From the Team

I don't remember when it happened exactly. There was no big moment in front of the mirror, getting ready in the morning. But at some point over the last couple of years, I stopped needing to wear the same styles over and over to feel good in my clothes and body.  If you've been here for a while, you know that our old Becca Top was everything to me — the one top I trusted to make me feel good, no matter how I was feeling about my body. And she still holds that place in my heart. But these days, I find myself reaching for other tops more. And one that's been on repeat recently is the Ava Top.  I even surprised myself with this one. Ava sits shorter than anything I used to wear, and old me would've talked myself out of even trying it on. I remember saying to myself that I'd "never wear shorter tops" because of how self-conscious I was about my stomach and lower pooch. So when the team asked me to try the Ava Top, there was a lot of hesitation — could I actually wear this and be okay? Like wear something shorter, the whole day without tugging at the hem, and hating that my rolls and creases were showing?  Turns out, yes. And it's not because I suddenly stopped caring how I look. It's because Ava was designed around the Rule of Thirds — a styling concept where your outfit balances by breaking your body into thirds instead of halves. And by doing this, your outfit, your body automatically looks good. The shorter length that used to scare me stopped feeling exposing because the rest of the outfit was already doing the balancing for me.  I love and appreciate that Allison takes the time to create styles that work for you. So I have the chance to try new things, challenge the way I see myself, all while feeling comfortable. Ava's design details answers all those questions that come up — does this cling here, is it gonna ride up and show too much, am I going to be adjusting the top all day long. So I can feel at home in my body.  I still love Becca. She'll always have her spot in my outfit rotation. But if Becca was the top that taught me how to be kind to myself, Ava is the top that let's me try something new and actually enjoy it. So here's to trying the thing you thought you couldn't, and finding out you can.  - Ashley 

There's a version of getting dressed that most of us know really well. You find something that fits one part of your body and spend the rest of the time trying to make the rest work. Or you stick to the same styles that you think are the only ones that work for your body. For me, that looked like this: I carry more weight in my chest, my back, my arms — and my legs are the smaller part of my body. So I defaulted to oversized tops to accommodate my upper body, and then leggings to balance it out. It worked, kind of. But it was the only thing that worked. Wide leg pants? Shorter tops? Completely out of the question. I was convinced these silhouettes just weren’t for my body. What I didn't realize was that the issue wasn't my body — it was that most tops aren't designed with that kind of balance in mind. They don’t take into consideration proportions and how that changes fit and drape. How a top falls from the side, what it looks like from all angles. There are so many details that goes into making a comfortable armhole that fits and flatters. That's what Allison actually thinks about. A lot. When I tried the Ava Top with the Milo Pant, something clicked. The Ava gives me the room I need through the chest and back without adding bulk — so when I pair it with a wide leg, it actually looks proportionate. Balanced. Like an outfit I chose on purpose. And it’s become an outfit I love wearing at least once a week. So if you've ever felt like certain silhouettes just "weren't for you" — the team and I will be sharing more about how we think about proportions, and why the styles we make are built differently than what you'll find most places. More on that soon. with love, Ashley

For the longest time, I only wore one style from Allison Izu. It was the Becca Top. She was my “safe” style—the one that covered all the parts of my body I didn’t want to show and paired easily with leggings (the only bottoms I felt truly comfortable in at the time). Six years later, Becca is still in my closet—but now for different reasons. She’s no longer just my safety net; she’s become a part of my reliable go-to's. Allison designed Becca with so much thoughtfulness that she’s carried me through every season of life, every stage of my body, and every weight fluctuation. I never have to worry if she’s going to fit—she always does. Some of my oldest Becca Tops are still in rotation, and I love that they’ve adapted with me. On days when I’m busy, unsure of what to wear, or just need a confidence boost, I know I can count on Becca. She’s proof that timeless, intentional design makes a piece worth keeping.  What I love most is that she proves how timeless, intentional design makes a piece worth keeping. The sleeves never dig in, the body floats away from our midsection without making you look bigger, and the curved hem covers your front and back so you never have to worry about panty lines or your FUPA showing. Becca doesn’t just cover—she supports me, and that’s why she’s never left my rotation. -Ashley SIZING HELP: I'm 5'3" and wear size XL or 14-16 in other brands. For Allison Izu, I wear L-XL in tops and M in bottoms. SHOP BECCA NOW

