Dazey LA x Marloe - Feature and collab clutches 

I met Analisa of Marloe a few months back when she reached out to me via email. She initially proposed doing a collaborative shoot but after looking at her website I had more in mind! I instantly feel in love with her gorgeous leather goods. She fuses simplicity with unique design elements giving the bags a unique twist. I also love the bright pops of colors she throws into the mix!

We met up for coffee and discussed details on how we could work together. I began carrying a handful of her bags in the Dazey Lady Shop, a section of our site dedicated to selling and supporting other female entrepreneurs. I also began carrying her bags on my body everyday LOL ;) The pink layover tote fits my laptop perfectly and is so comfortable to wear! I also use the black bucket bag as my everyday go-to purse! They were doing so well on the site that when Analisa approached me about a collab I was SO on board. I've always wanted to see my designs on leather. The two pieces came out gorgeous and I am so proud of them. Nothing like working with a fellow female on an amazing project!

Below we have a full feature on the boss babe behind the brand and on our collab pieces! Analisa began sewing all the bags herself out of her house before moving to her current studio. I love small beginnings stories like this. Be sure to check out all the fun Q & A's, photos, and our collaborative designs below! 

SHOP OUR COLLAB & HER BAGS HERE

1) What were you doing before Marloe? Walk us through your career up until the point you began your company!

No success story is simple. Mine is a success story of emotional roller coaster proportions. I quit my stable job as a visual merchandiser to set off on my own in order to discover a new me. What an undertaking! I was interviewing over and over for various creative jobs in leading companies, but there were no call backs. I was broke and unemployed for almost a year leaving me with no choice but to go back to retail in order to pay the bills. Funny enough, I met my soon to be husband, at the company that hired me for sales. He knew that retail was not where I wanted to be so he encouraged me to do some creative volunteer work on the side. I left retail once again to volunteer my time at a well known, leading event company based in LA. I learned so much from them but the biggest take away was a simple pile of faux suede that they threw away. Which I naturally scooped up for a creative project.

I volunteered two days a week and the rest of my days were spent job hunting. Again, I was down on my luck. No one wanted to hire me for creative positions. In order to fill my time, I started messing with that pile of fabric that the event company threw away. I decided I was going to finally master the art of using a sewing machine. That was easier said than done. It was awful! I couldn't sew a straight line to save my life!

So I practiced until my lines got better. Then I taught myself how to make a tote. A few samples later, I finally made a somewhat presentable version of a tote. I had no intension of making a career out this, but my tote came in handy for my intense volunteer work. Part of my job description was driving and running errands all over the LA area, from Santa Monica to North Hollywood, to Downtown LA and back to Culver City, where the event company's HQ was located. Well to my surprise, everywhere I went, people wanted to know where I got my bag!

2) What got you into bag making? Are you self taught? Would love to hear about how began making them.

It all started when I used a tote that I made as a time filler project. I couldn't go anywhere without at least one person complimenting or asking where they could buy that same bag. I always laughed when people asked where they could buy one, only because I couldn't believe that my sewing skills had gotten so good, that my tote looked store bought.

So, my "ah-ha!" moment happened right after that experience. I thought, "Well, people are constantly asking about my tote, I am a walking billboard, why not start an online shop for my totes?!" So, I did just that. I had really good sales with orders coming in constantly. Eventually as Marloe grew, I stopped producing the faux suede totes and started making genuine leather product, which I also taught myself how to work with.

3) How long has Marloe been around? Would love to hear the journey of how it began.

Marloe officially turned three years old this year in March! We're still a very young company, but we've come a long way, and hopefully have a full journey ahead of us.

4) You now have an employee and your fiance helping you out! How have things changed since you first started?

At the beginning it was literally just me! I was a single lady boss running the show. It was crazy once I started to get more inquiries than I couldn't manage alone. It got to be pretty challenging to make all of the endless orders and still have the time for meetings and all that comes with running a business. My fiance came to the rescue and took over my sales and marketing sector. I have since hired a part time production assistant that does just that, assists me in the production of Marloe goods.

5) Production can always be tricky! How do you plan on scaling that as the company grows?

Marloe has already come so far since I started this company three years ago. I started making bags from my home office in this tiny nook. Now housed in a warehouse, I still want to make sure that everything is made in house to ensure quality and Marloe standards. Not to mention, being able to provide a fair price to my customers. 

As Marloe grows, I hope to continue to add to my production team and continue to produce Marloe goods in house. My goal is to always remain affordable without compromising quality.

6) What makes Marloe different than just grabbing a bag from a department store?

Each Marloe piece is hand prepped and handmade in our warehouse studio just outside of Long Beach, CA. I personally hand pick each leather and make sure that it's tough and durable while still being soft and buttery to the touch. I never want to sell anything to my customers that I wouldn't use myself. All of our bags are priced fairly because I make each bag by hand with the help of my in house production assistant.

Marloe goods are different in the sense that our bags are not mass produced. Most of our designs are made to order in small batches. We hand trace the pattern onto the leather, then hand cut. Every step in the process is thoughtfully handcrafted in house.

