C hic Boutiques
Boutiques vs. Department Stores How-To Open Your Own Boutique
Top 10 Brands For 2015 page 28
The Culture of Boutiques
Where Should You Shop? Semester 1 Edition
P age 14
2015
Letter From the Editors Lucinda Pierce’s image and inspiration for this issuse. 4&5
How to Get the Perfect Makeup Looks The trendy makeup loooks and how to get them. 38 & 39
Where Do You Shop? Find out which boutiques match your style.
TABLE OF
6&7 Contributer’s Page Get to know the writers and all that they are passionate about.
10, 11, 12, & 13 Boutiques Versus Department Stores Which one is really better? Flip to page 10 to read more.
32 & 33
16, 17, 18, & 19 Boutiques Get to know the process behind opening a sucessful fashionable boutiques.
2 Chic Boutiques
20, 21,. 22, & 23 Austin’s Boutique Culture Learn more about why Austin is really known for their unqiue boutiuqe small photos by Carmen Fann buisnesses.
CONTENTS
Top Ten Clothing Brands in America Find out where to find the trendy clothes today. 36 & 37
26 & 27 How To Find The Best Clothes at Thrift Stores Tips and tricks on how to own thrift store shopping. The Culture of Boutiques See why boutiques hold the expectation of a unique and fashionable store. 28, 29, 30, & 31
Advertisment Do’s And Dont’s of Jewlrey Find out how to properly accsesorize your outfit without over cluttering or clashing. 15
Chic Boutiques 3
Photos by Bella Roberts
Letter From The Editor Chic boutiques is a magazine that was made for inspiration in your fashion
style. As a team we want you to feel the freedom and uniqueness that can come from choosing an outfit. I had the amazing opportunity to be the editor in chief for such a dedicated team. Each individual had a meaningful impact on Chic Boutiques. We worked hard to give you interesting feature stories and alternative story formats, that you as the reader could use to empower you fashion sense on a day to day basis. Our vision for this magazine was something that the reader could use for interest, information, and entertainment. We wanted to encompass the true feeling that can come when you feel confident in what you wear. True beauty comes in the form of yourself and we hope that by reading this issue, you feel a strong sense of fashion and who are. We hope that you have as much fun reading this issue as we did crafting it for you.
Lucinda Pierce
Chic Boutiques 5
Meet the Team
6 Chic Boutiques
Contributors Page Katherine Chacon Katherine is a freshman at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy. In her freetime she enjoys playing volleyball and violin. She chose to write about boutiques because of her interest in fashion and Austin trends.
Lucy Pierce
Lucy is a freshman at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy. She enjoys musical theater, cheerleading, and dancing. She wanted to write about fashion because she likes expressing herself through her clothing
Carmen Fann Carmen is a freshman at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy. Carmen enjoys swimming and kickball. She chose to write about fashion because she belives first impressions go a long way and having the perfect oufit makes a huge difference. Abby Winskowicz Abby is a freshman at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy. In her free time, she enjoys playing basketball, and drawing. She decided to write about fashion because she was interested in the diversity of trends.
Chic Boutiques 7
Beauty isn’t about having a pretty face, It’s about having a pretty mind, a pretty heart, and a pretty soul.
photo by Carmen Fann
BOUTIQUE
VERSUS
Unique vs Bland, Expensive vs Resonable, Local vs Buisiness
According to 2003 market analysis by Bplans, retail is the second largest industry in the United States. As time has gone on the leaders in clothing retail are the large scaled retailers, or department stores. Online shopping is also gaining popularity, but even more than that are boutiques. Department stores are still the main hold of the consumer market, but even they are starting to see the competition that boutiques are becoming. It then goes on to predict that in later years that boutiques will only increase, which is ever present today in Austin, Texas, a city that has over 50 boutiques. I conducted a survey to see where the teenage girls of the Liberal Arts and Science Academy in Austin tend to shop. My survey showed that there are slightly more girls that shop at department stores than at boutiques, and for a multitude of reasons, varying from price, convenience, customer service, and other reasons. A common trend that came up with the people who chose boutiques though, was that boutiques have more unique clothes. “[I like] boutiques, because they are...more unique in style.” says Maggie Walker, a student at LASA, when given the choice on whether she liked department stores or boutiques better. 10 Chic Boutiques
Her and nine other girls, out of the 25 who took it, all agreed on the fact that boutiques have a more unique style. Michelle Zuzek is the owner of the Austin based fashion blog, Style Beacon, who explained why she felt that boutiques have more unique clothing than what you could find at department stores.
photo by Lucinda Pierce
The rush of air blows across your face, and the scent of a fruity perfume fills your nose, as you step into the store. You can hear the beats of the latest radio hits play from the speakers, but that’s not the best part. The best part is the endless racks and stacks of cute clothes that are just calling your name, begging you to buy them. The feeling of belonging whirls through you as you enter your favorite clothing store.
“Boutiques can have trendier items because I think department stores have to cater to everyone-- even people who might not want something that’s trendy whereas boutiques can specialize a little bit Katherine Chacon, a ninth gradmore,” Zuzek says. er at LASA, wearing the trends
of today
Gilbert Garza is the store manager of Francesca’s, a boutique that is fairly popular here in Austin, Texas. The reviews for it were all positive and most of all, they mentioned about how the shoppers were able to find unique outfits and jewelry while shopping there. A lot of the reviews just went on to iterate how special of a place Francesca’s is.
photo by ibecon
DEPARTMENT STORE Francesca’s is just one of the many boutiques here in Austin with fame for their unique clothing. When it comes to something special, boutiques seem to be the place to go here in Austin. Because of this there is a bond between different boutiques.Garza said he felt like because of that bond, their real competition was with department stores. “Every boutique here in 2nd district shares their customers. There really is no big competition just like a mutual sharing [of customers] . A lot of times people will come in here with bags from some of the other boutiques,” Garza says. Boutiques have the chance to be more close and personal with their customers, a feature that department stores miss out on. Because of this, their styles can be more fit for their customers. Garza felt like they really had the opportunity to have that bond with their customers.
