Nasty Galaxy
There’s a revolution happening, a revolution of Girlbosses. If you haven’t heard of a Girlboss before, you’ve probably seen one. A Girlboss is in control. She creates her own opportunities. She’s a badass who knows the rules, and then breaks them. She listens to her instincts, then follows them at full speed. A Girlboss knows how to get what she wants and has a good reason for going after it. And of course, a Girlboss knows never to take herself too seriously.
The term was made popular by Sophia Amoruso, New York Times Best-Selling Author and founder of Nasty Gal fashion retailer. Amoruso built a multimillion-dollar fashion company with no college degree and without ever borrowing a dollar. She started out with the simple goal of paying her bills and making customers happy. She opened an eBay store and named it after a Betty Davis album, selling clothes haggled from thrift shops in the back of her run-down apartment. Through the years, Amoruso’s personal online store turned into a $250-million-plus company with hundreds of employees. By working hard, playing her strengths, and letting her freak flag fly, she showed us just what it means to be a Girlboss. And through her books, Sophia Amoruso inspires other girls to be one, too.
In her most recent book, Nasty Galaxy, the self-proclaimed Girlboss presents an inspo-journey filled with essays, photos, illustrations, and more. Nasty Galaxy is a mix between a style guide, motivational handbook, and modern day bible. The form and content is wonderfully unconventional, just like Amoruso’s rise to success in the retail industry. Amoruso opts out of the traditional memoir and reaches for a less-predictable coffee table format. The oversized, pink hardcover book, nevertheless, is meant to go beyond serving as a trendy household display. With sections titled, “Tips for Thrifting,” “How to Shuck an Oyster,” and “Portraits of a GirlBoss,” Nasty Galaxy represents a system in which anything can happen.
The book redefines what an author can do. It paves the way for future writers and artists, creating new rules and disregarding the old. Nasty Galaxy aspires to be a non-conforming guidebook for the modern, hardworking badass. Amoruso leads girls by example to never compromise their ideas. She shows that just because something’s different doesn’t mean it can’t be great—it might actually be brilliant. Compiling “everything that goes on in her head,” Amoruso’s pink cloth-adorned coffee table book is a portal to the Nasty Galaxy of fabulousness and girl power. And it’s sort of genius.
To those girls who are still navigating their way through their passions and artistic endeavors, Amoruso reassures us all that inspiration is everywhere, and that staying true to one’s self is what makes the magic happen. She demonstrates that clear goals, a unique approach, and an unapologetic attitude make dreams come true. Through career advice, inspiring quotes, and groundbreaking life-hacks—e.g. “How to go Commando”—Amoruso leads young women to discover just how they can achieve their goals and embody their inner Girlboss.
In her personal essay sections, Amoruso gets particularly candid. In one essay, titled “On Confidence and Humility,” she points out that she hasn’t always been the confident Girlboss she is today. Amoruso even admits to “feeling like a loser a lot of the time.” She continues to explain that this is all part of being someone with “hopes, dreams, and aspirations,” that people who don’t experience these feelings are usually narcissistic or lazy. It’s a bold statement, backed up by a bizarre metaphor about cheese, but Amoruso circles back to the point that “shrinking doesn’t get you very far,” and that being “confident while remaining humble” is a choice all Girlbosses have to make.
By getting personal, Amoruso also shows us that whether you’re dumpster diving or strutting down Melrose, there’s something to be said about the fabulousness of it all. As she has said before, “Your life can begin as a dirty skateboard and morph into a hot rod somewhere along the way.” The grueling steps it takes to channel the inner Girlboss are all parts of the process, and not everything can be glamorous.
After all, taking over the world takes time, and if you want to do it right, you better have some fun. It’s comforting to know that there’s an unconventional route to success that sounds as inviting as it is adventurous. For the girl who has been told that there is only one way to reach the top, a book like Nasty Galaxy shows her that there are infinite possibilities. With hard work and patience, a Girlboss gets what she wants and finds the universe on her side.
So whether you want to be the next big CEO or are just trying to go commando (can’t a girl do both?), Nasty Galaxy has a little something for every young female planning to kick butt in the great big world and look fabulous while doing it.
Nasty Galaxy hit stores October 4th.
Art By: Taylor Roberts