Your urgent style problems solved
By Lynda Wheatley | April 23, 2022
Of course, those who like to shop till they drop can spend ages browsing the myriad clothing boutiques that dot our northern towns. As for the rest of us? Sometimes we just need someone to tell us what to wear. Here’s an overview of boutiques offering unique services that will enhance your wardrobe and simplify your shopping this spring.
Color us excited
Professional Color Analysis Services
Winter, spring, summer, fall, every woman, girl or teen of the 80s and 90s probably remembers the “Color Me Beautiful” craze. What started as a book to help women find the seasonal color palette to complement their eyes, hair and skin tone has spawned an industry of Color Me Beautiful seminars and the purging of “not my season” clothing and makeup. nationwide drawers and cupboards. .
Tracey Lark, owner of the Relish boutique in Traverse City, remembers the phenomenon well: “My mother used to carry her color palette in her purse when she shopped for clothes.”
So when Lark saw color analytics trending on not one but multiple social media platforms, she looked for a color consultant course to take so she could offer the service to her clients.
Those of us who are tearfully bored with the monochromatic black, white, cream and gray schemes that have dominated home decor and everyday attire for the past decade, rejoice: after three weeks of study and a final exam analyzing 25 photos, Lark passed the course, scoring 100 percent.
“It was so much harder than expected,” she says. “In the 80s, there were four seasons to choose from: spring, winter, summer, autumn. That grew to 12 seasons in the 90s,” Lark explains. “I followed the development course, which is 22 seasons. Most people fall into all 12 seasons. But there are some that don’t quite match there, and that’s where the other 10 season picks come in. I color match you until it’s perfect.
Does that mean there’s hope for us winter women of the 80s, frustrated with the berry lipstick that’s “supposed” to look great? What about fall girls who dream of wearing silver jewelry again?
Lark says we may not even be winters or autumns anymore. “I’ve met several women who were ‘of color’ in their 80s or 90s, and as they got older their season changed,” she says. “Also a few that were misanalyzed.”
This is how it works: A color analysis with Lark costs $100 and will take place at Relish — while the shop is closed and by appointment only — beginning May 1. Clients should be makeup-free during their session, and if they dye their hair a color significantly different from their natural color, should bring a photo of themselves between the ages of 7 and 14, Lark says. Each consultation takes about an hour (although customers who want to shop afterward are welcome) and include a to-go palette of 20 seasonal colors, advice on makeup colors and jewelry shades for their complexion, and an invite to Lark’s private Facebook group, Savoring Color.
Ethical and accessible (and it really fits)
Customize your own capsule wardrobe
Maybe it’s us, but building a capsule wardrobe always seemed like an uphill battle. How do you know all the pieces will work together and how can you be sure you’re buying classic staples rather than trends?
Yana Dee offers a solution. Perhaps best known as a source of ultra-flattering, comfortable and customizable dresses made from all-natural fabrics, the designer and her eponymous boutique in Traverse City today have such a wealth of pieces in so many designs – “We have a few hundred now,” Dee tells us — you can curate your own bespoke, flattering capsule wardrobe all in one place, often in less than an hour.
This is how it works: Shop Dee’s designs online, then hit the streets to see everything available, not only her signature dresses, but also pants, leggings, skirts, tops, outer layers, jewelry, hats and even underwear.
Since Dee’s designs don’t fit the narrow scope of traditional manufacturing – think small, small/medium, medium, medium/large, etc. – she says most people will fall into the more forgiving size range available on the sales floor offers free alterations up to 4 inches.
For more personalized fits or bigger changes – for example, adding a cowl neck or bell sleeve to a top that doesn’t already have it – you can also have it, albeit at a small extra charge, on all Dee’s limited edition models.
When it comes to color, pattern and fabric, you choose: “Bespoke and ready-to-wear are usually the same price,” she says. “Most of our fabrics are on par.” Translation: Switching from organic cotton to hemp will not result in a price increase; a switch from hemp to silk hemp will.
Either way, an in-store visit is key, says Dee. “There may be three colors on the rack, but there may be eight more in the color chart we have at the studio that you can order. So come in, smell the fabrics, get a feel for the material and the patterns you like, then focus on colors and size variations. [is important]says Dee. “Abby, Courtney and Katie [on the sales floor] are all well versed in taking measurements and finding designs that fit and flatter particular body shapes.
Custom pieces are ordered and sent to the studio on site. Dee’s turnaround time is usually three weeks or less.
So what does Dee suggest for a spring capsule from Michigan?
“It definitely depends on the job and lifestyle, but I recommend starting with our Butter Leggings and Butter Bra [which can be worn as a supportive, stand-alone shirt],” she says. “I’ve made them in all sizes and colors and shipped them all over the world, and they’ve gotten 5-star reviews from extremely petite women to quad-size women.”
Once your base is set, add Dee’s classic Harper and Stella tunics for a heavy and light layering option on top. For a basic jersey dress to pull on, wear on its own or over leggings, try the ever-popular Huckleberry (sleeveless) or Elderberry (three-quarter sleeves). “They go and flatter everyone,” Dee says.
Want more pants? Tops? Skirts ? Stuff with pockets? The six pieces above ARE a substantial start or (if you already have co-ordinating options at home) an entire spring capsule, but if you want more, well, rest easy: you still have a few hundred more. options to browse.
Speaking of bespoke
Summers in New York, a reputation as Cincinnati’s premiere haberdasher, and 25 years in the fashion industry mean a lot here, especially when the guy with the aforementioned resume runs a boutique in our backyard.
But Trevor Furbay’s Harbor Springs boutique goes far beyond high-end designer clothing shelves (Pantheralla, Eleventy, Raffi, Atelier Munro socks among them), tailoring services and curated style boxes. He and his wife, longtime retail guru Amy Furbay, also offer one-on-one wardrobe advice to help you build a wardrobe (and learn more about the often-overlooked need for wardrobes). properly maintain clothes) and wardrobe cleaning services to “keep your wardrobe up to date”. date and at its best. Keep up to date with their shop opening date by following “Trevor Furbay Bespoke” on Facebook.
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