It Girl Paige Lorenze Reveals Her Countryside Cool Essentials – from Bar Soap, to Cow's Milk

Paige Lorenze is not your average influencer. “One thing about me is I’m not afraid to fail,” says New England’s idyllic it-girl entrepreneur.

Between filming addictive content in her self-made Connecticut home, you’ll also find Lorenze roasting a whole chicken that she will gladly take more than a few bites of. And while her twenty-five year old counterparts may be swinging from the chandeliers in Manhattan’s hottest clubs, Lorenze would rather be packing a lunch for her Olympic tennis pro boyfriend, Tommy Paul. Finally, as bouquets of blondes are ordering oat milk lattes for the ‘gram, you’ll catch Lorenze drinking a glass of real milk–like, from a cow.

Needless to say, we were intrigued how the Connecticut native made countryside-living cool again, and Paige Lorenze was excited to spill the tea (from an antique pot, of course).

PureWow: Congratulations on the recent drop for your lifestyle brand, Dairy Boy. Tell us how your entrepreneurship journey kicked off.

Paige Lorenze: It all started when I was posting Instagram stories about milk. Real milk. This was during the height of the almond milk thing. I tried to be a part of that trend too, and then I asked myself, “Am I just drinking this because I see famous models drinking it too?” I wanted to be the one to say, hey, it’s ok to have milk in your coffee. I made a hat for myself and thought if anyone wants to wear this too, they can buy it. But for me, it was never actually about the milk–it was about being authentic with my community.

PW: What’s your favorite Dairy Boy item du jour?

PL: The denim launch, I’m obsessed with it! I wear it when I go riding, or just hanging out. Our Holiday PJ sets drop on December 15th, and those are so cozy too. 

PW: I love that. Speaking of riding, your community is tuned into your farm-to-fashion lifestyle in Connecticut–from tennis matches to baking pie, you're sharing the chic side of suburbia that we’ve all been missing out on. It’s dreamy, but attainable. 

PL:  Now that I'm happy in my new home, I have a routine that sets me up for success, and it feels so good and natural to share. When I was living in New York City, I wasn’t in the best place. I wasn’t doing anything that fulfilled me; a cycle of not being proud of myself, going out and being hungover, living on UberEats… it was toxic for me.

PW: Now that you’re in a better environment for you, what does that success routine look like?

PL: First things first, make your bed in the morning. Make your bedroom cute. You’ll wake up happier. Another thing that’s going out of style is cooking for yourself, and learning how to cook in general. I take a lot of pride in making meals, and I know that’s a luxury. Cooking is my love language. I take each meal seriously and put time and effort into making something nourishing.

PW: In addition to your recipes, your audience is obsessed with your interior design aesthetic. You were a huge influence in the #cottagecore movement, and the vintage, floral trends we see permeating TikTok. What are some tips you have for curating a space?

PL: I think the bedroom is such a sanctuary. Invest in your space, even if design isn’t something you’re personally interested in. I love having a high quality set of sheets–Parachute Home linen sheets are my favorite. I don’t work with them or anything, I just keep buying them. Actually, I’m sampling sheets right now for Dairy Boy… hopefully I can contribute to that market.

Thankfully, Connecticut is known for its antiquing. There is a lot of old reclaimed wood from local stores here. Online, I shop Terrain. My home aesthetic is eclectic. Think antique china from England, with a super modern Gustaf Westman vase.

PW: You’re also known for your lush self care rituals. What are a few items you can’t live without?

PL: I love hair masks. I love Kerastase. I used my mom’s when I was younger and she would tell me how expensive it was and to use a little drop, so I still use it that way now. It’s nostalgic for me. I wash my face with a Dove bar of soap, their Beauty Bar. That might surprise people, but it's the best!

I always keep fresh flowers in the house. I romanticize my own life. Pamela Anderson said something about loving the little things. In my industry, we might do that for an Instagram story, but are you actually living that way? Invest in yourself and your life. Buy the flowers for you, not for Instagram.

Lately, I’ve been using a pillow spray at night. It’s very Gwyneth Paltrow of me to say, but I find it’s really calming and sets the tone. Candles, too. Our senses are very important, with light and aromas and all of that. I’m obsessed with Hue lights. They come with an app on your phone so you can set the lighting to your activity–reading, entertaining, etc.

I have dessert every night. I love to bake–and a pumpkin chocolate chip muffin with a glass of milk is my absolute favorite thing. I don’t snack on sweet treats throughout the day, but I’ll have a cookie or two in the evening. Moderation, right?

PW: In my book, there's nothing a cookie can't fix.