Chase Mission Main Street Grant

 

Julia and I have applied for a Chase Mission Main Street grant to propel our small business, Julia Farr  Collection, to the next level of success. This $100,000 grant would allow us to expand our sales team and create our direct sales program, but we need your help!

Please visit Mission Main Street Grants to cast a vote for our business. We need 250 votes to be eligible, and we already are up to 165! We have until June 19 to reach our goal, but voting is open now, so please case your vote today!

It’s easy to cast your vote, but you do have to have a Facebook account to do so.  And, if you are feeling really generous, feel free to post the link to your Facebook page and ask your friends to vote for us too!

Julia and I are committed to enhancing the lives of females professionals by providing them with elegant, polished and appropriate attire for the workplace.  We are proud that our current list of clients includes so many women who are making a difference in the world – women in the White House, the State Department and the media. Through our direct sales program, we will empower other women to create their own home-based business and become entrepreneurs themselves.

We are an entirely women-owned and operated business in an industry where women make up less than 20% of leadership positions. In an era when 98% of apparel worn by Americans is made abroad, we are proud that all of our designs are made in the USA.

We are so grateful for the ongoing support of all of our You Look Pretty readers and we thank you in advance for helping us reach another goal!

Ann and Julia

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Julia Farr Collection is Hiring!

Ann,

I wanted to share with our readers our big news today!

We are excited to announce that Julia Farr Collection has launched a direct sales program with our Fall 2015 Collection. We are expanding on the tremendous success we have had at our flagship boutique in Washington, DC and at our national trunk shows by engaging wardrobe consultants across the country who are uniquely tapped into their city’s dynamic networks of professional women.

The Collection focuses its designs to serve the polished, professional woman. Since its inception in 2012, Julia Farr Collection designs have been worn by the Second Lady of the United States, CNN anchors, counsel and staffers in the White House and the State Department, Chiefs of Staff to the First and Second Ladies of the United States, General Counsels and CFOs of Fortune 500 companies and leaders of both for-profit and non-profit companies throughout the United States.

We are actively seeking wardrobe and sales consultants who will bring the Collection directly to the professional woman by meeting her in the places where she spends much of her precious time: the office, professional clubs, industry networking events or by private appointment. Consultants will show the Collection twice annually for Fall and Spring collections, advise clients on best fit and selection of pieces and deliver the Collection to her client’s office door.

Julia Farr Collection is an entirely women-owned and operated business. All our designs are made in the USA. We are committed to helping those in need and a portion of sales are donated to women’s and children’s charities.

In you are interesting in building your own business and consulting with the most powerful women in the United States to build their wardrobes with the Julia Farr Collection, please contact me at julia@juliafarrdc.com.

Ann — the emails, texts and calls have been coming in all day. Stay tuned for our kick-off Fall 2015 trunk shows in a city near you!

-Julie

THE Dress

Julie,

I loved hearing about your trip to Italy. What an amazing experience to share with your son. And, I was very impressed with the loot you were able to find in only five minutes – that takes real skill!

While you were gone, I received a wonderful email from one our best, and nicest, clients – a partner at a very prestigious law firm where we held a trunk show last year. She forwarded me an email thread that had gone on between her and two other high-powered partners about our Occidental Dress.  All three women bought the dress, knowing that the others had it as well, but they loved it too much to care.

(I blacked out their names to maintain their privacy):

 

How cool is that?

Ann

 

In and Out of Italy in 5 Minutes

Greek Ruins in Paestum, Italy

Ann,

Wow! I’ve missed you! Seriously, it’s been so long. I loved your post from last week recounting all our events and trunk shows this year, remembering all the fabulous people we’ve met along the way.  As you know, after our last trunk show in Atlanta, I traveled to Italy with my son’s 7th grade class for 10 days.  As his teacher described it, it was the “back roads” trip to Italy, where we saw amazing sites and experienced incredible beauty and history —  without all the fluff and stuff you get when visiting the big cities or say…Capri.  I thought I’d share some photos of the places, but, more important, recount what I found along the way to bring home with me.  As you might imagine, as I was accompanying 34 thirteen year old boys and girls everyday for ten days, the opportunity to shop at leisure never presented itself.  So after a few photos of the sites, I’ll give you a quick look at what I found in 5 minutes each day.

During our bus trip through the hills of Italy, we saw the Greek ruins in Paestum, what was left of Pompeii, the top of Mount Vesuvius, the gorgeous abbey in Monte Cassino, beautiful Orvieto and Assisi, the Etruscan tombs in Tarquinia, and, of course, Pope Francis I, in Rome. A few shots I took are here:

Temple of Hera in Paestum

Top of Mount Vesuvius. If you lean over and look far left, you can see Capri

A man from Pompeii

The view from the Bell Tower in Orvieto

The Main Strip in Assisi

An Etruscan Tomb in Tarquinia. So Cool.

Pope Francis I during his General Assembly,     May 13, 2015, St. Peter’s Square

And here’s what I was able to “curate” in five minutes or less each day:

A spoon rest and dish towel from Paestum. This could have been the best thing there.

Ceramics from Orvieto

Fabulous Yellow Leather Tote from Orvieto. For me.

A souvenir from Orvieto…oh, are those for me!??

Wrap Bracelets with prayers in Italian, a Papa Francesco Thumbs up Magnet, a St. Francis sandal key chain, and a little round painted dish for my bedside table

Wrap scarves from Assisi; the middle one is for you, Ann.

Writing Paper from the Piazza Novena in Rome

In retrospect, and now surrounded by my finds back here in DC, I’m pleased with what I grabbed during the 5 minute –“you all get gelato, I’m just going to run in this shop” break.  And as you can see below, by the time I got to the Pantheon on the last day, I looked like I had hit ALL the little shops in the back roads of Italy.

