LLauren LeBlanc Haydel founded Fleurty Girl in 2009 with a $2,000 tax refund and a vision for a different life. "I realized I'm going to start a t-shirt line about New Orleans and feminine cut t-shirts, and it's going to be called Fleurty Girl," Haydel said. Fleurty Girl / GettyBut it isn't just that leap of faith to which she attributes her early success. GettyThe exposure from the cease-and-desist letter gave Fleurty Girl the buzz it needed because locals ate up her merchandise, and wanted more. Fleurty Girl / GettyToday, Fleurty Girl has nine stores, including one online, that sells carefully curated products like socks, jewelry, shoes – and yes, t-shirts – from local and internationally loved brands.

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