Six Boutiques To Shop At This Summer In The Kansas City Area

How to source sustainable clothing to support local boutiques.

In this post, I am compiling my favorite local boutiques in the Kansas City area, to encourage anyone and everyone to shop local. I have been shopping locally for about two years now. And these are a few boutiques that I find myself going back to every-time.

 

Array — The Mall of Boutiques

The first time I physically walked into Array, I felt like I could find everything in one place. Because it is like a mini mall of wonders. And they offer a variety of clothing — from dresses to skirts, graphic shirts to sets, athletic wear to denim and a baby clothing line — it’s all there. In addition, Array does a great job including all types of women of different shapes and sizes to model their clothing — via their Instagram page. And that’s something that I will always root for. So you can find a variety of styles for women of all ages. And it is a great boutique to find unique pieces and treat yourself too. 

 

Etiquette — LA to NY fashion 

For the west coast and east coast wardrobe, Etiquette is where you can find just that. They offer the trendiest outfits as seen on Hailey Beiber or Kendall Jenner. And you can find body con dresses, tanks, two piece sets, and a variety of accessories. The two items that I really love to source from them are their bralettes and their dainty jewelry. I had recently purchased a sky blue lace bralette from them and I am in love with it. And they also offer casual clothing like hoodies, graphic tees and basic tees. 

 

Ensemble — Inspired for the everyday woman 

If you are wanting to find a boutique where it caters to the everyday woman, then Ensemble is your go to boutique. It has a little bit of everything for everyone. Because Ensemble strives to make every woman who enters their shop in store or online  feel beautiful.  While also leaving with their favorite curated pieces. Ensemble carries a variety of clothing pieces, home goods, shoes, accessories and jewelry. Also if you are a local to the Kansas City area, you can utilize their open event space catered for baby showers, bridal showers, graduations, or any special event you’d love to celebrate. Kassie Murphy is the owner of this beautiful boutique and what I find the most inspiring about her, was the way that she made it all happen. She had a dream and she made it come true by opening the doors to her ideal boutique in May of 2018. And she has given me the opportunity to create a fashion blog for their subscribers and anyone who likes to stay up to date with their merchandise. I upload every other Sunday sharing how to wear clothing, what is trending, gift guides and I feature local vendors like The Babe Standard.

 

Frankie and Jules — For the Free Spirited Woman 

Frankie and Jules is every boho-loving woman’s dream of a boutique. Their staples are bold pieces like dresses, tops and skirts with a mix of shoes, accessories and local branded clothing. And I absolutely adore seeing their Instagram stories, how engaging they are with their guests and they provide the best customer service in store. You can find a mix of brands like She + Sky, Flying Monkey Denim and Ermish Jewelry. I recently purchased an A-line denim dress perfect for any upcoming summer event and a tie-dye Kansas graphic tee. Frankie and Jules is an in-store and online boutique. So you can shop from the comfort of your own home or you can pop into the store if you live in Kansas City. 

 

The Kindred Shops– The Collective Boutique 

These three collective boutiques strive to elevate your boutique experience in-store and online. The Kindred Shops offers a variety of clothing pieces — dresses, skirts, shorts, denim, KC Merch and jewelry — alongside home items, vintage apparel and apothecary. And Kindred makes it easy to find pieces you can wear for an everyday look or for statement finds. So I personally love shopping for blouses, graphic tees and denim. And most of my pieces featured on my instagram are from Kindred. I find myself going back to Kindred often because they carry quality clothes that are both sustainable and very affordable. And Kindred is the ideal boutique for any college student looking for an affordable boutique with a variety of pieces. Or for any woman who is on the lookout for a new wardrobe — Kindred should be your first stop. 

 

Luxxe Apparel — The Trendsetters 

If you want a place where you’ll see all of the latest trendy clothing, Luxxe is definitely the place to shop. Because their goal is to make all women feel confident in their apparel. And without breaking the bank. Luxxe boutique is owned by Kassidy Harrenstein and her sister Lucy Harrenstein. And they are two of the most hard working women who treat their customers like royalty. Luxxe Apparel specializes in providing the most popular pieces like wide legged pants, two piece sets, fashionable accessories and Quay Sunglasses.  “We strive for customer service by giving our customers a very personal shopping experience. Which allows us to develop ongoing relationships with all of our customers,” said Kassidy Harrenstein. Luxxe always features local bloggers or models to showcase their new arrivals. And Luxxe has new arrivals every Thursday.  Also they recently launched their app for easy shopping.

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About the Author

Melanie Oliva is a student journalist at the University of Missouri. She is majoring in Journalism with an emphasis in Magazine Writing and Investigating Journalism and a minor in Women and Gender Studies. Melanie loves shopping local, oat milk lattes, and listening to music. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter.

