Boutique of the Week: Bohemian

               In the heart of Five Points, Bohemian provides Columbia with the latest trends while still allowing the shopper to have fun with fashion and make the clothes their own. While southern style consists of a lot of chevron, monograms, and Lily Pulitzer; Bohemian provides clothes with more of an indie, fashion forward feel. 

Store manager Anna Williams envisions a shopper at bohemian as “a fun girl with her own sense of style”.The store carries clothes, shoes, bags, and jewelry for shoppers of all ages with a variety of fun, stylish brands.

 “We carry a great mix of brands you don’t usually find in Columbia such as Wildfox, Mink Pink, and Obey.”

Adding to that stylish ensemble are Splendid, Free People, Sanctuary, as well as up and coming designers (both local and nation wide).   Bohemian is all about not taking fashion too seriously by finding humor in more funky pieces.

“We have cat sweaters,” Anna adds with a smile on her face.

Bohemian utilizes social media to get information out about the store and to highlight new trends and products that come in. The store relies on their Twitter (@shopbehmian) and Instagram (shopbohemian) as well as their website, shop-bohemian.com. While remaining professional, Bohemian never stops having fun while bringing a chill vibe to their store. The friendly sales associates make your shopping experience enjoyable and laid back, while helping you find what you’re looking for and giving suggestions on what to pair it with.

Bohemian continues to support both Fashion Board and USC fashion students by participating in USC Fashion Week.

“We really enjoy being a part of Fashion Week. It is great how it allows student to participate in aspects of fashion and retail they usually wouldn’t be exposed to. It puts their education to use and puts our clothes on the runway,” said Anna.

We appreciate their partnership and their great sales. Shop bohemian to find the latest and greatest trends from the brands you love.

Fashionably yours,

Kelsey Spencer, Fashion Board Member

Styled By: Rachael Dornellas

Photographed By: Morgan Epperson

Boutique of The Week: Van Jean

This week, the retailer’s spotlight goes to Van Jean. Van Jean is located on Devine Street and has a wide assortment of designer jewelry, handbags, clothing and shoes. It’s perfect for sophisticated women of all ages who appreciate quality and style in their wardrobe. Whether it’s for a political event or a football game, women are able to find elegant pieces and look their very best. Van Jean was started by Melissa Blanchard in 2004 and she differed herself from other retailers immediately by using well-known, up-and-coming designers. Melissa wanted to carry designers that were difficult to find in a southern city. Van Jean carries 3.1 Phillip Lim, Helmut Lang, Dannijo, J Brand, Tory Burch, Tibi, Milly, Rag & Bone and so much more. Melissa visits New York and Miami regularly to bring back exclusive Ready-to-Wear items that the Columbia area is grateful to have. We were fortunate enough to get to chat with Van Jean’s buyer Aya Alshafei. Aya is a USC graduate and former member of Fashion Board. Here’s what she had to say!  

Fashion Board: What kind of girl do you envision in your shop’s clothes?

Aya Alshafei: We have a very mature customer. Someone that enjoys fashion. She lives a small town life but dresses like a city woman. 

FB: What makes you continue to participate in USC Fashion Week?

AA: A lot of us graduated from USC and want to support our alma mater. I was in Fashion Board and I know what it's like to work in a good organization that focuses on fashion and helps the community. We also like that Fashion Week spreads the word that fashion is ever changing.

FB: What makes your store unique from other local shops in Columbia?

AA: Definitely the exclusive lines we carry. It’s hard to find these lines in the city let alone the state. We carry exclusive and Ready-to-Wear clothes that you see on the runway. We like that our shop stands out in a college town.

FB: How do you reach out to customers and let them know of the new products you have?

AA: We update our social media daily. Instagram is our number one social media page and we like to post new arrivals or staff favorites, like our Manager’s Outfit of the Month. Our Instagram is linked to Twitter and Facebook. We also send out email blasts to customers.

Like and follow Van Jean and be the first to know about their newest arrivals!

Twitter: @ShopVanJean

Facebook: www.facebook.com/shopvanjean

Instagram: @shopvanjean

Also check out Van Jean on the new app The Near By (it’s like Instagram, but for local boutiques): @Vanjean

Fashionably Yours,

Sara Dixson

Styling by: Rachael Dornellas

Photography by: Morgan Epperson

Boutique of the Week: Ivy & Leo

Among all of the chic and swanky boutiques along Forest Drive, Ivy and Leo is a breath of fresh air. Ivy and Leo is based in Charlotte, N.C. and their Columbia store is located on Trenholm Plaza off of Forest Drive. They have many more stores in surrounding cities, including Myrtle Beach, Raleigh and Greensboro. Mary Smolen is a sales associates at the Columbia location and gave some great information about Ivy and Leo's start and how they plan expand. 

Ivy and Leo has clothes and accessories for women of all ages. They are fashion forward and have affordable styles for everyone to indulge. They have everything  you need and make it possible to build an entire outfit for less than $100. Their beautifully bold jewelry, trendy clothing and shoes are to die for! What more could a girl want in a boutique? 

The sales associates of Ivy and Leo pride themselves on offering great quality and customer service. They offer a customer mailing list for special promotions for dedicated customers, a customer wish list and will even transfer merchandise from store to store for customers. Social media plays a big part of spreading the word about Ivy and Leo. They utilize Facebook, Twitter and Instagram in addition to their own website (www.ivyandleo.com). Word of mouth has also contributed to Ivy and Leo’s success. 