“Boutiques really kind of have style whether that’s what the owner that is choosing that or the buyer for the store they kind of have like a certain look that they’re going for each boutique kind of has it’s own boutique look,” Zuzek said. The community of Austin is also much more small business friendly. Austin has so many local events that encourage small business shopping over shopping at a mass produced outlets. The local Austin government supports this with their small business program that helps increase the amount of small businesses and sustain the existing ones. Based on the results of the survey, boutiques are just as common for teenagers to shop at as department stores.
“We have the ability to personally reach out to the customer, and because of that, and the style of our clothing, we have a wider range [of customers],” Garza says.
“I like shopping at boutiques because I like it when my clothes are unique. Also some boutiques are local, and I like to support local stores,” Eva StrelitzBlock, a current ninth grader at LASA, says.
Francesca’s is a unique case however. It identifies itself as a boutique, despite the fact that it has over 600 stores throughout the country. The store itself, and the clothes that they distribute, are still able to keep that boutique look for them. Though most boutiques have a similar looks, they all have something noticeably different from each other.
Boutiques also have a high attraction to tourist coming to visit Austin. Especially with Austin City Limits and South by Southwest bringing in large amounts of people from all over the country, and even a couple from other countries. When the tourist come they get invested in the Austin culture and they want to experience it all, and for some that means shopping for a new outfit. Francesca’s and the many other boutiques in Austin are swamped when ACL and SXSW season occurs. Chic Boutiques 11
“When people shop on their own, they go to places that are more familiar, such as department stores. They’re advertised more. There are more sales. There’s more of a selection,” Andrea Whaley, a personal shopper in Austin, said.
But not only in Austin do tourist flock to boutiques when they travel. When Michelle Zuzek was describing her experience with shopping, she talked about how her favorite thing to do was shop while she was traveling. “One of my favorite things to do is, I love shopping when I’m traveling to other cities so I like to go to boutiques and stores in other cities because I know I’m going to get unique pieces and items,” Zuzek says. But despite their more unique and individually styled clothing, more people tend to shop at department stores. From the survey that I conducted, a lot of the people who chose department stores said that they choose to shop there because there is a wider variety of clothing. Another common answer that was said both by people who chose department stores, and people who chose boutiques, is that boutiques are much more expensive. “Department stores because they are cheaper, and you can get more for less,” says Maddy Eisenhauer when asked where she thought most people shopped. Some of the girls who chose boutiques put down department stores when asked where they shop most. It seems that despite their preference to unique clothing from boutiques they still tend to go to department stores most of the time. 10 Chic Boutiques
A personal shopper is someone who shops for people that are looking for a new style. Whaley has had years of experience being a personal shopper around the world for a variety of people. Whaley then went on to discuss on how when she is working for her clients to find them a new look, she takes them to department stores. She favors them over boutiques because department stores have more of a selection and when she goes with her clients, they are able to find everything that they are looking for in that one store. “[I like] department stores because I don’t have to go store to store,” Mallory Conely, a ninth grader, who has the same view as Whaley, says. Since boutiques don’t have everything at the one store, sometimes they can seem cluttered and unorganized. The level of chaos with a boutiques selection was also mentioned in yelp reviews for various boutiques here in Austin. “[I like] department stores [because] they seem more organized and clean,” says Carmen Fann for why she chose department stores over boutiques. Another possible reason that more people go to department stores is because boutiques are very specifically catered to a certain style, and sometimes, a specific group of people. Throughout all of my interviews, and the survey, I noticed that while some people were in that specific group, and loved the clothes from boutiques, others don’t like that style and felt like boutiques weren’t as unique and convenient as they were made out to be.
“[I like] department stores [because] they seem more organized and clean,” Carmen Fann explained for why she chose department stores over boutiques. photo by Lucinda Pierce
Another possible reason that more people go to department stores is because boutiques are very specifically catered to a certain style, and sometimes, a specific group of people. Throughout all of my interviews, and the survey, I noticed that while some people were in that specific group, and loved the clothes from boutiques, others don’t like that style and felt like boutiques weren’t as unique and convenient as they were made out to be.
Part of this could be due to the fact that everyone has their own personal opinion on what is trendy for them personally. For some the more floral and vintage look that boutiques here in Austin have in common, isn’t exactly what they are looking for. They would prefer the clothes that they can get at a department store. For others they enjoy the bright colors and flowy clothes that the boutiques offer. Along with being a small business friendly place, Austin has a wide variety of people with an even wider range of fashion styles. But that doesn’t mean that people who shop at department stores think that they are less unique. Just because they are cheaper, their clothes are still just as cute. The headliners of department stores are Target, American Eagle, and Forever 21. Instead of just saying they shopped there for convenience, a couple of girls said they go there because of the styles. There is a slight conflict, however, between whether or not shopping at boutiques makes your fashion sense cute or not. A couple of the girls in the survey felt like department store clothes were more bland than what you would find at a boutique, therefore people who didn’t shop at boutiques had a more
photo by Carmen Fann
“I think that boutiques have their own take on trendy clothing and that it depends on where the boutique is located. Boutiques don’t carry a wide array of different styles. They carry specific styles to what they deem as trendy,” Whaley said. plain closet. While some of the girls felt like the clothes at boutiques were too done up. “[I like] department stores [better because] there are less fancy clothes,” a student, who chose to be unnamed, says. There is an obvious argument between the actual level of cuteness that each has. Which really imposes the question, are boutique clothes cuter than department clothes? Do more fashionable people shop at boutiques than at department stores? By shopping at a certain place , does that mark your style as a certain type? The real answer is up to you. The style of your clothes, where you go to find trendy outfits, whatever you want to call cute, it’s all up to you. People will continue to have views on what they think is actually fashionable, and whether or not boutiques are better than department stores, and that’s not going to change. But you should be the one to decide where you want to shop. So shoulders back and chin up, you’re a fashionista in your own way.
