What’s Read and Worn All Over?

Do you know what "LOL" and "TTYL" means? 

Rebecca Braunstein, 42, a Merrick resident turned "mompreneur" is counting on the fact that you do probably because you're among the more than 270 million people texting regularly today.

In December, Braunstein launched a unique clothing line aptly named "LOL Trends :)".  The company's motto : "You Text It You Wear it!", just about says it all.  LOL Trends :) offers casual wear sporting the latest lexicon of texting. 

Braunstein's line of hoodies, t-shirts, yoga pants and more feature designs with LOL (for laugh out loud), TTYL (talk to you later), CUL8R (see you later) and LMAO (laughing my …) ...well you get the gist.

According to Braunstein, the idea came to her one day at her kitchen table while observing her son David, 13, texting his friends and her daughter Melissa, 9, trying on new clothes. She thought, "Why not combine the two trendy obsessions into one?" And that's how LOL Trends  was born.

Although Braunstein had no experience in the clothing business, she is banking on her 14 years of sales experience to help make her concept of combing casual wear and texting into a successful reality. 

Braunstein, (a Merrick resident since age 10, attended Calhoun High School, Brookside Middle School and Camp Avenue Elementary), has the support of her husband Lou, a lifelong resident of Merrick (alumi of Calhoun, Merrick Avenue Middle School  and Camp Avenue), her two children, (students at MAMS and Camp Avenue), as well as her mother- in-law, Edna, also a lifelong Merokean. 

Patch caught up with Rebecca Braunstein at the recent Merrick Kids Fest to talk about her burgeoning clothing line. Daughter Melissa was handing out flyers and answering questions from prospective customers while Lou worked on keeping the portable garment rack from collapsing with the wind.  Edna was there to lend a smile and encouraging word.

People of all ages visiting the booth seem to light up upon seeing the LOL Trends clothing. Braunstein says grandparents and mothers are buying them for their kids/grandkids.  Many of the teen girls at MAMS are wearing it. 

Braunstein says: "Kids need clothes all the time.  They're constantly growing.  As a mom I understand this.  That's why we use quality 100% cotton material and I try to keep my prices low."   

Hoodies run about $29 and t-shirts from $15.  The company donates $1 from each sale to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

Sidney, 16, walks up to the LOL Trends Kids Fest booth and unprompted comments, "These shirts are genius. They're awesome!" Her friend Travis, 19 adds, "They're great because they're capitalizing on the latest online trends."

Studies in fact back this last statement up. According to a recent study by Pew Research Center, one-third of teenagers send more than 100 texts per day.

Based on the studies and personal research, Braunstein is hopeful that her line will catch on big.  She's had very good feedback from early sales.  Additionally, the LOL Trends :)  Facebook page has more than 280 members.  Recently, at the Broadway Mall in Hicksville, Braunstein was given space at the Old Navy store, to showcase her wares. 

"I don't have a brick and mortar store, instead I sell online and a lot of people are finding us on the internet and through word of mouth.  I've also been doing house parties and showing at venues like the Merrick Kids Fest," she says.

Braunstein says she has some other irons in the fire that she hopes will help propel her sales. 

"We've only scratched the surface as far as the different texts that we can use," she says.  "There are hundreds of texts and new ones all the time, so our clothing line will constantly evolve as the text language grows." 

Braunstein encourages visitors to the LOL Trends website to suggest and vote on texts on the guestbook page.

"Who knows," Braunstein says, "maybe you'll see your favorite text on one of our new shirts or hoodies."