Rising Stars: Meet Payton Dale

Today we’d like to introduce you to Payton Dale.

Hi Payton, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My journey to becoming a stylist was not a linear one. Originally I intended to be an actor and was going to school to do so. Between acting, writing, and my love of all things 60’s and 70’s music and fashion, I started a now-defunct fashion blog called “Payton Place” where I talked about the struggles of being in your late teens and early 20’s.

I would share outfit photos and recount the places where I stumbled across the treasure I would find. The blog became mildly popular, and I scored a few plus-size modeling gigs. At the time I was a size 14 and there was little to no representation in the vintage community for the ’60s and 70’s inspired gals that were curvy. It’s commonplace today! The acting and fashion blogging eventually lead me to wardrobe assisting for plays and shows in town which often involved handwashing laundry and doing quick changes for artists during live performances.

Maybe it was because I fold a mean t-shirt or just knew how to talk music with people, but I started getting asked if I styled people. This is what started The Payton Project. Today I now style actual rockstars on stage and off, dress people for music videos and photoshoots, and even help everyday people find out what their own true personal style is. Since starting TPP I have released a book called “Hang Up Your Hang Ups: A Radical Guide to Healing Yourself Through Personal Style” and have built a community on Tiktok where I help regular folks find their true style by helping them identify their actual body type, authentic inspiration, and how to put it all together.

I couldn’t dream in a million years that this is what I would end up doing, but the fact that I get to make a living by helping people get dressed is the coolest thing ever to me.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Ha! It has not been a smooth road by any means. I always tell people that overnight success is ten years in the making. I started out in 2011 professionally and didn’t take my business full time until 2017. You can do the math on how many tables I had to wait and how many pairs of pants I had to fold at my crappy retail jobs in between those two dates.

Running your own styling business is extremely rewarding but on the flip side, you’re the only one that people can point the blame at. I have had people bald-faced lie about their sizes MULTIPLE TIMES. I have had stage parents from hell in my inbox. But on the flip side, I have had the most lovely return clients that any gal could ask for. Wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The Payton Project really started from a dream that I had about inclusive fashion. The fashion industry can be so gatekeeper-y and elusive to regular people. I knew that when I started dressing artists that I wanted to dress people that were over a size 8 because, at the time, no one here did that. As the business expanded into virtual sessions I took the same mission to heart with these clients as well. Fashion is the only form of art we are all legally obligated to buy. Why don’t I teach people how to use that to their advantage? We all deserve to feel like we are represented authentically when we show up in this world.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My favorite childhood memory had to be playing dress-up. I loved presenting my Halloween costume ideas via a sketch to my grandmother. All of my Halloween costumes were movie-accurate and very detail-oriented. I guess not much has changed. I’ve always loved clothes and how they make me feel.

Contact Info:

• Email: payton@thepaytonproject.com
• Website: ThePaytonProject.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/thepaytonproject
• Other: Tiktok.com/thepaytonproject

Image Credits
Logen Christopher,  JT Nasvegas Photo, and Matt Blum.