Styling for Success

alking through the racks stocked with brightly colored palazzo pants, bold tunics, and breezy dresses, Christine Proffitt says, “Basically, I’ve learned to stick with what works!” When asked to share her thoughts on her 18 years as owner of Wild & Personal Boutique, she says that is probably the biggest take-away from nearly two decades in the business. While Christine (continues)

says she does go to market occasionally to check out new trends and new vendors, she finds that it’s easy to get most of that information on websites and in catalogs these days, and it pays off more just to update and restock inventory in her main lines. Her store space is maximized and she’d rather offer what she knows her customers want and come in to buy instead of trying out new brands that may or may not be a hit here. Her longevity is a testament to the fact that she does this well.

Christine is proud of the fact that about 90% of what she carries in the store is made in the United States. With a few exceptions, like a line of wonderful t-shirts from Nepal or remarkably soft leggings from China, she finds the best quality comes from goods produced in the US. One of her most popular brands is Clara Sun Woo, a motherdaughter design team who manufactures in NY and makes comfortable, long-lasting, easy to care for, wonderfully flattering clothes. Christine says her customers often compliment her on the store’s international flavor and appeal, but that’s due to the way things are styled and the types of patterns and designs she chooses. She believes in-store presentation is very important. While Christine leans heavily towards prints and bright colors, she knows to always supplement with a strong selection of solids and more subdued color choices in deference to the wide variety of customer preferences. Those prints and bright colors she displays may lend a different feel to her boutique than other shops who are offering similar brands. She says, “We all shop at the same market. So it’s really just a matter of styling and perception.”

Christine knows that styling and perception are also key when it comes to personal wardrobe selections. Something she is truly passion-

ate about is helping her customers to look and feel their best in clothing they find at Wild & Personal. She looks for product lines that are comfortable and easy to care for, as well as styles that are designed and cut to be flattering to most body types. She has a strong grasp of all of her manufacturer’s product lines and how they are sized and cut, so she is an invaluable resource when someone comes in or calls to tell her what kind of look and fit they prefer or type of style they’re looking for when shopping either in-store or online. She loves showing customers how stepping outside of their comfort zone and choosing prints they might not normally select or a blouse or dress that drapes differently can flattering options. She says there’s nothing she likes more than getting thank you notes and cards from customers saying things like “When I wear your clothes, I feel beautiful.” or being told by returning island visitors that they make it a priority to shop at Wild & Personal whenever they are here. And while Christine has always provided her expertise in guiding customers to the right clothes and colors that are right for their body type and creating a personal style and image, she is also considering branching out and doing some coaching to provide that service outside the store – if and when that happens, EIL will make sure to share that information.

In the meantime, you can stop in and see Christine in the store located at 214 Redfern Village. See for yourself the wide variety of women’s apparel with something for every size and shape, contemporary jewelry, shoes, accessories, and great gift ideas too. Wild & Personal is open 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12:30 to 6:00 p.m Sunday. You can also shop online at wildandpersonal.com and follow on Facebook and Instagram to see new inventory or learn about sales.