Let me say it clearly: She was not wrong on this one.
We are all indoctrinated into a culture where, for women, marriage equals good and single equals bad. The traditional heterosexual setup—two kids included—is put on a pedestal. That life isn’t wrong. It’s just not the only way to be happy. (Sorry, Vice President Vance, but not all of us “childless cat ladies” are “miserable.”)
Ross is proof of that. She is in the spotlight living a fulfilling life, unashamed of her relationship status. Never waiting for a partner to do the thing—buy the house, start the business, go on the trip. On social media, there’s a meme of the “rich auntie,” the relative who rolls in with designer luggage, oversized sunglasses, red lipstick, and endless tales of adventure. The woman who showers kids with love (and birthday money) before jet-setting off to the next business trip or solo vacation. Ross is the internet’s rich auntie. Most people take “rich” as a sign of net worth, but Ross is also rich in self worth.
Acne dress. Paris Texas sandals.
“Luxury, to me, is the space to be with oneself, to know oneself, to enjoy your own company, or at least to give yourself space to be in your own company,” she tells me. “I think everyone deserves to find a sense of luxury in their life.”
If that is Ross’s definition of a luxe life, then she is living it. This month, her show Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross debuts on the Roku Channel. In it, she bounces from Morocco to Mexico to Spain, exemplifying what it’s like to travel alone. When describing the show to me, she explains how it’s about more than just exploring interesting destinations.
“Can you be yourself, by yourself out in the world?” she poses. “It’s one thing to discover who you are, and it’s another to have the courage to be that person. And then it takes even another layer to do that when you’re not in your comfort space. Travel, for me, is a way to give myself a chance to wander, ponder, and be.”
“Most of the places I go, I’m the most important person in the room…. I find it a real relief when that’s not the case.”
These Solo Traveling trips include basking in pools and spa treatments, shopping local boutiques, wandering through gardens, or sitting down to a 6 p.m. dinner reservation with her iPad—all while wearing colorful clothes. (The many outfits that Ross packs are the supporting actors in this show.) However, any solo traveler knows that it’s not all fabulous. She also shows the monsoon weather, the flight delays, and the food poisoning. And much of the show is self-shot, adding to its intimate energy.
