Spotlight sat down with Founder of CHORD and fashion blogger Mary Orton to hear all about her brand-new Spring assortment of baseball caps. Check out the exclusive Q&A below!
We love your fashion and lifestyle content. What were you doing before growing your social media presence?
I started my career on Wall Street, working at a large investment bank. It was a formative experience that taught me a lot and has carried over into the world of fashion and content creation, and especially now in founding CHORD.
Why did you decide to start posting style content?
I started sharing style content through my blog, Memorandum, back in 2013. At the time, I was fascinated by how fashion bloggers were changing the landscape of fashion and retail, but I also noticed a real gap. There weren’t any platforms speaking to my demographic: professional, career-driven women who wanted ideas on how to express personal style in the workplace. I wanted to create a space for women who were both ambitious and stylish, proving that having an interest in fashion and serious career ambitions weren’t mutually exclusive.
How has gaining a following like you have on social media changed your life?
The most unexpected gift has been the community. What started as sharing outfits ten years ago has evolved into meaningful connections with remarkable women all over the world I would never have met otherwise. There’s something powerful about creating a space where we can have honest conversations about all aspects of life—and realize we’re not navigating these waters alone. I find myself constantly inspired by the stories, perspectives, and yes, even the outfit suggestions that flood my inbox daily.
Through CHORD, this community has become even more vibrant, and watching women champion each other’s successes while simultaneously debating the merits of gold versus silver hardware on a luxury baseball cap is perhaps the most delightful plot twist in my professional journey. It’s not about numbers; it’s about the real human connections that make this entire adventure immeasurably rewarding.
We have to talk about CHORD! Tell our readers a bit about the brand.
CHORD is the first and only luxury baseball cap designed specifically for women. Designed for the woman who wears many hats—literally and figuratively—CHORD elevates the classic baseball cap with meticulous attention to fit, fabric, and finish.
Every detail is intentionally crafted, from the globally sourced luxury textiles to the gold-plated hardware and our signature cognac sweatband that conceals inevitable makeup stains. The goal was to elevate baseball caps from athleisure afterthought to the intentional punctuation mark your outfit deserves, perfect for days when your hair and your schedule have different priorities.
The inspiration for the brand comes from music—specifically the concept of a chord, which in music is a group of three or more notes that serves as the basis of harmony. As a lifelong pianist, I wanted an accessory that helped create a similarly harmonious balance across every woman’s multi-hyphenated life and approach to style. You may notice that our logo is upside down piano pedals and the brim stitching echoes a musical staff’s five parallel lines.
We’re laser-focused on doing one thing exceptionally well: making the definitive luxury baseball cap for women. CHORD customers range from Millennials to Gen Z and Boomers, and countless customers own multiple colorways.
Why did you decide to start this business?
As someone juggling roles as a mother, entrepreneur, and creator, I saw a real gap in the market. Despite being my most-worn accessory, every women’s cap I encountered felt like an afterthought—mass-produced (in factories making baseball caps for men), poorly fitting, and completely lacking in the kind of quality and design women want and deserve.
We set out to transform this overlooked staple into a luxury essential. Seamlessly blending classic style with modern sophistication, creating harmony between form and function. Whether you’re heading to a meeting, running errands, or just haven’t washed your hair in six days, CHORD is designed to make you feel polished, confident, and pulled together.
You recently released your spring collection! What was the inspiration behind this assortment?
With our Spring Collection, we really wanted to offer an elevated take on classic spring and summer textiles. One standout was our gingham—it was our interpretation of a timeless warm-weather textile, but done in a way that felt elevated and modern. I didn’t want it to feel too on-the-nose or like you’re a walking picnic blanket, so we made it in refined khaki and black colorways.
The response has been incredible—half of our colorways sold out in minutes, including the Khaki Gingham, Black Gingham, Railroad Stripe Denim, and Butter Yellow. We’re currently working on a restock so they’ll be back soon and it’s been so rewarding to see how strongly the collection has resonated with our customers. Stay tuned to @shopchord on IG for restock news, or sign up on our site.
How do you see CHORD evolving in the future?
We’re really excited about staying laser-focused on this product category, which has been largely overlooked in the market. For so long, baseball caps for women have felt like an afterthought—often lacking the fit, fabric, and functional details that women truly care about. At CHORD, our goal is to change that narrative and turn this accessory into the main event. We’re committed to thoughtful design and craftsmanship, and we’re just getting started in showing what this category can really become when given the attention it deserves.
What’s next for CHORD?
We have a really fun Summer Collection on the horizon that we can’t wait to share! In the meantime, we’re focused on Mother’s Day and graduation season, where CHORD makes for an exceptionally thoughtful gift. For college-bound high school seniors, it’s the perfect way to show school spirit without the sizing guesswork because it’s one-size-fits-all. Available in every shade from Texas Burnt Orange to Duke Royal Blue, a CHORD cap is a fun way to show school spirit and celebrate their next chapter.
For Mother’s Day, CHORD has become the go-to for moms of all ages and styles. Whether she’s a fashionable 30-something running between meetings and playdates, or an elegant empty-nester with a packed social calendar, our caps offer that perfect blend of sun protection and polish. They effortlessly elevate every outfit—perfect for bad hair days, good hair days you’re too busy to showcase, and everything in between.