In the Pantheon wearing Assisi Hat, Assisi wrap, Orvieto bag and yes, the M Street Skirt from the Julia Farr Collection 

–Julie

We’re Back

We’ve been gone from here for a while…the good news is we are back and recommitted to staying in touch with you all through You Look Pretty.

The better news is that we have been away from the blog because we have been so busy with Julia Farr and Julia Farr Collection. Writing the blog takes quite a bit of time and forethought, and, sadly, when the “to do” list fills up, the blog tends to fall to the bottom of it. But no more.

Here is what we’ve been up to:

We traveled all over the country for trunk shows this past winter and spring introducing the Collection to a wonderful groups of women along the way.

 

We love meeting new people in new cities, and reconnecting with old friends. Our trunk shows are always a fun, social way to meet and connect with women and tell our story.

We also attended some stellar Georgetown events, like the Georgetown Global Summit in New York,

where we heard from a panel of seasoned fashion executives: Domenico de Sole, Chairman of Tom Ford International, Fabrizio Freda, CEO of Estée Lauder Companies, John Idol, CEO of Michael Kors, Ermenegildo Zegna, CEO of Ermenegildo Zegna Group and our good friend and classmate Kara Ross, CEO of Kara Ross New York.

Kara, Julie and Ann

It was an incredible opportunity to hear what these talented, experienced and bright fashion industry leaders had to share about the future of global luxury retail.

Julie and I were thrilled to be a part of Georgetown’s OWN IT Summit – a one day program produced entirely by Georgetown undergraduates  in which over 40 panelist are invited to talk with the college-aged attendees about women’s leadership (more about this later).

There were also fashion shows

and photos shoots

Don’t worry, we made sure to make time for some fun too

Sailing along the coast of Southern California

It has been an exciting winter and spring and we have a few more surprises up our sleeve, programs that we will roll out here first for all of our You Look Pretty readers.

We are so grateful for this community and for your support as we grow our small business. It has been a great ride so far and we are excited about the future of our company!

We wish everyone a peaceful and joyous holiday weekend!

Ann and Julie

 

 

The Potomac Dress

Julie: Our Spring 2015 Finale – The Potomac Dress. We couldn’t help ourselves. We loved the design of the top so much that we adapted it into this warm weather chic essential.  Really, it’s summertime in a dress.  From the shores of Kennebunkport, Maine, to the French Rivera, the Potomac Dress will transport you to where you want to be.

Ann: This will be in every bag I pack for summer weekend excursions. Timeless, casual elegance.

The Potomac Dress

The sweeping Potomac River, which flows through the center of Washington, inspired our design of the Potomac Dress.  The elegant bateau neckline is a nautical reference to the sailboats and crew shells that glide across it.

The Potomac Dress features an open neckline, elongating the neck and showcasing the clavicle. Three-quarter length sleeves hit in the middle of the forearm, leaving room to show off your beautiful bracelets or an heirloom watch. It’s feminine, fitted bodice falls gently around a woman’s curves, stopping right above the knee. The perfect casual summer dress, wear it with strappy sandals or espadrilles to a summer barbeque or barefoot for a stroll along the beach at sunset.

Navy/White Stripe

65% Viscose, 32% Polyester, 3% Spandex

Dry Clean Only

$195

Available at Julia Farr

The Henle Skirt and the Avon Top

Ann: It is so difficult to find a summer skirt that is flowing without looking too Coachella/hippie. Our Henle gives you that cool, relaxed feeling of a full skirt with polished tailoring that allows you to wear it to work, too.

Julie:  I agree, Ann. The Henle skirt is more “Saturday in the Park, you’d think it was the Fourth of July” than Coachella. Thanks, Chicago.  Beautiful fabric, fitted right below the waist with clean pleats, and yes, pockets.

The Henle Skirt

An upperclassman apartment complex on the Georgetown campus, Henle is known for its open spaces, allowing students to see and be seen. The enlightened Henle Skirt is the perfect piece to wear when you walk out into the great wide world, whether you are meeting friends for brunch or strolling through an art museum.

The Henle has a full, pleated skirt with a fitted waistband, and length to the bottom of the knee. The neutral denim-look pairs perfectly with our navy Avon top or, for a more casual look, with a simple white tee. Add ballet flats and go!

Navy/White

80% Cotton, 20% Linen

Dry Clean Only

$205

The Avon Top

Ann: I am a sucker for a good silk top – especially one in a neutral like navy. I will dress our Avon up with the Henle skirt and down with shorts. It will be a critical part of my 4th of July barbecue outfit!

Julie: It’s also a great essential for a professional wardrobe, back to tailored pants or a pencil skirt. It will fit well under a jacket but is covered enough for many professional settings in the summertime.  And I love navy blue with just about everything.

A tiny, precious side street in Georgetown, Avon Place is hidden in plain sight – only a true Georgetowner would know where to find it!  You will feel “in the know” wearing our Avon Top – sure to become an essential piece in your spring/summer wardrobe. It’s office appropriate, but not too stuffy to wear on the weekend with a flowing summer skirt.

The Avon top celebrates a woman’s clavicles, as the open, elegant ballet neckline allows you freedom to accessorize with a short or long pendant necklace. The top has the right amount of sleeve coverage, covering your shoulder to top of arm. It extends to just above the hipline and is best worn tucked into a full skirt – the lush ying to its sleek yang. A great travel piece for summer European adventures.

Navy

95% Silk, 5% Spandex

Dry Clean Only

$168

Available at Julia Farr