Fashionista Jessica Bridges’ first foray into entrepreneurship started young. On her sixteenth birthday she was out looking for a job so she could buy her own shoes and stylish threads.
Soon after, Jessica worked her way through college and earned a fashion merchandising degree. After college, she spent her career in and around all parts of the fashion industry working for large retailers as a buyer, financial analyst and merchandise planner.
Jessica eventually left the industry to raise a family, but her love of fashion never faded. After a few years out of the fashion industry, she missed the chaos, the creativity and the clothes.
She decided to launch something completely her own. Something where she could create and sell her own unique designs for busy moms who want to look and feel good in their clothes. She called it Jes Lea Boutique.
“I absolutely love designing styles that make women feel good about themselves,” Jessica says.
At first, Jessica began working out of her guest bedroom, but pretty soon her inventory spread across her entire house. Next, she moved to a small office, but within a few months, she outgrew that space too. Now, her homebase is a 5,000 square-foot warehouse at the corner of Skinner and Huffmeister roads. She carries hundreds of trendy, casual designs and accessories targeted at busy moms who want stylish, functional clothing. Jessica designs about 70 percent of her inventory herself.
“We are all about versatile styles that you can wear multiple ways,” Jessica says. Her styles blend eye-catching colors, fun patterns and comfortable fabrics to make a style that’s uniquely her own.
This fall’s collection showcases jewel tones, leopard prints, comfy dresses and what Jessica likes to “statement sleeves.” This month’s photoshoot features a Mae color tunic top which shows off layers of sapphire blue mixed with wine red and soft neutrals. Her Betty leopard balloon sleeve top is both cute and comfy. It pairs well with jeans or leggings and can be dressed up for going out or kept casual for lounging around the house. Her long leopard cardigan is lightweight and breathable for sticky September days yet versatile enough to pair with multiple outfits. Jessica’s Maddy Dress in burgundy features another striking jewel tone color. Her dress design is an outfit that can be dressed up for a night out or kept casual for a stay-at-home dinner.
Although Jess Lea Boutique is mainly an online shopping concept, local Cypress residents can still stop by the warehouse for an in-person buying experience. Just look for the striped pink, blue and purple warehouse door at 17545 Huffmeister Road.
Shoppers can visit the boutique website or check out Instagram for the latest styles. The boutique Instagram account is filled with fun clips of Jessica or her manager, Taylor, trying on outfits and giving behind-the-scenes sneak peaks. Jessica also works with fashion bloggers to keep her 30,000 social media followers entertained with new styles and content.
“My designs are always evolving with the trends and seasons,” she says.
With hundreds of outfits and accessories to choose from, it might be a challenge for a shopper looking to assemble a new, stylish wardrobe. Not to worry. A stylish look is all about finding what makes you comfortable, Jessica says.
“Find styles that fit your body type and your personality,” she says. “Great style is all about self-expression, so the easiest way to look and feel fabulous is by simply being yourself.”
JessLeaBoutique.com 832-653-6614 17545 Huffmeister Road Suite B Cypress, Texas