UNITY BLEND ONLINE BOUTIQUE

I have partnered up with Kim Abbas who is the owner of Unity Blend.  What drew my attention was the items that I saw on her Instagram page, which made me interested in doing a collaboration with her, but that was not the end of it.  As we continued to chat through email, I realized that she is more than just a shop owner, she was very sweet and genuine, which are hard to find.  In most cases,  when I work with a boutique, it starts and ends very simple.  Kim, on the other hand, was not the regular type of interaction that I have had with others companies.  She is one of a kind.  The conversations we had through email makes me feel like have already met her in person, which I wish I could but I am too far away.

I asked her a few questions about her and her company that I would like to share with you.

Do you have a brand ambassador for your company?

KIM: I showcase at least one woman every month as a Unity Blend Ambassador Model. These are not professional models but ordinary women who grant me permission to photograph them in my line of clothes and feature them on the blog section of my website. I hand-pick them based on a variety of factors, but the most important one is that they represent the gender in ALL of its diversity and beauty. One of the criteria is that these women have some social media presence, as well via FB, IG, etc.

What type of woman do you look for?

KIM:  They have a unique combination of interests, accomplishments, and academic backgrounds. My brand is built on the identity that real women make fashion come to life and if we promote real women as beautiful (because they are), then we can re-shape what we define as “beautiful” especially as it pertains to the fashion industry.

What is one of your goals for your company?

KIM:  One of my goals is to replace most of my stock photos using professional models with women who are average weight women. In the media, most models are ultra-thin, and it takes a toll on women’s self-esteem. I decided that if I were going to go into the industry and start an online clothing boutique, I wanted to avoid popularizing that kind of look in my brand. This is my way of spreading the brand name in a more authentic approach.

Is there anything else you want the world to know about your brand/company?

KIM: I will also be looking into partnering with a human trafficking non-profit organization so that 10% of sales go to the charity, but I am still researching which group to reach out to at the moment.

With the answers that Kim had given me, that is what attracted me to her even more.  The apparel that she carries is great but to me, what stood out was her goal, and what she stands for and  I loved her concept behind her brand.  I understand how your image takes an important role in fashion.

I am a curvy girl, and I finally started embracing it.  In the past, I have always tried to be skinny so that I would fit into the world of modeling but gave that up because I realized that God made me this way for a reason.  I love how Kim is showing the world how real women can look beautiful in anything and that we do not have to be a certain size or ethnicity.

Every woman has a different style and we are all shaped differently.  I can show the world how a particular dress that you see on a skinny girl could look fantastic on a curvy girl like myself.  I want every individual to be able to relate and not feel like they cannot wear it a specific outfit because of their size.

Kim and I have the same concept and belief.  She gets to be on the other end of it as an owner of a retail shop, while I am on the other end modeling the items.  Same train of thought and same message we both want to deliver.

Here you see me modeling this black Empire Dress that has floral lace on the top half of the dress and is fitted while the bottom half is loose.  I love the bell sleeves on it.  This dress was a perfect outfit for me to wear at my husbands military event.   You can never go wrong with a black dress.

Next you see me here wearing the Criss Cross Top.  It is perfect for any occasion.  Here I styled it with a pair of jeans and light pink high heels.  I wanted to look chic and casual at the same time.

Stay tuned for more looks with this criss cross top.  I will also be showing you how I use this same top for work.  I will pair it with black slacks and heels for a more sophisticated/business look.  Another day, I will pair this same top with a pencil skirt for a sexy but professional look.  This top runs small so I would suggest going up a size.

I high recommend shopping at Unity Blend.  You will find the cutest stuff and to top all of that, you will get the best customer service!

Use my code JJLIFE for 20% your purchase.

Click the links above to start shopping!

Disclaimer: This blog post is sponsored by Unity Blend and all photos belong to JJ LIFE & STYLE