From Apartment Paint Nights to a Full-Fledged Sisterhood

The table was covered in paint-streaked wine glasses and half-burnt candles. Music played low from someone’s phone while a group of girls passed around a bottle and a brush - laughing, venting, dreaming out loud.

It wasn’t a brand yet. Just a girls’ night in.

Merilyn Garcia had a habit of turning her apartment into a whole experience - theme nights, coordinated fits, creativity at the center. She didn’t call it networking. She called it “fun.” And her ride or die bestie Laura De Leon? She saw the blueprint.

What if this wasn’t just a one-night vibe? What if they took this energy - the raw, untamed kind - and made it a movement?

Before Literally Just a Girl became a name on flyers, it was a feeling. A craving for connection that didn’t feel corporate or clout-chasing. Just real.

One day Merilyn told me her idea for another girls' night and something clicked. Like, why not build something bigger? We’re all trying to make a name for ourselves in this creative world. What if we created a space for us, by us?

They weren’t trying to be the next “boss babe” conference. They wanted something warmer. More human and intimate. Something that welcomed you in with open arms and let you show up exactly as you are - messy, brilliant, and still figuring it out.

Their first event was small, intimate. But the reaction? Immediate.

Women kept saying, ‘I didn’t even know I needed this. That’s when we realized, we had to keep going.

It wasn’t just about networking. It was about building a world where models, makeup artists, musicians, content creators and anyone still finding their lane could collide, collaborate, and grow together.

No gatekeeping. No “cool girl” hierarchy.

Just vibes, vision, and space you were invited to take up.

Where Networking Meets Nail Polish and Real Talk

Don’t lie…you’ve been to those kinds of networking events before.

Cold conference rooms. Stiff handshakes. Maybe a lonely fruit tray in the corner. They call it “professional,” but really it’s performative and half the people there aren’t even listening.

Literally Just a Girl didn’t want any part of that.

Instead of “pitch decks and LinkedIns,” they offer themed events, warm energy, and wild-card icebreakers that actually make people want to stay. You’re more likely to clink glasses with a stranger over a paintbrush or a truth-or-dare card than get stuck in a 15-minute monologue about brand synergy.

And that’s the point.

Our events are built for women to feel free. Every detail from the decor to the activities is about helping people drop their guard and just be real.

And when they say “themed,” they don’t mean a color scheme and a hashtag. They mean:

A full-on Galentine’s Slumber Party, where girls showed up in pajamas, spilled secrets in a women’s circle, played icebreakers, and ended the night dancing to Kehlani and SZA under fairy lights.

A Paint & Sip where canvases turned into conversation starters, strangers became collaborators, and creativity wasn’t just welcomed, it was expected.

A cocktail-making workshop with BarElla, where everyone learned how to shake something up (literally and figuratively) and left buzzed on both tequila and new ideas.

Their own version of Truth or Dare, rebranded to spark vulnerability, not humiliation - where asking someone about their creative dreams felt just as intimate as baring your soul.

We’re not just hosting events. We’re curating spaces where people can see themselves - in the art, in the energy, in the women around them.

It’s soft, but it’s powerful. And yeah…it’s pretty as hell, too. But don’t get it twisted: the glitter is backed by grit.

Everything about Literally Just a Girl - from the flyers to the florals to the Instagram promo - is done by two people.

No team. No investors. No corporate pipeline.

Just two best friends with a Google Doc, a shared calendar, and a refusal to wait for permission.

People assume we’re this big, put-together brand, but we’re literally just two girls, Googling things at 1AM and figuring it out on the fly.”

They split the work like a perfectly balanced duo: Merilyn’s got the creative vision, the content, the visuals, the vibes. Laura’s the operations brain - handling logistics, quotes, emails, venue talks, the unsexy stuff that makes it all look effortless. Together, they’re a dream team with zero room for ego - and that synergy? It shows.

It’s so much more than networking. It’s women finding collaborators, business partners, even roommates. We’ve had girls meet at one event and go on to build businesses together.

It’s the kind of space you don’t realize you needed until you’re in it - surrounded by women hyping each other up, swapping info, sliding into DMs to say, “We should definitely work together.”

It doesn’t stop when the candles blow out or the playlist fades. Once you attend an event, you’re added to their exclusive IG networking group chat.

It’s alive 24/7. A space where women share resources, connect on projects, promote their work, and support each other like a creative girl gang with no expiration date.

You’ll see makeup artists linking with photographers. Content creators launching collabs. Models finding their next muse. Even Merilyn and Laura have found future vendors, speakers, and sponsors through their own attendees.

It’s the ripple effect. It’s one conversation at one event that can change your whole direction.

So no - this isn’t some “just for fun” girls' night.

It’s a strategic love letter to women who are building something out of nothing.

A blueprint in lipstick. A launchpad in lashes. A reminder that community isn’t a luxury - it’s a necessity.

And at Literally Just a Girl, it’s built with heart, hustle, and just the right amount of chaos.

Speaking of…The Girlies Are Gathering July 13!

Mark your calendar. Call your homegirls. Get an outfit.

Sunday, July 13 is about to be that day.

Literally Just a Girl is throwing their next event and it’s giving: Bohemian Poolside Spa Day

North Jersey (exact location drops with RSVP)

Mini spa treatments.

Luxury vibes.

Wellness, vendors, massages, beauty, connection.

And, as always…a whole lot of magic.

We wanted this one to feel like a reset. Soft. Safe. Restorative. But still beautiful, bold, and creative.

