Yellowberry: Bras for the barely there blossomers

She is one smart chica.

All it took was one failed bra shopping trip with her 13-year-old sister for Megan Grassel (18-years-old) to create a Kickstarter campaign, solidify an idea, and start a company that is quickly revolutionizing the way 11-15 year olds shop for lingerie. Just check out the press she's already received.

Gone are the days of over-sexualized, animal print, push-up bras for your 12-year-old daughter. Now, there is an alternative.

Enter Yellowberry.

A bra brand that help teens and young girls feel confident in whatever they choose to wear. Megan's mission for the brand is simple, straightforward, and IMO, brilliant. She strives to "build a bra that is unique, colorful, and young made for all girls who love and enjoy their youthful, yellow stages in life." Each bra comes with a little note of wisdom attached to the tag such as "Go barefoot," "Water the flowers everyday," and "Campfires are rare: eat as many marshmallows as you can" just to name a few.

As a girl who blossomed early, this would have really benefitted me. Trying to find bras that were age-appropriate, comfortable, and not obviously/embarrassingly "training-bras" was tough. With Yellowberry, Megan has definitely found a nitch that needs her.

In a video interview featured on the company's website, Megan explains how she came up with the name Yellowberry:

"If you look at a berry, or at a fruit, before it's fully ripened, its just this yellow berry, and you can't rush those stages. But for a girl, those yellow stages are our teenage years when you're growing up and becoming a woman. That's what makes you who you are. That's what Yellowberry is about."

Girls can choose between several bra styles and colors, including Budding Berry, Bug Bite, Tiny Teton, and Tweetheart (snapshots of the bras are below).

I'm really digging this idea, and I can't wait to see how far Yellowberry goes. I think it's going to be cool to see how Megan and Yellowberry impact the bra industry. I'll follow up with this, and keep you guys posted!

friday snapshots

Some random snapshots I captured throughout the week... all the things that made me smile!

Happy weekend, y'all!

a casual drive, sunroof open, windows down.

iced vanilla macchiato = heaven in a cup

white denim (it's never too early) and sandals. Spring is finally here.

my little man, Bruiser, in all his roly-poly glory

Spring is in the air!

"She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbor:
'Winter is Dead.'"
-A.A. Milne, When We Were Very Young

No outfit post is complete without a selfie :)

This shirt/sweater duo is gearing up to be one of my favorite outfits for Spring. The floral print paired with the bright cardi is as easy-breezy as it gets. Colorful, feminine, and effortless.

Want to Get Jessed Up? 

Floating-Floral Cotton Shirt c/o Talbots, $69.50

V-Neck Cardigan c/o Talbots, $79.50

Wedges, Franco Sarto, $59.95

Local Event: Fashion Truck Gathering!

To my local Maryland readers - this post is for you!

I recently found out about this event and wanted to give you guys a heads up:

You know food truck gatherings? Think that, but swap food for fashion.

On Saturday, April 26th, from 12:00 - 6:00 pm, Baltimore's first accessories-only mobile boutique, Side Dish, will host its first outdoor fashion event, Boulevard of Chic. This will be the first of its kind: a fashion truck rally. Count. Me. In.

Here's the scoop: The Boulevard of Chic is more than just a reason to shop. It's a celebration of the entrepreneurial spirit that has seeped it's way into mobile retail. Its mission is to bring savvy biz owners together and promote a "shop local" spirit. There's going to be bunch of different mobile boutiques, including fashion retailers and one-stop mobile beauty shops. Some of the vendors include Urban Pearl, Curvy Chix Chariot, Side Dish, and Loving My Lashes. More info on the fashion trucks in attendance can be found here.

And of course, as with any good truck gathering, there will be local food trucks in attendance. WIN.

P.S. Doing Good Never Looked So Good
There's a raffle! Enter the Boulevard of Chic raffle for a chance to win gifts from each of the vendors. The combined prize value is over $500, and proceeds from the ticket sales go to the MD SPCA, a non-profit organization improving the lives of pets and people in the Maryland community. More info here.

Again:
Saturday, April 26th
12 - 6 pm.
1220 Key Highway
Baltimore, MD 21230

Doesn't this sound like a fun girl's day idea?! I think so. Shop local. Walk around. Eat from a truck. Get beautified. The ideal Saturday afternoon if you ask me. 

Who's in?

a sunny afternoon

Go home, Maryland. You're weather drunk.

