“We try to do exactly the opposite,” she explains. “We look at what culture is saying negatively to women, we try to combat that… We don’t want to villain-ize media with our magazine, but I feel like women are really, really responding to it.”
In the New Year, Dubbeldam hopes to expand the magazine into a social movement. She envisions short films, conferences, and dinners with a themed topic to guide conversations.
Eight kinds of women guide the content of her magazine: The Dreamer, The Achiever, The Hostess, The Intellectual, The Stylist, The Confidant, The Beautician, and The Explorer.
Dubbeldam identifies mostly with The Dreamer – as a native of the small town of Sisters, Oregon, she grew up in nature, had a horse and loved to trek through the woods dreaming about her life.
“I think all women are a part of each persona,” she said. “We all wear those hats everyday. So secondly, I’m probably The Intellectual, because I love thought processes and culture. But first, a dreamer.”
Just like all women, Dubbeldam has her difficult moments, especially when running a magazine that’s sold in 250 stores across the country.
But she’s learned how to keep her cool. “When I get down, or really overwhelmed, I try to re-frame my perspective. I’ll sit down with a journal and think or pray about, ‘what’s my perspective,’ and ‘what can I be thankful for?’” Dubbeldam says. “That really helps me.”
It’s this attitude– that’s both attainable and relatable– that makes Darling work.
Photo credit:
Illustration: Karolina Maszkiewicz; Photographer: Ben Sasso; Sarah Dubbeldam photo courtesy of Darling Magazine.
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