The Moms

Meg Schackelton

Founder + Designer of Margaret Elizabeth JewelrySan Francisco, CAPhotography by Andrea PosadasStory by Andrea Posadas

Meg Shackleton started off with a simple jewelry trunk show in the college dorms. It was this trunk show that ignited a passion for jewelry and later evolved into the now Margaret Elizabeth Jewelry. Fast forward 4 years, Meg is now adjusting to being a mom, alongside running a successful business. Adjustments are never easy, but it is the challenges that make the journey…

 

My name is Meg Shackleton and I am a mom to 4-month old Tate, wife to Lane, and founder and designer of Margaret Elizabeth Jewelry. I started designing jewelry while a student at Boston College, hosting my first trunk show in my dorm room. After graduating from BC, I went on to work in Advertising at Google and continued to design jewelry on the side. In 2011 I decided to leave the corporate world so that I could pursue the line full-time. Since our beginnings, we have expanded our website and sell our pieces in over 100 stores worldwide. In 2012 we opened our first flagship studio in San Francisco which has been so much fun!

I find a lot of inspiration from traveling. Every time I’m in a new place or experiencing a different culture, I feel overwhelmed with new ideas.Our most recent collections were deeply inspired by my travels to Italy and Morocco in 2013. I find that wherever I go, the patterns and textures of a place stick with me and make their way into our jewelry designs.

 I am also greatly inspired by the women who wear our jewelry- their vibrancy & zest amaze me. 

At Margaret Elizabeth, my biggest accomplishment has been assembling my team. We have a group of incredibly talented women who are smart, dynamic, and fun to be around. I think it’s so important to create an environment that you look forward to spending time in, which is why I’m thankful to have such a great team in the studio!

I think that all of us are constantly trying to find ways to balance everything- man or woman. However, since becoming a mom I feel like the task of “managing it all” is trickier than ever. Not a new concept, but figuring out a way to be at 100% in all aspects of life feels like the biggest challenge right now. I’ve found that creating routines each day really helps to streamline my work and allows me more time with my little guy, too.

I haven’t been a mom long, but one thing I’ve learned from Tate is how important it is to be fully present and focused when I’m with him.

Tate and My Favorite Baby Items & Kids Products:

 1. Sophie the giraffe – her hooves are Tate’s world! He also loves the fisher price kick & play piano.

2. Coconut oil as moisturizer after baths

3. Burts bees wipes I love how they’re fragrance free & super soft

4. Rickshaw Design crib sheets – I love all of their designs and prints

5. Sprout boutique in San Francisco for chic baby clothes

 

One of the most challenging adjustments as a mom is sleep deprivation! It makes everything a little bit foggier and I find that I’m not as quick on my feet. I take a few extra seconds these days to process just about everything!

I’ve learned to slow down in a way that I never knew was possible. I love juggling several things at once and bouncing between projects, but that’s just not an option now that I’ve got this little guy along for the ride! Things like leaving the house in the morning or making dinner take three times as long as they used to – so I’ve had to adjust accordingly. It’s actually been really great to slow down a bit and it makes me realize how much I used to rush around!

There are so many thoughts and theories about what it means to be a mother in the working world. I’m only a few months in, but I can already tell that it’s a deeply personal situation that every woman needs to construct in the way that fits her lifestyle. I guess my piece of advice would be to do what feels right for you and your family- don’t worry about the expectations and pressures around you.

 

 

 
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