Fashion Forward Fridays: Dona Jo Fitwear

So if there is one thing I know about girls, it's that we hate to look bad, even in situations where not looking are best should be is permitted. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about....the gym (or really anywhere you might workout). That internal debate always seems to go off in our heads as to whether or not we should be "dressing cute" to go work out. The answer, in my opinion, is always no, you should not be wearing makeup and no your hair should not be made perfect before you go to the gym. Your outfit however, can be "cute" or in today's case for Fashion Forward Fridays, very stylish.

Meet Ashley Ferraro, a Pittsburgh native and designer of Dona Jo Fitwear. Ashley is the answer to your prayers if you're anything like the girl described above. Or if you're just the girl who is sick of wearing her boyfriend's shorts to the gym. Read on, fashion-loving, active ladies as Ashley gives you the ins and outs of Dona Jo Fitwear through this exclusive interview!

Stylish & colorful workout clothes from Dona Jo Fitwear - all photos provided by Ashley.

Tell us about yourself and how Dona Jo Fitwear was created
I’m originally from Pittsburgh, but traveled to Florida for school – Go FGCU! I met my husband, Raphael, in college. I made my first trip to Brazil in my sophomore year of college and fell in love with the country. I wasn’t really into working out at that point, but it was my first encounter with a more stylish, sexy, and vibrant way of dressing to the gym. I was amazed how Brazilians were so confident in their own skin. The second trip to Brazil everything changed. I fell in love with the Brazilian style of workout clothing and I bought some pieces for personal use. As much as I loved everything, I knew if we wanted to see the Brazilian style of workout clothing here in the US, we were going to have to modify it! So about a year ago when we started brainstorming about the business, we knew we had to modify the cut, designs, and quality standards. We decided to create a brand that combines the Brazilian inspiration for stylish, sexy, fun designs and colors, with the American quality standards. Once we created our own identity, and the designs came to life the business was born. 

Why did you decide to design workout gear rather than anything else?
I LOVE working out, it’s such a huge part of my life. I’ve been an athlete my whole life. My husband was also an athlete when we met, and he got me into going to the gym about 4 years ago. I have been working out 4-5 days a week ever since. It changed my whole outlook on health and how I feel about myself. Looking good motivates me to work out harder, have fun and feel good about myself. This is how I want all my customers (JoJo’s) to feel when they wear Dona Jo!

Look good and feel great while working out in Dona Jo Fitwear.

What inspires your designs?
The free-spirited, confident and vibrant Brazilian culture is where most of the inspiration comes from. Brazilians want to be sexy, comfortable and sporty so I grab that inspiration in every piece we design. I am the only American on the whole team, so I “Americanize” each piece we create in our manufacturer in Brazil to ensure everyone here will LOVE it too! 

Where can readers buy your pieces?
Anyone can shop on our website www.donajofitwear.com. Or, you can email me at aferraro@donajofitwear.com for a personal styling appointment if you are in the Pittsburgh area. Also, we have wholesalers in the USA, Brazil and Ukraine…and a few more to come. 

What are your future plans for the Fitwear line?
Right now we are getting all our designs finalized for the fall/winter collection. The collection is looking beautiful and will be something totally different than anything you see in the market! We will be introducing new prints, textures, colors and designs. 

Our future goal is to have wholesalers throughout the world, and a few corporate owned stores in the biggest markets.  We want to give all women the opportunity to be motivated to live a healthy life style and feel great about themselves when they wear Dona Jo.

What is the most rewarding thing about having your own line?
I love being able to dress women to feel confident in their own skin while working out. The gym can be an intimidating place, so feeling and looking the part is SO important to achieve better results. You have to dress the part…if you want to lose those last 10 lbs, it’s important to power up your self-esteem by looking the part. Dona Jo has the right gear for that!

Anything else you'd like to add...
I <3 all my Jo Jo’s – Thank you for all the love and support! Keep being #fashionablyfit!

Hope you all check out the Dona Jo Fitwear collection 

and stay #fashionablyfit this weekend!

This is a partnered post but all opinions are my own.