Sunday, August 03, 2008
Life, Style

Styled to a T.

Boutique brings West Coast style to the suburbs

By Carly Felton

Think the newest and hottest styles can only be found inside the Perimeter? You obviously haven’t been to T.

    Located in Medlock Crossing in Duluth, T. boutique offers 1,100 square feet of designer clothing and accessories that range in origin from Atlanta, New York City and Los Angeles to Paris and Denmark.

The store has a simple, industrial look, with white walls; stained, cement floors; high, exposed ceilings and large windows in the front. A few choice details, such as a chocolate-colored velvet curtain in the dressing room, iron shelves and curtain rods, and a mahogany counter give the store a little added spice.

“We let the clothes designate the store,” says co-owner Cecile Henley, who, along with Debbie Emery, purchased the store from Teresa Herbert last year.

    Henley, 23, studied fashion merchandising at the University of Georgia and managed Moops, an upscale boutique in Woodstock, before investing in T., which has been open since 2001.

    She describes T. as having a “very West Coast feel” and says the boutique offers “some edgier pieces mixed with easy-to-wear items.” The store caters to the sophisticated, suburban woman in her 30s—both career women and stay-at-home moms. Younger shoppers stop in for the casual T-shirts and high-end jeans that characterize Henley’s personal, laid-back style, while others go for Emery’s feminine choices, and still more appreciate the L.A.-style clothing Herbert and manager Dana Craig pick out, from gothic, bold prints to flowing tops.

    “I think all our different personalities combined make for a good variety of styles to choose from,” Henley says.

    The selection has evolved to include some lower-end pieces since the store changed hands, with prices ranging from $30 to $1,200, with the average item costing about $250. “The look and style is the same, but we have to adapt to the times because of the current economy,” says Henley, adding that there are still plenty of unique high-end pieces.

    Staples include designs by Inhabit, Graham & Spencer, Geren Ford, Great China Wall and Parballe, and jeans from Seven for All Mankind, Citizens of Humanity and True Religion. Although many of these lines hail from New York or L.A., T. features the handmade jewelry of local artist Michelle Rose, who customizes her designs with stamped words or phrases.

    Fashion-forward line Etlile by Isabel Marant includes the newest trends from Paris, while classic Kristensen Du Nord styles designed in Denmark and manufactured in Italy feature fine, tailored silk and cashmere pieces.

    T. carries sizes 2 to 10 in a variety of colors, focusing on neutrals, including gray, charcoal, white, black, tan and chocolate brown. For lsummer, Henley says the big color is yellow, while fuchsia-pink and warm purples characterize the fall clothing. Currently, the store carries ethnic-looking, printed dresses, similar to Navajo and Indian saris, that double as cover-ups for the beach or pool and dresses to wear out afterward.

    “We’re fun, friendly, warm and open. We go the extra mile to find something different for our customers,” Henley says. “T. is a fun place to shop at, and we love helping people pick out that perfect outfit.”

    If you can’t make it into the store, T. has personal shoppers that can bring clothes to your home to try on, free of charge; or, you can order items to be mailed to your house, return what you don’t like, and only pay for shipping.

    “We order small quantities—usually one of each size. Many items are one-of-a-kind,” Henley says.
    T. has two big annual sales: one in early August and the other in January, and occasional trunk shows—the next one will be in the fall.

Look for high-end candles, luxurious throw rugs and Missoni scarves in October and November, just in time for gift-giving season. Also, coming soon, T. will have a new Web site, allowing customers to buy online. SP