Each bag has a story behind it. I designed each piece based on my own personal style, travels, and experiences. Some of my designs are even named after important people in my life. The Martina Backpack is named after my Dad, Martin. He taught the art of being a business owner. I have never met a more hardworking person on the planet. The Leena Cross- Body was named after my Mom, Avelina (ah-veh-leena). She taught me that one handbag is never enough! (haha).

7) I love your unique and simple logo & name! How did you come up with it?

Simple was always the inspiration for coming up with a logo and a name. For weeks I wrote down words and phrases and weird word combos. After a few ideas, I knew I wanted my company to have a, single, strong, but also, feminine word/name. I then heard the name Marloe in a song and thought, PERFECT! It was exactly what I had pictured as the name for my company. Then I jumped on my computer and started designing my logo in AI.

8) So you have a side hustle still, tell us how and why you choose to balance both.

I had no real need of getting a side job other than I missed visual merchandising. I'm naturally very good at it and it's weirdly therapeutic for me.

I do the majority of the visual merchandising at 6th and Detroit, a vintage home goods shop in downtown Long Beach, CA. It sounds crazy and oxymoronic, but merchandising at 6th and Detroit is my zen. It's my spa day two days a week. It's pretty insane having a side gig while running a very busy and successful company, but I love it. It's something that is quite fun for me.

I want people to understand that it's a different era. You have to do what makes you happy. If you want to have multiple jobs then you should do all the things you want to do. Now, don't get out of hand and start a million different projects but if you can do at least two things that you love at the same time, then do it!

It took me a long time to let go of what people might think. I was afraid for a long time that my customers would no longer think of Marloe as a successful and legitimate business if they saw me working part time at a shop, but there's something to be said about people who can do both. It's incredibly humbling to walk into my office and run the show, answer emails from big companies wanting to work with Marloe and then two days a week answer to another lady boss and still feel powerful.

9) What does being a Dazey Lady mean to you?

To me, being a Dazey Lady means always supporting fellow women. I feel that society has engraved in women's mind to think of each other as competition. I think that stems from the fact that even though, times are changing, there still is a lack of opportunities for women. Which forces us to compete for that one job.

I think is time to change that mentality and start encouraging change. Let's work together and push each other to do better and to be better.

This video explores the full process Dani of Dazey LA takes to design, manufacture, shoot, and release a collection. A true behind the scenes look into running and creating a fashion brand. Follow all the small business fun @dazey_la where we share BTS daily!

There is a lot that goes into the making of a clothing collection and this is my best shot at breaking down the process into five easy steps! I can only speak from my personal knowledge and attest to what works for me. Hope you find it helpful :)

We made a full video on the topic with the amazing Marissa Rascon of Reel Rad Films. Please check out the vid along with the steps broken down in words and images below!

Step 1: Find your theme and inspiration

It can seem daunting to design a whole collection! A great way to get started is to come up with a theme. For this collection I wanted a tropical look mixed with positive verbiage promoting self love. Once I had that established it was much easier to plan the designs to match.

I can pull inspiration from everywhere and anywhere. Once I go into "inspiration hunting mode" I find it in all sorts of places. Sometimes that means coming up with an idea while I'm walking around the street or as simple as scrolling through Pintrest. There's not some big secret to being hit by inspiration, you just have to look for it.

I jot down all of these ideas in my phone so when it comes time to design I have a good list to go off of. I write little descriptions for each idea, and then find a few inspiration photos to reference. I put those photos right next to the blank page I am designing on.The trick is pulling bits and pieces from each inspiration image to create something totally new. I do all of my designs in Adobe Illustrator using a drawing tablet and then texture in Photoshop. It's very important to me that each graphic has a hand drawn feel and vintage vibe to it.

Step 2: Merchandising

This is a super fun step! At this point I have all the designs created but no solid color story or idea the fashion bodies yet. I play with all sorts of options and colors and see what works best.

Coming up with colors has a lot to do with the season and feel of the collection theme! For the Summer of Self Love collection I wanted warm and fun colors that reminded people of a sunny day at the beach. I went for a playful pink and rich cognac to add that pop of color! There is even a splash of teal in two of the designs to add that tropical feel. I try to tie those colors into all of the graphics to make everything look cohesive. Good merchandising is all about making a collection that looks solid together! 

We have our classic tee as a staple but I usually design some special cut & sew bodies (term for the blank tee) to make the collection more unique. A lot of tee brands buy blanks from other companies and just print their design & logo on them. At Dazey we wanted to make everything custom just for us! Often times I use flat photos of tee bodies and manipulate them in photoshop to look like a brand new design. For example, the tanks you see below are just photos of the tees with the arms cropped off haha. If it's a totally new body I have to create it from scratch in Adobe Illustrator making a flat illustration. 

Once I have all the bodies and color story it's time to match the graphics to the tees! I line up all the bodies in photoshop and plop the graphics on top to get a visual. This process can take some time to get right. I do two color and body offerings per graphics so I try to make them different enough, yet still work on both bodies and color-ways! 

