Dragonwing Blog
Giving Tuesday: Dragonwing Girlgear Style
Dragonwing Girlgear is dedicated to giving back and supporting others who want to do the same. Goals for Girls is an organization that connects girls from all over the world together to empower one another through service and soccer. In hopes of helping to further their mission of girls helping girls, Dragonwing Girlgear is donating one bra to Goals for Girls for every bra purchased today. You have the chance to instill confidence in not only your daughter, but another young girl somewhere in the world. Join us and Goals for Girls in our Giving Tuesday efforts to provide gifts that keep on giving: a top-of-the-line sports bra and the gift of empowerment.
My Daughter is So Happy! — Early Product Review
We are super excited to share an early product review of the new Racerback Cami that we launched on Kickstarter. Sara from Ohio's daughter loves it -- and we think YOU will too. "For the past year, I have been looking for the perfect cami for my 11- year old daughter. My daughter is not quite ready for a bra but definitely needed something with more coverage than the cotton cami with a shelf that she has been wearing daily under her shirts. Recently, I received a sample of the Dragonwing Racerback Cami to trial with my daughter. I am thrilled to say that I have finally found the perfect cami!! My daughter has never loved a cami so much! She tried it on for me and was beaming. The padding in the cami really made her feel more confident and it looked so nice under her shirt. Some of the features of this cami that we love are:
- The material keeps her cool and dry, so it is perfect for any activity. - The straps are adjustable, so she will be able to wear it for quite awhile and adjust it as she grows - The racer back design is great for her posture and looks very sporty. - The padding can be removed for washing or if less coverage is desired.
My daughter wants to wear this cami every day now, so I have been washing it constantly. Even after 10+ washes, the cami still looks as good as new. I am so excited that these camis are on Kickstarter now. I plan on stocking up and buying more in multiple colors. Thank you for creating such a high quality product that makes my daughter feel confident with her body.Sincerely,
Sara
(Mom and Devoted Dragonwing Customer in Ohio)
Keep Girls in Sports
Help support Dragonwing girlgear to Keep Girls in Sports with The Racer Bra and Cami
Click the link above to find out more information about how this project got started, the two great products being launched with this Kickstarter: the Racer Sports Bra & Racerback Cami, and tips to get the perfect fit in your Dragonwing girlgear.
Buy Pink and Make a Difference!
Every October during Breast Cancer Awareness month, memories of family and friends who’ve fought the disease flood my mind. Like most people, I’ve donated money for research, dropped off food for family dinners, and sent cards and emails of encouragement and, sometimes, sympathy.
This year, I am determined to do much, much more. To use the power of this business and the amazing Dragonwing community to make a real difference in medical advances — not just for my friends or family but for women everywhere — and for our daughters, nieces, granddaughters, so that they may have a better, healthier future.
This year we are donating $10 from the sale of each and every item of pink Dragonwing girlgear that you buy. You can see all the eligible items here.
Thank you.
Best regards,
MaryAnne Gucciardi
Founder and CEO
Brand-New Resources Page
We have added a new Resources page to our sideline chatter blog! This resource page, entitled "Essentials for a Confident Girl Athlete" includes a growing list of tools that we at Dragonwing think are vital for the empowerment and success of female athletes and for the aid of their parents! Visit our resources page now and keep checking our blog for weekly posts as we add more essentials to our list.
Instagram Contest!
Dragonwing girlgear is sponsoring a contest on Instagram, and we are accepting photos between now and August 8th! All you have to do is post a picture of you playing your favorite sport, and then use #dragonwinggirl and tag us @dragonwinggirl! The winner will receive a $50 gift card, and second and third place get 15% off Dragonwing merchandise! For more information on the contest, see our website, or visit our Instagram account. We can't wait to see your photos!
This Sports Headband Really Won't Slip!
Three more months of school! I can hardly believe I will be a freshman next year. I'm already really excited for high school and connecting with more people. Sadly only one of my friends is going to the same high school as me but, that means I get to make some new friends.
