Monday is International Women’s Day and I’ve teamed up with Kendra Scott for a week of interviews that celebrate the Kentucky women who inspire me. Today’s interview is with my friend Rynetta Davis of the fashion blog Really Rynetta.

Rynetta is so awesome, y’all. I’ve gotten to know her over the past few months and she is so smart and kind and has such a beautiful, positive outlook. Her background is in academia — she holds a PhD in African-American literature! — and her blog is full of beautifully-styled outfits that work for real life. I was first interested in her blog because she lives in Lexington and styles many of the same Draper James, Lilly Pulitzer, and J Crew pieces that I own and love. After getting to know her a bit, I found that she’s an incredibly kind and supportive friend, and so much fun!

Thanks so much to Kendra Scott for helping bring the Kentucky Women Who Inspire Me series to life — stay tuned to HerKentucky.com and my Instagram this week for previews of the newest Kendra Scott jewelry collection and a fun shopping event!

(All photos of Rynetta are © Kirstie Dunston Photography)

HerKentucky: Please tell me a little bit about yourself and how you wound up in Lexington.

Rynetta Davis: I am Rynetta Davis and I am happily married to my best friend, biggest cheerleader, and favorite person on the planet, Toby. We've been married for 18 of the best years of my life! I was born and raised in Columbia, SC. I attended Clark Atlanta University, a prestigious HBCU, in Atlanta, George. I earned a B.A. in English at CAU in 1998. After graduation, my parents packed up my belongings and moved me to Lexington, KY to start graduate school at the University of Kentucky. I earned a Ph.D. in English, specifically African American Literature, from U.K. in August 2006. We moved to Rochester, New York for two years (from 2006-2008) for my first job. I was a Visiting Assistant Professor/Presidential Fellow at SUNY-Brockport. We returned to Lexington in July of 2008 and I worked as an Assistant Professor in the English Department at U.K. from 2008-2020.

HK: Please tell us about your blog and social channels, Really Rynetta.

RD: My blog originally started as jcrewismyfavstore in 2009. I rebranded the blog and my social channels and changed my name to "Really Rynetta" in September 2019 so that I would be the center of my brand. My blog and my social channels reflect who I am at the core: I am just a girl who loves her amazing husband and a cute, colorful outfit. My goal is to empower women to love themselves, to love their bodies, and to love what they wear without focusing on what everyone else is doing. I post my daily outfits on my Instagram page, really.rynetta, and I post reviews, as well as new arrivals favorites, and outfits on my blog, reallyrynetta.com

HK: You’ve recently included some really fantastic resources about racial justice on your social media accounts. I know that, as a blogger, the events of the past year have really made me more aware of the content I post and a little less concerned about offending anyone. What does being “authentic” or “real” about social and political issues on social media mean to you?

RD: As a Black woman, social justice is a lifestyle for me. Advocating for racial justice is interwoven into every aspect of my life. So, it's natural for me to talk about how daily events, systemic racism, and politics inform the way that I think, live, and move through the world. Discussing these topics allows my readers to see the "real" me. For me, authenticity is about pulling back the curtain and exposing issues and experiences that others are often shielded from (because of white privilege) even having to consider.

HK: How has your life — professional, personal, side hustle, etc. — changed during the past year? I’m so fascinated by how each of us are pushing through during “these troubled times.”

RD: During the past year, my life has not changed drastically because I have typically worked from home three days a week for most of my academic career. Moreover, being an academic often means spending lots of time in front of a computer or in an archive in isolation. What has changed is how I engage with others. I leave the house for quick trips to the mall, to the doctor, or to the hair salon (masked up, with sanitizer in hand, while adhering to social distancing guidelines). Other than that, I have spent the last year at home, which has been challenging because I am an extrovert to the core. I LOVE engaging with others.

HK: What is the best piece of advice you have for others?

RD: The best piece of advice that I have for others is to love yourself and to block out the noise from the outside. What matters most is what YOU think about yourself. Embrace who you are and live confidently.

Thanks so much to Rynetta for the interview, and to Kendra Scott for helping me bring this series to life!