Here’s How To Tell If You Are A Muse Ever After!
Muses have a certain Je Nai Se Quois about them that is often hard to capture with words alone –they possess a certain essence if you will. There’s a special glow that surrounds Muses when they enter the room. A magnetic pull that draws in everyone around them. This unnamed energy from Muses has the power to fill other creatives around them full of inspiration that lasts a lifetime. Muses are often credited for having an impeccable taste-level and an effortless style that inspires everything from the clothes we wear, the music we hear, the art we revere, the phrases we speak and even the foods that we eat. Simply put, Muses are the source material!
But what exactly makes someone a Muse?
The dictionary describes a Muse as someone who is a source of inspiration or a guiding genius.
In short, a Muse is the original “That Girl.” And while the formal definition of a Muse certainly continues to hold true, we wanted to dig deeper into other common attributes of Muses. What are all the characteristics that would make someone be considered as a Muse? Afterall, our entire brand is centered around inspiring women with lasting legacies who we see as Muses… Ever After.
So we took some time to take a closer look at the shared traits from some of our favorite Muses. From singers with “girl next door” appeal. Designers with effortless swag. Models with one of a kind drip, on and off the runway. Image Architects who intrinsically shape our culture and worldview. Artists of all disciplines who are “It Girls” through and through. Creatives who are stunningly beautiful, inside and out. Influencers who are intrinsically kind. Actresses who wield the power to make everyone around them feel like they are best friends. Business women who are trailblazers in every field. And all the everyday women who are rule breakers with contributions that may not be as appreciated now, but will certainly not go unnoticed for long.
And while this list is certainly not the end all be all of what makes someone a Muse, here are our 11 Signs That You are a Muse:
Muses have a certain Je Nai Se Quois about them that is often hard to capture with words alone — they possess a certain essence if you will.”
Muse Ever After
- You Mind Your Own Business
We get it. Many of us enjoy partaking in a little fun gossip here and there. Whether it be following up on all the details of a salacious story about an entertainer online or hearing a juicy tidbit about someone we know in our personal inner circles. It’s not unusual for most people to lean in across the dinner table when someone is spilling tea on a hot topic. However, as the quintessential “girl’s girl,” talking negatively about other people–especially other women, is completely antithetical to a Muse’s character.
As a matter of fact, from what we have gathered, Muses are completely turned off by hearsay and will be quick to change the subject when gossip is brought their way. Maybe it’s because they feel that talking badly about other people’s personal business gives off a low vibration or even bad karma. Or perhaps, it is because all too often, Muses are actually too busy minding their own business endeavors to partake in such folly (Our Minding My Own Small Business merch is coming soon). Whatever the case may be, Muses are hardly ever seen relishing in the downfall of others, nor do they feel comfortable sharing the details of people’s private affairs for kicks and giggles. This is a huge “ick” for many Muses.
From what we have seen, many Muses fundamentally believe in supporting other women and not participating in hearsay that can be used to bring them down. This is Muse Code 101. So if you find yourself out with friends at dinner being the first one to change the subject when gossiping comes up, or if you overall find more pleasure in talking about new foods you want to try, places you want to travel, businesses you want to launch, or naps you look forward to taking, than you do bad mouthing other girls, then chances are you might be a Muse.
Here’s a recap with some of our favorite Muses minding their own business:
Lauren London is the peak definition of a Muse minding her own business.
Ciara gives us a masterclass on how Muses avoid drama and spread love.
La La Anthony is all the way Muse Coded when defending her friend Kim Kardashian against rumors.
2. Muses Are Busy Manifesting
Muses inherently know that there’s power in the tongue and that thoughts become things! That’s why we see Muses devote so much of their time speaking their deepest desires into existence. And Muses are not just manifesting all the universe’s goodies for themselves, but they are also speaking good things into existence for the people around them. That’s because Muses are the type of people who big you up in rooms that you aren’t even in yet.
Whether it’s sharing a tweet about their impossible goals, journaling their plans in great detail, or creating mood boards to help visualize all of their future dreams, Muses seem to deeply believe that the best version of themselves is just a thought away. So if you find that much of your time is allocated to manifesting happiness, health, wealth, romance, innovation, or world travel plans, this is another sign that may be a Muse.
Here are some Muses sharing their vision boards and our picks for helpful tools to help you manifest:
The sweetest Muse, Victoria Monet, manifested her 2023 Grammy win back in 2013.