Expect estheticians, massage therapists, curated vendors, and that signature L.J.A.G. touch that turns any space into an immersive experience. Think flower crowns, essential oils, iced drinks in hand, surrounded by women who GET you.

This isn’t just about self-care. It’s about collective care. Creating joy and peace together. Letting ourselves be seen while we exhale.

And yes, there will be photo ops. Yes, you can come solo.

And most importantly, you will walk out with new friends, new confidence, and possibly your next collaborator. Or therapist. Or business coach. Or favorite esthetician.

That’s the magic of Literally Just a Girl: you never know what you’ll walk out with.

TICKETS DROP SOON - keep your eyes glued to @literallyjustagirlevents on Instagram + TikTok for updates.

When the girlies gather like this? Something sacred happens.

What You Don’t See on Instagram

It’s easy to get caught up on how things are presented vs. how they actually are…ESPECIALLY on Instagram! We get to choose what makes it onto our feed and 9/10? It’s polished flyers, smiling faces, a packed room full of beautiful women in beautiful fits, clinking glasses under string lights like some kind of Pinterest-perfect dream.

Yet there’s so much we DON’T get to see behind the scenes. Hot glue burns at 2AM. Emails going out on lunch breaks. A pile of decorations crammed in the backseat of Merilyn’s car. Screenshots, spreadsheets, receipts, and a to-do list that never really ends.

We’re not a big team. We’re literally just two girls trying to build something meaningful with heart, hustle, and a whole lot of YouTube tutorials.

Although the brand radiates ease, fun, and elegance, the journey hasn’t always been cute.

Both Merilyn and Laura are Latin women navigating industries that don’t always make space for their voices, let alone their visions. And the biggest battle? Wasn’t just external, it was internal.

We realized that one of the hardest things to overcome was our own self-doubt. We’ve been conditioned to think small. To play safe. To wait for permission.

But they didn’t. They kept going. Even when the numbers were low, even when the support wasn’t loud, even when burnout crept in dressed like productivity.

There were times we questioned if people really cared, but then someone would DM us after an event saying, ‘This changed how I see myself.’ And we’d remember exactly why we started.

It wasn’t about virality. It wasn’t about blowing up overnight. It was about showing up consistently - even when it was quiet. Even when the glam faded. Even when it would’ve been easier to cancel. Through it all, they’ve built a partnership and ecosystem where creative and logistical brains coexist in harmony, not perfection.

Merilyn brings the fire: the themes, the aesthetics, the mood boards that make each event feel like a living, breathing vision board. Laura holds the structure: the booking, the quotes, the calendars, the backend operations that make everything possible.

That balance is why we haven’t burned out completely. We lean into our strengths, and we don’t try to do it all alone.

Still, the work is heavy. Every centerpiece is handmade. Every gift bag is packed by them. Every flyer is edited on a cracked iPhone screen while catching up on messages from potential vendors and guests.

This isn’t some plug-and-play girlboss starter kit.

This is real-world creativity. Real-life exhaustion. Real sacrifice. Yet somehow, they still make it beautiful.

Because the beauty? Isn’t just in the visuals. It’s in the women who feel safe for the first time in a long time.

It’s in the attendees who say “I found my people.”

It’s in the proof that something sacred can be born from struggle - something that lasts.

The path wasn’t easy, but the fruits of our resilience are undeniable.

Bigger Than a Brand. Louder Than a Hashtag.

What started in a living room is now echoing through cities, but for Laura and Merilyn, this was never just about one event or even one state.

We won’t say too much, there’s power in silence, but we definitely see Literally Just a Girl expanding far beyond Jersey.

Think: LA rooftops. Miami art studios. Atlanta day parties. One day? Maybe even overseas, because women everywhere are craving this. Not just cute vibes, but a place where softness and ambition coexist.

A room where you can take your makeup off, speak your truth, and still be taken seriously as a brand, a creator, a leader.

We’ve learned that you don’t have to wait until you’re rich or ‘established’ to make something beautiful. Our moms taught us how to create magic with what we have and that mindset has shaped everything.

Legacy, for them, isn’t measured in likes or press coverage.

It’s in the way women walk out of their events with their heads higher. It’s in the Instagram group chats that stay alive months later. It’s in the moment someone realizes:

“I’m not alone. I’m not crazy. And I’m allowed to dream bigger.”

If we could go back to day one, we’d tell ourselves not to stress the small stuff. Stay true to our vision. Don’t play small. Because the ideas will flow, the people will come as long as the purpose stays real.

And that’s what keeps this whole thing beating: Just two women with a mission to create the space they never had growing up and to keep making room for every woman who’s still trying to find hers.

So what’s next for Literally Just a Girl? Everything.

This Is Your Sign to Show Up

You don’t have to have a brand. You don’t need 10K followers. You don’t need a pitch deck, a polished reel, or even a damn clue what your next step is.

You just need to show up as you are in your softness, chaos, and creativity.

That’s exactly who Literally Just a Girl was made for.

You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to be willing - to learn, to grow, to connect.”

For the dreamers with imposter syndrome. For the artists still working their 9–5s. For the women who want more but don’t know where to start.

Start here.

Follow them. DM them. Pull up on July 13.

Join the chat. Start the convo. Spark the collab.

And if no one’s told you this yet?

You’re not “just a girl.”

You’re a fucking force.

And the room’s been waiting for you.

Stay connected:

Follow @literallyjustagirlevents on Instagram & TikTok

Tickets for the Boho Poolside Spa Day drop soon - watch their stories like your future depends on it.

Wanna join the community chat? Come to an event. That’s how you get in.

This ain’t just another networking group.

This is the revolution in rhinestones and it’s only just getting started.