Step 3: Production

A necessary evil. Finding a great factory to work with is key. Luckily, I have an awesome production partner who is really great at bringing my ideas to life. We also get along famously and have such a fun time working together! We met though one of my freelance clients at a trade show, networking and putting yourself out there is so important.

My production partner is on board with my mission to make things locally to order. We do this in an effort to avoid waste and create the best quality garment. They sew small batches of the blank bodies and as the orders come in they will print the graphics via a screen printing process. The tricky thing with going about creating the clothing in this way is it takes time! Hence my adoption of the phrase, "Slow Fashion." 

I send the team over my mock up of the collection and they get to sampling. Once they have the first samples of the bodies I will try them on and make adjustments on fit and color. Once the bodies are approved they will do the prints and then deliver the full collection ready for the shoot! 

Step 4: Shooting the Collection

This is what really brings everything to life! I love putting the clothes on the models and seeing new Dazey in action.

I choose to do my own photography to keep everything cohesive and on brand for Dazey. Shooting graphic tees can be tricky so I'm extra careful about the models poses and hair placement. Plus I love taking pictures haha. 

All of my lookbook shoots are a huge collaborative effort. I invite other female entrepreneurs to join in so we can all benefit with killer content. We also benefit from cross promoting each other's brands in posts. I often work on a trade basis, like trading graphic designs or photos, so most of my shoots don't cost me a dime. For this shoot Marissa of Reel Rad Films approached me with the idea of making a video and hooked up the epic location though her friend Michelle of 6th and Detroit. We pulled in a jewelry designer to dress up the Dazey and the models even helped style with pieces from their clothing line, Monatazami Brand. A 4th generation lei maker contacted me via Instagram about collaborating and I knew it would just be perfect for the vibe :) These are just a few examples!

All the Dazey Ladies involved in this shoot and video:

Step 5: Going Live

Lastly, I have to get everything up on the site and make some serious commotion about the new collection! I use Shopify to host my website and it makes it pretty easy (yet sometimes time consuming) to upload products. I make sure to post photos showing off the garments from every angle. Descriptions are very important too for an online store since people can't see and feel the goods in person. Be as specific as possible naming fabrics and dimensions. On top of the technical stuff be sure to write a little story about the inspiration behind the piece and what it means to you. When it's all ready, go ahead and publish... ahhh!

Then you have to promote! Post everywhere and anywhere. I'm talking emails blasts, multiple Instagram posts, Insta story, Facebook, Pintrest- basically all the platforms you have. Have your fellow collaborators post that day too so you can really hype it up. Then all you have to do is watch the sales come in haha, though this can take time! 

Shop this full collection HERE :)

NEW Summer of Self Love Collection!

Aloha Dazey Ladies! So excited to release our biggest collection yet. A play on words derived from the "summer of love" concert in the late 60s, The Summer of Self Love collection was designed to promote body positivity and inspire women to know their worth! We believe every woman is unique and amazing :) There can be so much comparison and self deprecation in these crazy days of social media. I wanted these tees to reinforce that YOU ARE VALUABLE. Every time a girl wears her Dazey I want her to feel bold, beautiful, and confident. A little reminder that she is not alone but apart of a the Dazey Lady community!

All the graphics have a playful and tropical touch. I'm obsessed with vintage tiki culture and signage so you will definitely see some of that inspiration in there. We added two amazing new color ways, sun bleached pink and cognac. Both match our new collab swim suits like a dream! We brought back the best selling t-shirt dress, added two amazing new tank styles, and a killer velvet tracksuit with amazing glitter inks!!! All hand drawn with love and made in LA as always :) We hope you love it as much as we do!! 

Xx- Dani Dazey

Models: @HannaMontazami & @SaraMontazami

Video: @ReelRadFilms & @timandco

Music: @OfficiallyQuigley

Photographer/Designer: @DaniDazey

Location & Furniture: @6thandDetroit

Jewelry: @JulzJunkieJewelry

Earrings/Wall hangings: @TheLittleAvocadoShop

Lei crowns: @LeisByLeilani

Dazey Lady Swimwear collaboration! 

Just in time for summer our swimsuit collab is HERE! Stoked to partner with fellow Lady Boss Sarah of Swim Like a Mermaid on these suits. We used a few of her best selling swim bodies combined with a custom pattern hand drawn by Dani Dazey. Each suit is handmade right here in Los Angeles with incredible fabrics fused with our original Dazey Design. Below you can see a video Dani made showing the process of designing the pattern in super fun fast motion! We love to give you guys a peak into the design process to show all the love and hard work we put into each product! 

I met Sarah in the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey and we have worked together on quite a few photoshoots and pop-up shops. I was beyond excited when she asked to design a suit with Dazey! Having spent most of my career in graphic tees, doing textile design is always a treat.

