WS Chronicle

By Busta Brown

If you’re looking for clothing that is different, that stands out above the rest and is extremely stylish, Fashion Overall is the place. Stopping by is a must! 

I’ve never seen women’s shoes and sandals that made me speechless and the words dope and fly are understatements. Fashion Overall has something for men, women and children, from small to 4x. “If I don’t have something you’re looking for, I’ll do my best to find it. I love making people happy; it’s why I started my clothing business. When you look good, you feel good,” said owner and CEO Christina Astrop. 

As a child she knew early on that she would be an entrepreneur. “I would ask questions about how to start a business and how did successful businesses get where they are. I had planned on pursuing a career in nursing, and then as an adult, I started doing the research on how to start my own business. 

“I got into extreme couponing and that’s how I started my clientele that I have now. I sold coupons and household products,” shared Christina. 

The Winston-Salem native’s family and friends would comment on how well she dressed, which inspired the move to open a clothing store. In 2017 the business started as an online boutique, and then in 2019 the doors to Fashion Overall were opened to the public. 

Christina said the key to her success isn’t just selling clothes and doing eyelashes. “I always wanted to be in both the fashion and beauty industry, so I incorporated doing eyelashes as well. I have a wonderful relationship with my customers, so I know what they want. I understand them and they understand me. 

“What I love most about my customers is they believed in my dream and were excited to invest in it. When you walk into my store, I treat you the way I’d like to be treated as a customer,” she said. 

Astrop is holding down a business, raising a seven-year-old daughter, and going to school to be an esthetician. Seven-year-old Lorryn watched her mommy work hard as a CEO and entrepreneur, so she started a kids’ clothing business called Lorryn’s World. “This is something she decided on her own and I’m very proud of her. I credit my success to my mother as well. It’s because I saw how hard she worked, and that inspired me to work hard and create financial freedom for me and my daughter,” shared Christina. 

The CEO shared that everything at Fashion Overall is created with love to express styles for everyday stories. “Everyone has a story, so when you wear our clothes, we want you to feel powerful, believe in yourself, and your power.”

Fashion Overall has custom apparel for men and women. Women’s high-waist shorts, show-stopper short sets, a beautiful tie-dyed biker set, sundresses, sleeveless shirts, and the split-me dress are must haves. And there’s more! I dig the colorful men’s joggers, t-shirts, shorts sets, and more. And the shoes! You gotta see the shoes! 

Christina said if she could go back, the only thing she would do differently is more research. “When I did my research, it helped me realize I needed to slow down, because there’s an order to everything you do. You must slow down and master one thing at a time. I learned the importance of balancing my business taxes, which is an absolute must to stay in business. The research and speaking with successful business owners helped me avoid making business decisions that would cost me more money later. 

“I wear a lot of hats. I’m the cashier, I do all the marketing and pretty much everything else that’s needed,” said Christina. When she graduates from esthetician school, the next phase begins. “I want to get a new building and have a beauty bar with different rooms to sell clothes, sell beauty products, and provide different beauty services. It’ll be a one-stop shop for everything you need to look good and feel good. When you leave my store, I want you to feel good about yourself inside and out.” 

I asked Christina Astrop to share her favorite quote. “She believes she could, so she did it.” My Business of the Month is Fashion Overall. For more info, visit www.fashionoverall.com, Facebook, IG, and Snapchat. Fashion Overall is located at 2101 S. Main St. in Winston-Salem and is open Tuesday-Saturday 12 noon – 5 p.m. and by appointment only on Sunday and Monday.