Like a lot of us, you've probably settled into a particular style niche by now, one that's trending heavily casual. Yoga pants and slacks, jeans with a good stretch and T-shirts have become a main staple for many of us.
But go ahead and lean right into that fashion necessity. Women’s boutique owners tell me the casual trend is what their customers are seeking out these days and what they’ve been ordering from their vendors for their fall and winter fashion seasons.
But just because it’s casual, doesn’t mean it has to be ordinary. When going to the supermarket possibly represents our biggest outing of the week lately, it’s a good time to break out a pretty blouse or a pair of colorful pumps to dress up your jeans or capri leggings.
At Kimberly’s Boutique in West Hartford, owner Kimberly Moster says she started seeing the casual trend when she reopened after the recent quarantine.
“It was a very busy time, but also a strange time," because of coronavirus. "Normally we sell a lot of work wear and evening wear but people are working from home now and they’re not going out much. People are wearing a lot more casual clothes.”
Kimberly has owned her boutique at 968 Farmington Ave., in the heart of West Hartford Center, for 15 years. Before starting the business she worked in the retail fashion industry in New York City, where she honed her talent for curating upscale clothing lines.
While she said the change in the retail environment forced her to seek out more casual lines from her vendors, that doesn’t mean sacrificing on the quality of the pieces. She prides herself on finding the best designer brands for her clientele.
“We find the vendors that are doing that. We really strive to find things for women that are on trend and timeless,” she says.
This fall, she’s searching out the latest trends in denim to meet the casual clothing needs of her customers, including short and long-sleeved T-shirts, wide-legged cropped jeans - “Wide leg crops are back!” she says - designer sweatshirts and cashmere ponchos and scarves.
At the Silver Dahlia boutique in Glastonbury owner Kim Reid says her fashion offerings have always leaned toward the casual so the recent trend of stay-at-home fashions fit nicely into the styles she offers.
“We really try to focus on casual comfort and a good price point, things you can wear from day into night” Kim says.
Her store carries a wide selection of T-shirts, maxi-dresses, jumpers and accessories from designers like Mud Pie, Natural Life, Southern Tide and Vineyard Vines, brands that appeal to all age groups.
“We try to offer something for everyone, from the littles to the grands.”