Fashion Pieces You REALLY Need This Spring

It can be so overwhelming after watching endless Tik Toks or reading blogs, so I gladly summarized the iconic pieces in under four minutes.

In the world of fashion, it can be so intimidating to keep up with the trends. Personally, I don’t keep up with each trend, but I do incorporate some of my favorites into my style. Remember that the way you dress does not define who you are and you should not change your style to stay up to date. I compiled a few of my current favorite trends and/or things I already have in my closet that still can be “trendy.” 

Denim 

Denim is so easy! What you already have in your closet you can mix and match, cut up, or wear differently. As most of you know, my generation has called out skinny jeans, so if you want to hop off that trend, here are a few styles you can start with:

Target has a great selection of boyfriend jeans. Most of mine are bought there; the Wild and Fable brand is my favorite. Francesca’s carries the best mom jeans that are actually stretchy for your thighs. I like their Harper brand because they are like a cheaper dupe for American Eagle. My favorite part about Harper jeans is the variety of shades, styles, and lengths they offer. Once you feel comfortable in boyfriend and mom jeans, try out the wide-legged denim by shopping at H&M or Princess Polly. I think they offer a great variety of jeans you can try out and wear this spring season.

Denim jeans are not the only staple you need this spring – you need a denim jacket for layering your looks! A jean jacket can change the entire vibe of your look, taking it from formal to casual chic. I like pairing light-washed denim jackets with pastel, neutral, and darker clothing. If you wear warm tones, blues, or shades of green, try wearing a darker shade of denim. Adding layers to your look adds depth and definition to your figure. My favorite denim jackets are at your local TJMaxx or anywhere that sells Levi’s jackets. 

Neutrals 

Neutrals are great colors to add to your wardrobe. What I have been purchasing lately have been graphic tees, outwear, shorts, and dresses. I love muted and nude tones of neutral colors because they contrast with my olive skin tone. As a Latina, I love colors that can really bring out my skin color when the weather gets warmer.

Find a shade that makes your skin feel the most beautiful and the most confident in. Once you’ve done that, don’t be afraid to reach for ivory and sand tones. These are great colors to mix darker or warmer-toned clothing with. Lighter colors will add dimension to your look and they are great to mimic the light flowers that bloom. 

Chunky Shoes

Before you completely skip this paragraph, allow me to ease you into this trend. I actually was inspired by Rosalia’s chunky white shoes she would perform in. This was a trend I slowly saw unfold at the end of 2019. Well, it made its way back around but with a variety of shoes and styles.

If you have been to your local Target, there are a variety of chunky sandals and wedges on display. Whether you are a sneaker or sandal type of gal, try adding some height to your favorite look with these shoes. I am 5’7 and, although for so long I was afraid of being taller, this trend has helped me come out of that fear. I like to add chunky sneakers to my “running errands” look or to a casual t-shirt dress. My favorite places to shop for chunky shoes are Princess Polly, DSW, or Fila. They offer different styles of shoes and Fila sneakers that are so comfortable. 

Small Purses 

Accessories are important for every outfit – whether it’s casual or dressy. They tie the entire outfit together. Small purses have been on my timeline 24/7 lately and I am not mad about it. I grew up wearing small purses like mini clutches, cross bodies, or clear bags. My current obsessions are the small leather purses and jelly crossbodies.

When I am wearing a lounge set or a simple jean and tee look, I always wear my leather crossbody. And, when I am dressing up just a tad more, I pair it with a jelly crossbody. These bags are not hard to find – my current jelly bag is from Aubrey’s Attic Co. (a local Kansas City online boutique). You can also find a variety of bags on Zara, H&M, or Princess Polly.

Shades 

The sun is literally my best friend in the summer. I love getting a good tan, going on a hike, or just having dinner on a patio. Another fun accessory to pair with your outfit is some bold and colorful shades. I love a simple aviator shape, circle shape, or an oversized square shape.

My favorite places to get shades are from Quay, Francesca’s, or a local boutique. They always offer quality and most of them are under $50! I worked at Francesca’s for years, so their two-for-$14 deal is to die for. I have had these aviator pairs since 2018 – they have gone to Central America, Europe, and the West Coast and back. They truly are worth the under $20 hype and you get to choose another pair, too!

Spring is a fun season to mix and match trends, add some bold accessories, and play with new looks. Try something you have been wanting to try out, whether it’s in style or not because, at the end of the day, it’s your style! Express yourself with your clothing and don’t be afraid to show up overdressed.

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About the Author

Melanie Oliva is a student journalist at the University of Missouri. She is majoring in Journalism with an emphasis in Magazine Writing and Investigating Journalism and a minor in Women and Gender Studies. Melanie loves shopping local, oat milk lattes, and listening to music. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter.

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