Chic Boutiques 12
Photo By Carmen Fann
Feathers Vintage and New Adornments
Photo By Carmen Fann
Jewelry
DOs & DON’Ts
By Carmen Fann
clean your jewelry after each use with a soft cloth.
Have pride in the jewelry you’re wearing!
keep your jewelry in a safe place.
wear pieces that illuminate each other.
wear longer necklaces with multiple layers.
DO
wearing more than two pieces is always a great look.
protect valuable items with a safe, secure place.
Get any jewelry piece wet.
have too much jewelry that takes attention from the outfit.
make sure everything goes with your outfit.
try to fix your jewelry yourself. Get professional help.
pick pieces that don’t go with your body. Everyone is different.
DON’T use make-up or hair products while wearing jewelry.
try to clean pearls on your own. You could ruin them.
wear long necklaces with a scoop neck.
have unnecessary pieces that don’t compliment your outfit.
Sources: truefacet.com, rachelburklund.com, corporatefashionista.com
Chic Boutiques 15
B Photo By Stock Snap
outiques By Carmen Fann
“Keep Austin Weird.� Those three words capture Austin culture. We see them on t-shirts and coffee mugs and postcards. Tourists come to hear music and see all of the crazy tall buildings and take pictures with the cool graffiti we have placed around the city. Downtown, we have an assortment of antique stores and candy shops, as well as bars and restaurants.
“Not everybody looks the same, but everybody looks great and we make sure of that,” says Sarah Duffy, the median director and senior stylist from a local Austin boutique, SoLa. You can find boutiques anywhere in Austin. There are jewelry boutiques, clothing boutiques, and many others. They are small fashion stores that sell items specific to a certain style or region. These small businesses are becoming more and more popular since each one is unique and has a specific style. According to a study done in 2014 by the Wall Street Journal, 15% of the revenue from mergers and acquisitions go to bou-
Photo by Carmen Fann
B
One may wonder how to add their own splash of personality to the pool of Austinites. Starting your own boutique could be a good place to start. As soon as you walk into a boutique, you get a feel of how weird and unique Austin really is.
tiques, which is a big part of Wall Street’s business. Boutiques are increasing their business in cities all over the United States as well. People like to shop at these local kiosks because they are a lot more personal and you can find unique fashion items that might not be in retail stores. Although these boutiques may seem small and of lesser value, they require a lot of work. Each one needs legal requirements, and many long hours before it’s ready to be opened. Adding to the weirdness of Austin in this way is not as easy as it seems. It involves many never ending hours and tired faces. For Kendra Scott opening her first boutique meant,
“a lot of long days and long nights.” says Hope Bishop, an employee of local Austin boutique Kendra Scott.
Why Open A Boutique? Many boutiques throughout Austin got started in different ways and for different reasons. For instance, the store SoLa was opened because the owner had always sold clothing and accessories on 6th street mobily and then decided to open the store where it is today. The owner of the jewelry boutique Kirk Root Designs, however, heard about a jewelry school in Paris, Texas and got his graduate gemologist certification and his jewelry certification. From there, Kirk Root went on to work for many other jewelers before realizing that he wanted to start his own business. “He’s never been a person that wants to work for someone else. He has too many ideas. He just wanted to work for himself,” says his wife, Lori Root, about her recently deceased husband. Another well known boutique, Kendra Scott, got it’s start in a different way as well. The owner, Kendra Scott, was selling jewelry to her friends from a bedroom in her house and they loved it. She Chic Boutiques 17
says Duffy about more required materials for starting a boutique.
According to Bishop, the notoriety she got around town was just enough for her to open her own store, which is located on South Congress.
Equipment also needs to be checked and renewed. For example, Kirk Root Designs has a steamer and other jewelry machines that need to be inspected regularly.
How to Open a Boutique Not only are many long hours and a huge chunk of your free time needed to open a boutique, but there are also legal aspects to a business. Permits, certificates and many other things are required to own a boutique. According to Small Business Chron, there’s sales tax, which needs to be collected and paid to the state, a federal tax ID number, which is used to hire employees, an assumed name permit-- required if your boutiqued is named something other than your actual name, a resale permit; used so you can buy wholesale and then sell to individual customers, and many more considering where your boutique is located.
Photo by Carmen Fann
“We have to secure funding, whether its for investments or through small business loans, [there is a] plethora of options for you in that realm,”
“Just the certain equipment that you have, has to be maintained properly. And they come in and inspect it and make sure that it’s running properly,” Root says. Aside from permits and such, obeying the rules and knowing your space of the place your store is located at is super important. Bishop talks about how the number of employees and managers and how many hours they work so that they don’t work over time is a good thing to keep in mind to make sure everything’s running smoothly. Even the closing and opening time of the business you’re located at is a necessity.
18 Chic Boutiques
“Just trying to get your name out in a big city like Austin,” says Bishop Also, money is a huge issue that can occur with businesses. Kirk Root Designs had trouble with their bank and had a hard time getting over the huge loss of money. “Basically we had no way to stay open. But we built up enough of a customer base that when Kirk was working out of the garage of our home the customers still
A local boutiqes is showing off some of their favorite outfits on a manaquin
“Our store in Chicago closes at 7, which is earlier than most of [our other] stores. That’s just when that [particular] mall shuts down,” Bishop says. Some other important aspects of opening a boutique are staying fashionable and in the loop about trends. People will keep coming back to buy more if they like the things you sell. If you have the same clothing items and accessories, they might not enjoy coming back. “[We’re] always changing with the times and new trends, always coming up with something new. [Keeping] people on their toes,” says Bishop.
