Ocean Drive
Southern California blogger and actress, Courtney Halverson, utilizes her knack for performing and fashion to connect with the world.
“I can’t remember a time where I didn’t want to be an actor.” Flashing back with splendor, Courtney Halverson relays, “I remember in Kindergarten I told my teacher that I wanted to be on television, and I don't know where I got that idea – I just always wanted to act.” Thirty-year-old Orange County native turned Los Angeles resident, Halverson remained adamant turning thought into action. At the age of thirteen, developing her knack for performing and with Halverson’s granted parental permission, the copper-haired beauty started participating in musical theatre. Pursuing theatre as much as possible, Halverson eventually transitioned from stage to screen. “A lot of my early teens were spent sitting in traffic driving up to LA for auditions, callbacks, and shooting.” Fast forward, Halverson has since booked appearances on General Hospital, HBO’s True Detective, Murder in the First, and Criminal Minds, just to name a few; “I’ve worked pretty consistently in that world for over half of my life, so it’s hard for me to imagine a world outside of auditions, and scripts, and filming. It’s just always been a part of my life.” Aside from the glitz and glamour surrounding the Hollywood persona, Halverson respects the very craft and underbelly of performing. “I love being able to immerse myself into a character, to sink into someone else’s skin and to create a full backstory. There's so much of a character’s life that we don't get to see in a final film or TV show – it’s just glimpses – so fleshing out those parts that are unseen are what I love to do.” Becoming someone else takes time, practice, and preparation, even for Halverson, but deciding who she will become on-screen has allowed moments to be captured in real-time, making it that much more real. Though real, in the sense of social media today can be read off as a cliché. Not for Halverson.
“I value how connected I can be with women from all over the world.” As a public figure and a social media personality, Halverson has allotted time to connect both online and off. “While my photos tend to be very curated and carefully planned, I feel that the personality I share through both my words and on Instagram stories is pretty unfiltered. That said, there is plenty in my personal life that I choose to keep private if nothing than for the sake of not having my phone in my hand recording at all times. I choose which times to check-in and which times to just live my life.” Adding to her already extensive résumé and schedule, Halverson’s blog, Pretty Little Fawn, showcases the actress’s other interests: fashion, travel, beauty, and lifestyle.
Making the most of what her family could afford, growing up thrifting has led the actress-blogger to get a sense of fashion and style – mainstream, as well as her own. “Sifting through either rack of clothing or piles at a garage sale or estate sale was how I came to define my style.” Sifting through unique finds from the 1950s of one’s estate sales opened up new interests in the vintage sector. Described as simple and classic, Halverson’s style is the perfect mix of her finds, interests, as well as other creatives who share their style online. With the aid of Instagram and blogs, Halverson thanks the access to these digital platforms for allowing her to discover and try out new styles and brands. But that said, “I tend to stick to neutrals and earth tones because that is just what I'm drawn to. I like classic shapes, and I still love vintage silhouettes, and tend not to try out the latest trends because I want pieces that will last.”
Fearing the cliché, Paris tops the blogger’s list for being the most fashion-forward. Having visited the city at least once a year for the past four years, Halverson feels an embedded draw to the effortlessness of today’s Parisian women. “I think that's our curse as American women – we’re always looking to the French for style cues! Or at least I am, I tend to just sit at a cafe and watch women, young and old, walk by in the most effortlessly chic ensembles. It makes me want to scale back my outfits to just the necessary details and to not strive for perfection. There's something both playful and mysterious about how Parisian women dress.” When time is of the essence, simplistic staples allows the actress to free up her time and closet space, “high rise vintage denim and a silk blouse, or else a great coat. I always feel so polished when I wear a coat.” When it comes to beauty, Halverson keeps it as simple as possible. “My makeup takes about 10 minutes tops, every day.” Focusing on an evening out her skin tone with a bit of concealer – making sure to never cover her freckles – some blush, and sheer lip color. Halverson always makes sure her eyebrows are shaped, as it “really pulls my whole face together.” Yet, her one solid go-to beauty item and piece of advice for every woman: “Wear sunscreen.”
Both her journey in the fashion and entertainment industries born out of childhood objectives – dressing up and putting together performances – for those on the outside, it makes sense that Halverson’s career has become the perfect divide between both worlds. For many, what starts as a hobby inevitably becomes a career. For Halverson, it started while working at a secondhand clothing shop. “From there, I started to document my outfits on a blog I launched in 2011. It was just a hobby, and something I could dedicate some time to when I wasn't auditioning or filming.” No surprise, blogging, and outfits became its full-time job for the booked and busy actress, taking note that she has since employed her husband to assist. “He photographs every look and also helps create all of my video content by filming, editing, and even creating the music that goes on top.” Whether on set or off, Halverson makes time to travel, write and document-making for great content and research. “Social media and blogging are funny things to talk about because it can seem like it’s just this completely vapid world. But in reality, what I do has afforded me more opportunities to connect with those with different backgrounds and lives from my own, and I feel so lucky because I have such an active, engaged, and intelligent audience. I learn so much from my audience, and I often turn to them for advice and tips, just about as often as I share my own. I don’t ever want what I do to be a one-way dialogue.” For many in the public eye, social media can be dangerous to one’s mental health. Halverson’s best advice, when working in the industry and being present offline, is to be kind. “There are all kinds of ego that can come from success or perceived success in both acting and fashion, and that can lead to being selfish or rude. It’s just not a good look, and there is no need to be anything, but kind when you get to do the sort of work that most dream of. My advice would be the same – always, always, always choose kindness.
So, what can we expect next from Courtney Halverson? “To be honest, I’d like to know the answer to that one myself! Every day in my life is different from the next, and I never really know where exactly I’m headed. But, I love what I get to do. It’s a real privilege.”
