Her T-shirts declare 'i believe in me'

By Wendy Killeen, Globe Correspondent | April 6, 2006

Jenifer Hoffman was 2 miles into the cycling leg of a triathlon in Newburyport last summer when she and another rider, reaching for his water bottle, collided.

''At 35 miles an hour I went down on the concrete," she recalled. ''I shattered my elbow, broke three ribs, had a concussion, and road rash."

She got back on her bike and finished the cycling and running segments of the race.

But she was battered. ''People thought I was in a motorcycle accident," Hoffman said.

Two weeks later, still bandaged and hurting, she went for an evening walk and was assaulted by a young man who, she said, ''tried to carry me off."

Despite her previous injuries, she was able to get away and make it back to her Newburyport home. ''I felt my life was out of control at that point," she said.

Oddly, a shopping trip to buy school clothes for her three children -- ages 8, 6, and 4 -- brought an answer.

''In every store, there were messages on apparel for adults and children of negativity, sexual innuendo, and violence," she said. ''I thought, I'll just make T-shirts I feel my kids, myself, and others should embrace, with positive reminders of what's important."

The result is Emotional Armor, a T-shirt company that Hoffman, 36, has just launched. The colorful shirts for children and women sport one of 51 inspirational messages on the front, including ''small body, big dreams" and ''i believe in me" for girls, and ''pure energy" and ''natural born hero" for boys. A popular message on the girls' and women's shirts is ''princess. not in need of rescue." Others are ''my mistakes will make me strong," ''constant reminder of extraordinary," ''never underestimate me," and ''the power of one."

The 100 percent cotton shirts, printed at Jungle Inc. in Ipswich.

''They are a very high quality T-shirt, without losing sight it's a T-shirt," Hoffman said. ''I wear them with jeans. I exercise in them. Another important thing is I didn't want to bend over and have my midriff showing, so they are long in the torso. I want you to look pretty and feminine, but I want you to be covered."

The shirts will be available online, and Hoffman is marketing them to local and Boston retailers.

Proceeds benefit the Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center in Newburyport, where Hoffman is on the board, and a cultural arts enrichment program in Newburyport's elementary schools.

''I am such a fan of what she is doing," said Suzanne Dubus, executive director of the crisis center. ''When she told me her idea and what was behind it, it resonated. I love the positive messages about strength for both kids and adults, and I love that she is giving back to the community."

Dubus agreed with Hoffman that many T-shirts found in stores are offensive. ''There is a culture of real rudeness and disrespect that is pervasive, particularly with kids," she said.

She said she finds the Emotional Armor mottos empowering. ''For so long, women have beaten themselves up for not having the right bodies and not making enough money," she said. ''How nice to adopt our own codes. That's what's so wonderful about her line. I, personally, want every single one."

Hoffman's sister Miranda Dalton, 20, of Newburyport, is also a fan of the shirts. She said she and a 23-year-old friend ''wear them all the time."

''They are totally inspirational, especially for people my age who are trying to break out of the mold of society," said Dalton. ''A lot of the reality television shows, MTV, and movies portray a negative image, of women especially. This sends a totally positive message."

Her favorite slogan is ''walking my internal red carpet," which to her means ''you are not showing off to anyone else, but admiring who you are on the inside."

Dalton said she knew her sister was ''looking for something to work on and express who she is," but was surprised the T-shirt company ''came so quickly and so naturally."

Hoffman has been developing Emotional Armor, which she started with her own savings, since January.

Jeanne Dalton Justice, Hoffman's mother, said in an e-mail from her home in the British Virgin Islands that her daughter ''is very hard-working and dauntless, with an understanding that giving in to fear is what undermines a valuable life.

''Her ability to identify valid role models for her marketing plan stems from the fact that she herself is a legitimate role model," Justice wrote.

The company's website, www.emotionalarmor.com, now in development, will include Faces of Emotional Armor, profiles of local ''everyday people trying to set the bar higher and doing things that are challenging and that inspire people," Hoffman said. Readers will be invited to contribute their own stories.

Meanwhile, Hoffman is working on expanding her line. Each season will bring new colors, and there will be long sleeves for the fall, as well as new messages, she said.

For babies, Welcome to the Planet is being introduced. The onesies, in sets of three, will be decorated with a peace symbol, a heart, and a happy face: peace, love, and happiness.

A men's line also is in the works. ''I'm not a person who would think we could do all this without men going along for the ride, too," Hoffman said, adding that her husband, Gregg, is her biggest supporter.

''My husband is a former Marine, and my father is a holistic therapist," she said. ''How they are going to be emotionally open is different than how a woman or child would be."

The initial message on the men's shirts is ''protector of peace."

''It's one they all like," Hoffman said. ''They see themselves in a society as protectors, but not in a violent way. It's perfect for my company and perfect for a man to wear." It is also the likely motto for the unisex shirts she is making for the crisis center's 15th annual Walk Against Violence, to be held April 30.

Of her efforts, Hoffman said, ''This has everything to do with this journey I just went on. I'm trying to find a positive message in the two things that happened to me and share that in a big way. This isn't just a T-shirt company to me."

For further information or ordering inquiries contact us directly at jen@emotionalarmor.com
Back to Home Page >>

(Globe Staff Photo / Mark Wilson)

© Copyright 2006 Globe Newspaper Company.