The material needs to be of good quality so the clothing can last a long time.
own struggles, but they’re still hard to navigate. Kendra Scott’s biggest obstacle was finding investors to help her get started, according to Bishop. She also says that it was hard for her to get publicity.
Photo by Carmen Fann
went on to sell her product on South Congress.
The Struggles of Boutiques Although opening a boutique may seem easy, it isn’t all fun and games. Many challenges have to be defeated and obstacles overcome. Each boutique has their
kept coming,” says Root. She says how even though things may go wrong, your customers will still stay with you. Especially if you do a good job with keeping a good relationship with them, they will keep a relationship with you as well. You also need to keep them in mind when finding products to sell. “You need to know who you’re selling to because that’s who, at the end of the day, makes the decisions, not you,” says Duffy Building Customer Relations Making sure your customers
feel welcomed is another thing to consider as well. They need to feel like they can ask questions and are comfortable in the store and know they can express themselves. Aside from the feeling they get in the store, they also need to feel good in the clothes or accessories they buy. They should want to wear it everywhere and feel confident whenever they have it on. “I buy something that I think will look good on my customers, and someone’s going to feel very special wearing it,” says Duffy. Boutiques are unique in this way since many big companies don’t take the time to do things like this. Not only do the clothes and other products need to feel and look great on customers, also just the hospitality they feel when stepping into a boutique. A boutique has the opportunity to be more personal since it’s smaller than department stores and retail shops. The customers and employees should have a bond when in the shop. The customer should be able to come back and the employee remember who they are because it creates a sense of feeling taken care of.
“This is fine jewelry. Something that you would be proud for you great great grand daughter to have,” Root says. “Kirk’s mentality is, he wants the customer 100% satisfied and he would do whatever he could to make sure that that happened,” Root says. Austin has so many boutiques that sometimes they can run together. To prevent this from happening, each one has something that makes it unique and different from the others around town. Some may have a certain product that isn’t sold anywhere else. Others may have great employees and great customer service while another one might just have products of good quality. Whatever it is, it makes each one specific to different type of customers and is very necessary to the business. The boutique SoLa’s uniqueness is that they don’t sell something because it’s trendy, they sell it so they can cater a specific style pertaining to the customers they attract. For Kirk Roots Design, their special aspect is that they make everything in their store and don’t have to be shipped or sent any products. Everything they do is “in house.”
Photo by Carmen Fann
“Kendra’s motto is basically is that there’s always something to give back,” says Bishop. They have different charity events every week and the community really appreciates them doing things like that and how unique it is.
Two girls show bracelets they got from a local boutique in thier city.
The obvious things also need to be taken into consideration as well: How many employees do you need to hire? How many managers? Making sure that the part time employees don’t work overtime. Keeping up with the maintenance of the shop. Having a viable space for your products and employees. Making sure the business is obeying all rules of
the host building. “Just silly little stuff that adds up but it’s just all a part of the business and keeping it all together,” says Bishop about the things that need to be considered when starting and opening a boutique. Each boutique needs to have some kind of product to sell to customers. It can be clothe items, jewelry, or anything else fashion related. Some boutiques, like SoLa, buys inventory from around the country like Vegas, Los Angeles and New York, while others make everything they sell in their store, like Kirk Roots Designs. Some even purchase products from overseas like Kendra Scott, and then distributes everything from a certain distribution center. Small businesses can even carry products from big name brands like how SoLa carries Toms. “We were the first boutique in Austin to carry Toms, so we were [a] part in making Toms what it is today in Austin,” says Duffy. One thing that will always make Austin part of something special is all of the small unique things that can go unnoticed. When looking around, one can see a street musician or a candy shop. The thing that really makes Austin special, though, are the boutiques and how truly different each one is. They create a sense of comfort and closeness inside of a crazy and crowded city. “We want to create a community. We want women to be like ‘I am a SoLa shopper.’ It’s an identity and its a family. You’re part of something when you shop here,” says Duffy.
Chic Boutiques 19
Zentangle by Google Images
A feature story on boutiques in Austin, and how they have found a way to mix themselves into Austin’s diverse culture. By Abby Winskowicz
The Creation of Austin’s Boutique Culture
20 Chic Boutiques
carry clothing you can’t find at the mall. At the mall, most products are items available all over the country, whereas in boutiques, the products are exclusive to Austin. Typically locally owned, boutiques can gage the constant fashion changes in this hot city, and they have proved themselves successful by keeping up with our current bohemian trend, which will probably change into another trend very soon, like always. Over time, boutiques have became more and more incorporated in Austin’s culture, and they will continue to grow in the future. They will also have to change frequently to match the demand of the current trends. “[Boutiques] will evolve as the trends change, and we will keep up to date with what’s popular in the marketplace. What we do is change a lot, we don’t keep the same stuff every year. We try to make it so when customers come in, there is always new stuff.” Says Coowner of Austin Boutique C’est Chic, Melissa Greenwell.
photo by pixabay
W
alking down the packed streets of downtown Austin, you will see beach waved hair, layered dainty necklaces, and loose bohemian clothing flooding the stores and shops. People are constantly moving around in beaten-up converse, brown sandals, or mini boots. In this diverse and unique culture, a common activity downtown is shopping in the gorgeous boutiques that fill Austin. “One thing that still holds true is this city’s appreciation for supporting local businesses,” Says Olivia Watson, local fashion blogger. “Between remaining true to Austin’s “shop local” mission and the rise of social media as a form of marketing, boutiques have managed to remain a major component to this city’s culture.” Austin is a great place to have a boutique, especially downtown, because the people in this city accept them with open arms. Austinites are all about being different, and not something you would see every day. This city shows its diversity, with blaring music festivals and other spontaneous events. People ride bikes, go on strolls at the park, and Austin even has a designated spot to express your inner artist and do graffiti. Boutiques fall perfectly into this category because each aan every one of them is unique from the others, and they
Photo ny Pixabay
Girl sits on railing, representing the current trend.
