Let’s Compare and Contrast Martha Stewart to Nara Smith and Ballerina Farm
Martha Stewart, the original domestic goddess of an icon, built her empire by perfecting the art of homemaking. From her tasteful tablescapes to her farm-to-table recipes, Stewart epitomized a vision of perfect domestic bliss that was aspirational yet accessible. Decades later, with the help of wildfire saturation from social media and her engrossing Netflix documentary, we see a new wave of homemakers are offering their ideas of domestic bliss through a unique lens. Among the most influential is Nara Smith and the creators of Ballerina Farm, who represent what social media calls the “tradwife” movement—a lifestyle rooted in traditional domestic roles often framed with an aesthetic, and highly idealized.
While these modern homemakers owe much to the Martha Stewart legacy, their approaches reveal fascinating similarities and differences. Let’s explore how Martha Stewart’s ethos compares and contrasts with the rising influence of tradwife figures like Nara Smith and Ballerina Farm.
The OG Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart’s appeal has always been rooted in her versatility. All along the way, she made no secret of her entrepreneurial ambition. In fact, in real time, it was really something to witness. You knew this hustler was building an empire. She built this empire on a passion for domestic arts, transforming tasks like gardening, cooking, and entertaining into cultural touchstones. I seriously think that Gen X’ers have chickens (in the city!) because Stewart’s work resonated broadly. She struck a balance between aspiration and practicality, and she became synonymous with self-sufficiency and refinement.
Most importantly, Stewart never positioned herself as a “traditional wife.” Her career reflected an empowered woman’s choice to master the domestic sphere while remaining fiercely independent. She was not cooking and gardening for her husband and kids. In fact, they were never to be found. She was doing this for her. Because she liked things JUST SO. This distinction allowed her brand to transcend traditional gender norms, making her an icon for career-focused individuals who also valued the art of home life, style, having things JUST SO.
The Other Side of the Pendulum: Tradwife as Counter Culture
The tradwife movement, exemplified by figures like Nara Smith and Ballerina Farm, are a much more nostalgic view of homemaking in the Make Homemaking Great Again vein. These influencers celebrate the domestic sphere with imagery steeped in pastoral and vintage aesthetics. Their platforms often feature idyllic farm life, bread baking, and child-rearing, and present a return to simpler, more grounded values. Although I don’t know what’s more simpler than just buying the Takis at the corner bodega.
Nara Smith
Nara Smith’s content leans heavily into the highly polished (her countertops are worthy of envy) and heavily curated aesthetic of the tradwife movement. Her visuals feel like they’ve been plucked from the pages of Kinfolk and Darling magazines, with a focus on traditional gender roles and romanticized portrayals of domestic life. Smith’s narrative often ties faith, homemaking, and femininity together, presenting these values as a holistic lifestyle. She’s also cheeky and I appreciate that. I mean, how can anyone make homemade Takis in anything but designer?
Smith’s followers are drawn to her emphasis on slow living, sustainability, and heritage skills—with a nod to Stewart’s emphasis on craftsmanship. However, Smith’s approach is more overtly tied to a cultural critique of modernity, positioning the tradwife lifestyle as a countercultural alternative. I find this so interesting. I am also aware that she’s making out like a bandit in terms of monetization.
Ballerina Farm
In contrast, Ballerina Farm offers a similarly curated aesthetic but with heavy entrepreneurial spin. Founded by Hannah Neeleman, a former ballerina turned homesteader, the brand combines the simplicity of farm life with the savvy of a modern businesswoman. Neeleman doesn’t just display her idyllic life—she sells the shit out of it, offering farm-to-table products that fans can purchase to “live the dream” alongside her. Make no mistake, she’s a hustler. You the viewer are the subject of the Truman Show, not her.
Where Smith leans into tradition as a personal philosophy, Ballerina Farm blurs the lines between homemaking and enterprise, a nod to Martha Stewart’s ability to monetize the domestic landscape. However, unlike Stewart, whose tone is polished and professional, Ballerina Farm incorporates an intimate, social-media-friendly relatability into its branding.
Points of Contrast
- Commercialization vs. Philosophy
Stewart and Ballerina Farm share an entrepreneurial spirit, transforming the domestic sphere into a business opportunity. By contrast, Smith’s focus is less commercial and more ideological, emphasizing homemaking as a moral or spiritual practice. But make no mistake, Nara Smith is also monetizing, but perception appears that philosophy/ethos is at the forefront. - Inclusivity vs. Exclusivity
Stewart’s brand catered to a wide audience, albeit upwardly mobile, blending accessibility with luxury. Tradwife influencers like Smith and Neeleman cater to niche audiences who aspire to their particular vision of femininity and tradition, which may feel exclusionary to those outside their demographic or cultural values. - Modernity vs. Nostalgia
While Martha Stewart embraced modern tools and innovation to elevate homemaking, tradwife figures often emphasize nostalgia, romanticizing pre-industrial or mid-century domestic ideals.
Bridging the Gap
Ultimately, Martha Stewart, Nara Smith, and Ballerina Farm reflect a shared appreciation for homemaking and self-sufficiency. However, they diverge in their framing of domestic life—Stewart as an empowering art deeply rooted in celebrating independence, Smith as a moral philosophy, and Ballerina Farm as a lifestyle brand.
Each offers a compelling narrative, and their popularity underscores the enduring appeal of the domestic sphere as a site of creativity, identity, and even rebellion against cultural norms. While Stewart laid the foundation for celebrating the home, the tradwife movement builds on this legacy, interpreting it through lenses of nostalgia and modern entrepreneurship.
Will the next generation of homemaking influencers continue this trend, or will the pendulum swing again? Perhaps the answer lies in the middle.
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