Today we’d like to introduce you to Leya Lowery.
Hi Leya, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My name is Leya Lowery, I am 21, and I created Cowgirls + Hippies in February of 2021! I have absolutely loved fashion since I was a little girl. I have always had a desire to do something that would encourage other women to wear whatever they feel beautiful in, to step out of their comfort zone, and to go after their dreams!
At first, I did not have a clue where to start. I started researching, reading, and asking everything I could about starting a business, and one day I just went for it! When coming up with a name for my boutique I wanted it to represent a little bit of who I was and Cowgirls + Hippies really stuck because it perfectly describes my two main style senses, a little western and a little hippie! I got the pleasure of talking to so many incredible people while I was in college at Coastal Carolina and most of our conversations started with my western fashion and the struggles of how pricey it can be. I then knew immediately that I wanted Cowgirls + Hippies to pride itself on its affordability. My goal is for all women to be able to dress the way they want, express themselves in the ways that make them feel great, and not breaking the bank while doing so!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Opening your very first business at 21 by yourself you are going to run into bumps along the way. Sometimes it was nerve-racking and sometimes it was completely stressful but everything was and is so worth every bit of it. With my boutique being mainly all online I was not sure at first where to promote it or how to get my name out there. Luckily for me, I had the best support system behind me and they gave me the idea of attending festivals and hosting pop-up shops at other local businesses or locations! I now use all social platforms such as Instagram, Tik Tok, and Facebook!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Cowgirls + Hippies is an online-only women’s boutique with goals to one day have a storefront! I am very proud to say that we offer sizes small through 2x in most of our styles and are working on bringing in 3x and 4x sizes to our site! We try to keep all of our products at a very affordable price without losing any quality. Even though we are an online-only boutique I offer free local pickup as well as free shipping days! What sets Cowgirls + Hippies apart from others is that we believe in giving back to the community in any way that we can! We do several giveaways a year for our customers and followers as well as donate to local nonprofits. We have donated to the local Firefighters Relief Fund as well as the Humane Society and we hope to be able to donate to more in the future!
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
My advice would be research, research, and research! Reach out and talk to everyone you can that has a similar business. Talk to local small businesses and see if they have any tips for where to start or resources you may be able to use as well. I personally reached out to other boutiques and anyone I could talk to in the fashion industry and was given different websites to visit and gain knowledge from!
Contact Info:
- Email: Cowgirls.hippiesboutique@gmail.com
- Website: www.cowgirlshippies.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cowgirls_hippies_boutique/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cowgirlshippiesboutique/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@cowgirls_hippies
Image Credits
Carter Jolly
Nikki Lowery