Being a large part of the style and culture of Austin, boutiques always have to stay current with the latest trends. As the seasons change, so does clothing, so boutiques need to change as well to fit the appeal of customers. In the winter, boutiques will sell jackets and sweaters, along with boots and scarves to complete the look for the cold weather. In the summer, when Texas gets burning hot, it is the opposite of winter, carrying shorts, sandals, tank tops, and bright colors all around. “I opened in the summer so we started out with neons and then it kinda faded away as far as neons and aztecs,” Says owner of KASH Boutique, Kelli Parrott. “Now we’re moving into suedes and fringe and a little more basic pieces [with] not as much print going on with them, now it’s more solids.”
In the past, trends may have looked more sporty or preppy, but now we have entered an era of loose, freespirited, and down to earth clothing! Austin’s styles are usually different from other cities, so Austin really does express their culture hugely.
“I always say that this city is so down to earth and eclectic, and the fashion sense you find in this city really reflects that true ‘Austin’ vibe.” -Olivia Watson
In Austin, the style for men has changed a lot from the past. While the girls and women are sporting a 70’s bohemian style, men have taken a different approach, into the trendy and fitted style. “On the other hand, there’s also that ‘dapper’ styling aspect we see men rocking along the trendy streets of East Austin. Mustaches, tailored suits, coiffed manChic Boutiques 21
buns...it’s a whole new ballgame these days!” Watson says, “As for the “dapper” trend, I love man-buns and firmly believe that a fella in a fitted suit is a beautiful thing!” Another reason boutiques will change their style is to go with the activities in Austin, like live music festivals and food truck vendors. At these blazing summer events, people will typically dress lighter, with loose layers. Clothing will vary from rompers or dresses, to shorts and a fitted tank top. Also, shoes have to look cute with the rest of the outfit, while being comfortable to walk around downtown Austin in, which is where a lot of Austin activities take place. Boutiques are the perfect place to get a cute, unique, and comfortable pair of shoes of any type. “I feel like music festival style has had a big impact on
While running a boutique in Austin, the owners will face many challenges regarding figuring out the style of the customers in the area. A lot of boutiques can provide clothing for all ages and styles, but sometimes it’s hard to gather exactly what those styles and ages are mostly centered on. “Finding exactly what kind of products our customers wanted [was the hardest part],” says Greenwell. Parrot also agrees with this, saying that, “the beginning was the hardest, getting to know what type of clients I have to appeal to, so it took me a little while to get a good sense as far as fashion and styles here.” Along with difficulies usually comes success. After adjusting to the feel of boutique style, owners can usually
Photo by Google Images
Austin,Texas
Austin fashion trends,” says Watson. “Daintier jewelry made for layering, sun-kissed hair with beach waves, more bohemian styling around town...a lot of it can be attributed to that free-spirit, festival styling we see all over fashion magazines and social media.” In Austin, there are a lot of things to keep busy with, from running by Town Lake to going out to eat at a fancy restaurant. Due to this, many people dress right in between fancy and casual. In Austin, it is extremely easy to dress comfortably while staying in style. “The culture is so laid back, much like the style you see out and about downtown and even in how people dress in a work setting. No one is ever too dressed up - most of the time what you wear during the day can translate into an evening outfit and that’s completely acceptable here,” Watson stated. 22 Chic Boutiques
agree that there are many positive outcomes with owning a boutique. These outcomes involve things relating to both money, and also establishing new relationships. “I think most company’s research will show you kinda hit your stride after 6 years, you’ve kinda turned the corner and are making a profit. We have connected with a lot of people in surrounding neighborhoods, [so] we’ve made some really valuable relationships over the years,” Greenwell says Eliza Page is a well known boutique located on 2nd Street. They carry gorgeous jewlery, such as natural gemstones that look great with most outfits. Watson, fashion blogger that formerly had a marketing position at Kendra Scott, shares her expertise and love for jewelry.
Photos from Olivia Watson’s blog: www.livvyland.com
Boutiques are a unique way for individuals and store owners to express their style, and for buyers in Austin to get different clothes than what you buy at department stores. Boutiques create a huge impact on the style of this city, and transform Austin into something special.
Photo by Olivia Watson
Olivia describes the jewelry at Eliza Page by saying, “All the natural gemstone pieces and boutique designers they carry...I can never get enough and I’m so fascinated by it! I think after working in the jewelry industry, I have a real appreciation for the craft of jewelry design, it’s all pretty incredible.” Watson also shares her insight on boutiques, and what she loves about them. Boutiques are a blissful way to enjoy the weekend, and being an avid fashion blogger like herself, it makes sense that she would love spending some free time shopping. Watson shares her common weekend activity, stating, “One of my favorite things to do in my free time is stop and grab coffee at Caffe Medici then stroll over to Eliza Page [boutique]...that’s my idea of a blissful afternoon!” Overall, boutiques have made a massive transition into Austin’s culture. They have evolved, and turned into something that is now a part of us. The admission of boutiques into the Austin culture is a change that will really reflect the atmosphere of Austin. Parrot backs this up, saying “I think boutiques are coming in and taking over a little bit, and that’s definitely a good thing.”
Chic Boutiques 23
Photo by Ryan Tauss
zum ez
“cutting edge clothing, footwear, accessories, DVDs, hard goods for skate and snow for active lifestyles.�
Beauty is about being comfortable in your own skin.
How To
Find the
Thrift shopping is a great way to find high quality items for a cheaper price. Sometimes it can be hard to find what you’re looking for because there’s so much stuff. Here are some great tips to help you have a great thrift shopping experience.
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Photo by Google Images
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Shopping Rules
Be nice to the employees. If you are a frequent customer at thrift stores, building a good relationship with the employees can pay off. They are more likely to pull aside things that interest you or hold them behind the counter for you. It’s also the right thing to do. Go to all the thrift stores in that area. Most of the time thrift stores are clustered together and each one is a little different since they are run by different organizations. Also, by buying clothges at thrift stores involved with charities you are suppoting someone in need.
