Interview: Jess Servert (ApostolicSwag)
Jess Severt is a fun, creative lady from Orient, Ohio. She runs a website and an Instagram account called "Apostolic Swag". Here she tells us a little about herself and how Apostolic Swag was born...
Name: Jessica Severt, but you can call me Jess ;)
What do you do in your spare time?
During the week I enjoy baking and cooking. I love discovering delicious recipes online or coming up with new recipes of my own! Oh, and then there's this other thing I like to do were I put together modest outfits and post them online. You might have heard about it; it's called Apostolic Swag. Hehe
On the weekends, I like to go shopping with my mom and sister. But recently we've started doing other things together on the weekends. Every month usually has four Saturdays in it so we've allotted a different activity to each. One weekend we go shopping, the next weekend we will make a DIY project for our homes from a tutorial on Pinterest, the next we do local volunteer work, and the last we work in the garden at my house.
Favorite scripture: There are so many wonderful and powerful scriptures to declare for healing, and scriptures to teach us how to be holy … but I suppose my favorite scriptures would be Matthew 22:37-40: "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." If we apply these scriptures to our lives, everything else falls into place. They are the foundation on which to build your entire life, relationship with Jesus and relationships with everyone else. Love God and live for Him with everything within you, and love others with the same love that God has loved you with. You just can’t go wrong!
Where’s your favorite place to visit? Can I say the mall (lol)? I rarely spend money, but I do enjoy going to the mall with my mom and sister almost every Saturday. It’s like our one day a week to catch up, get some lunch and hang out.
Favorite restaurant: My favorite place to eat is at my parent’s house! I don’t really have a favorite restaurant, but I do enjoy a wide variety of cultural food like Japanese (good quality sushi and hibachi), Vietnamese and Korean (pho ga), Italian (pretty much any pasta), and Mexican (vegetarian fajitas).
Favorite song: Just one song?? Well, for the moment, the song that has been on repeat the most in my house has been “What Love Is This” by Kari Jobe BUT SANG by the amazing duo Landry Cantrell and Brianne Brieno!
What’s your favorite item in your "apostlolicgirlscloset"?
The most used item in my closet is by far my Paris Hilton black patent Senorita pumps. They’re chic, classy and go with almost all of my dress clothes. And they look VERY similar to the Valentino d'Orsay pumps I had seen, which cost around $700 (yeah, that’s not happening, like, ever!). I found my shoes on clearance at the mall a few years ago for $20 (original retail $100)!!! Having an eye for haute couture but having a dollar store budget can be hard to manage, so these were truly a blessing! I was one happy girl to get them and I wear them all the time!
Do you have a personal favorite creation? I have created 550+ outfits over the past 4 years … and you want me to pick just one? Hmmmm. I guess if someone told me, “Pick one outfit and you can have everything in it.” I would probably pick “Think On These Things”.
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| Think On These Things |
What made you start your Instagram/website/blog?
I’m a graphic designer and a bit of a fashionista so I originally started putting together outfits as a means of creative outlet. After years of keeping them to myself, I decided to start sharing them on Instagram about two months ago. I expected that a handful of people would like them. I wasn’t out to see how many followers I could get or anything. But the response was overwhelming and I currently have almost 4,000 followers on my Instagram!
Lots of people began asking how to purchase items from my outfits (which I never expected). My husband, who is a programmer and website developer, created a simple website so people could easily access the outfits and purchase things if they like. ApostolicSwag.net was born!
My husband and I have been involved in various ministries over the years including being Youth Leaders and Children’s Church Superintendents so I know what the feeling of a growing burden feels like.
This began to happen the more Apostolic Swag grew. I wanted to do more to empower women to choose a lifestyle of modesty so I began a Pinterest page. With that I can now post tutorials on how to modify your current clothing to become more modest. I post videos of how to do your hair without ever having to cut your glory. You can find modest wedding and formal gowns and so much more!
The Lord recently started drawing on me to share some of the experiences I’ve had on my personal journey toward modesty. So, I just recently started a blog on my website. I have even more things in the works, but you’ll just have to stick around to see! ;)
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| A Bold Move |
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| A Casual Spring Day |
What made you think of the name Apostolic Swag?
The word "swag" has been adapted by our culture as a word that describes a person's attitude and personality through their clothing. An Apostolic's swag would then be clothing that reflects a separated, godly life. It would be modest and worn with a spirit of humility and submission to God; much different than the swag of the world, which screams for attention and boasts of independence and defiance to God. When I looked at the outfits I had created it just came to me ... Apostolic Swag.
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| Jesus Is The Sweetest |
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| Sisters |
Who is your target audience?
Though my original goal was Apostolic-Pentecostal ladies, I want to inspire ALL women to dress modestly. I do make outfits occasionally for men and children (per request), but my heart is to reach out to women. I want to impart to them the understanding that it IS possible to be trendy and fashionable without ever having to sacrifice modesty.
What has been your best experience while doing this?
Probably the best thing thus far that has happened with Apostolic Swag was that it opened up a door to witness online to a sweet lady about the Oneness of Jesus and the plan of salvation. It was wonderfully unexpected! Jesus is just amazing how he can use anything to reach a hungry soul!
What inspires your outfit creations?
I like to keep up with what’s trending with our Apostolic ladies. I get a lot of ideas from going to district conferences and youth rallies. Or I’ll see different outfits and clothing items at the mall, online, and on Instagram and give them a modest twist. Sometimes I’m inspired by news, music, or a sunny day. :)
Would you care to share your testimony with us?
I am a fourth generation Apostolic on both sides of my parents. I can tell you right now, that, in no way, makes a person better than anyone else. I don’t believe in spiritual pedigree (like the Pharisees). Being raised in Truth only means that “..unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required..” (Luke 12:48).
I didn’t always stay in church, though. At about 18 I backslid and left the church. I stepped out from under God’s protection and was allowed to be brought to a low, low place. All the while, though, I never cut my hair and I rarely wore pants. There was something inside me that knew that the life I was living wasn’t really who I was and certainly not who I was meant to be.
I’m so thankful for a praying mother, family and church who lifted me up before God when I was too trapped to know what to do! I was backslidden for three years before running back into the outstretched arms of the Father. And I will never leave Him again!
Now every day I’m striving to be closer to Him. He is using me in ways I couldn’t have even imagined and I want to fulfill every calling He has for my life. I’m so glad that Jesus doesn’t judge us by our past but by our potential.
Any parting words to encourage us?
A lifestyle of modesty shows you have respect for yourself and for everyone around you. It proclaims to the world that you are set apart for God and are free from the entrapment of the culture of this world. If you haven’t begun your own personal journey toward modesty, I hope that you will! Be encouraged and be blessed in Jesus’ Name!
I really enjoyed interviewing Jess she is so funny and sweet and like totally pretty! Here are links to all her sites so go follow her everyone and look at her amazing outfits!
Enjoy! And look out for a brand new tutorial I'm working on!
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