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Local boutiques bring new style to Boise
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There are few things better than strolling down the picturesque streets of downtown Boise, Starbucks in hand, crunching the leaves in beautiful fall shades with fabulous stilleto heels. However, something is obviously absent on this serene autumn afternoon – the stores. This leads one to wonder, can true “Vogue” addicts get their fashion fixes in the City of Trees? Or are we (gasp) destined for the typical Boisian/college student sweatshirt/jeans/T-shirt/Abercrombie/Gap uniform, only to end up clothed in the typical corporate attire? Is it possible to avoid the mainstream and the mall?
Spend a day perusing the boutiques downtown, and rest assured that all is not lost.
A quick glimpse around the newly-developed BODO complex on 8th Street will yield a vast array of stores: Office Depot, P.F.Chang’s, Edwards Nine Cinemas, Maggie Moos Icecream, etc. But for those craving individual style, this area is a source of life.
Surprisingly, some of the greatest stores to be found around BODO existed prior to its development. Funktion – a boutique featuring many high-end denim labels, Michael Stars basics, funky T-shirts and accessories – opened its doors four years ago.
“I was trying to offer Boise things that you couldn’t get here at the time – like the popular denims that they will not sell in the mall,” said Leah Butler, owner of the boutique.
Many stores have opened in Boise in the last few years and are greatly contributing to the vast array of options available to apparel-conniseurs in Boise. However, progress has been slow.
“I think people are afraid here and I don’t know why,” said Butler. “Even when I go out and see a lot of college-age kids, it’s like they’re afraid to break out and be who they could possibly be or differentiate themselves just a little bit with their style. I don’t know why it is here.”
Another fabulous boutique can be seen from the gigantic glass doors that house Funktion. Shoez (a store that specializes in – duh- shoes) is adjacent to Funktion and offers a vast assortment of fancy foot gear, ranging from Hale’ Bob stilletos doused in glitter to Via Spiga flats. It was in this store that I found my true love (Betsey Johnson wedges boasting black polka-dots and bright bows) and added to my understanding of the benefits associated with boutique shopping.
“The beauty of [boutique shopping] is that we don’t buy cases and cases, so the chances of you seeing somebody in town with your unique piece are much, much less – and I like that,” said Jennifer Green, general manager of Shoez and Piece Unique. The two stores share an owner and general manager, as well as a unique style.
Piece Unique will celebrate its ninth anniversary Nov. 9, and many things have changed since the store first opened its doors.
“I think Boise has grown a lot within the last 4-to-5 years,” Green said. “I think that more people are becoming accustomed to the price point. A lot of it, I think, has had to do with the jeans industry. People aren’t as shocked when they see $150 price tags – and now we’re up to $350 price tags – on a pair of jeans. People are willing to pay a little bit more to get a lot more. We’re not New York or Paris, but we’re getting there. I think we have enough economy in this city that people get out and about and understand what boutiques are, so that when they do have a need they know where to go locally. No, we’re not New York, but we’re not small town anymore either.”
Music to the fashion-addict’s ears.
Located next door to Shoez is Miss Molly, a boutique that has also seen major change during its two-and-a-half year existence in downtown Boise. Miss Molly also works to keep up with the styles evolving out of New York and L.A., and offers consumers many of the major labels that bigger cities have available, such as Juicy Couture and Trina Turk.
“We’re looking at the same designers as boutique owners in L.A.,” Emily Edmundson, manager of Miss Molly said. “When we go to show rooms, we’re sitting with people that own boutiques in downtown L.A. or downtown San Francisco. We get to see the same things that everyone else sees at the same time. A lot of people think that we get things later than, say, Nordstroms, but we get the same shipments – sometimes sooner.”
As the availability of higher-end fashion continues to develop in Boise, the consumers are changing too.
“We’re getting more and more male clientele in here that are caring about what they’re wearing, and also a lot more corporate people that are being more casual but are needing to have a certain style and a look while they’re in their casual environments at work, which has changed a lot in the last few years here,” Butler said.
Hefty price tags are the thing most often associated with the phrase “boutique shopping.” Building a wardrobe with a limited amount of disposable income is possible, and yes, you can still shop in boutiques.
“It’s important to start off with one thing that you’re going to base everything around. Maybe it’s a new pair of jeans or a dress that you can use over jeans or with leggings and dress it up or dress it down,” Butler said.
Knowing when and in what to invest some serious cash is crucial to building a truly unique, stylish wardrobe.
Avoiding the mall can be a worthwhile experience. The atmosphere of boutique shopping is simply unbeatable. Friendly, knowledgeable people are more likely to be found in local boutiques than in gigantic department stores or malls, and you’re much more likely to be in the presence of the person who picked the pieces for the stores. Not to mention, the likelihood of seeing your twin out on the street is minimal.
“[Boutique shopping] is more fun. It’s a more personal experience,” Edmundson said. “We limit most things to three to six pieces, so you know that only six people are going to have that shirt in town instead of 55.”
Boise has grown leaps and bounds in the past few years, and the BODO complex is a great representation of that growth. Take some time to peruse the gorgeous Nanette Lepore pieces at Miss Molly, the fabulous Seven jeans at Funktion and the Laundry by Shelli Segal heels at Shoez. You’ll be helping the local economy and giving Boise a boost into the future of fashion.
Sheree Whiteley