I was inspired by my childhood growing up in California. Each year my parents let me pick one swimsuit out and I always went for the quirkiest, most colorful 90s prints! I wanted to design a suit that gave me that sweet feeling of spending summers by the beach as a kid. It's playful, colorful, and quirky. I like to call them the "Sweet Suits"! Say hello to happy, tropical, tutti-frutti fun that'll give you all the summer feels :)

Dazey LA was launched exactly one year ago and wow what an amazing year it has been! Dazey has grown so much faster than I ever could have imagined thanks to all the amazing women who have supported me. It would not have been possible without all you Dazey Ladies! What started as a way to have freedom with my workday and designs has grown into so much more. Dazey has become a mission to empower women.

When I started Dazey I always planned on making positive tees with a feminist twist, but I didn't know it would become a company all about supporting fellow females. It started with my silly Instagram videos showing behind the scenes of building a business. I would share all my tips and tricks on design and photography. In the name of transparency I would even show the tough things, both the highs and lows of running a business. Out of that conversations started. I met other female entrepreneurs and we would collaborate and cross promote. People began to join me in my entrepreneurial journey, and a community formed around it.

After a while I wanted Dazey to be about more than just my journey, so I launched the Dazey ZINE. It was a way for me to shine a spotlight on girls who inspired me. I was also able to use it to go more in depth with my girl boss topics! Now I'm ready to go one step further and am so excited to announce: THE DAZEY LADY SHOP!

The Dazey Lady shop is a new section of our website dedicated to selling goods made by our favorite female entrepreneurs. We have curated only the best in girl boss goodies! I think it's an awesome way to further our community and mission. Not to mention a lot of them match perfectly with our Dazey tees ;) 

My goal is for the Dazey Lady shop to slowly grow as we discover even more inspiring brands. We will also be opening submissions! I want Dazey LA to be a one stop shop where you can easily browse and discover amazing products made by equally amazing girl bosses. We believe where you spend your money matters. By shopping with small, female-owned brands you are enabling women to follow their dreams have financial freedom while doing it. Forget the glass ceiling, we're over here building our own! On each product page you can learn about the Dazey Lady behind the brand and even find their ZINE features and social media links. You will know exactly where the goods are coming from and all the love that is put into each item. Purchase with purpose my friends! 

SHOP the Dazey Lady Goodies HERE!

Meet the Dazey Lady: Kailee

See Kailee's Dazey Lady Zine Feature Here!

I'm With The Band is a line of accessories by Kailee Steward. IWTB started with a vision to combine all the things she loves (music, fashion, health and well-being) and make it something rad and tangible. Kailee is super inspired by the music, culture, fashion and attitude of the 60s and 70s. A lot of the bands are named as a homage to her favorite rock stars, icons and muses. Her goal is to do what she loves and to spread light, love, positivity and good vibes while doing it. She carefully sources all of her fabrics for the highest quality and comfort, all with the environment and leaving the lightest footprint possible in mind. Many of I'm With The Band's pieces are limited edition, this is to make them special, unique and exciting for the babes that snag these pieces.

Follow Kailee on Instagram: @im_with_the_band_headbands 

Meet the Dazey Lady: Nikia

SHOP the Dazey Lady Goodies HERE!

Meet the Dazey Lady: Megan

See Megan's Dazey Lady Zine Feature Here!

SHOP the Dazey Lady Goodies HERE!

Meet the Dazey Lady: Julz

 

See Juliets's Dazey Lady Zine Feature Here!

Owner and designer Juliet Silva grew up in Los Angeles and is a true Southern California Native. As a young child she would do anything creative she could get her hands on. She is self taught in jewelry making and all items are made by hand in her home studio. What first started as a fun hobby has turned into a passion she truly loves doing everyday. She has learned the ropes from one of the best jewelry designers in Los Angeles, and thrives to become the best at what she does. Each piece is designed and created with lots of love and detail by Juliet herself.

Follow Juliet on Instagram: @julzjunkiejewelry

 

Meet the Dazey Lady: Dominique

Follow Doma on Instagram: @stone.and.spirit

_

When Dazey launched almost a year ago we started with a few posters along with the tees. We shifted our focus fully onto the tees and decided to take the posters off the site. Well, after many requests they are BACK and better than ever! Printed right in our office with a super high quality printer onto thick card stock paper. They have slight variations that make them unique and an almost screen printed look. 

Just as with our tees, our posters are designed to empower women on a daily basis with inspiring words and rad designs! We are proud to have a female artist owned company and each print is signed by Dani Dazey herself! Hand drawn with love in LA, we snapped some photos in Dani's home featuring her and the artwork.

Shop the pretty posters HERE, only $20 each!

Photos via awesome customer @laurentaylorgates!

Dazey has become a platform for women of all walks to share their journeys. Dazey ladies are everyday girls choosing to be brave and share their thoughts and ideas with the world. These girls are the fire and heart behind this brand and I'm so happy to share it with them!

A few months back we had our big #dazeyladycontest! To enter girls posted on Instagram sharing what they were doing to follow their dreams. It was amazing and beyond inspiring to see what everyone had to say. Our big winner was Juliet of Julz Junkie Jewelry. You can see her full Dazey Lady feature HERE.

