Today we’d like to introduce you to Tanis Herndon.
Hi Tanis, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
When I was about to turn 13, I spent the entire year asking my parents for one thing: a CD player. Over and over again. At one point I casually mentioned that a sewing machine might be nice, but quickly returned to my regular refrain: “CD player, CD player, CD player.” So naturally, my birthday gift was a sewing machine.
My mom had always hoped to teach me to sew. While I learned basic hand-sewing skills—stitches, buttons, and simple repairs—I never even opened that sewing machine. Eventually, I got the CD player too.
My mom passed away in 2010, just three days after celebrating the 40th anniversary of the company she and my dad founded, Whole Earth Provision Company. Since 2003, I’ve worked there as a buyer, first helping my dad purchase toys, books, and gifts (arguably the best job ever), and later building and buying for the jewelry department, which I still oversee today.
Around 2010, I began making jewelry as a creative outlet, separate from my work. I loved transforming vintage pieces into one-of-a-kind necklaces and earrings by adding stones, chain, and found elements. Designing came naturally; selling and marketing did not. When our first child was born, I packed up my studio, but the creative impulse never disappeared.
In 2024, it resurfaced in an unexpected way. I found a beautiful gold-threaded peacock appliqué and sewed it onto a vintage emerald velvet blazer. Then came wool pants adorned with yellow flowers running down one leg. Before long, I had accumulated far more pieces than I could possibly keep, and my hobby gradually evolved into a business.
Today, hunting for unique vintage jackets and blazers is only part of the fun. Sewing has become the part I love most. Marketing remains my greatest challenge, but seeing people’s reactions to my work makes it worthwhile. If growing up in retail taught me anything, it’s that the connection you create with your customers matters just as much as the product itself.
And the business name: Before I was born, while my parents were deciding on my name, my mom jokingly suggested “Polly.” My first and last names—Esther and Jones—were already set, but Polly never made the final cut. When it came time to name my business last year, Polly Esther Jones felt like the perfect vintage-inspired name. I have no doubt my mom would have loved it and been proud of me, regardless of its success.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Is anything ever a smooth road? My biggest challenge is time management. Between family, my part-time job at Whole Earth Provision Company, and everything else, finding time to sew can feel like an indulgence—even though it’s often exactly what I want to be doing. I have plenty of finished pieces and even more works in progress, but where I struggle most is marketing and sales. I need to spend more time building my website, promoting my work, and connecting with other creatives in the growing world of upcycled vintage fashion. Any marketing interns reading this? Help! 🙂
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I create one-of-a-kind pieces from vintage clothing—occasionally newer garments for custom orders—by hand-sewing appliqués onto mostly jackets and blazers, which I see as the perfect structured canvas. They can effortlessly elevate an outfit or become the outfit themselves. Each piece is thoughtfully designed around a sense of harmony, whether through color, theme, or storytelling. I’m proud of every creation: the creativity and humor woven into the design, the attention to detail, the carefully hidden stitching, the quality of the finished work, and ultimately, seeing someone wear a piece that is completely unique and undeniably fun.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Inspiration is everywhere!!! It may sound like a cliché, but it’s true. I’m especially inspired by the wisdom, confidence, and individuality of older women: creative, eccentric women who wear exactly what they/we want because it reflects who WE are. Wearing what you WANT to wear and actually getting dressed. Wear those clothes, Darling. Don’t let them just hang there in your closet.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pollyestherjones.com
- Instagram: pollyestherjones
- Facebook: pollyestherjones