Photo by Google Images
Photo by Google Images
According to a recent article by Dustin Wax in LifeHack, these tips are a guide to a great thrift shopping experience. In order to make the most out of our experience you need to learn a few rules first.
Haggling: According to a recent article by Dustin Wax in LifeHack, haggling is when you make a deal with the employees or manager to get something you want marked down. You should do this if something is clearly overpriced, but don’t do it just to do it.
Know the specials. Many different stores run different kind of specials. Some stores have discounts on certain days of the week, or for certain people, like senior citizens and veterans.
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Know what you need and have patience. You probably won’t find what you’re looking for the first time you walk into the store, but if you keep looking you will find what you want.
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6 Photo by Google Images
Be creative and have a use in mind. One of the great things about thrift shopping is that you can find things that can be used for different uses then they are intended for.
Give Back. When you go thrift shopping bring a pile of unwanted clothes with you or things you never use anymore.
Best Clothes at a Thrift Store
Thrift Stores Involved with Charities: According to a recent article by Dustin Wax in LifeHack, some thrift stores are involved with organization, and knowing which thrift stores are with which charities can help you know what is offered there. Some big thrift store involved with charities include Goodwill and the Salvation Army.
Shopping Tips According to a 2013 article by the Huffington Post, these are the main tips you need when going thrift shopping to get the most out of your experience.
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Don’t Rule out the Unusual. Sometimes you’ll find items that you like but are in the wrong color. Some clothing dye or spray paint can help you fix that. Ask when new inventory goes out. Some big thrift stores restock every day, but others only restock on certain days of the week. By asking you can get all the best items first
What to Bring According to a 2015 article in U.S News, these are the best items to look for while thrift shopping
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Photo by Google Images
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Make a list. By keeping a list you can remember exactly what you’re looking for and remember your must-haves. It helps to have one when you feel overwhelmed by all the items in the store. Take a good look at the item. Sometimes at first glance an item may seem good quality but sometimes it can just be cheap. Look at it to see what repairs it needs and what the prices of those repairs would be.
Bring a set amount of money. That lowers the risk or coming home with unneeded items. Also bring your cellphone. When you find something you think has value, a search can tell you if you have a good deal
What to Look For
. Branded high quality clothing. Clothes from higher quality department stores or boutiques will last you longer.
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Raw materials for upcycling.
Photo by Google Images
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New Clothing Tags. Lots of people donate brand new, never worn clothing.
Bad art in great frames. Even though you may not like the art in the frame, sometimes the frame can be used for an upcycling project
Photo By Google Images
Chic Boutiques 27
The Culture of Boutiques Introduction to Feathers The walls are filled with vintage jewelry and beautiful paintings. Everywhere you turn you see brightly colored clothing of all different styles that you wouldn’t see anywhere else. All over the store, there are representations of Austin. The cowboy boots, the bold statement necklaces, and flowy breezy clothing are not just fashion pieces. They also symbolize the love of Austin and the style of the people living there.When you think of Austin you think of a quirky place with people of all different types. Feathers, a local boutique in Austin, is the epitome of Austin culture, and incorporates all of its best features. Before it became a successful boutique, Feathers was just an idea born from a passion for vintage. It started from one person, and has now grown to become a notable vintage boutique. “We launched Feathers clothing line so that it would fit many different ladies, and many different times and eras of their lives,” says Christina Simon, co-owner of the Austin boutique Feathers.
Photo By Carmen Fann
How It Got Started Ten years ago, Emily Hoover, the co-owner and founder of Feathers, moved from New York to Austin, and started the popular vintage boutique Feathers. She says she grew up with a love
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Photo By Carmen Fann
Photo By Carmen Fann
By Katherine Chacon
for vintage, and had been a vintage clothing collector and advocate for a long time. She had a vision for a more curated selection of vintage that allowed for it to truly come back to life. She started to hand pick and select the clothing she thought would best fit her store. Later on, Christina Simon became her co-owner and together they turned Feathers into what it is today. “Everything is original and it is a place where you can get uniquely special items that are truly one of a kind,” says Simon. “I don’t think that there’s a lot of places that offer that.” Both Simon and Hoover had a love for vintage because of its impact on the Earth. They worked together to transform a small boutique in Austin, to a world renowned vintage store with customers from all over the world. It has a strong social media presence, and now with their own clothing line, Feathers is becoming known for its unique and trendy clothing pieces. The Importance of Vintage Vintage clothing is important to modern society. There’s a stronger meaning behind wearing vintage. It’s not just a fashion statement. According to a 2012 Forbes article by Rachel Hennessey, wearing vintage clothing is a way to celebrate points of historical pride. Some people wear nostalgic clothing pieces to escape from contemporary stresses. When people wear clothing from the 1920s, they are celebrating the prosperity of that time period. The 1920s was when women
gained the right to vote, and there was a huge economic growth in the United States. Feathers is helping bring vintage back to the forefront because of its well curated selection of vintage clothing pieces.
Simon says that their customer now is anyone that wants to have original pieces that no one else has, and integrate them into their wardrobe. In order to make sure their clothing truly fits every wom-
How Vintage is Influenced by Austin Culture “I think Austin is a very proactive and original city. Austinites do not go by specific trends. We’re all very original in the way we like to wear our fashion. The idea of Feathers was born out of Austin culture,” says Simon. According to Dunkin, Austin culture is very eclectic in the way that it ranges from a really punk, edgy girl to the cleaner type, more hip. Wilkinson said that the weather definitely affects the style of Austin, and casual and breezy looks are always in. Photo By Carmen Fann
Photo By Carmen Fann
Picking the Clothing and Target Customer “[The target customer] has probably grown from fashionistas and people that are into fashion to really truly serving every woman and everybody,” says Simon.
fashion. They are able to incorporate their own style into the clothing because the process of picking them is in a collaboration environment. Simon says it becomes less about personal style, and more about the malgorams of their styles and what they think is on trend.
