TESSA YVONNE VAUGHN ✨

The Scientist Who Dressed for the Apocalypse… and Then Conquered It

Let me tell you a story—my story—about how a girl who couldn’t decide between a lab coat and a leather jacket ended up rewriting the rules of both fashion and longevity. Buckle up, darling. This isn’t your average "rags to riches" tale. This is "test tubes to trendsetter."

CHAPTER 1: THE LAB RAT WHO DREAMED IN DIOR

Picture this: 22-year-old me, hunched over a microscope at 3 AM, caffeine IV-dripping into my veins, surrounded by the smell of desperation and formaldehyde. I was obsessed with aging—not the "Oh no, I’m getting wrinkles" kind (though, let’s be real, I noticed), but the "Why do our cells betray us?" kind. I wanted to fix it. To hack it. To make 90 the new 30.

But here’s the thing—I also wanted to look damn good doing it.

While my peers wore wrinkled polos and Crocs (yes, Crocs), I strutted into the lab in vintage Chanel blazers and thigh-high boots. They called me "extra." I called it "future-proofing."

CHAPTER 2: THE $300 BET THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

1. My big break? A failed experiment. My funding got cut. My PI told me to "focus on real science." So I did what any rational, broke, slightly unhinged biochemist would do—I sold my entire designer shoe collection (RIP, Louboutins) to fund my own research.

$300 left. A prayer. And a wild idea: What if aging wasn’t inevitable?

I turned my studio apartment into a makeshift lab. Cultured cells in my kitchen. Ran PCRs next to my toaster. Posted my (very questionable) findings on Instagram—because why not?

Then… it worked. Sort of. Enough to get attention. Enough to make them regret doubting me.

CHAPTER 3: BLOOD, SWEAT, AND BIOMARKERS

Fast-forward: I’m now the CEO of a longevity startup (name pending FDA approval, lol). I’ve been called "the Elon Musk of not dying" (flattering, but no). I’ve worn a custom lab-gown-gown hybrid to the Met Gala (Vogue called it "apocalyptic chic"). And yes, I still get DMs from ex-colleagues asking for investor intros. Karma’s a bitch.

But here’s the real tea: I’m not just a scientist. I’m a story. A movement. Proof that you can love CRISPR and corsets. That "genius" and "glam" aren’t mutually exclusive. That sometimes, the best discoveries start with a bad decision and a great outfit.

So… wanna live forever? Or at least look like you could? Stick around. I’m just getting started. 💉✨