Another great thing that will happen in high school is that my sister will be able to drive, which means I won't be late to rock climbing (at least, less often I hope!)
Getting back into rock climbing after my concussion has been going great. We've been preparing for rope season by practicing falls. Yes, we actually practice falls! When we practice for falls, we climb up the wall and then fall over and over again.
During recent practices, I've been wearing my Dragonwing Stay in Place Mini Headband, and it didn't slip off my head once! I totally recommend this sports headband to every athletic girl. I still love my Dragonwing sports bras, too. Here's a picture of me when my Racer Sports Bra arrived!
We've also been working on our first attempt-best attempt by "onsighting" routes. Onsighting is when you make a clean ascent without prior knowledge of the route or problem. I finally sent my first 11+ project on lead bottom to top -- with only a little bloody nick on knuckle. Success!
Before break our middle school had an award assembly, and I was named to the honor roll! Working my butt off to catch up with assignments after my concussion paid off. And seeing the smiles on my parents' faces was great!
During recent practices, I've been wearing my Dragonwing Stay in Place Mini Headband, and it didn't slip off my head once! I totally recommend this sports headband to every athletic girl. I still love my Dragonwing sports bras, too. Here's a picture of me when my Racer Sports Bra arrived!
We've also been working on our first attempt-best attempt by "onsighting" routes. Onsighting is when you make a clean ascent without prior knowledge of the route or problem. I finally sent my first 11+ project on lead bottom to top -- with only a little bloody nick on knuckle. Success!
Before break our middle school had an award assembly, and I was named to the honor roll! Working my butt off to catch up with assignments after my concussion paid off. And seeing the smiles on my parents' faces was great!
Sports Headbands 3-for-2 Sale
This Valentine's Day, why not give your sports girl a "bouquet" of sports headbands?!
Unlike roses or other flowers, our Game On headband will last through an entire sports season and longer! And they make the perfect Valentine's Day treat:
- soft & stretchy to keep hair in place
- non-slip thanks to two silicone strips on the inside
- available in 7 colors: red-orange; blue/black; white; midnight blue; sky/white; black/gray; heather gray/black.
Buy any 2 and get a third for FREE when you use promo code LOVE2016.Don't wait! This special promotion is only valid through February 14, 2016.
New Barbie's Not a Winner
Mattel's recent introduction of three new "styles" of Barbie has received lots of media attention. The dolls are now being made with a variety of skin tones, but most of the attention has focused -- not surprisingly -- on the new body types: curvy, petite, and tall.
A tiny, Barbie-sized step in a positive direction of representing greater diversity perhaps, but the dolls still represent a limited and unrealistic image for girls.
As the founder of a company dedicated to empowering girls in sports and life, I'm disappointed -- but not at all surprised -- that there's not an athletic Barbie among these new offerings. In fact, the only one that comes close to being sports-oriented is wearing white platform sneakers and a football-style jersey dress with "Glam Team" above the number. She's definitely not dressed to play sports.
Maybe soccer or basketball uniforms and sports shoes will someday be sold for these new Barbies, but even then I expect the stylized body size will continue to give girls an unrealistic image of a so-called "ideal body."
Girls of all ages come in different shapes and sizes, and all of them can be athletes who enjoy the fun and lifelong lessons that sports participation conveys.
A tiny, Barbie-sized step in a positive direction of representing greater diversity perhaps, but the dolls still represent a limited and unrealistic image for girls.
As the founder of a company dedicated to empowering girls in sports and life, I'm disappointed -- but not at all surprised -- that there's not an athletic Barbie among these new offerings. In fact, the only one that comes close to being sports-oriented is wearing white platform sneakers and a football-style jersey dress with "Glam Team" above the number. She's definitely not dressed to play sports.
Maybe soccer or basketball uniforms and sports shoes will someday be sold for these new Barbies, but even then I expect the stylized body size will continue to give girls an unrealistic image of a so-called "ideal body."