They will also be featured in our annual Fashion Week this spring and we are pleased to have them on board. I asked Mary why Ivy and Leo is participating in USC’s Fashion Week and she simply stated that it’s great promotion for the boutique. USC is a big school, and with Ivy and Leo’s fashions being so affordable, plenty of students with limited funds could easily shop there and have an amazing outfit. If you are ever in the area, make sure to stop by Ivy and Leo to check out the latest fashion trends!

Fashionably yours,

Clark Deberry (USC Fashion Board member) 

Styling by: Fashion Board Treasurer Rachael Dornellas 

Photography by: Fashion Board VP of Publications Morgan Epperson

Isabel Marant for H&M

Hello!

Once again H&M announces a brilliant collaboration that will definitely not disappoint. I’m talking about the Isabel Marant for H&M line that launched today! Whatever your style, these pieces can work in your wardrobe and take your outfit from ordinary to effortless high fashion. Not only does the line include chic, oversized blazers, but comfy sweaters to die for during this chilly time of year. Leather and sparkles more your thing? Marant has got you covered! Whether you want to rock a killer skater skirt with her swoon-worthy black and white chunky sweater, or pair your favorite skinnies with a relaxed tee and an oversized boyfriend blazer a la Marant then you’re sure to snag up all the goodies this collab has to offer! Not to mention the black fringe booties, printed kicks, and other accessories (plaid scarves!), I’d say this line is sure to meet and surpass expectations. Looking for the perfect holiday gift for your beau? A winter coat is sure to impress him and can be found here––and what’s even better is you can totally steal it! Marant went for a lot of pieces with gender neutrality for this collaboration and we aren’t complaining! So what are you waiting for? Go check it out and do what you do best––fill up that shopping bag!

Check out a few of her pieces:

Check back for more posts on our "Boutiques of the Week!"

Have a great weekend!

Nina Gabriel, member

Boutique of the Week: Just The Thing

This week, the retailer’s spotlight goes to Just the Thing. Just the Thing is located on Devine Street and has a full range of jewelry, handbags and clothing.  It is perfect for any style, any age, or any occasion. This boutique is a family business and was first started by Terri Jackson in 1991. Just the Thing started off as a traveling boutique, doing trade shows and holiday markets in many different states. Her daughter, Tracy Jackson Wright, joined Terri in 1997 to carry on and expand the business. The Columbia store was the first permanent location of Just the Thing and has since then been expanded to a store in Atlanta, GA. They also have a seasonal pop-up location in High Point, NC. They cater to “fashion savvy” and “price conscious” women of all ages. While their focus is on jewelry and handbags, they also offer gift items and they just added shoes and apparel to their collection.  Just the Thing is a one-stop shop for all your fashion needs. Lucky for us we were able to speak with Tracy Wright, the owner of the Columbia store. She has participated in USC’s Fashion Week in the past and is back in action for another round. Hear what she has to say!

Fashion Board: What kind of girl do you envision in your shop’s clothes?

Tracy Jackson Wright: Fashion forward while still being classic and true to their style and body type. She would be fun, happy and willing to stand out in the crowd.

FB: What makes you continue to participate in USC’s Fashion Week?

Tracy: I definitely believe it is good for the students involved in fashion board, they need our support. And it’s also good for the retailers to reach the college crowd. I was apart of a group like that at Auburn and I of course love fashion shows and love the USC girls. I love to be apart of it.

FB: What makes your store unique from other local shops in Columbia?

Tracy: We have a huge assortment of jewelry, handbags, gifts, shoes and clothes. We are sort of a one-stop shop for every woman. I also focus on being price conscious and providing while still maintaining quality.

FB: How do you reach out to customers and let them know of the new products you have?

Tracy: Well to me the number one form of reaching people is word of mouth. So if I can make a customer happy, they will be out promoting me, promoting Just the Thing. And then after that we use Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. We post pictures, albums, and announce sales. We also do an email system too, which is so cool. We are launching a website before the end of 2014, an e-commerce shopping site.

Go like and follow Just the Thing to hear about exclusive sales and their newest items!

Twitter: @JustTheThing

Facebook: www.facebook.com/shopjustthething

Instagram: @justthething

Fashion Board Treasurer, Rachael Dornellas, helped styling the outfits that are pictured below. Here is a run down of the pieces featured in the shoot. Looks are modeled by Fashion Board member Brooke Bevans and photographed by Vice President of Publications, Morgan Epperson.

Outfit 1: This outfit takes the classic sheath dress to a whole new level. Using different pieces all in the same navy color adds a new dimension to this look.

Blue Ring: $17.50

Necklace: $ 39.50

Bracelet: $15.00

Amanda Uprichard Blue Dress: $195.00

Blue Belt: $5.00

Wedges: $69.50

Outfit 2: This trendy outfit is perfect for a night on the town with your girlfriends. These metallic pants combined with the fun pop of color in the bag will make you stand out from the crowd. 

Black Top: $35.00

Snakeskin Pants: $175.00

Sam Edelman Heels: $125.00

Pink Handbag: $159.50

Cuff Bracelet: $59.50

Earrings: $19.50

Outfit 3: This laid back but chic outfit is ideal for a day in the city, shopping around or grabbing lunch. The chambray mixed with the quilted skirt is a perfect combo for this fall.

Chambray Top: $42.50

Quilted Skirt: $39.50

Leopard Sam Edelman Shoe: $99.00

Sunglasses: $15.00

Earrings: $25.00

Lips Clutch: $49.50

Head over to Just the Thing and pick up some new products today and get excited to see them present in the up coming USC Fashion Week!