A couple days ago, it was 70 degrees outside and I broke out my first sundress of the season. Then, not even 3 days later: snow and sleet. Riddle me that.

Suffice to say, I took full advantage of the wonderful weather. Enter: new fave sundress, sandals, and sunnies. And in an effort to soak in as much sun as possible (because I had a feeling the first sign of summer would be short-lived), I sat outside on my lunch break to catch some rays.

Full length shot of the dress

Close up of the pattern. One of the panels is a gorgeous sheer lace.

obligatory selfie with fresh bouquet

Want to Get Jessed up?

Mossimo Illusion Maxi Dress: $34.99

Side note--

I love this dress because it reminds me of something I could find at Free People... but I got it at Target! The earthy tones, lightweight panels, and sheer lace are definitely elements I love in my favorite pieces from Free People. However, sadly realistically my budget doesn't exactly allow for that kind of shopping right now. That said, here are some of the dresses I am dreaming of in the meantime:

Intimately Love Me Loves Me Not Maxi, $108

Candela Ami Pieced Lace Maxi, $285

Edie Gurl Maxi, $98

What's your go-to sundress style for summer? 

Beach Bunny Body

I learned about Beach Bunny Swimwear last year when I saw one of their ads featuring Kate Upton.

Here is some of the current campaign featuring Kate (because we're on a first name basis):

[Sidenote: I love Kate Upton. I love that she doesn't hide her curves. I love that she isn't rail thin. I love that she embraces her body and rocks the hell out of a bikini.]

Anyway, ever since I discovered the brand, I've wanted to own one of their bathing suits. Though it's been almost over a year, I've not yet purchased one for myself for a few reasons:

1) The bathing suits are pretty pricey. They range from $109 - $250 for both pieces.
2) If I am going to spend that kind of money on a bathing suit, I would like my body to be in much better shape. If I am going to own it, I want to own it, and feel good about myself when I'm in it.
3) I've got no where to wear it. I feel like those bathing suits are a little... much... for your average neighborhood pool.

So, here's what I'm thinking:

I am going to challenge myself, with the reward being purchasing one of the Beach Bunny bathing suits.

If I lose 15-20 lbs., I will gift myself a bikini from Beach Bunny. I will also take a long weekend and go somewhere, whether it's the beach or a resort in Atlantic City. Just somewhere to break in my new suit other than the pool in my apartment community.

This is going to be tough for me. I don't get enough any exercise, which of course I take full responsibility for considering the fact I've been a huge slacker and haven't been to the gym in two, going on three, years. I need to get my behind back into shape, and the first step is obviously going to the gym. Secondly, I need to eat better. It's not that I go through fast food drive-thru's all the time, because actually, I don't eat fast food at all! (I don't consider Subway or Panera fast food, but for the sake of this challenge, I'll remove them from my diet for the time being). I do, however, snack. A lot. All the time. I am a BIG snacker, so I'll need to curb that habit pretty significantly for this to be successful.

For the record, the goal for this challenge is not to lose a ton of weight.  Realistically, I know that won't happen. However, I do need to lose 15-20 lbs. to be healthy. I need to gain lean muscle and tone up. Overall, I am proud of my body and am comfortable with the curves that I have. I am not proud, however, of the Pillsbury doughboy effect that has enveloped my stomach and thighs.

There's no deadline for this challenge, but I do hope to achieve it over the next couple of months. If it takes until the end of the summer, or if it takes until the end of Fall, I'll be happy with that (and go somewhere warm once it's colder here so I can better enjoy the sunny weather!).

Here are some of the suits I am eyeing right now:

Knitted Zig Zag Balconette Bikini, $215

Sexy Sequin Lace Bikini, $170

All Eyes on Me, $179

Yes. That's Chrissy Teigen. I love her as much as I love Kate Upton, probably more, mainly because I am jealous of her marriage with John Legend. They have to be the hottest couple on the planet. Have to be.

So wish me luck. It's going to be a tough couple months of trying to eat right, increase my activity levels, and get back on track. With your support, it will be much easier. Here we go!

Until next time,

GJU

My week on Instgram

It's been a very Instagram-worthy week.

Orioles played the Red Sox on their Opening Day at Camden Yards. I ate way too much at my parent's dinner party, particularly overdid it with the Smith Island Cake. I tried a couple of new hair styles. I enjoyed a Sunday brunch overlooking the water in Baltimore. And lastly, I spent quality couch time with Bruiser. Here's my week as seen on Instagram :)

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