There were so many beautiful and vulnerable entries I couldn't pick just one. I ended up choosing 10 runner ups and I'm so excited to feature them below! Their photos are shown along with their entry and/or piece of advice they wanted to give to their fellow Dazey Ladies.

If you are ready to get super emotional and want to see everyone's entries you can check out the hashtag HERE!

Xx- Dani Dazey

Rebecca Eichten
@rebecca eichten

"My advice is: take the leap to follow your dreams and passions! It will be scary, but that's when you know it's worth it. Allow the space between where you are and where you want to be INSPIRE you and not scare you! Don't be afraid to ask questions and learn from the people around you--share your skills and collaborate."

Her Entry:

"A little over a year ago I started my journey of ​turning art into to a full time job.

To say that I did everything right and made no mistakes would be a big fat lie - I had no idea how my dream would take shape, but I knew what I wanted to do, and that was make art. I quit my job, and hit the ground running. I said YES to every job that came my way - sign painting, graphic design, woodwork, florals, painting, calligraphy, installations, murals, photography--anything, you name it! I make mistakes and am learning every damn day.

More than anything though, the best part thus far has been meeting and working with so many creative, passionate, and supportive people.
My biggest piece of advice? Surround yourself with positive people, and don't be afraid to ask questions!! Collaborate with the people around you, be supportive, learn from each other.

I am so proud to be a part of a community of women & men who are following their dreams, inspiring and supporting each other along the way!"

Samantha Saverin
@samantha.saverin

"Live a life of uncharted adventures, you never know what the universe has in store for you. Embrace the highest frequency of yourself each and everyday, and find courage within yourself to lose sight of the shore."

Her Entry: 

"Feeling inspired by @dazey_la and the #dazeyladycontest to share a little bit about myself: I live by the mantra "live life uncharted," this is because when taking risks in life it is impossible to know how they will end up, but without them we can never embrace our highest frequency of ourselves. Recently I moved from Missouri to Los Angeles to follow my dream of becoming a Marine Biologist and Filmmaker. Ive always had an innate attraction to the ocean and all the surprises hidden beneath its waves, making my dream feel like a natural path. In the course of recent events I've realized how important this passion is not only to myself, but to the people and planet we all live on. I've realized I can make a difference and be a role model for girls aspiring to be women in science or those who may doubt they can change the world. I want to be a first responder in documenting the beauty and demise of our oceans. It is so crucial to protect our environment and if I've learned anything from many of my role models, it is that documentation initiates action. No matter how big or small your dream may be, it is important to take the risk and follow it. #dazeyla #dazeylady #empoweredwomen"

 

 

Shaiyanne
@bossladyshaiii

"When you start your own business, become the best resource you can possibly be. If you don't know how to do something, LEARN IT; and if you need help, COLLABORATE. Above all, create what you love and never loose sight of what fuels your passion. It's that passion that will help you overcome even the toughest of times."

Her Entry:

"@dolkii was a blog i launched while living in brooklyn in 2014 which turned into an online shop a year later and has since blossomed into my passion project and outlet of creatively to escape from the many pain points that come from working my 9-5. my sister, business partner, and sometimes biggest thorn in my hip @yasmindar (🤣😘❤) and i didn't know what to expect when we launched the store. we launched carrying brands we loved and soon realized that the pieces dolkii girls gravitated towards weren't always available at the showrooms. when i would go on buying trips i found myself buying to fill minimum order guidelines rather than to fill the needs of our girls. for a little bit, i felt our brand identity was starting to get lost in the random pieces we bought and for a few months it not only reflected in our sales, it reflected in the content we created and started affecting yas' and my relationship. we were always frustrated with each other and for a solid 2 weeks i remember thinking 'this is it. i tried the whole start your own business thing and it's not really working so i quit'. SO THAT WAS YEAR ONE 😳. thankfully, my biggest flaw is my biggest strength, in that im insanely stubborn. quitting, although it felt super easy, felt 100% wrong. so we went back to the drawing board. in the midst of this happening i decided to move back to LA and yasmin had her second baby, zoya. i spent weeks searching for new brands to carry, doodling ideas for a new creative direction, repinning boards of inspiration, studying the IG accounts of our dolkii girls to get a better sense of their lifestyle, and studying our best selling styles from year one. i started realizing that no brand out there is gonna fully satisfy what we want dolkii to represent, and by early 2016 it became clear .. we needed to launch our own collection 💪. so with an opportunity to host the june 2016 honolulu night + market fashion show and DTLA right in my backyard, we got to work. lemme just say that NO AMOUNT of fashion school or experience as a buyer will ever prepare you for creating your own line 😂 it took us 6 months to design and develop what became our summer collection of simple dresses, rompers and graphics tank tops. it was in these months of r&d that i stumbled upon a rad IG account by the name of @graphicteegirl and discovered dani's work as a freelance graphic designer and mega boss of 🌼@dazey_la🌼. for those of you who don't know, dani is the creative genius behind our best selling 'ALOHA VIBES' graphic (coming back in stock next month!).. but she's become so much more than that. she's a mega inspiration to our brand and (thru her IG stories) has taught me how to develop dolkii's voice and teach myself skills needed to accomplish anything from graphic design to photography and post editing. since following her journey, and the journey of other girlboss owned small businesses, ive learned to turn myself into the best resource i can be for dolkii. if i don't know how to do something, I LEARN IT; and if i need help, I COLLABORATE. so since revamping dolkii and launching our own label, we've basically sold out of almost everything lol 😅🤘because we create what we LOVE. and now we're teaching ourselves new skills like how to keep up with demand and work with proper production calendars! we're continuing to find our brand's voice and thru the content we create will always proudly represent our home state of hawaii, the aloha spirit, and girl power attitude as muslim-american daughters of hard working immigrant parents. 🌴🌺 MAHALO @dazey_la for all your guidance and positive spirit.. i might be breaking the rules with this one, but this #dazeyladycontest submission comes with two girlboss sisters for one 😉👯💖✨ #dazeyladies"

