Let Me Tell You About Jenn

Thank you to Madison & Whitney for providing the poncho for this post.
All opinions are my own. For more information, see my disclosures here.

After looking at those intro photos, you’re probably thinking, “Nicole, what are you doing? You’re not a fashion blogger!” Trust me, I know. You won’t be seeing many fashion posts here on Simply Nicole, but today is an exception. Grab a cup of tea or coffee because this is going to be a long post, but it’s SO worth your time. 

Today I want to introduce you to an incredible woman. Her name is Jenn and she owns the online clothing boutique, Madison & Whitney. I met Jenn at a wedding I attended last summer, when we were assigned seats at the same table. I was so intrigued to hear all about Jenn’s story of being a single mom, her love for fashion and entrepreneurship, and her unwilling drive to make a great life for her daughter Lilah Madison. 

Jenn became a single parent when Lilah was just seven months old. She ended an engagement and a joint parent-ship in the same moment. As expected, it was a rollercoaster of meltdowns and exhaustion as Jenn worked to define who she was. She began working five different jobs, while also being a stay-at-home mom to Lilah. She spent two scheduled days a week at a consistent job, while the other four jobs were event-based and per diem. Basically, Lilah’s nap time was Jenn’s office time. 

Jenn’s love of fashion started at a young age. She loved everything about dressing up and figuring out what worked well for her. Jenn started motherhood petite, but sported a large chest, which made shopping difficult. She spent her adult life learning how to dress for her size. After giving birth to Lilah and through the magic of breastfeeding, her body had changed and Jenn found it difficult to shop online.

Then, she took a huge leap of faith. She started a business with the money that was supposed to go toward her wedding. After months of planning, Jenn launched the online clothing boutique, Madison & Whitney. (In case you’re wondering, it’s her daughter’s middle name + her middle name). The inspiration behind Madison & Whitney is that online shopping shouldn’t portray clothing on just one model or one body type. She wanted to show Madison & Whitney clothing on all sorts of body types so her customers could get a better idea on how the product might look on them. 

So when Jenn told me she wanted to send me a piece from her fall collection, I couldn’t say no. I looked around her shop and chose the Tribal Fringe Sweater. I love how versatility of this piece. It can be worn a a casual piece by throwing it on over a camisole top with corduroys and boots, OR you can pair it with skinny jeans and heels for a dressy night out. Since receiving the sweater a few weeks ago, I’ve worn it so many times. It has become a necessity of mine this fall season.

If you want to get your own Tribal Fringe Sweater or any thing else from Madison & Whitney, use the code Simply15 for 15% off through November. 

Before I end this post, I want to also mention Jenn’s newest addition to her site, Sew It Happened, which launched today. Sew It Happened is a program to honor and give back to single moms who are pushing themselves to be the best they can be for their children. Here’s how it works: After a period of three months on sale, a piece of clothing will be donated to a deserving single mom. Women can be nominated through this form. Jenn will share some of their stories on her site as a celebration and empowerment to other single parents going through the same thing. 

Thank you for reading my post!
Don’t forget to follow me on: Pinterest | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter