Meet Ragan Cain with The Frances Flair
Ragan Cain’s lifestyle blog, The Frances Flair, can best be described as a stepping foot into a magical land where everything is beautiful, colorful and happy. The Alabama native certainly does have a “flair” for finding beauty in everything from interiors to fashion to travel to entertaining. Take a peek into her world and you’ll see what we mean!
Hi Ragan! Welcome to LP Spotlight! To start, can you tell us a little bit about your background? Where did you grow up and how did you come to start a lifestyle brand?
I grew up in the tiny town of Eufaula, Alabama. My mother’s family has a long history in Eufaula, and I love that it is my home. I am an accountant by day and count tacos for a Taco Bell franchise - absolutely adore my day job. It brings me tremendous joy, yes tacos and accounting do bring people joy! But I always wanted a creative outlet. For as long as I can remember I have been drawn to color, design and interiors. I have absolutely no training in any of these things but I enjoy all of them. In 2019, I took a leap of faith and created The Frances Flair, named in part for my maternal grandmother, as my creative outlet.
You named The Frances Flair after your maternal grandmother and namesake, Frances, who was a strong woman in her own right. What can you tell us about her?
So much of my appreciation for classic southern style came from my maternal grandmother and namesake, Frances Ragan, who not only taught me about the importance of tradition but also how to boldly make her own way. Frances was a strong woman before it was en vogue for women to be strong. She was a businesswoman before women were in business. One of my hopes with The Frances Flair is to provide a space where my grandmother's love for beautiful things and strong sense of place can continue to live on.
You have a deep appreciation for all things historic. If you could travel through time, what time period would you most like to visit?
Oh, goodness! What a question. I always say I was born in the wrong generation - but I think a lot of people of our time feel that way. Instead of giving a specific time period, I will say a time when people wrote more letters, used their silver, entertained more in their homes, did not have cell phones (although believe me I use mine ALL THE TIME). A simpler and slower time.
You collaborated with renowned designer, Mark Sikes, on your 1950s home in Mountain Brook, Alabama. Tell us about that experience!
Mark Sikes was a dream to work with. I’ve never met someone that is such a visionary or works so hard to bring a project to life. The way Mark mixed color and pattern in our home continues to inspire me each time I walk through the door. Here are a few images to see for yourself.
Where do you search for new items to feature on The Frances Flair?
Ideally….international travel! That hasn’t been as easy to pull off these last two years but I hope to be back on the road soon. In addition, I love to source through my constant searches on the internet – makes having a day job behind a computer screen quite convenient (wink, wink!).
Are there any fun projects you are currently working on that you can share with us?
Yes! I have so many fun things that I'm working on for The Frances Flair this year. One being the continuation of a new series I started last year called The Frances Flair Favorite Finds. This is an opportunity for me to share a handful of my favorite finds each season from brands that my community may not have heard of before. There is something so special about supporting a small business, and I look forward to continuing to share more unique finds from these wonderful brands.
It is obvious to anyone that knows me or is familiar with The Frances Flair that I am very drawn to color. That is very evident in my Liza Pruitt favorite picks below. What fun that was!
Shop Ragan’s favorite pieces of art from lizapruitt.com.
Morning Has Broken by Anna Vaughn Kincheloe
Forest I & II By Anna Vaughn Kincheloe
I am Who I am by Kristen Phelps
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