Muse Issa Rae, walks us through her 2013 vision board:
Muse @Justinescameraroll walks us through her Q1 vision board results:
Manifest your dream life with this sleek and minimal daily affirmations journal from Intelligent Change: The Five Minute Journal
INTELLIGENT CHANGE
THE FIVE MINUTE JOURNAL
$28.99
Visualize the best in every area of your life with this Vision Board Book.
LAMARE
LAMARE VISION BOARD BOOK FOR BLACK WOMEN
$22.95
3. Muses Are Magnetic
Talk about having an aura that radiates light. We can’t help but notice how Muses have an infectious good energy that pulls in everyone around them. And it goes way beyond simply being the life of the party–which make no mistake, Muses always are a vibe. But time and time again, we see babies and children clamor to be around them. We’ve watched pets and even wild animals be drawn to them. We’ve even witnessed complete strangers feel completely comfortable with sharing their deepest and most intimate secrets with Muses during their first encounter.
And while this may be a super rare occurrence for everyone else, these encounters seem to happen pretty regularly for Muses. Perhaps this is because many Muses have an uncanny ability to make everyone feel seen and feel special. Their ability to connect with everyone they meet, sometimes even making them feel like best friends at first sight, coupled with their ability to uplift and encourage even strangers that come around them, makes Muses feel like a safe place for people to be drawn towards.
So if you find yourself regularly having chance encounters with strangers pouring their hearts out to you, if little kids that you meet want to stick to you like glue, or if you hear over and over again how big of a positive impact you have on others, chances are you may be a Muse.
Here are some of our favorite Muses seen being magnetic:
We have watched this video of Muse Willow Smith vibing out in her ride 50-11 times.
We can seem to take our eyes off of model, wife, mom, and Muse, Nora Smith, as she shows off her style and savviness in the kitchen.
4. Muses Are a Mystery
Another natural trait that we see in a lot of our Muses, is that they are elusive. And while it’s quite ordinary for most people to share every kernel of their personal lives from the foods that they eat to their inner thoughts online, Muses tend to be very selective about what they share about themselves and who they share it with. As Lil Wayne once said, Real G’s move in silence like lasagna and the same can be said for how Muses make moves. So it’s not atypical to find out that your favorite Muse was quietly working behind the scenes for years on a product that they have just now announced. Or that they have a whole husband and kids tucked away somewhere that you don’t really hear much about.
Whether you are someone who chooses to keep special memories offline and close to your heart, or if you are just naturally a homebody who takes people by surprise when you actually pop out, this air of mystery about yourself is definitely a defining quality for being a Muse.
Our forever Muse, Aaliyah, describes her mysterious personality.
Muse Kerry Washington is known for being notoriously private about her personal life.
5. Muses Are Effortlessly “That Girl“
It’s one thing to be able to perfect the way you #PutThatShitOn, but it’s a whole other feat to make it look easy! And Muses do exactly that! As a matter of fact, beyond their immaculate drip, Muses always seem to have the best hair days, The glow-iest of skin (pimples where?), flawlessly manicured nails (dry cuticles who?), and perfectly fit and healthy bodies (lil miss eats whatever she wants and still stays snatched), all without even trying. And if that doesn’t seem fair to most people, they’ll be even more pressed to hear that the good fortune doesn’t stop there. Because, not only do Muses pop out looking perfectly curated from head to toe, but they also seem to have a mastery of their work-life balance. We’re talking about achieving the Black Belt level of adulting.
We see this take place firsthand when Muses share glimpses into their daily routines online. In these videos, Muses share clips of themselves waking up extra early (typically before the sun) to meditate, workout, shower, complete their beauty regimens, cook breakfast, journal, hydrate, check emails, go to work, lead meetings, ideate a new project, meet up with friends, check in with their family members, make dinner, go on a romantic date, shower, meditate, and get ready to do it all over again the next day–all with an ease that rivals a scheduled nap during lunch time (more on nap time later).
Don’t get us wrong. Of course, we know that Muses are still human and therefore they will experience off days like everyone else. The only difference is, more often than not, Muses don’t look like what they’ve been through. Couple that with most Muses’ even-keeled personality, and you will have all the makings of someone who pushes through to the finish line without ever complaining.
