2008 Woodie Awards
Local boutiques bring new style to Boise
Sheree Whiteley
Issue date: 10/19/06 Section: Culture
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There are few things better than strolling down the picturesque streets of downtown Boise, Starbucks in hand, crunching the leaves in beautiful fall shades with fabulous stilleto heels. However, something is obviously absent on this serene autumn afternoon - the stores. This leads one to wonder, can true "Vogue" addicts get their fashion fixes in the City of Trees? Or are we (gasp) destined for the typical Boisian/college student sweatshirt/jeans/T-shirt/Abercrombie/Gap uniform, only to end up clothed in the typical corporate attire? Is it possible to avoid the mainstream and the mall?
Spend a day perusing the boutiques downtown, and rest assured that all is not lost.
A quick glimpse around the newly-developed BODO complex on 8th Street will yield a vast array of stores: Office Depot, P.F.Chang's, Edwards Nine Cinemas, Maggie Moos Icecream, etc. But for those craving individual style, this area is a source of life.
Surprisingly, some of the greatest stores to be found around BODO existed prior to its development. Funktion - a boutique featuring many high-end denim labels, Michael Stars basics, funky T-shirts and accessories - opened its doors four years ago.
"I was trying to offer Boise things that you couldn't get here at the time - like the popular denims that they will not sell in the mall," said Leah Butler, owner of the boutique.
Many stores have opened in Boise in the last few years and are greatly contributing to the vast array of options available to apparel-conniseurs in Boise. However, progress has been slow.
"I think people are afraid here and I don't know why," said Butler. "Even when I go out and see a lot of college-age kids, it's like they're afraid to break out and be who they could possibly be or differentiate themselves just a little bit with their style. I don't know why it is here."
Another fabulous boutique can be seen from the gigantic glass doors that house Funktion. Shoez (a store that specializes in - duh- shoes) is adjacent to Funktion and offers a vast assortment of fancy foot gear, ranging from Hale' Bob stilletos doused in glitter to Via Spiga flats. It was in this store that I found my true love (Betsey Johnson wedges boasting black polka-dots and bright bows) and added to my understanding of the benefits associated with boutique shopping.
Spend a day perusing the boutiques downtown, and rest assured that all is not lost.
A quick glimpse around the newly-developed BODO complex on 8th Street will yield a vast array of stores: Office Depot, P.F.Chang's, Edwards Nine Cinemas, Maggie Moos Icecream, etc. But for those craving individual style, this area is a source of life.
Surprisingly, some of the greatest stores to be found around BODO existed prior to its development. Funktion - a boutique featuring many high-end denim labels, Michael Stars basics, funky T-shirts and accessories - opened its doors four years ago.
"I was trying to offer Boise things that you couldn't get here at the time - like the popular denims that they will not sell in the mall," said Leah Butler, owner of the boutique.
Many stores have opened in Boise in the last few years and are greatly contributing to the vast array of options available to apparel-conniseurs in Boise. However, progress has been slow.
"I think people are afraid here and I don't know why," said Butler. "Even when I go out and see a lot of college-age kids, it's like they're afraid to break out and be who they could possibly be or differentiate themselves just a little bit with their style. I don't know why it is here."
Another fabulous boutique can be seen from the gigantic glass doors that house Funktion. Shoez (a store that specializes in - duh- shoes) is adjacent to Funktion and offers a vast assortment of fancy foot gear, ranging from Hale' Bob stilletos doused in glitter to Via Spiga flats. It was in this store that I found my true love (Betsey Johnson wedges boasting black polka-dots and bright bows) and added to my understanding of the benefits associated with boutique shopping.
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