We had the good fortune of connecting with Katie Charrier and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Katie, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I never really thought I’d be an entrepreneur until the day that I needed and wanted a particular kind of product that I couldn’t find on the marketplace. When I moved in with my fiancé, who has three kids, my home life changed in just about every way. One of the ways I didn’t anticipate was that I didn’t feel like I could just walk around in my pajamas (without a bra) in the mornings and evenings. I wanted some level of appropriate modesty, mostly around tween-aged stepkids. That realization left me scrambling to find the right kind of loungewear. I definitely didn’t want to wear a bra under my pajamas all day and night, but the available “braless” alternative options on the retail market just didn’t cut it for either comfort, coverage, or both. Mostly they were just elastic shelf-bra camisoles.

When I described my dilemma to friends and family, I was met with a dozen echoes of why the world needed a better braless, full-coverage but comfortable loungewear option. Whether due to in-laws staying over often, or roommate cohabitation, to traveling with friends and family, or dorm life, everyone commiserated about that awkward, crossed-arms pose that results from feeling exposed in our usual sleepwear. I realized that I could actually serve so many women if I made a loungewear top that served the need for coverage with comfort. So Jia Loungewear was born!

Becoming a product designer and business owner has definitely been a series of learning experiences and challenges, but it is exciting at the same time. It’s always better when I remind myself how much my products can improve a customer’s life.
Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I am proud to say that my business, Jia Loungewear, is unique because I created a product with a design that never existed before. All previous “no-bra” tops had always been designed with an elastic band to keep the garment’s under-layer bra in place. But it’s not comfortable for loungewear! It took me multiple attempts on the pattern design, but I ultimately created a pattern that out-performs any other options—and with no elastic. It’s more comfortable and the coverage is actually more functional, too. I’m really proud of what I ultimately have created, and I am most excited to continue improving upon the design and creating even more styles and options for my customers soon. Business-wise, there have been many challenges, mostly centered around the fact that there is no clear-cut path or set of instructions for starting your own clothing line. Creating patterns, finding manufacturers and suppliers, going through production steps and iterations, and then getting the product to the customer via marketing and logistics, are all significant hurdles for a newcomer to the field. And I happen to be a newcomer, with no formal training, in all of those areas. I learned that startup entrepreneurship is a long road that has to be built one step at a time, simply by focusing on the immediate next step, every single day.
That is probably my biggest lesson: it’s not possible to have everything figured out at the beginning, that you have to keep an open mind and step forward into the unknown every day. The fear of taking a wrong step can keep you from ever making any progress at all. So you have to be willing to make mistakes, learn from them, pivot, and learn some more. And I still have so much to learn.
About the Jia brand and story, I want to spread the belief that everyone deserves to feel comfortable and “at home” in their downtime, even if “home” means a shared space with others and you don’t want to “share” certain glimpses of your body. Sometimes, feeling at home can be as simple as getting the right functional clothing item, and I think that’s a beautiful feeling to pass along.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
In Houston, I can’t go downtown without getting a pretzel with cheese and a drink at Flying Saucer. I’d recommend walking around the shops at Rice Village and we can hang out at Hermann Park if the weather is nice, even to catch a concert! I live further north now, so I spend more time in The Woodlands. My favorite walking spot is The Woodlands Waterway, because it is beautiful year-round, but especially during the holiday season when all the trees are decorated. Concerts at the open-air Pavilion are awesome, and there is always good shopping in Market Street. Plus, Market Street now has an El Tiempo Cantina, which is my favorite Houston Tex-Mex option.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I definitely want to start by shouting out the women in my close circle! My mom was my first cheerleader and product tester, and she placed the first order when my website went live. She has always supported my vision. Even though my mom would not naturally identify with the creative-type, risk-taker, or entrepreneurial personalities, she has never once wavered in encouraging me on this path. Having her support has been instrumental to my survival of the entrepreneurial roller coaster. Also, my sister Kiley has been vital to the process. She was my first product model and continues to help me with product photos and videos and social media, of course with added encouragement and emotional support along the way. I would definitely be lost in those realms without her. Additionally, my best friend Betty, from whom I got the name of the business, has always been a top supporter—and to this day, has ordered more from my website than any other customer! She is tireless in sharing the product and brand with any woman in her life—and there are many—who she thinks might enjoy it or feel the benefit. Also, I want to shout out my partner Randy, who has loved me unconditionally throughout the highs and lows of business ownership. None of this would have existed without him!

Website: www.jialoungewear.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jialoungewear/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-charrier-252b0b245/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jialoungewearofficial/

Other: tik tok @jialoungewear

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutHTX is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.