Declaring Independence

Sitting in the shadow of large-scale retailers, the Eastside’s boutiques shine on with unique fashions.

Sita Murt shirtdress ($248) and Plata de Palo jewelry at Tatters. Photography by Andrew Waits for City Arts.

Anyone who’s arrived at work in a fresh J. Crew Henley only to discover half the staff is wearing the very same shirt has experienced the ugly side of mass retail. It’s hard to do without department stores, especially good locally based ones like Nordstrom, with its old-school perks, but it’s difficult to make the case for shopping corporate chains that distribute endless iterations of the same styles across the country.

And while very few of us can afford to buy our entire wardrobes at boutiques, most of us do periodically have occasion to invest in a classic or buy a unique frock for a special event. Now is a better time than any for stepping beyond the behemoth shadow cast by Bellevue Square Mall and heading for some of the lively local shops that pepper the Eastside. 

The Eastside’s boutiques specialize in offering exactly what the malls don’t – stylish individuality and the confidence that accompanies it. Moreover, since these shops have a discerning demographic to please, it behooves them to stay consistent with their aesthetic and inventory and to avoid bulk buying. According to Michele Tesler, owner of Tatters on Mercer Island, smart buying is crucial: “The key is not to overbuy, but to provide enough variety to meet the diversity of customer needs.” This means a limited range of sizes and colors, but it also means a greatly diminished chance the customer will look like a quintuplet at work.

Exclusivity often comes at a price, though, and sticker shock dissuades many would-be independent shoppers, so it’s best to recalibrate your thinking before shopping boutiques. One quality boutique piece might cost as much as several items from a chain store, but a boutique piece will likely last longer and will be better made. Look for investment pieces that will appreciate, sign up for mailing lists, hit seasonal sales and read on to learn about some favorite independent local shops.

CONTINENTAL CHARM

As soon as you walk into Tatters, Michele Tesler’s Mercer Island boutique, you’ll be disarmed by the cheery, whitewashed walls, the charming staff and, of course, the smart European clothing lines that Tesler selects with her customers’ needs and desires in mind.

Tesler credits her employees with the success of the shop, and they are worthy of praise, as is the all-seasons appeal of most of the shop’s pieces, which makes forking over a bundle much easier to do. I was entranced immediately by some pieces by Spanish label Sita Murt, especially the elaborately draped and silhouette-enhancing shirtdress that I could wear with bare legs now, and with black tights, oxfords and a wool blazer come fall. ReSet’s slinky knits and Aimee G’s sweetly manic patchwork pieces are also standouts, as is jewelry from Whitney Stern, Plata de Palo and River Song.

7605 SE 27th St., Suite 105, Mercer Island, 206.232.8055, tattersmi.com

Mu Shoe’s Francesco Biasi “Angel” bag ($478) and Everybody “Swinger” shoes ($189).

TREND TRANSCENDENCE

There’s storybook circularity to Susan Wilson’s history: her mother was a shoe-loving hosiery model with “the best legs in town”; her father sold men’s footwear and impressed upon Wilson the importance of workmanship. In a perfect case of the apple not falling far from the tree, Wilson’s gallery-like Kirkland shop, Mu Shoe, is filled with well-made bags, shoes and jewelry that have feminine, old-world details. 

Wilson is attentive to runway and street style but is careful not to succumb to trends just for their ubiquity: “I don’t want to deliver what is customary,” she says. “I look for the most interesting execution of trends.” Wilson is wise. I found nothing but unique variations on current trends at the shop, including Attilio Giusti Leombruni’s espresso patent oxfords and the leg-elongating nude leather “Swinger” sandals by Everybody. Among bags, my picks were Cydwoq’s honey-toned “Oak” bag and Francesco Biasi’s dove-gray tote.

140 Park Lane, Kirkland, 425.576.5100, mushoe.com

Caption TK

WORTHWHILE LUXURIES 

La Ree owner Rachael Nov doesn’t need gratuitous flash as her selling point; her eye for rich-feeling urban pieces is so well honed that you will take pleasure in their geometry and texture, rather than thrilling just to the name on the label. For Nov, the creative side of clothing retail is what she’s passionate about. “Fashion has always been a passion of mine; it is my art. To be able to educate people on how [style] tells a story is huge for me!”

I was sorely tempted to break into a dead run in my bare feet and take off with Yigal Azrouel’s brilliantly acidic silk blouse and Rag and Bone’s silk track pants, leaving City Arts’ photographer behind to foot the bill. Also worth coveting and saving up for are rich pieces from Rozae Nichols and Brochu Walker and jewelry by Jamie Joseph and Beth Orduna. You’ve heard the expression, “like butter”; at La Ree, you can experience the analogy in a most tactile way.

11 103rd Ave. NE, Bellevue, 425.453.7868, lareeboutique.com