Girls of all ages come in different shapes and sizes, and all of them can be athletes who enjoy the fun and lifelong lessons that sports participation conveys.
An Open Letter to Weight Watchers
Dear Weight Watchers: Thanks to your new spokesperson, Oprah Winfrey, you've been getting more airtime and press than usual recently. I'll add my voice to those, like MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry, who feel compelled to look beyond the pitch for a weight loss program and call out the unintentionally harmful messages -- subtle and blatant -- you're sending to women and girls.
"I worry, as a mom and as a woman, about the messages our daughters receive if they think a woman as phenomenal as you is not enough unless she is thin. Who you are, what you have accomplished, how you have influenced and altered the world is all so much more important than your dress size. There is not one thing that you have done that would have been more extraordinary if you’d done it with a 25-inch waist." Melissa Harris-Perry.As a mother of a teenage girl and as the founder of a business dedicated to empowering girls in sports and in life, I see the focus on the weight number as a trap. Like a ball and chain, the notion of a magical goal number on the scale weighs us down and keeps us -- women and girls -- from achieving our dreams. How many times have we said or heard, "If only I weighed less, I'd be able to
My goal is to free girls from the emotional baggage of social expectations on weight and body image. There is no one right or perfect body type; women and girls come in all shapes and sizes. They are all powerful and beautiful.Oprah has power and influence and is respected worldwide for her business acumen, acting talents, philanthropy -- for her humanity. She has earned all that and more because of who she is -- not because of the number of pounds she weighs or the size clothing she wears. But rather than blame Oprah, I'd like to offer a possible solution to Weight Watchers. In this new year, I urge the company to rebrand and refocus its mission and message. Success in life isn't about watching your weight. Success in life is about emotional and physical well-being; life is about actualizing your potential. Instead of a fellowship around the scale, how about a fellowship of activity and wellness? Instead of selling prepackaged processed foods, how about promoting nutrition information and healthy cooking classes? Most importantly, Weight Watchers, I encourage you to change your messaging. While you have male and female members, the vast majority of your messages are aimed at females and feed the toxic media messages about body image that bombard women and girls daily.
What I wish you would say, in a national advertising campaign, is what so many of us say to young women and girls every day: "You are an amazing human being. You are enough as you are. Be healthy so you'll live a long life. Follow your dreams and go after the big goals you've set. The world needs you -- regardless of your shape or size. And I believe in YOU!"Sincerely, MaryAnne Gucciardi, Founder and CEO of Dragonwing girlgear
Honoring Dr. King's Legacy
On this day honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I will take the time to read his speech from The March on Washington in 1963, often called the "I Have a Dream" speech. As always, I am moved by the eloquence and power of his words. I am grateful for the efforts, sacrifices, and courageous acts -- large and small -- that have resulted in expanded civil rights for millions in our country. And I am reminded of the work that remains to be done -- work that I and WE need to do -- to help make Dr. King's dream a reality. If you would like to read Dr. King's speech from the March on Washington or any of his other works, you can find them online at The King Center.
New Year, New Gear for Athletic Girls
In this month of new beginnings, we're delighted to introduce some fabulous new products for sports girls. Now's the time to discover the Dragonwing Difference of perfect fit, soft & snug stretch, high tech wicking fabric, and I-don't-even-know-it's-there comfort, all designed just for girls. TAP photos for more info and to shop. Game On Headband: soft, stretchy, non-slip (thanks to double strips of silicone on the inside) to keep hair out of your face, so you can focus on your game. In 5 great colors. 
Keyhole Sports Bra -- now in Chartreuse with Azure Blue trim! Super comfortable, soft and snug, double thickness for coverage, moisture-wicking and antimicrobial -- what more could a girl want?! 
Winter Bundle: girls leggings plus 2 sports bras for $100 (savings of more than $15). Stay warm, dry, and comfortable!