If you haven’t discovered Lizzie Darden on Instagram yet, pause and follow her, then come back. Her bright, clever feed is full of visual puns and joyful styling—she brings ideas to life in a way that’s impossible not to smile at.
We knew Lizzie would be the perfect match for our graphic patterned Egg Clutch this month, and she absolutely nailed it. We chatted with her about her creative process, how she works through roadblocks, and the funniest things she’s found in her bag. She also shared where she shops for standout earrings. This interview is as egg-cellent as the clutches—pun intended.
Must-haves in Lizzie’s purse
Lipstick tops the list. Lizzie often carries at least seven shades—hot pinks, reds, oranges, purples and sometimes metallics. She treats a bold lip like an accessory. Next is a sketchbook or small Moleskine and a pen: inspiration hits at the most random moments, so she jots down photo ideas, puns and wordplay the minute they arrive. Business cards, a mini hot sauce (she loves spicy food), and cute band-aids for her high heels round out the essentials. If she could carry only one thing, it would be her sketchbook—months of ideas live in there.
The oddest thing she’s found in her bag
During a meeting with her tax accountant, a mini disco ball rolled out of her purse onto his desk. She’s not sure when it got in there, and suspects that meeting probably lost a bit of seriousness after that moment.
How she uses multiple clutches
Lizzie loves using the clutches to stay organized while traveling. She’s a little Type A and likes everything to have a place—makeup in one clutch, hair products in another, cotton balls and brushes in a cloud clutch. Once she unpacks at a hotel, the clutches double as evening accessories, giving her options for going out. It’s practical and fun.
Her first purse
She remembers being thrilled when her mom took her purse shopping at Dillard’s. After a long deliberation she chose a frosted, chartreuse jelly bag with a tag on the handle where you could write contact info. Inside she carried a tube of Lip Smackers and a tin of tangerine Altoids—very important items in her world at the time.
How her style has evolved
Her style has shifted a lot over the years. Middle school brought an unofficial punk/emo phase, high school introduced thrifting, and college work at Gap and Free People influenced preppy and bohemian looks. Lately she’s found a personal style that feels true to her: bright, girly, poppy, with a quirky twist. Right now she’s loving gingham, ruffles and lots of pink—her photography aesthetic translated into clothing.
Accessories she relies on
Statement earrings have become a go-to for Lizzie—the bigger and bolder the better. She names Jennifer Loiselle as a favorite designer and also finds unique lucite and novelty food earrings on handmade marketplaces.
What she does and how she started
Lizzie is a photographer and content creator who collaborates with brands to style products as part of an artistic composition rather than straightforward advertising. Humor and puns are central to her work. After college she briefly worked at a creative agency doing logos and ads while posting pun photography as a creative outlet. The posts caught attention, brands reached out, and she eventually left the agency to pursue content creation full time—an intimidating leap she’s glad she took.
Where her puns come from
Word association exercises are her favorite method: she writes everything that comes to mind for a concept—say, “ice cream”—and then spots rhymes, visual connections, or odd pairings that spark a pun. Sometimes inspiration arrives organically while browsing a grocery aisle. One of her favorite creations, Balloon Dog, Hot Dog, even led her to learn balloon twisting.
How she handles creative blocks
Movement helps—getting up and walking, whether outside or on a treadmill, gets the blood flowing and eases creativity. If she’s still stuck, she switches focus to something else instead of overthinking; rest and stepping away often dissolve the block.
Advice for women starting a small business
Find a supportive community of businesswomen and creators. Social media makes it easy to connect with peers who can offer advice, accountability and encouragement. Building relationships with others who understand the challenges makes the path less lonely. Also, be persistent: success rarely happens overnight, so patience and perseverance are essential parts of the process.
Photos by Lizzie Darden
Big thanks to Lizzie for chatting with us and sharing these gorgeous photos. Make sure you’re following her on Instagram—she’s giving away an Egg Clutch plus the matching pin and keychain. And if you want to secure your spot for the next clutch, sign up for the waitlist on the studio shop.