Hate choosing between feeling cozy and looking cute for game days, tailgates and all your favorite fall activities? Well, thanks to Jill Martin, you don't have to anymore.
Martin is officially expanding her popular By Jill Martin line, adding new items — including cropped loungers, faux fur jackets and extra cozy hats — to the lineup. To make things even better, she's is also announcing a new partnership with the NFL, so whether your favorite team is the Kansas City Chiefs or the San Francisco 49ers, you can rep them in style and comfort. As a sports fan, Martin calls it a "privilege" to be able to add pieces featuring the NFL teams to her collection (she already offers NBA, WNBA and MLB styles).
"It’s like when I walk into 30 Rock, I walk in every day, marveling at what a privilege it is to be here. So when I got these licenses over the past year, I was hysterically crying." She continues, "The other honor is that for people who are fans of a team, something that is so sacred right now is escape, which everybody needs, and the fact that I am dressing them for their favorite escape does not go unnoticed."
Martin is known for her bestselling and celebrity-favorite Sherpa and the NFL styles give people even more ways to wear them. Plus, the new items in the collection blend expand on what shoppers love most about the original Sherpa, the blend of fashion and comfort, so they don't have to compromise for their game day fits.
"We're female-founded, self-funded. I did this through unimaginable obstacles to launch this. Also, my history is in sports, so I know that when I go to a game, I want to watch the game, but I also want to look good, and those two things can be so. I think oftentimes it’s been that you either look cool or look casual. And I wear sequined dresses to games. We have to normalize that, because for women who are sports fans who want to get dressed up and that’s their night out, you should be able to wear your night out outfits."
And that's not all, the new items expand to every member of your family, because Martin also teamed up with her longtime friend, Beth Stern, to release a pet line. We got the details on all of the new launches below.
By Jill Martin NFL collection
This is the fan-favorite product that started it all: Jill Martin's famous cozy lounger. If you walk around the Shop TODAY office, you'll see one at almost every desk, because our staffers love how comfortable and cozy they feel. You can head to the brand's landing page to shop your favorite team, whether you root for the Arizona Cardinals or the Kansas City Chiefs. Each lounger is available in multiple color options and can even be personalized for an additional fee.
This hoodie is made from an incredibly soft blanket Sherpa material (trust us, we’ve tried it and you’ll want to live in it). You can shop the different teams exclusively on the Fanatics site.
The loungers are also available in cropped styles, which are perfect if you want to show off a pair of stylish leather pants or your going-out dress. Along with their ultra-soft material, the Sherpas feature button closures and thumb holes.
"They’re incredibly bold and make a statement," Martin says of these chic Trapper hats. "They’re Instagrammable, but they’re also made of the best quality faux fur, they are incredibly warm and you can rep your team in style. I expect fashionistas to be wearing these from tailgates to touchdown, because not only are you your warmest self, you’re your chicest self, in the best quality [materials]."
Make the ultimate upgrade to your game day wardrobe with this faux fur jacket. It features a bedazzled back logo and an inner lining featuring the league's logo. "I [call it] couch to courtside: I would sleep in this and I would wear it to a black tie affair," Martin says.
By Jill Martin x Beth Stern pet line
Martin doesn't have any pets herself, so when she thought about creating a line of cozy jackets for pets — so furry friends can match with their parents — she knew she had to team up with her longtime friend, Beth Stern. Stern is the founder of Beth's Furry Friends, a non-profit dedicated to helping animals in need, and is a true animal lover. (When we spoke to her, she shared that she currently had more than 20 foster cats in her home.) And 20% of the profits from the line will go to the foundation.
"All of my [proceeds] are going to help me save more lives," Stern tells us. "This is something that we’re putting our hearts and souls into, and I just want to have cute products because I think there needs to be cuter [pet] products out there."
The duo designed the black cat line to represent the overlooked animals. "A black cat at the shelter is the last one to get adopted," Stern shares. But she adds that oftentimes, they are the most special. "So that little black face on the patches on the lounger is so meaningful to me."
"Of all of them, the angel wing ones are my favorite," Stern shares. "The patchwork is so magnificent and so cute."
Martin adds, "And it really represents the core of who we are together."
Stern adds that the wings were inspired by something she tells animals when they're going to their forever home. "I always say when they’re about to be adopted, it’s your time to fly."
To make the collection feel even more personal, each piece comes with a small print of a watercolor created by Stern's husband, broadcaster and media personality, Howard Stern, showing the couple's late dog, Bianca.
"There's a print of one of my husband’s watercolors of our bulldog, who is the inspiration for the BFF line." She adds, "It means so much to me and I think Howard fans are going to kick out of it."
Of course, you can also get your pet in on the game day fun with one of the NFL pet jackets! It'll keep them cozy on winter walks or afternoons at home.
How we chose
We spoke to TODAY contributor Jill Martin about her new collections, and chose to highlight a handful of the items above. These were chosen because we thought they would appeal to a range of people, from pet parents to sports fans and fashion lovers.