 

 

Tori Hinshaw
@torih8

 

"My passion is music history, and I'm not going to compromise that for other people's vision for my life. Music History sparks excitement in me like nothing else. I want to know who Muddy Waters was and how this Mississippi Delta native connects to a scrappy Englishman named Mick Jagger. Even though I'm only 19, I want to show people that no matter your age, you can do anything you set your mind to. I stand for the women who were told they couldn't do something or be who they wanted. I see you and I support you. Follow your dreams. Be your authentic self."

Her Entry:

"I was told to be a doctor. I was told to be an engineer. I was told to do all the things that were sure to make me money, but sure to make me unhappy. One day in high school, something just clicked. I knew immediately. My passion is history, and I’m not going to compromise that for other people’s vision for my life. Currently I am pursuing a double major in American Studies and Music. Music History sparks excitement in me like nothing else. I want to know who Muddy Waters was and how this Mississippi delta native connects to a scrappy englishman named Mick Jagger. I want to work to preserve the history of music so other people can enjoy it. Though I'm still in undergrad, I want to do all that I can to push me in the direction of success as a historian. Last spring, I was one of the first students to give tours at the seemingly lost to history site of the Highlander Folk School. I couldn’t imagine how a site that trained strong women in the Civil Rights movement such a Rosa Parks, Septima Clark, and Zilphia Horton could be virtually ignored by those living around it. I couldn’t imagine how a site that developed music like We Shall Overcome could ever be forgotten about. That’s why, this semester I am event coordinating An Evening At Highlander: a night of music, food, dancing, and awareness of the past. I formatted it as a historic re-enactment set in the 1940’s so maybe people will be able to see it as it was and connect to it in a way they otherwise couldn’t . Bringing together multiple departments across campus and several groups across the state of Tennessee is not proving to be easy, but I’m so happy to have the support of some amazing people. Even though I'm only 19, I want to show people that no matter your age, you can do anything you set your mind to. I stand for the women who were told they couldn’t do something or told they shouldn’t be this or that. I see you and I will support you. Follow Your Dreams. Be Your Authentic Self. #dazeyladycontest"

 Marisa Foley
@tothewandershop

"The number one thing I hear when people come into the shop is 'This is so inspiring! I WISH I could quit my job and do something' and I always tell them 'Go out and do it!' Don’t be afraid to feel the fear and do it anyway!"

Her Entry:

"Exactly 1 year ago today, I did a thing and bought an Airstream. In light of today and the #dazeyladycontest, I want to share my story! Nearly 2 years ago, I bought the domain www.thewandershop.com. I wasn’t sure exactly what it was going to be, but I knew I needed to get out of my corporate cubicle. After a couple months of brainstorming, I pulled the trigger, I quit my job and concentrated all of my efforts into creating a dream. Inspired by my love to travel, I knew The Wander Shop was destined for life on the road. After a few months of pop-up's in a tent, I found the perfect home for the shop, in a 1963 Airstream Overlander. She was run-down and worn-out, but she had character and most importantly, she was mine, a classic Americana. It took 63 long hardworking days, but thanks to family and friends we removed 53 years of dirt and brought her back to her prime. We opened the doors in April of 2016. The mothership is stationed at our homebase at Eucalyptus Gardens in Wilton Manors, a beautiful diverse community. We’ve also welcomed a new ship to the fleet, Vagabond, our wandering Airstream. I’m inspired by everyone who walks in and all of the makers and shakers. Listening to your stories gives me a purpose to inspire more. The Wander Shop has become more than just a boutique. It's an experience, a journey and a place to discover passion. I like to work with local artists because I believe in pursuing passion and supporting small!

I recently discovered @dazey_la and fell in love with her work and what she stands for. I knew The Wander Shop would be a great home for her designs. She spreads positive vibes and inspiration. She has inspired me to be more outspoken to spread the message that as women, we need to stand together and support each other! We need to love more and do more.
And most importantly, we need to keep each other going, we got this ladies!!!"