Photo By Carmen Fann
Photo By Carmen Fann
According to Joanna Wilkinson, an Austin based fashion blogger and founder of the blog Keep Austin Stylish, Feathers does a great job of curating a selection of vintage for a modern girl’s wardrobe. Lauren Dunkin, a frequent customer and employee at Feathers, says Feathers is very well cultivated and it has stuff for everybody. She says customers find something special that they can’t get anywhere else. Since there’s so much for everyone, when they find an older timeless piece that’s gonna last forever, it’s a little more special than buying something that’s being mass produced. Simon thought the reason people shopped at Feathers was because when you find a clothing piece you like, you’ll never see it on anyone else, and it’s already had its own little history.
an, three different ladies look at it and try it on. Hoover, the other co-owner of Feathers, Simon, and Becca Dubo, the designer of a lot of the pieces that fabricate the garments, are the people involved in the decision making of what to feature in the store. In order for a clothing piece to be chosen, all three of them have to love it on. If all three of them like it, then it comes out being a really
versatile piece. They also use current trends to decide what to feature in their store. Simon said they look at trends currently happening as well as things they see as being the next trend on the horizon. She compared it to a treasure hunt: you have to go out and find those pieces that are currently relevant in today’s
In her personal style, Dunkin likes to range by the season. She’s inspired by the fashion of Zella Day and Natalie Bergman of Wildbelle, as well as desert inspired wear. Her style is more clean cut with a touch of boho, and covers all the bases of Austin. Dunkin is attracted to boutiques that have more wearable clothing for a daily basis, yet they still have an excitement to them. She says it should have something a
Chic Boutiques 29
Photo By Carmen Fann
Photo By Carmen Fann
little more specific that’s not able to be found anywhere else.
Photo By Carmen Fann
Feathers incorporates a lot of the elements of its surroundings into its clothing. Simon says that they’re in love with vintage turquoise and all of the elements of the Southwest. If Feathers was located in a city like New York, then all of that flare might not be appreciated.
as much as it is in Austin. She also said that Austinites aren’t interested in delicate fabrics or fluffy garments. The Changes in Feathers Overtime “In Austin circa 2004 we probably wouldn’t have so much freezing cold weather stuff, like jackets and sweaters, “ says Christina Simon. Simon says that items more suited for cold weather are becoming more prominent in Feathers because of the social media presence that Feathers has. Pieces that aren’t suited for the Austin climate do really well
Wilkinson says that Austin is really big on keeping businesses local. It doesn’t have too many big clothing stores. Boutiques keep the city feeling more unique and independent. Unlike large department stores, boutiques carry more independent and unique brands, and they also have a smaller audience. Department stores cater to the masses, so they carry things that would work for a number of styles. Boutiques are great because they are more specific.
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Photo By Carmen Fann
Dunkin says that Feathers incorporates all of these elements of Austin culture by bringing in local artists like Rebecca Frasier, having pop ups at local festivals, carrying Texas brands in the store, having an original Feathers clothing line, and having women here in Austin who are inspired to make things that can be sold and spread all over the United States and the world. By embracing the creative people in Austin, Feathers is embracing the Austin culture as well. Simon thinks the fact that it’s located on South Congress ties into how Feathers incorporates the Austin culture into its store. The way the local history of that neighborhood ties into the Austin culture is very cohesive. The idea of wearing recycled clothing and having that sense of originality is what Austin fashion is about.
Vintage Clothing from Feathers
Photo By Carmen Fann
on Instagram and also for people traveling to Austin. According to a 2015 article by the Austin Business Journal, Austin has one of the fastest growing economies in Texas, and a rapidly growing population. That means that Austin is becoming known on a more national scale, increasing the amount of people shopping at local Austin stores. According to Joanna, the boutiques in Austin caters a lot to visitors, as well as to the bohemian style. She says boutiques in Austin have gotten better over the last few years. The changes in Austin are one reason for the changes in clothing at Feathers over time. Another reason is because of the constant change in trends. Simon says that in order to be a part of the fashion world, they have to be involved in where trends are heading. That doesn’t necessarily mean setting trends. It means styling trends, and integrating them into customers’ wardrobes. According to Simon, if they don’t
Photo By Carmen Fann
stay on trend and on topic as a vintage store, then they will become irrelevant. That means they’ll become just another vintage store, where you have to sift through the stuff. Feathers is a well cultivated and curated vintage store. It was started from an idea from someone with a love for vintage, and has grown into a huge success. The one of a kind clothing, wide range of styles, and its local presence have influenced the success of Feathers in Austin. It embraces the culture of Austin and incorporates it into its clothing and store. Austin is a quirky place with people of all different types. There are many styles being represented in Austin. Feathers is able to cater to everyone because the pieces Feathers sells are all unique and one of a kind. As Austin has grown in population and recognition, so has Feathers. It is a prominent part of the vintage world. Chic Boutiques 31
Shou WHERE? WHERE? Shou By Carmen Fann
Do you follow the popular trends?
START Do you like to layer your clothes?
Summer
No
Yes
Winter
Do you prefer to be comfortable or look amazing?
N o
Look Amazing
Do you like to accessorize?
Yes
Yes
Do you like to dress up?
e l a t r o f m o C
Are you a fan of texas?
No
Yes
No
Blue Elephant boutique: Your style is light and comfortable with a splash of texan! The Blue Elephant Boutique carries Texas themed graphic t shirts and tank tops that can be paired with any bottoms to make a casual but cute outfit. 32 Chic Boutiques
Yes
No
Do you prefer summer or winter?
