Tag: fashionable-style

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.

Power Dressing 7 Ways the Clothes You Choose Changes Your Mood

The style and clothes that you choose can change your mood, psychology and overall confidence. So, do read this article before you select the ultimate outfit for your upcoming date or office meeting.

They say, do not judge a book by its cover; but how many times have you looked at someone and created a perception about them in your mind? Let’s accept this—our clothes play an essential role in our lives. A person is often judged by what he/she wears at a particular occasion. However, are you aware of the fact that clothes can affect the way you think too? Yes, this is the same feeling that one gets after donning a suit for an interview. Studies show that every outfit that one puts on affects their state of mind and choice of behavior. Mentioned below are some of the ways your clothes can change the way you feel.

 

Boosts confidence 

Wearing a dress that enhances the body can make any woman, be it plus size or size zero, unshakable in her belief. It makes them feel like the truest and strongest version of themselves. So, the next time when you are going for a meeting and want to bring your A-game, doll yourself up in tailored trousers, sharp blazers, and a classic pair of shoes. If you’re looking for something more comfortable but still formal, then consider dressing-up in a body-hugging dress with peep-toe heels.

 

Helps in thinking and focusing better

Some studies show that a person dressed in a formal business suit or dress can think faster on his/her feet and usually, brings a lot of creative ideas to the table. In fact, the way one dresses not only changes his/her perception but also of people or events around them. Also, dressing-up powerfully can help in focusing better, even if the task lacks excitement. Some researchers believe that the best part of dressing up formally for work is that it helps in mentally separating work and leisure time, which is helpful for people who create boundaries between these two parts of their life. That’s also perhaps the reason why it is suggested to wear work clothes even while working from home.

Makes you smarter

Have you ever felt immediately confident and smarter after putting on your favorite interview suit? Yes, dressing up in formal wear can make one feel intelligent. According to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, dressing in clothing that is associated with intelligence, like doctor’s coats or pilot’s uniforms, not only makes one look but act smarter too. If you think that your personal style isn’t giving you a chance to get deserving respect, it is time to smarten up by wearing a trailblazer, neutral colors and polished shoes.

Cheers you up 

Let’s start this point by asking a simple question—do you wear clothes that reflect your mood, or do you wear clothes to change your mood? As per research by the University of Queensland, people often dress up considering how they feel and how they would like others to perceive their feelings. It works even today, and that is perhaps the reason some people wear bright clothes to make themselves look happy, while in reality, they might be feeling down. That is perhaps the reason why people wear clothes that have gotten them compliments before or is something that brings back good memories.

It is also common to see that a feel-good feeling may increase sartorial experimentation. As a result, one is more likely to shop for something like western dress or a silhouette that had felt daunting in the past.

 

Motivates to exercise

The power of dressing kicks in when one wants to exercise, but can’t muster the motivation. Wearing your favorite shorts with matching sneakers as the first thing in the morning is comfortable in a way to run your errands and could motivate you to hit the gym. Also, wearing a new outfit for your workout will not only excite you to exercise, but also run an extra mile and do some extra crunches. Gym clothes are not only comfortable but also look trendy. If your motivation levels are down for workout, shop around for new gym clothes that can motivate you to wear them and flex more muscles.

 

Helps you get your way 

Whether you like it or not, your clothing communicates, and it can affect your ability to achieve success too. Studies show that being dressed in business suits can boost your professionalism. Even the people who wear suits appear more dignified. You’re more likely to win an argument by wearing formal apparel, and to justify this statement, the Journal of Experimental Psychology did research. Subjects were divided into three groups and completed a series of experiments that challenged their cognitive processing abilities. The result of this research was that the people who dressed better routinely trumped those who were dressed down. The most interesting fact about the study was that the men in sweats showed lower testosterone levels, which further reduced their aggression.

Helpful in losing weight 

While we strive for body positivity, we all can shed a few pounds here and there. Your clothing can help. By wearing tight jeans and snug-fit pants or tying a ribbon around your waist can provide a subconscious signal to curb your appetite. Because your are more conscious about your tummy—particularly when the ribbon starts to feel tighter as the evening goes on!

From shoes to cap, every piece of clothing that you wear can affect or change the way you feel. Therefore, do consider pondering over these points before heading out for your next big event.

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