Meet Maria Gilfoyle, cool girl and Founder of The Power Thread, a digital platform that shares and highlights the ideas, experiences and stories of everyday women. The concept of The Power Thread was born out of Maria’s passion for humanizing social media and sharing the stories of incredible women. We sat down with her to talk about foundations, daily rituals and impact.
Graceful District is all about having a strong foundation to your wardrobe, lifestyle, etc. What or who do you consider your “foundations” in your life.
My foundations in life come from feeling my best, which starts with the people in my life. My family and friends help me feel grounded. My mom is amazing and helped me develop a strong foundation for the day-to-day. I learned this from her, but I really value sleep and exercise. I always feel best when I have had a good night sleep and workout. Sleep, an early morning workout, matcha tea, clean apartment and a fun outfit are my foundations for a great day.
What are some rituals you do daily to ground yourself?
I try to move first thing every day. Even if it is a 15 minute workout in my apartment. I typically start each day with a glass of water with lemon and a probiotic. Then I go to the gym or a workout class. After working out, I shower, get dressed and then make myself breakfast and matcha tea. I try to do all of this before 8:30am, so I still have some time before I run out the door to work. Every day isn’t the same, sometimes I’ll sleep later and do a shorter workout, but I love working out. I’m still trying to develop a better bedtime ritual. Sometimes I’ll meditate and use essential oils to help my sleeping.
Describe your style in three words.
Experimental, Feminine, Modern.
What’s your go-to outfit for days you need a little extra boost in confidence
Something fun and different. This always changes for me! But often it is a dress with boots or jeans and a blazer. I’m pretty much always wearing boots or sneakers. I feel my best in outfits that are fun, creative, flattering and comfortable. I don’t like wearing heels because I’m always running around.
What advice would you give to those trying to define their personal style
Wear whatever you feel like. Try lots of things until you figure out what you truly defines you. From that, create a base uniform upon which you can expand. It’s always good to have 3-4 outfits already planned out that you can put on any day, when you can’t decide what to wear. Most importantly, dress for yourself and not for others.
Graceful District gets inspired by muses, like you. Who are some people that personally inspire you?
So many people inspire me! I’m inspired by Michelle Obama for her ability to reflect, be relatable, be thankful and make a positive impact. I’m inspired by Gretta Thunberg for her constant motivation to push forward and ignore anyone or anything that may be in her way. We can learn so much from her ability to stay focused. Emily Weiss inspires me because of the community she has built around Glossier. Jennifer Hyman inspires me because she has totally changed the way people shop and buy fashion with Rent The Runway. Jennifer is making an environmental impact while democratizing fashion, so more people can afford to wear an outfit that makes them feel awesome. I’m also inspired by my mom! She’s a super successful lawyer and managed to have an impactful career while raising my sister and me. I honestly don’t know how she did all of it, but I hope to be like her too!
We love that your platform The Power Thread values connection, creation, authenticity and inclusivity. Tell us more about why it was important for you to launch The Power Thread.
The Power Thread started as a school project with a focus on product and product reviews. I quickly realized that people wanted to talk about being powerful, authenticity and connection. I started shifting the content to be more focused on what it meant for women to be powerful. Readership quickly grew, so I decided to build a website and grow The Power Thread community! I think social media is incredibly powerful, and when used the right way, it can build community, educate and inspire. I want The Power Thread to add something educational and helpful to everyone’s Instagram feed. We also reach our readers through online content and a monthly email. I’m hoping to launch a podcast soon!
I want others to feel confident. I hope that people know that everyday isn’t perfect, but that motivation and time pay off. I want people to know they are capable of anything to which they strive. I truly believe if you want something, and you work towards it, you can make it happen. Some things will take more time than others. But, being thankful, learning from experiences and moving forward with curiosity and confidence will get you there.