Yes
Maya Star: Your style is full of patterns! Maya Star carries clothing item tailored for cold weather with an abundance of patterns and flowy sweaters and blouses. Each piece has a very offbeat unique look while still being in style.
No
uld uld You You Shop? Shop? Classy
At Work
Unique
Night Out
Do you prefer unique or classy items?
Where do you like to look your best?
Do you like tight for flowy clothing items?
Do you prefer carzy or subtle?
Tight
Are dresses your thing?
Flowy
Crazy
S u b t l e
Francesca’s: Your style is very clean and crisp! Francescas clothing items are very trendy while still looking sharp with any of the items. Francescas will keep your outfit not too busy with solid colors.
No
No
Yes
Are you comfortable in heels? Yes
y&i clothing boutique: Your style is very classy! y&i has outfits that will make you stand out and keep the bohemian trend going. The clothes there will make you look professional yet stunning for a fancy night out. Chic Boutiques 33
Photo courtesy of Lululemon
Lululemon
The best fabric for the best fit.
Photo courtesy of Lululemon
Photo by Pixabay
“Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak.” -Rachel Zoe Chic Boutiques 35
THE TOP 10 1. Nike By Abby Winskowicz
(This is also #1 according to votes by TheTopTens! )
2.
Annual Revenue: $ 30.6 billion
Ralph Lauren According to Statista, Ralph (
Lauren is #4!) Annual Revenue: $ 7.6 billion
3. Old
Navy
4. Gap Annual Revenue: $ 6.2 billion
Annual Revenue: $ 6.6 billion
5.
Levi Strauss & Co.
Annual Revenue: $4.8 billion 28 Chic Boutiques
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CLOTHING BRANDS In America During 2015 6. Michael Kors 7. Coach Annual Revenue: $ 4.3 billion
9. American
Annual Revenue: $ 4.4 billion
8.
Tommy Hilfiger
(According to votes by TheTopTens, this is #7! Annual Revenue: $3.6 billion
Eagle
Annual Revenue: $ 3.3 billion
10. Under
Armour
Annual Revenue: $3.1 billion Source for all: www.fashionista.com Chic Boutiques 29
Chic Boutiques 37
HOW TO GET THE Perfect Makeup Looks
By Lucinda Pierce
The hottest makeup trends are brighter lip colors, and smokey eye. Don’t let this cute trend pass you by! Learn how to get the perfect makeup before it’s gone! When going for a bright lip color look, you want to tone down the rest of your makeup, but don’t be afraid to take risk. A nice bronze tone will help to intensify and brighten your eyes, no matter the color. Winged eyeliner can be a classy look and a fierce one. Getting the perfect wing shouldn’t have to be such a hassle. Liquid eyeliner is the best but pencil and gel work as well.
3. Draw another line from the inner corner of your eye to the curved line, rising slowly as you draw. The end result should look like two separate shapes pressed against each other.
1. Draw a straight line from the outside corner of each eye, and angle it towards to tip of your eyebrow, draw it to whatever length you are going for. If you want a thicker wing, darken the line a couple of times.
4. Fill in the second shape, making sure to stay in the lines. If you want a thicker look feel free to go over the line to your desired thickness. 5. Fill in the original triangle to the same thickness level as the last one. The result should be a perfect cat eye.
2. Trace a line from the center of your eyelid, on your upper lash line, to the tip of the straight line. Trying adding in creative colors and Be sure to curve the line so that it voluminous mascara to add more of resembles a curved triangle. an effect to the wing.
For bold lip colors you can choose a vibrant pink or red, or a completely different color. Experiment with blues, and deep purples, maybe even some metallic colors. 1. To apply a long lasting lip, first but a bit of concealer on your lips. 2. Outline the lip shape that you want with lip liner, and then apply a thin layer of powder. 3. Fill in your lips with the lip liner, and then add another small layer of powder. 4. Add a second coat with lipstick and then top the whole look off with a gloss. Enjoy your long lasting vibrant glossy lips, for the rest of the day. 8 Chic Boutiques
When going for a dramatic smoky eye look you have to make sure that the rest of your eye makeup is to the same fierceness. With the smoky eye, you want a more defined eyebrow with a sharp point. The best way to get this look is to first out around the edge of your eyebrow in the desired curved and pointed shape. Fill in the outline and then finish it off by adding concealer around the edges for a more dramatic look. The key part of getting the perfect smokey eye look is blending, and getting the right gradient. You want the gradient to go from your inner corner to your outer one. 1. Start off with whatever base color you want, whether that be a soft silver or whatever color scheme you want. Apply it from about three fourths of the way to your inner corner, and take it all the way to the end of your lid. 2. Take a second lighter color and go in and fill it in the first fourth of your eyelid. Make sure that it overlaps a bit with the first color. You can either start blending the two together or add a darker shade over the first silver shade and then start to blend them. 3. After your eyeshadow is fully blended get your eyeliner, any type is fine but you will have an easier time with pencil. Apply a thin line along your lash line, all the way to your inner corner, and then go over it with a black, or whatever color eyeliner you’re wearing, eyeshadow. 4. Use a brush to start blending in the last eyeshadow. Make sure not to smudge up your eyeliner in the process or else you might run into some trouble. 5. After the top of your lid is fully blended take the eyeliner to the bottom of your lid and apply eyeliner to your lower lash line. Blend the liner to the same thickness as your lower lip so that there is a balance. 5. Finish it off with concealer if you want to sharpen the edges of your makeup, if not, enjoy your smokey eyes. Add length enhancing mascara, or even just fake lashes, to fully draw the attention to your eyes.
Finish it off with a nude lip. You can make it correspond to your skin tone or you can go for a darker or lighter shade if you want to be risky.
Sources: Harper’s Bazzar, Elle, Allwomenstalk, Lauren Conrad, Pinterest, and Derma Doctor
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“Fashion is the armor to survive the reality of everyday life.� --Bill Cunningham