Hi truly amazing Mamas! I hope you all had an incredible week. It’s Friday and you know what that means… a new episode of The Model Mama Show is now LIVE (woo hoo!). It’s week 8 (already?!?) of our FEATURE FRIDAY series and I couldn’t be more excited to announce this week’s truly inspiring Mama. Ashley Freeborn, the Founder of the super comfortable and chic loungewear line called, Smash + Tess. This savvy Mama hasn’t always been a fashion designer… prior to the launch of her company she was a teacher for over a decade and recently transitioned to working in corporate leadership. After feeling a major void in the loungewear market and searching for a new creative outlet, this fierce Mama teamed up with her own Mama to launch this empowering brand.
This amazing mother-daughter duo is ready to shake up the world of fashion. They built Smash + Tees around the idea that women should feel confident, beautiful and comfortable every minute of the day, no matter whether it’s spent in the boardroom, on a school run, or between the sheets after a day spent conquering the world.
I love Ashley’s mission to create a brand that celebrates women of all shapes/sizes and is comfortable enough to wear in all stages of life: pregnant, nursing, every day, pre and post baby. Her Rompers are so versatile. They can be dressed up or down. I have her most popular style called, The Sunday. It’s so cozy and lightweight – I feel like I’m cheating the system by wearing this as clothing (but I love being a rule-breaker;). I usually pair mine with some chic sneaks, my quilted leather jacket and some sunnies for a casual day around town.
In addition to being such a creative innovator, Ashley is also a busy hands-on Mama to her beautiful daughter, Frankie. Originally from Vancouver, she is now a local here in La La Land, which has proven to be the perfect place for the growth of her company.
I had so much fun chatting with Ashley… tune in below for all her wise and practical insights on navigating Mommyhood and becoming an entrepreneur. Trust me, you’ll leave screaming GIRL POWER and needing a new romper in your closet.
WATCH OUR FULL INTERVIEW HERE. Pull up a chair, kick your feet up, pour yourself a glass of rosé (come on, Mamas! It’s summertime #roseallday) and join our real conversation about juggling it all: motherhood, running your own business, but most importantly how to enjoy the journey.
Some of my FAVORITE takeaways from Ashley:
+ Empowering women through fashion:
“I’m all about girl power, advancing women in leadership, and lifting each other up and supporting one another so that we can all grow and be all we can be. Fashion tends to be an elitist industry, and Smash + Tees exists to shake that up and disrupt it. We want to be inclusive of all women of all shapes and sizes, because every woman deserves to feel fabulous, comfortable and beautiful.”
+ How to style a romper:
“I love to wear my romper with Vans - I’m kind of a sneaker girl - and something cute to accessorize like a jean jacket or blazer.”
+ How to balance Motherhood and being an entrepreneur:
“One way is reminding myself daily to be present with my daughter. It’s really easy to have one eye on Instagram or on my email, and so there’s many times I need to put it down and focus on being engaged with her. Another way to navigate is to ask for help. And I know it’s hard as mothers because we want to juggle it all and we don’t want to show any sign of weakness. For me, I’ve learned to accept that sometimes I need help and put the right measures in place so I don’t get overwhelmed.”
+ Her favorite ways to relax:
““Spending time with friends and laughing are really important. When I’m with my friends, I’m super engaged and can forget everything else. I find laughter is the best medicine. And then of course I also think there’s nothing better than snuggling in bed and watching some good reality television. I save the shows up and when the baby is sleeping, it’s my time for myself!””
+ Starts the day with me-time:
“Gone are the days of rolling out of bed, getting ready, and going. Now I have to make the decision to get up early so I get my hour before baby wakes up. That’s when I get ready for the day and have some time for myself, and then when she wakes up, I’m so excited because I’ve been waiting for her to wake up.”