Lisa Prang

@lisamarieprang

Her Entry:

"Entering the #dazeyladycontest ⭐ Within the last few years I've really found my niche and haven't looked back since. I'm 21 years old and live in the heart of Michigan. I started fashion blogging three years ago and have never thought it would reach as many people as it has. I may not have 100k followers, but to me the 11k I do have, is so beyond amazing. My goal moving forward for my blog is to reach even more ladies in the future. Whether it's for fashion, positivity, confidence, or motivation. Along with blogging, I finished my bachelors of fine arts in graphic design degree in three years instead of four. I skipped out on many summer breaks so I could complete my degree and focus on my dreams. So now that I've been graduated for less than a year, I pursue graphic design both as a freelancer and contractor. --- Not only do I do graphic design, but I've been doing some marketing work on the side for an awesome shoe brand based in California! Even photography is a love of mine! I do freelance photography as well because capturing the littlest and biggest moments life has to offer is my favorite keepsake! • I've meet so many people along my journey and each person has inspired my life in many ways I never thought were possible. My boyfriend also is a huge supporter, we do long distance so he can pursue his dream of becoming an eye doctor. Although our passions are different, we are each other's biggest supporters. He is usually the one behind my camera for tons of my blog / Instagram posts 😉 So besides all that, I'm training to run a marathon 🏃🏼‍♀️ & I spend all my free time dedicated to my blog. My blog is my true passion. I'm working hard day by day to turn that passion into a living. Some may think I have too many things on my plate, but I absolutely love it and wouldn't change a thing for the world! ✨ #dazeylady #dazeyla"

Gabrielle McCarthy

@gab.mccarthy

"Be your own hype man, always. Nobody supports you better than you.
Some important advice.. Never give up. No matter how tired, how many times you've failed, no matter what anyone else is doing/how successful anyone else is. Even if you're starting off slow & rocky NEVER give up. The journey isn't always easy & that's okay. Just never give up. Work hard and stay humble."

Her Entry: 

"When i first heard of the #dazeyladycontest, i thought "What really could i write about myself?" Well I started my business @thistlesilverdesigns almost a year ago. If i said that silversmithing came naturally i would be a huge liar. I sucked so bad it took me a month to even successfully solder a simple ring - which totally looked terrible. I still have it to this day to remind myself how far i have come. I gotta tell ya, it isn't easy to do things with a 1 and a half year old little girl. Nap times turned into bench sessions. My house became neglected. Laundry and dishes piled high. The little sleep i was getting prior to taking on this craft became even less - late nights and early mornings were reoccurring. Trying to be successful AND being a wife and mother is not easy. I'm still constantly battling with how much i use my phone or spend my free time. I think anyone can agree - it's a battle just checking social media let alone social media as a business platform. I'm still constantly growing and figuring these things out as a business owner. April will be my one year anniversary and i cannot wait to see where i will be in another years time! .
.
I recently stumbled across @dazey_la and thought "wow.. what an amazing company" - A little side note about Dazey, the owner @danidazey is all about female empowerment, coming together in unity - rather than rivaling against one another. I dig that. I truly believe if everyone (especially women) worked together rather than competing, we would all be a little bit more successful. Don't get me wrong.. every company has to have that something that makes their company stand out and be successful. But spreading constant hate and negativity gets you nowhere real fast. i love everything that this company stands for and i would love to be featured as an artist on their blog. How rad would that be? Check out @dazey_la's website for some awesome apparel that'll remind you to keep the future foxy.. and to love more, already!
In the end I'm just a chick, who supports chicks (and dudes of course) and i happen to make jewelry. We are all just trying to make it out here, ya know!!?!?"

 

Stephanie Ringleb
@__nixks

        "Face that terrifying blank canvas and create a masterpiece from it."

Her Entry:

"I had a career. I had stability. I wasn't remotely happy. I was working 50+ hour weeks. Then one day, I woke up. I decided that day to quit my job. The next day, I bought the camera I had spent all my time drooling over. From there, I started something for myself. I started small, traveling all around my state capturing whatever inspired me. I grew from there, reaching out to models and aspiring models to collaborate with me. I started to make magic and now I feel an upward energy that I can pursue my passion of photography. I make a living by traveling around the state I love while meeting some of the greatest humans out there. I built my own studio under NIXKS photography and I haven't turned back since. I dropped everything to pursue this and not have any idea the outcome. But now I am an artist, a lady boss, a free and powerful woman."
 

Peyton Stilling
@peyton_stilling

 

"Being an Artist in the Music Industry has had its highs and lows, but I can't imagine doing anything else. Music brings me a joy like no other. Music has changed my life and I will continue to use it to give back to children with disabilities in every way possible. It's my responsibility to use and share my gift for the better! To all the girls out there, continue to build each other up and be supportive. Follow those dreams and take those risks. Following your passion will always pay off!"

