My New Favorite Store: Terry Jolo Brand

As I was preparing my camera and notes for my interview last Wednesday, I approached the boutique window, and I have to say I was impressed with this chic little shop the minute I laid eyes on their display in the window. Before me was a gorgeous handmade orange maxi skirt paired with a perfectly tailored bright teal blouse. That's the moment I knew I was going to fall in love with the clothes designed by Terry.

Of course you want to know what amazing boutique I'm referring to and it is no other than Terry Jolo Brand. I am very excited to announce that I recently had the opportunity to work and collaborate with Terry and her crew of fabulous designers and seamstresses! So you know what that means? This article is going to take you behind the scenes of one of the chicest boutiques in the Pittsburgh area as well as tell you all about their process. Ready to get the run down?

Terry Jolo Brand Logo Tee

The Owner, Terry

Of course I have to start with the woman behind the name and gorgeous work at Terry Jolo Boutique. First when meeting her she instantly made me feel comfortable. Her welcoming and down to earth attitude were truly the highlight of my interview with her, and of course it was wonderful hearing what she had to say about the industry, she really knows her stuff!

As she should, while in conversation, Terry had mentioned that, much like me, from the time the time she was a young girl, she always had a passion for making clothes (this started with styling and tailoring hand made clothes for her dolls).

Terry moved here in 2002 from South Africa, and of course her love of designing began to flourish even more. She purchased her first sewing machine in high school and continued on to higher education at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh which she graduated from in 2012.

Terry (left) and Kayla (right) doing an after hours photo shoot at the boutique.

The Boutique

Now, Terry is still running her boutique as she has been for the past two and a half years. Wondering what makes her boutique and brand so special? Well I personally thought it was a huge deal that they make every article of clothing in house. That's right. Their studio is attached to the boutique. They also make custom creations, and as their mission statement says: "We don't  like to say 'we can't'. It doesn't matter what the project is, we will make it work." This being said I think it's safe to say that Terry Jolo takes customer care to a whole new level. 

Another fun fact about this boutique is that they didn't just stop at clothing. Terry also markets a line of all natural mineral make-up as well as launching her own fragrance line containing both perfume and cologne. (I have to admit they both smell amazing and I will definitely be adding the perfume to my collection.) 

One Last Silly Snapshot of Me in an Awesome Furry Purple Vest (could it be featured in my next #OOTD?!): 

Want to check Terry Jolo out for yourself? You can find them at the following websites:

Terry Jolo

Nineteenth Amendment

Macy's

Or if you want to check it out in person and meet Terry and her talented crew, the address is:  

Terry Jolo Brand 2724 E Carson St, Pittsburgh, PA 15203

Hours of operation: 

Monday: Closed

Tuesday-Saturday 12PM-8PM

Sunday: 12PM-5PM

Ever shopped at Terry Jolo Brand or has this article inspired you to stop in? Tell me about it in the comments!

Until next time,

Xx, Bree 

Mixtape Mondays (Featured on Everybody Loves You)

I am happy to  announce that I got to work with yet another Pittsburgh blogger this week! Alex (@AlexanderFIV) gave me the opportunity to join in on his weekly blog post Mixtape Monday. His post this week features  a mixtape of 12 of my favorite songs. Curious what kind of music I dig? You can check out my mixtape here at Everybody Loves You. Dig my taste in music? Let me know in the comment section below!

Fascino: Charm Yourself

It’s Thursday evening, about 8 p.m., and my interviewees are fashionably late because lets face it: Finding a decent parking place in Pittsburgh’s South Side on “Thirsty Thursday” is like finding the holy grail.

The pub where this meeting is taking place is a quaint little spot called “The Urban Tap,” and as I take a look around I note that it’s a stylish little place which I have to admit is fitting, considering I was there to meet with Kelly Williamson and Stephanie Christiana, two up and coming personal stylists, and if that’s not cool enough, check this: They own a kick-ass boutique by the name of “Fascino,” where you can find loads of unique and stylish clothes.

When Stephanie and Kelly walk in the door, the first thing I notice is how on-point their outfits were. Kelly was wearing a pair of distressed boyfriend jeans, black heeled strappy sandals, a black top, along with a gorgeous white stone necklace. While Stephanie kept it simple with a black floral print romper, a slightly-heeled nude pumps, and I was stoked to learn that both the ladies’ wardrobes came from Fascino.

As they approach the table, both girls are very bubbly. We say our hellos and, almost in unison, the girls say, “So we are basically wearing each other’s styles this evening.” Stephanie goes on to explain that her style is normally more classic with lots of neutrals and statement jewelry, while Kelly’s is normally very colorful and girly. Upon talking with them some more, I notice that they are very in-tune with one another, which is obviously why they are so well-matched to run a business.

So how did these two ladies meet? Well the two met at Bigham Tavern, where they both worked as waitresses. Whilst talking to one another they both agreed that they were wanting to do something more creative and fulfilling to their interests, and it just so happened that both these women helped out their friends a ton when it came to fashion, styling, and choosing outfits!

So the girls got a “crazy” — but not really crazy — idea: Why don’t the two of us start a boutique?

I suppose the first thing about starting a boutique is “What do we name it?” So the girls explain that they name their boutique Fascino because it means “charm” in Italian, and considering that their slogan is “charm yourself,” it’s pretty damn fitting!

Another perk about the girls and the boutique is that they are willing to personally help you shop for your shape and style, and they do it for FREE! The reason they do this is just to be charitable, and because they want to give women confidence and make them feel good about themselves. (At least as of now they would like to work out a way to keep this feature, but as we all know, time is valuable!)

The next thing I loved about their shop is that they have a large variety for a very large demographic, stemming from 18 to 40, and it seriously works! My mom, in her 50s, loves and rocks their clothes as much as I do. (I guess you can say I got my sense of style from her.)

Lastly, I want to tell you about Fascino’s trunk shows simply because there's one coming up this Sunday, May 31st, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., Bigham Tavern, Mount Washington, PA. Yup, that’s where they met!

What to expect from this? 

• First off loads of surprise items exclusive to trunk show attendees only (until after the show of course!) 
• Refreshments including mimosas and appetizers 
• And of course loads of shopping, and basically playing dress-up!

Come on! What more could you want?!

Also please take notice that if you want a trunk show of your very own, just check it out here to set it up and see what its all about! 

Last notes:

The girls (and me of course!) want to say thank you for reading about them and supporting them. All three of us hope to see you at the trunk show Sunday (I will be there mingling as well as photographing the event!), and we want you to know that Fascino is here to stay!

#OOTD follow-up shoot coming soon I have Stephanie's romper in white! And just a random note: God I wish I had Kelly's curly locks! 

Wanna shop? Just click Fascino