So if you find that you feel your best when you follow a consistent routine, have a jam packed schedule, and people often tell you “I don’t know how you do all of that in a day?”, then you too, might be an effortless Muse.
Here are some of our favorite Muse Routine Inspo Videos:
Clearly Muse Shay Mitchell has more time in her day than the rest of us:
Our fave Muse Ever After, Kelly Rowland, gave us a peek into a busy day in Paris:
6. Muses Are Trailblazers
Muses are the epitome of the saying, “If there’s no way, then make a way.” When Muses are told “no” to a new idea, this only activates their superior ability to create from a blank canvas using minimal resources. By deploying design thinking, Muses are adept at envisioning what does not yet exist or improving what does not perform at its best, all while using non-traditional methods. Trusting in their own intuition, Muses often make the impossible possible with the simplest solutions. While other people can only offer complaints as they suffer through the daily inconveniences or lack of resources that they encounter, a Muse will use these same aggravations to innovate new products, create new categories, blend new genres, and ideate new designs. The results of this innovation either solves a need or infuses a bit more flair into our daily lives.
We have Muses to thank for functional style. We have Muses to thank for bold new food flavors (The Saweeties of the world have never met a food combo that they weren’t willing to try. We have Muses to thank for new haircare or skincare techniques and so much more. We even have Muses to thank for exciting new inventions.
So if you have a knack for making things in your imagination turn into a reality, seeing simpler solutions all around you to everyday problems, and disrupting the status quo by thinking outside of the box to create something groundbreaking, then you are unequivocally a Muse.
Multi-disciplinary Muse, Solange Knowles, is known for designing immersive art, sound, and movement installations:
Cutting Edge Muse, Dawn Richard, led the forefront in blending music, style, animation, graphic design, product innovation and design thinking into her artistry with her 2016 "Redemption" album.:
I spent more time on this album than any other era because I wanted it to be special. Not only will this album have a Vinyl and Digital release, but I’ve custom made a USB Necklace that will contain the album, Virtual Reality content, Table Book Photography, and more. You will be able to WEAR the album and take it with wherever you go. I wanted to speak on self discovery. What it means to be black. To be a woman. To speak on gay rights. To speak on black crimes. To talk about sexual discovery. And to find redemption in having a voice to do so.
Dawn Richard
Thank you for standing in this movement with me. For fighting in each era and growing with me. You have a heart for life.”
7. Muses Are One of One
To say that Muses are original beings, would be a gross understatement, as Muses are easily the most interesting women in any room. Muses are like living, breathing works of art. Muses are typically well read, well traveled and well cultured. And as such, they have the uncanny ability to connect with anyone while simultaneously looking like no one else in the mix. And Muses wouldn’t have it any other way.
With Muses being drawn to unconventional beauty and thoughts, their overall curated aesthetic is full of unexpected choices influenced by their unique fusion of references. Their sense of personal style is almost other-worldly. They easily stand out in a crowd with their one of a kind style, unique flair, and eclectic sensibilities. Muses take pride in their ability to walk differently, talk differently, dress differently, and think differently from everyone else around them. Perhaps it is because Muses are motivated to leave their mark on the world. And in order to leave an imprint, Muses know that they must do things outside of the box.
That’s why Muses are likely to be the friend in the group that coins a new term because existing words don’t quite convey with enough flavor. And with an eye for exquisite details, Muses often find value in things that others would throw away. Muses impeccable taste even extends to the music that they listen to and the books that they read.
So if you find that everything about yourself from your personal style, the way you turn a phrase, the decor in your home, the array of books that you read, even the foods you eat to be completely unique –then it is highly likely that you too are a Muse.
Here’s a collection of our favorite one of a kind Muses:
Muse Ryan Destiny shows off her one of a kind style to British Vogue.
8. Muses Are Touched by Angels
Now this one is completely Muse Coded and only true Muses will get it. But hear us out. We believe that good energy, good people, and good vibes follow Muses everywhere they go. And with all of the goodness that Muses put out into the world, we really wouldn’t expect them to receive anything less in return. Muses naturally embody so many ethereal-like qualities, gracefulness being at the top of that list, that it’s no wonder that messages from Angels on the other side seem to follow them throughout their day.
See, many Muses are connected to good energies beyond this earthly realm. Muses may often notice that when they hear big news, get exciting ideas, or experience life-changing events, that angel numbers appear to them as signs. So, it comes as no surprise to Muses when a mysterious stranger walks up to them in a random place with a message of encouragement. Or when they wake up from a dream that inspires an amazing idea, and they look over at the clock only to see it’s exactly 4:44am.
