Warm Up to Harlow & Liv

As the weather cools, a new online boutique is launched by two local ladies with a story that’ll warm your heart.

Jennifer Baker and Krista Schmidt co-founders of Harlow & Liv recently met and felt an instant connection. They bonded over their mutual love for fitness and fashion as well as personal trials and tribulations they had in common.

“As our friendship developed, we kept feeling God tugging on our hearts to go into this direction,” Baker recalls. “It was a pretty spiritual feeling when we figured out the exact path we were meant to take together.”

Schmidt (left) and Baker (right), co-founders of Harlow & Liv

Baker, working for the family Chiropractic practice, and Schmidt, a police officer at the time, discussed how they could channel their love for style and zest for life into a business they could launch together.

Eventually, they landed on the idea for an online women’s fashion boutique that expresses their unique style. Then, the name “Harlow & Liv” was born. “‘Harlow means ‘mound of people’ or ‘house of people,'” Baker explains. “It really fit our thirst for life and the love we have for family and friends.”

Liv represents how Baker and Schmidt are dedicated to living life — through the good and the bad — to the fullest. “We knew we weren’t the only two women to have faced difficult times,” Baker says. “It made us start to think that we wanted the ending of our boutique name to be something that represents the power of women and the strength that is within us all.”

After falling in love with the name, they worked with graphic and web designers to develop the website, and spent the entire summer sourcing inventory. They officially launched the business in September 2013. “We knew we wanted this to be special for our followers,” Baker explains. “We wanted to nail it.”

What makes them different, Baker says, is their attention to detail. “Whether it’s the look of the website, marketing, clothing, shipping, hosting parties or customer service, we are 100% hands-on,” she adds.

They have a specific client in mind — the “Harlow & Liv Girl” — and strategically carry clothing and accessories to appeal to that niche audience. “We know exactly what she is looking for in her wardrobe,” explains Baker. “The Harlow & Liv girl wants to be trendy with her every day look and feel as though she’s ruling the world one outfit at a time and looking fabulous while doing it.”

The online boutique carries tops, bottoms, dresses, outerwear, scarves and popular accessories. Plus, Baker says, Harlow & Liv carries the latest styles and trends to match any daily routine you may have, from work to happy hour, or resort to recess duty. The best part? Nothing on the site is more than $59.99.

“No matter your situation, we are confident someone can find not only a style that speaks to them, but also stays within their budget,” says Baker. “That’s something that is really important to us because we know that women can feel fabulous without going broke.”

Currently, Baker says, the top two sellers are the chevron blouses in navy and mustard as well as the chevron poncho. “Our followers are loving chevron right now and it’s all the craze,” she adds.

They just added several new winter styles as well. The biggest winter trends you’ll see, Baker says, are plaids which are making a huge comeback this season. “Think ‘Clueless,'” she laughs. Other winter trends, according to baker, include: animal prints, pastel pink, tribal prints, shades of reds and berries, forest greens, grays, full skirts, houndstooth print, tailored and wide leg pants and over-sized sweaters and tops. Also, she adds, youthful prints, tweed, rounded shoulders and navy blues are also making a strong comeback for winter.

In addition to the new online boutique, Baker and Schmidt also just launched the Harlow & Liv Capsule Collection at Karaman Jewelers. “We’re so excited to be able to offer something really special to our customers through this collection,” explains Baker. “We just launched this line and it’s already getting a lot of attention.”

To learn more, “like” them on Facebook or visit www.harlowandliv.com.