HER STORY ⟡ Elise McAloose
Hi loves — I’m Elise, the founder of Thorn & Reverie. I’m based in the Harrisburg/Central PA area, where I’m building a space that blends artistry, intention, and accessible luxury through boutique ear piercing, curated ear design, and permanent jewelry.
Thorn & Reverie was born from a deep pull toward reinvention — a desire to create something that felt both expressive and grounding. What began as a creative spark and need for a decompression from healthcare work quickly evolved into a vision: a studio where people could come to feel beautiful, aligned, and a little bit transformed.
How Thorn & Reverie Started
After years in the aesthetics and wellness field, I realized I wanted something that felt more personal and creatively fulfilling. I wanted a business where I could blend artistry, anatomy, beauty, and story — while also reconnecting with joy, autonomy, and inspiration.
Piercing and permanent jewelry gave me that outlet. I fell in love with the intentionality of it — the way a single piece of jewelry can shift someone’s energy, or how a curated ear can feel like just the thing you needed for where you are at in life. Thorn & Reverie became the place where I could create freely, honor individuality, and help others connect with their own sense of adornment and self-expression.
What I Love About Being a Business Owner
I love the creative freedom — sitting down, designing pieces, mapping curated ears, selecting metals that feel timeless and luxurious. I love the one-on-one connection with clients: hearing their stories, helping them choose jewelry that feels like them, and watching their confidence rise the moment they look in the mirror. Most of all, I love that I get to build something sustainable and soulful — a career that gives me flexibility, presence, and purpose.
The Impact I Hope to Make
My goal is to create experiences that feel:
✨ Intentional
✨ Safe
✨ Elevated
✨ Transformative
Whether someone comes in for their first piercing, a full curated ear map, or a permanent jewelry piece to mark a moment — I want them to leave feeling more connected to themselves. I want clients to feel seen, supported, and celebrated.
I hope Thorn & Reverie empowers people to embrace their own beauty, their own style, and their own evolution.
What Inspires Me
I’m endlessly inspired by:
• the women in my life who lead with strength, softness, and depth
• the aesthetic world — textures, metals, symmetry, fine lines, ritual
• nature’s formations and he similarities with the human design
• the energy and stories of the clients I meet
• the artistry of body adornment through both jewelry and piercings
Inspiration, for me, is always evolving — and Thorn & Reverie evolves with it.
My Favorite Piece of Advice
“Show up as yourself, and build from there.” Authenticity is everything — in art, in business, in beauty.
What Beauty Means to Me
Beauty is self-expression, self-trust, and the quiet confidence that comes from honoring who you are. It’s not about perfection — it’s about resonance. It’s the moment something you wear feels like an extension of your soul. Another step closer to the person you want to be.
Advice I’d Give My Past Self Starting This Business
Just start. You don’t have to have everything figured out — you just have to take the first step. Your passion becomes your clarity.
What I Want Thorn & Reverie Clients & Community to Know
I’m genuinely honored you’re here. Thorn & Reverie is built to be a space of artistry, intention, and connection — a sanctuary where edgy meets ethereal, and where every detail is crafted with care. Thank you for being part of this evolving community of bold, beautiful, self-expressive humans.
For TBB members I offer a 20% discount off of all services!
Contact info: Email - emmcaloose@gmail.com
Phone: 610-392-3483
Booking: thornandreverie.glossgenius.com
Instagram: @thornandreverie