Many Muses feel like they are being guided in this world to make a positive impact on others. Muses understand completely that they are on assignment. Muses know in the moments where they are prioritizing peace and stillness, that their connection to the universe is being strengthened.
So if you believe that you often encounter Angels or Spirit Guides that communicate with you and keep you on the right path to fulfill your life’s purpose, then you are most definitely a Muse.
Ethereal Muse, Halle Bailey, singing her aptly named hit single, "Angel"
Halle Bailey sets up Angel Scholars for inspiring students who she considers to be "Angels"
9. Muses Take Naps
Beauty rest? Say less. One thing you’ll never have to convince a Muse to do is to take a nap. This may seem quite contrary to the busybody Muse who is seemingly always moving, shaking, and creating. Perhaps taking a nap is the Muse’s way to avoid burnout or creative blocks. Or perhaps naps are really the secret ingredient to Muses having an always positive and delightful demeanor.
Whatever the case may be, Muses believe deeply in the power of rest and resetting. So when life gets too stressful or they begin to feel overwhelmed, you better believe Muses will shut down for a few hours for some much needed shut-eye. And they have zero shame about where this nap happens to take place.
Whether it’s in their designated cozy nap nook, snuggled in between the covers at home with nice candles burning in the background, riding shotgun on an errand run with friends, in the middle of a facetime call, or even an unconventional corner office that no one else at work uses, Muses will easily close their eyes, well in a blink of the eye.
So if you are someone who adds their mid-day naps to their schedules, or knows the importance of powering down throughout the day in order to power up – then chances are you too may be a Muse!
Here are some of our fave items that make for a perfect nap!
This weighted blanket from Baloo Living feels like you're getting a hug while you dream!
BALOO LIVING
BALOO WEIGHTED BLANKET
$179.00 & UP
Sleep extra securely with these Slip Silk Pillowcases that give added protection to your skin and hair.
SLIP
SLIP SILK PILLOWCASES
$89.00
Add a touch of tranquility to any room with these beautiful stone diffusers by Vitruvi.
VITRUVI
VITRUVI STONE DIFFUSER
$123.00
10. Muses Eat Fear
Another endearing quality that we see in most Muses that we admire is that they do not walk in fear. Quite the contrary. Muses eat fear. That’s because Muses appear to be driven by any fear or apprehension that they experience along their creative process. And they seem to use this fear as a North Star that confirms whether or not they are onto discovering something special. As such, Muses use fear as a motivator that keeps them forging ahead on their journey.
With their only concern primarily being that they have no regrets in life, Muses are always willing to take big risks in their careers and personal lives. And time and time again, as a result of Muses pushing through their fears to create outside of their comfort zones, we see new sounds, ideas, designs, trends, and even products emerge from inside of their minds.
So if you are someone who throws caution to the wind, loves to challenge yourself, and is unmoved by unfounded criticism, then it is highly likely that you too, are a Muse.
Beyonce, the ultimate Muse, talks about the importance of being unafraid to make mistakes during the making of her album, "4."
Our favorite savage Muse, Rihanna, shares advice on being fearless everyday:
11. Muse Sharpens Muse
Last but certainly not least on our list is one of the most important traits that we believe every Muse possesses. And it’s the ability to both be inspired by other Muses and also serve as a source of inspiration to them as well. Time and time again we see Muses showing their high reverence and mutual respect towards one another. Whether it be giving other Muses their flowers, proudly adding Muses to their vision boards, or honoring other Muses through their own works.
Muses have no gripes about citing each other’s influences into their own craft. Straight away, Muses see the beauty in other Muse’s uniqueness. Muses recognize the triumph of going against the grain and they bask in the fellowship of other successful women. Ultimately, Muses reference each other’s wins as motivation to level up their own game. This act of synergy is what feeds the creative process for Muses.
So if you are someone who is inherently supportive of other women’s endeavors, stands in solidarity with other women without resorting to unhealthy competition, all while having others also cite you as their source of inspiration, then it is highly likely that not only are you a Muse, but you are a Muse Ever After.
Muses Kelly Rowland and Victoria Monet Give Each Other Flowers in Rolling Stone Interview:
We see you Muse! Welcome to our Muse Ever After community.
