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Boutique Spotlight

What inspired you to open your store?

Diversity! We’ve been lucky to have traveled to various parts of Europe and Asia and lived in NYC, we’ve met people from all parts of the world and learned about fashion from their countries. Global fashion has always been intriguing to us. We wanted to open a store that carries designers/brands from around the world. 

How long have you been operating?

We’ve been operating for a little over two months. 

What’s the philosophy behind your boutique’s décor?

The space is bright and airy, loft like with whitewashed walls and high ceilings. Simplicity is key for keeping the spotlight on the clothing. We have one statement piece which is a large globe like light fixture by Moooi. 

Describe your boutique’s clothing in three words.

Chic, unique, colorful

Who is your customer?

Our customer is a confident woman who likes to have fun with her wardrobe. She wears jodhpur trousers with a statement neck piece to a dinner party because she likes to be different.

What pieces does she most covet? 

Pleated Shoulder Blouse by Bodice, Jade Desert Date Dress by Yoana Baraschi, Tigers Eye Mina Necklace by Valliyan

What are some must-have pieces in your wardrobe now?

Thierry Lasry sunglasses! We love sunglasses all year long!  

What importance does fashion play in your life?

Fashion plays a huge importance in our lives! Being in the industry as a boutique owner, we are always keeping up with the latest global trends. It is something we love and have a passion for.

What do you love most about being a boutique owner?

Everything! 

Shop Our Vira Looks Now:


1. Pleated Shoulder Blouse 

2. Jade Desert Date Dress

3. Tigers Eye Mina


Style Insider

When the Shoptiques team sat down with Ryan Shell from Fashables, we were immediately intrigued. Ryan started his fashion blog, Fashables, in late 2010 and the site has since grown in both popularity and in number of contributors. But, he’s not just a fashion maven! This Top 40 radio DJ turned marketing and public relations pro also cycles, photographs AND has even run for elected office…but that last one is an entirely different story. 

So, what exactly is Fashables all about?

Fashables is a fashion blog highlighting men’s & women’s clothing as modeled/reviewed by normal’ish people. And no, we aren’t snobby. Fashables is also a very collaborative blog. For example, we’ve published two trend reports, the latest being the 2012 Fashion Blogger Summer Trend Report, with bloggers from all around the world.

What do you think about Shoptiques?

I’m a big believer in small businesses and have seen a ton of great small boutiques over the years. It’s great that, in a way, Shoptiques helps give those types of boutiques a voice on the web and shares their products with consumers.

Shoptiques’ Take

                                                                      SALE SALE SALE

Happy Tuesday, fashionistas – Chelsea here again!

Is it me or are there really just about a million sales going on left and right? – both online and in-stores. How do we shop smart and still find the most amazing pieces? Here are some of my tips to maintain your budget during these oh-so tempting transitional season sales:

  1. Shop By Style, Not By Discount: As hard as it may seem, you just gotta stay focused and find those must-have pieces you’ve had your eye on and are in dire need over the next few months. As much as we love buying items 80% off, it will most likely just be tucked away in your closet forever.
  2. Add To Your Closet, Not Multiply: To follow on #1, make sure you are purchasing items you truly have a need for in your closet. This could be a replacement for that blouse you recently lost or damaged. This could be buying a pair of boyfriend jeans to add to our closet of skinnies. Make sure you are adding something unique to your closet, not multiplying on what you already have.

Look at it this way, sales can be your best friend or your worst enemy…ideally, we’d want to have a platonic relationship and hopefully my tips can help!

Shop my recommend pieces to make sure your wardrobe always looks fresh and one-of-a-kind!


1. Denim Vest from Baci
2. Versace Print Dress from Baci
3. Yellow Patel Denim from Condor

Boutique Spotlight

The Shoptiques’ team are so excited to introduce to you our latest boutique from the West Coast! .meggie. san francisco reflects owner, Meggie’s personal style; casually cool with a twist of romance. The boutique exclusively carries .meggie. handmade jewelry and promotes other local designers.  What makes Meggie’s store stand out? Well the boutique is known for representing a broad range of new up and coming designers, keeping the store organic and hip!

We had the pleasure of sitting down with Meggie herself to find out the full story behind her amazing boutique!

1. What inspired you to open the boutique?
I had been selling my jewelry line to many boutiques for a few years while I was a stylist in Los Angeles.  I wanted to move back to my roots in San Francisco, so I started interviewing the buyers I sold to and worked on a business plan to open my own boutique!  It is my creative outlet for all things design, with my jewelry, decor and buying! 

2. How long have you been operating?
3.5 years!

3. What has been the biggest thing you’ve learned as both an entrepreneur and a fashion buyer?
Where do I begin…so many things!  It is a big game of trial and error, no right or wrong way to attack this business.  You just have to trust yourself, your own creative vision and always think of your customer when designing, buying and creating!

4. Describe your clothes in 3 words
Girly, romantic and chic 

5. How would you describe the typical customer?
Boutique buying is for the girl who wants something unique and different.  Something to set herself apart, set her own style.   

6. What are some must-have pieces in your own closet right now?
Well, at the moment I am pregnant, so all of the adorable styles coming in for summer that I want to snag up left and right have to wait for me!  =)  But, post baby….I have been lusting over all the gorgeous floral prints and maxi dresses….and lots of layered gold bracelets and necklaces!

