October 3, 2021
Media by Rue Siddiqui (she/her)
Senior Sydney Rehling sets up her register for her five hour shift at Pure by Jen.
On a typical Saturday while most teenagers are sleeping in, Sydney Rehling, senior, is up and planning her Instagram posts for her job by 10 a.m.
Less than a month ago, Rehling began a new job at Pure by Jen, a boutique located in Wildwood where she works as both a sales associate and social media coordinator.
As the social media coordinator, she assembles outfits using clothes from the store and posts them on the Pure by Jen Instagram and Facebook. Though the company’s target demographic is middle-aged women, Rehling works to create outfits that attract people of all ages.
Rehling said she wanted to work at a boutique because she wants to major in fashion merchandising in college. It also interested her because she has carried a love for fashion since the stay-at-home order last spring, and it has since become a passion of hers.
Rehling said she sets aside one day of the week in which she takes the majority of her photos and sets them up to automatically post over the course of that week.
Rehling poses at the local boutique in an outfit she created entirely out of items from Pure by Jen .
Rehling often takes photographs through the timer feature to avoid the same format of photos on the Instagram.
“As a 17 year old, there’s not too many ways I can go around expressing myself, but I feel like fashion is a really good place to start expressing yourself and getting out of your comfort zone,” Rehling said. “I feel like everyone needs something to push themselves and fashion was that for me.”
At Pure by Jen, Rehling said she has a great deal of creative control over how she goes about her tasks.
“I’ve never looked forward to work before because I was always put in a box and told what to do,” Rehling said. “But at this job, I just go in, and I get to do whatever I want. Obviously there’s some restrictions, but not nearly as many as I did when I was a waitress.”
Rehling advises other teenagers to get a job that pertains to their passions as it makes it more enjoyable.
“I actually am excited to go into work now, and it honestly barely feels like I’m working,” Rehling said.
Kelly Hobbs, manager at Pure by Jen said Sydney adds a hint of youth to the company.
“She’s doing a great job,” Rehling said. “She’s trying really hard, and she’s really interested in learning new things, and trying new things.”
Hobbs said Rehling’s work ethic shines through in her work, and so does her love for fashion.
“I see her adding a lot to the company,” Hobbs said. “She’s filling that social media niche that we have, and she’s doing a great job doing that, so I think she’ll continue to be a great asset to Pure by Jen.”
Echoing that, Sydney Goldsmith, senior, who has been one of Rehling’s closest friends since Kindergarten, said she has noticed a drastic change in Rehling’s attitude toward work since working at the boutique.
“I visit her a lot, and I know that when she was just working at bigger businesses where she didn’t get to be as hands-on, she didn’t enjoy it,” Goldsmith said. “So, I think she actually gets excited about work now and is learning stuff about fashion through her job. It’s definitely a better fit for her.”
Goldsmith said she is glad to see her friend pursuing what she loves to do and can see her accomplishing a lot in the fashion realm.
“I think that seeing someone I’m close to find their passion and flourish in it is one of the simplest joys of life, and I’m so proud of her,” Goldsmith said.
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