If you’ve read some of Allison’s previous blogs, you know we’ve been talking about aging. Through our conversations, I realized that my definition of confidence has evolved. Now that I’m in my 30s, I think I have a better definition of what confidence means to me. Up until now, I was meant to believe that confidence would come in one big dose when I got skinnier, lost weight, and got “prettier”. All these external things needed to happen for me to feel confident and I always felt “behind” based on societal standards.   What I realize now is that confidence is like a skill you have to learn to build, in your own way, and in your own time. I look at confidence like a seed that needs nurturing to grow and flourish. And it’s up to each of us to figure out what that means. The switch for me came when I started to give myself grace. Like respecting my body where it is now and practicing gratitude instead of beating myself up, wishing it to be something it’s not.  It’s amazing how changing what that voice inside your head says, can do. Since I’ve started doing that, I feel like my confidence has flourished and given me strength. Where previously, my lack of confidence used to make me feel weak and less than. And the thing that blows my mind is I didn’t lose 20 pounds or drastically change my physical appearance to gain this.  I’ve been appreciating my body and letting it know that I’m grateful for how far it's taken me. And because of that mindset switch, I feel different and I see myself differently when I look at myself in the mirror. It’s also allowed me space to venture out and try new things, especially when it comes to fashion.  I definitely pigeonholed myself with the same look within the last decade - an oversized top with leggings. It’s because I kept telling myself that this was the only thing I looked decent in. But with the new mindset and encouragement of my coworkers and Allison, I’ve been trying new silhouettes. Now, one of my go-to outfits is shorter tops with wide pants, who am I? It’s as if Allison planned this new collection just to keep encouraging me to try new things, LOL! And when I see myself in these silhouettes, I feel good and more confident than the version of me that only wore oversized shirts and leggings. Because my mind isn’t constantly filled with negative self-talk, I’m able to give myself space to try new things.  So as I give myself permission this year to continue to build my confidence and try new things, I’d like to do the same for you too. I think this is our year to flourish because if we don’t do it now, when will we ever? I’m saying this to you and to myself so that we can hold each other accountable -- Give yourself grace. Tell yourself “I love me just as I am right now” every day in the mirror. Remind yourself that you made it this far in life, which means you’re more than capable of continuing on. Life will bring you everything you need in the moment to make it to the next because it’s here to support you, always. I hope to see you in the new year at the Showroom or virtually. And if you ever need extra encouragement to try something new, I’m here. And the team is here to help too. They’ve been one of my biggest cheerleaders and we’d love to do the same for you.  Cheers to 2024! Ashley 

Some of you may know me, some may not but I wanted to pop in and say “thank you so much” for all the support you’ve continued to show us. My name is Ashley and I’m the Brand Manager at Allison Izu. This month we’re celebrating the Season of Giving and I wanted to let you know how much you’ve given me while working here. It’s been a pleasure getting to know all of you. Some of you I only know by your name when I see your online order, some of you I know by face when I see you in the Showroom. Either way, I feel connected to you because we share a love for this brand and the designs Allison creates. I’ll be embarking on my 4th holiday season at Allison Izu and I’m looking forward to it even more than years past. I say this because I feel like I’ve hit a new level of being comfortable in my body. And I mean that physically, mentally, and spiritually. I’ve struggled with my weight since small kid time. I have vivid memories of having to go on the scale every morning to weigh myself in front of family mem to make sure I wasn’t getting heavier. And there’s been a lot of processing and healing that’s happened to get me where I am today. It’s been over 20 years since I’ve been able to look in the mirror and say kind things to myself. Part of it came from the personal work I’ve been doing but another factor that helped expedite the healing is the clothes that I’ve had the privilege of working with here. The designs Allison creates have helped me to heal and be comfortable with parts of my body I don’t like, now - not when I’m 20 lbs lighter. And it’s given me the confidence and motivation to keep going on my path of healing. If you’ve shopped with us since our days at Ala Moana, you probably heard the team referring to me as the “Becca Club President” LOL! I swear Allison designed that top with me in mind because it was the perfect top and only top I wore. The body and sleeves were wide enough that it didn’t cling to my fluffy parts. The curved hem provided front and back coverage while giving the illusion that my legs were long and lean. The v-neck and bust darts provide shape in the right areas and hid the parts I didn’t like. I loved the Becca Top so much that I had every color and print Allison made since I started working here. Through the years, I’ve learned so much about styling, how clothing design works, and why Allison makes certain style decisions. And it’s helped me to find more things that work for my body shape now. I would never wear shorter tops because I was so self conscious of my stomach and “fupa.” But with the right fit, right bottoms, and how I learned to style it, I LOVE our new Emi and Lara Tops. I feel a little guilty saying this but now I don’t have every color/print we make in Becca. But it’s because I’ve found the same level of confidence in wearing other styles. So if you see me working in the Showroom this holiday season and need a little help finding “your Becca”, let me know! I want all of us to be able to look ourselves in the mirror at least once and say with confidence and kindness “Damn, I look good today!” -Ashley PS: I still really love our Becca Top. She holds a special place in my heart.