Her Entry:

"Here's a lil about me: my music journey started almost two years ago, and I know this is just the beginning. if you know anything about me, it's that I strongly believe everyone is capable of accomplishing their dreams. that has been the fire that has kept me achieving my goals in the music industry. music has changed my life in ways I can't even describe. My main goal is to write and perform music that empowers others, and brings people together. Every part of this journey: writing music, to recording, playing a ton of shows, long nights, and rehearsals, has been worth it. I have been working very hard to raise money for various special needs non-profit organizations. I decided to combine my love for music and special needs care together. I have seen first hand how music can change and bring joy to special needs kids. I believe that everyone is given a gift and it's your responsibility to use it for the greater good. Special needs care has always held a special place in my heart and that's how that idea was sparked. I am excited for the future and what's in store. I am proud to be a #dazeylady"

I met Kailee of I'm With The Band Headbands a few months into Dazey. I spotted one of her bands on instagram and HAD to shoot them with the tees! We met up at a coffee shop so I could pull some pieces and ended up talking for hours. She's such a sweet soul and amazing lady! We have become good friends and help each others business out all the time. That's what female entrepreneurship is all about :)

A collab seemed necessary. We have been working on these babies for MONTHS and production was super tricky for these speciality prints. But it was worth it and they are finally out! Hand drawn with love by yours truly @danidazey and printed on Kailee's gorgeous velvet turbans. You can shop the collab pieces HERE.

Of of course in natural Dazey Lady fashion we had to feature the BABE behind the bands Kailee. She is a super girl boss who get's ish done. Creep her Dazey Lady words of wisdom below and our little magical shoot featuring all her bands along with our collab pieces!

www.im-with-the-band.com #BABESINBANDS

Huge thanks to Victoria lady boss of Wallflower SF for hanging during the shoot, styling, and snapping some BTS instax/duo photos :)

1) Dani - Tell us about your company! How did it start? How long have you been doing it?

Kailee - My company, I'm With The Band is a headwear company that creates amongst other things, headbands! It started with a vision to combine all the things I love (music, fashion, health and wellbeing) into one and make it something rad and tangible. My IWTB journey started 3 years ago.

2) Dani - What inspires you and gets you excited!?

Kailee - I get super inspired and excited by the music, culture, fashion and attitude of the 60s and 70s. I also get inspiration from all sorts of things like hand painted tiles, architecture, color, texture, other cultures and a little nature reset always helps!

3) Dani - What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced?

Kailee - As a small business you wear a lot of hats, so it can be a bit tricky to manage my time super well. Aside from achieving brand recognition, I'd say my biggest challenge is production and all the ins and outs of managing it whilst maintaining a product I'm super proud of and thrilled with.

4) What’s your #1 piece of advice you’d give to a girl trying to start a business?

Aim to do something you love and are passionate about and start anywhere. If you're passionate and believe in what you're doing it will keep you going and inspired through all the trials and tribulations of starting and running your own business. It's never going to be the perfect time to do anything, it just doesn't exist. It always sort of re inspires me to know that you can literally start anywhere... you can start in the middle, beginning or end, but just start and put one foot in front of the other and before you know it, you'll be somewhere you've never been and you're on your way!

5) Dani -Where do you see your company going the next few years?

Kailee - World domination? Just kidding... I see I'm With The Band growing into a lifestyle brand of sorts, with more and meaningful offerings that inspire people and more collaborations with authentic and aligned brands. My goals for the company are ever evolving but one thing I know for certain is that I want to grow my business into something that nurtures the human spirit, helps people and gives back to things I believe in.

6) Dani - What does being a Dazey Lady mean to you?

Kailee - Well first of all, it's a real honor! It means strength, independence and unapologetically reaching for the stars. Believing in yourself through all the peaks and valleys of owning and running your own business. Knowing there's a group of badass babes that have your back when the the struggles of entrepreneurship aren't always all daisies is such a gift... so grateful for my fellow lady bosses! Most of all, it means doing what I love, spreading love, light, positivity and good vibes, following my heart and working daily to grow it into all I know it can be.

SPREAD THE LADY BOSS LOVE!!

Xx- Kailee & Dani

You can shop the collab pieces HERE

After much anticipation our big Dazey LA video is finally here!! Dazey is so much more than just a company. Supporting and encouraging fellow females is the real mission behind the brand! We explore the journey Dani took starting Dazey and some amazing people involved along the way.  Starting a business can be scary, but luckily I've had the best Dazey Ladies by my side who you get to meet in the video too! Huge thanks to my babes involved @officiallyquigley, @thewestsidecollective, @nikkiijoiner, and @aldenstimle.

Last but certainly not least big shout out to the badass female director Melissa and her husband, owners of @longhaulfilms! They did and amazing job and made this process so easy and incredible.

Below are some stills and behind the scenes photos the day of the shoot!! We filmed much of it in my incredible WeWork space. The video release came right in time after being a speech winner at the WeWork Global Summit Los Angeles Demo Days event. The winnings included 25k towards Dazey, I was blown away! Such an amazing organization and community I am proud to be apart of. Post coming soon covering the big contest! A special thanks to my boyfriend Phillip for taking these and always helping out so much :)