Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dayonna Embry . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Dayonna, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

At Refined & Aligned our mission is to push women towards purpose while providing luxury fashion. We are here to help young women refine their wardrobe and align their lives. As I’m transitioning into adulthood, I used to find myself shrinking who I am and how I express myself in order to appeal to others. Which is why I created Refined & Aligned, so young women and creatives could have a resource that inspires them to show up for the woman of their dreams. Being an R&A girl is not about perfection or “arriving” at some finish line that deems that you’ve made it. It is about being brave enough to love & express yourself at and in every personal evolution. This mission is meaningful to me because I am the physical embodiment of an R&A girl, I don’t always feel my best, I’m not always 100% but I don’t have to look the way I feel which is why refined and aligned is important because the confidence you instill in yourself when you look good, even if its just throwing on a matching set for an errand run, will help you feel even better.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Dayonna Embry, I am a 20 year old college student & aspiring actress majoring in theater and I am the owner of refined & Aligned. I provide women with luxury lounge wear, athleisure, and related lifestyle needs. My brand provides women with an effortless approach to clothing, personal expression, quality and durability because investing in quality loungewear can save customers money in the long run. I got into this business because I found myself wanting to create a new outlet for my creativity to thrive and I felt that clothing would be the perfect expression of that. I am most proud of the fact that I set my mind on bringing this into fruition, and even through all the doubting thoughts I did it. I am an example of what it looks like to chase your dreams through whatever fear or limiting beliefs you may have. The main thing I want people to know about my brand is that, refined and aligned is bigger than the clothes, it’s about building community and this is only the beginning of a soon to be true sisterhood.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Before starting my business, one lesson that I had to unlearn is the idea that comfort and style are mutually exclusive, the idea of this made me very nervous to start my brand because I believed it may not be profitable. Traditionally, there has been a perception that comfortable clothing cannot be stylish or fashionable, and vice versa. However, in the modern market, this perception is changing. Unlearning the notion that comfort and style cannot coexist is important for a lounge wear brand because today’s consumers prioritize both aspects. People want to feel comfortable and relaxed in their clothing, especially when lounging at home, but they also want to express their personal style and feel confident in what they wear.

How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.

I do sell on my own site; https://www.refinedandaligned.com. I believe selling on your own site helps to build brand awareness and credibility with your audience. a few pros for selling on your own site in my opinion is you have complete control over your ecommerce site’s design, layout, branding, and user experience. This allows you to create a unique and consistent brand identity. You can adapt and respond quickly to market trends, customer feedback, and changes in your business strategy. Lastly, You have direct access to valuable customer data, which can be used for marketing, personalization, and improving your products and services. A few cons I’ve noticed would be setting up and maintaining an ecommerce site requires upfront investment in website development and other technical aspects. Unlike established marketplaces, you’ll need to invest more in marketing, SEO, and advertising to drive traffic to your site. Lastly, Ongoing site maintenance, updates, and dealing with technical issues fall on your shoulders.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.refinedandaligned.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/refinedandaligned/

Image Credits
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