Dear Friend,
I want to tell you something about Sweet Lane that you might not know.
When my mom and I design clothes, we aren't just thinking about what colors are cute, how much sparkle we can add, or what graphic would look good on a tee. We are always thinking about one really important thing:
How will a girl feel when she puts this on?
That matters to me because I know what it feels like to not always feel confident.
I have ADHD, and for me that can sometimes mean I overthink things, compare myself, worry about what other people think, or become my own biggest critic. I can focus way too much on something I think I didn't do perfectly or something I wish I had done differently.
So I have learned that sometimes I need reminders.
The Things I Remind Myself
I put little notes, cards, and stickers on my mirror with things I need to remember:
I BELONG HERE.
THIS IS ME.
WATCH ME.
I CAN DO HARD THINGS.
BE KIND TO YOURSELF.
Sometimes it might feel silly to write something encouraging to yourself, but I really believe that what we tell ourselves matters.
That's one of the reasons we started including affirmation stickers and positive messages with Sweet Lane purchases.
I don't want you to just get a cute shirt from us.
I want you to take that little sticker and put it on your mirror, notebook, water bottle, or somewhere you will see it again. Maybe one morning you will be nervous about school, a test, a game, walking into a room where you don't know everyone, or just having one of those days when you don't feel like your best self.
And maybe you'll see that little reminder exactly when you need it.
Why Comfort Is Part of Confidence
My mom and I also believe that being comfortable in what you're wearing can make a BIG difference in how you feel.
If something is itchy, stiff, too tight, too hot, or you're constantly pulling at it and fixing it, you're thinking about your clothes all day instead of just being yourself.
And I am VERY picky about comfort.
I want things to be SOFT.
I want them to be COMFY.
I want them to be CUTE.
And I still want them to have personality.
I want to be able to go to school, sit in class, run around, go to a game, hang out with friends, travel, or just curl up at home and feel good in what I'm wearing.
That is why we pay attention to things like really soft fabrics, lightweight materials, cooling fabrics, comfortable waistbands, pockets, built-in shorts, and fits that actually let girls move.
Then comes my favorite part.
The COLOR.
The TIGERS.
The HEARTS.
The RHINESTONES.
And definitely the SPARKLE.
One of My Favorites: Born 2 Roar
One outfit that really explains Sweet Lane is our Born 2 Roar Tiger Sweatshirt with our Soft Flowy Pants.
I LOVE sweatshirts.
But I don't always want to wear a thick, heavy sweatshirt—especially when it isn't freezing outside. So we made the Born 2 Roar sweatshirt light, thin, soft, and easy to wear almost year-round.
I can throw it over an athletic dress, wear it with shorts, pair it with our flowy pants, or tie it around my waist when I get warm.
And, obviously, it needed sparkle. ✨
The tiger also means something to me.
A tiger is strong, fierce, and resilient.
I think girls can be all of those things, even on the days when we don't really feel like we are.
And the sparkle?
That's the PIZAZZ.
Because you can be strong AND sparkly.
You can be fierce AND kind.
You can be comfortable AND stand out.
You don't have to choose.
And Then There Are THE PANTS...
Okay, I need to tell you the truth.
I am a shorts girl. 😂
Most of the time, if I get to choose between shorts and pants, I am picking the shorts.
So when we made our Soft Flowy Pants, even I wasn't expecting to love them as much as I do.
And something funny happens with these pants all the time.
People see them and sometimes think:
Hmm...I don't know.
And then they try them on.
And suddenly it's:
WAIT. THESE ARE SO COMFORTABLE.
These are definitely one of those:
JUST. TRY. THEM.
pants.
They are airy.
They are light.
They are super-duper soft.
They don't feel like thick sweatpants, and they don't feel stiff or heavy. They just kind of move with you.
And they have POCKETS.
Which obviously makes them even cuter.
I love watching somebody go from not being sure about them to putting them on and realizing, Ohhhh...now I get it.
That is actually one of my favorite things about Sweet Lane.
I want you to see something and think it's cute.
Then I want you to put it on and realize it feels even better than it looks.
They're designed by a tween girl.
Me. 💗
My mom and I work on the artwork, fabrics, colors, fit, sparkle, and all the little details together.
And I'm still growing up too.
I'm figuring out school, friendships, sports, what I'm good at, what I'm not good at yet, what my style is, and who I want to become.
I definitely don't have all of that figured out.
But maybe that's part of what makes Sweet Lane so special to me.
Because I don't think confidence means walking into every room feeling perfect.
I don't think it means never getting nervous.
And I definitely don't think it means never doubting yourself.
I think confidence can be something much smaller.
Sometimes confidence is reminding yourself:
I am supposed to be here.
I don't have to be like everybody else.
I can mess up and try again.
I can do hard things.
I can be kind to myself.
I was made to stand out.
That's what I hope you feel when you wear something we designed.
The clothes don't give you your confidence.
The confidence is already yours.
Sometimes we just need a little reminder.
And maybe a really soft pair of pants.
And some rhinestones.
And a tiger reminding us to ROAR. 🐯✨
Stay Sweet. Stay Positive.
Love,
Lane 💗
Tween Designer + Co-Founder, Sweet Lane
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