7. What does fashion mean to you?
Fashion is my daily creative outlet…fashion can describe your personality and instantly change your mood and confidence.  When I am well dressed and feel cute, I am more productive and want to take on the day in a more positive way.  If I feel “frumpy” my whole day is affected!  ;-)


Fashion: BE IN THE K(N)OW

Think American Apparel has seen its heyday come and go? Oh no, founder and CEO Dov Charney is not going to sit back and watch the brand shrivel…even if chilling out would be the quintessential hipster move to make.

Despite the company’s past financial problems, Charney tells WWD that the business could post revenues of about $600 million this year, roughly 7 percent from its last revenue peak of $559 million in 2009.

We’ll be honest, we were a bit worried for good ol’ AA for a while; the retailer, always reliable for basics like the plain white tee, has been sketchier quality as of late.

Meanwhile, the ads are not shying away from their typical raunchiness. However, they’ve changed from their earlier years, when the ads had a certain je ne sais quoi sensual allure

Nevertheless, we can’t argue with their steadfast ‘Made in the USA’ slogan, nor their universal appeal.

Below, check out our picks inspired by the dependable simplicity of American Apparel.

Shop Our American Apparel Inspired Looks Now:
1. Short Sleeved Side Tie Dress
2. Pleated Skirt Wrap Dress
3. Dahlia Mini Dress 

Do It Yourself

Today we are t-minus four days away from our Nation’s birthday. What are you wearing to the fireworks? Don’t worry if your wardrobe is lacking in that stand out, patriotic piece, Shoptiques is here to save the day with a nifty tutorial for making your own flag printed duds (because the fifty dollars Top Shop charges for their stars and stripes cut-offs is just plain unconstitutional)!

What You Need:

  •  An old pair of denim cut-offs, a plain white tank or tee, or any other garment of your choice
  •  A pencil
  •  A thick piece of construction paper
  • An exacto knife or box cutter
  • Masking tape
  • Red, white, and blue fabric paint

What To Do:

  1. Use your pencil to draw a star on the construction paper in the size of your choice (if you are truly not an artist, you may use a stencil to do this, or print the image out from the internet).
  2. Use your exacto (or box cutter) to cut around the shape, popping it out and creating a stencil.
  3. Place the star over your garment of choice, use the masking tape to secure the position of the construction paper, and paint over the stencil using either white or blue fabric paint (we like the bold look of white on denim, or blue on a white cotton tee, but the choice here is yours).
  4. Allow the painted star to dry, then move the stencil to a new spot on the garment, painting it over to create another star. Repeat until the desired pattern has been created. Make sure you leave plenty of space on your garment for stripes. We recommend leaving about half the surface area blank.
  5. To create stripes, simply cover the unadorned half of the garment with evenly spaced strips of masking tape. Paint in between the strips with the red fabric paint so that when the tape is removed you have red stripes running the length of your garment. If you’re feeling extra crafty, tape over the red paint once it is dry, and fill the space between your stripes with white paint, for a full flag effect.

Violà… you’ve created an outfit with an Americana flare that would do Betsey Ross (the original queen of DIY) proud! Enjoy! 

We love the structure of Chouchounette’s White Cropped Linen Top contrasted with the laid-back look of a pair of cut-offs. Rocking your flag on a tee? Gotta go denim down below! The Happy Trails Flare from Jade boutique perfectly compliment a hippie-style fringed top like the one pictured above. 

Style Insider

When the Shoptiques’ team sat down with Abbey Brandon of District Dress Up, we were star struck by her outgoing personality, grace and out of this world sense of style! Abbey’s personal blog features casual and young-professional looks that are styled and conceptualized by her personal inspirations. To us, she is the ultimate smart fashion entrepreneur we adore!

So what does Abbey think about Shoptiques? In her own words:

“Shoptiques combines the accessibility of online shopping with the selectivity and curation of boutique shopping. When I browse the online showrooms, I know that the boutique-buyers selected the very best pieces from various collections to create an online store that represents a style unique to a particular city. This not only enriches the shopping experience, but also pushes and inspires my individual style.”

Shop Abbey’s Picks Now:
1. Pink Skeleton Top from annabelle NYC
2. V Neck Body Suit from Prinzzesa
3. Celia Long Skirt from A. sweeT  

Style Starter

The worlds of film, fashion, literature and everything in between are abuzz with Baz Luhrmann’s cinematic adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, scheduled for release this Christmas.

Since the book was intitially published in 1925, Nick, Jay, Daisy and the rest have appeared in five movies: one silent, one unavailable due to “copyright reasons,” one critically acclaimed (with a Coppola script, of course), one mediocre made-for-TV version, and a loosely based take about a Hip-Hop mogul…a very loose take, we would guess.

Judging by the attention surrounding Luhrmann’s attempt with the premiere still six months on the horizon, this may be the biggest yet.

And, with Lurhmann’s films known for their stunning visuals, the fashion world is already feeling reverberations (indeed, Style.com references the film in their Spring 2012 trend report, ‘Deco Echoes’).

So, do you think the fringe, drop-waists, and feathered headbands of the 1920s are all they’re cracked up to be? We sure do. Consider the following picks to make even Daisy Buchanan a bit envious!

Shop Our Great Gatsby Inspired Looks Now:
1. 1920’s Sheer Dress from L.A. Boudoir Miami
2. Mosaic Print Dress from Eco Closet
3. Embroidered Dress with Fringe Detail from Tuttitrendy