have continued to use social media to help my business. Use social media to connect with others, to showcase your talents and skills (sort of like a virtual portfolio) and to position yourself as an expert in your field. 

When it comes to appealing to press, the most important thing to keep in mind is that they often work months in advance; so make sure to have designs ready for 6 months to a year down the road. They also work quickly so you need to have all your assets ready at all times; samples, high res images, bios, etc. They work on tight deadlines and may contact you for a sample that has to be overnighted to a shoot the next day and if you can’t work with that they likely will move onto another brand or business.

I love all my guests, they are all so inspiring to me! My favorite guests though are those who have a natural conversation with them. Those who don’t overly prepare or have a script. It’s those off the cuff conversations that seem like we are just talking as two friends and that I think my listeners get the most out of. 

I can’t wait to talk to Alessandra and Louisa about the importance of supporting other women. I think the fashion industry gets a bad rep of being catty and superficial, but what these two women are doing with the Heirloom project is truly inspiring!

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I’ve talked with and met so many inspiring women through my work and podcast, my biggest takeaway is to never compare yourself. Everyone’s journey is different and when you’re too busy looking at others then you miss opportunities and a unique perspective. 

My personal style; preppy with a twist is thread through not only what I put on in the morning but also how I decorate my home, the businesses I work with and a sunny disposition in life. 

My first Mestiza piece was a blue and white floral top many years ago. I was drawn to the ruffle one shoulder detail. It’s those details of the brand that have me constantly adding new pieces to my cart. The beaded embroidery of your sweaters, the golden buttons on your skirts or that unexpected pleat on your dresses.