'Jersey Girls' Hit GNO in Maplewood Village

Words. Thursday night. Be there.

A couple of real Jersey girls, Marie Moss (Tunrpike Exit 11) and Barri Leiner Grant (Parkway Exit 109) will be at Words from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the midst of Maplewood's Annual GNO event to tell the true story of what it means to be "born, bred, and proud Jersey Girls."

The "girls" are fashion, design and lifestyle experts who have been featured on air and in publications such as the New York Times, Country Living, Elle and O Magazine. They own M&B VINTAGE, an accessories collection worn by many of Hollywood’s hottest stars. Moss now resides in New York and Grant in Chicago, but both maintain strong ties to their Jersey roots.

Their book JERSEY GIRLS: THE FIERCE & THE FABULOUS is an attempt to paint "a bigger picture of how we are trying to 'take back the beach' and present a more positive image of Jersey Girls all over the state," said Moss.

They're not denying the big hair and brash attitudes — just contending that there's much more to the female half of the state's population than Snooki might have you believe.

Promo materials for the book call it "the smart, sexy must-have accessory of the summer." The book includes a Jersey Girl Hall of Fame (inductees include Sarah Vaughn, Dorothy Parker and Connie Francis) and shout-outs to "true" Jersey Girl style (“The bigger the hair, the closer to God”).

The book features interviews with famous "JG’s" — including Maplewood's own Christine Ebersole — speaking out on what it really means to hail from the Garden State. Dionne Warwick and Olympia Dukakis to Bebe Neuwirth and Bobbi Brown get in on the action in defending – and celebrating – the true spirit of born and bred Jersey Girls.

Moss says she and her co-author are excited to "meet the lovely ladies of Maplewood on Girls Night Out this Thursday!" 

See these JGs for yourselves on this news segment or live and in person — hair and all — at Words on Thursday night!