Boutiques in style this shopping season

After living in Spokane for three years, I'll admit that I have never ventured outside the trifecta of Spokane malls (River Park Square, Northtown and the Valley). I have been to Nordstrom Rack and White House Black Market plenty of times but have never wondered what lay outside the corporate doors of these big name stores.

So last Saturday my friend and I ventured away from River Park Square and onto the streets of downtown Spokane, wondering if it was possible to find a hidden fashion gem in the midst of what seemed like a city lacking in the fashion department.

First stop on my shopping extravaganza was Cues, a chic boutique located on Main Street, across from River Park Square. When walking into Cues, I'm first drawn to the décor in the boutique rather than the clothing. With its star lights hanging in clusters from the ceiling and animal print rugs decorating the floor, Cues has the atmosphere of a trendy New York boutique, a surprising find in Spokane.

Cues is the place to go for premium denim, with more than 30 lines to choose from including designers such as William Rast, Hudson and Habitual. The store is filled with dressy tops as well as casual T-shirts in an array of earth-toned colors.

Cues has a big city feel to it but its clothing comes with a big city price tag. Lightweight tank tops run for about $40 and thin, plain bracelets go for around $35.

Next on our shopping to do list was Serendipity, Body and Home, located on 303 W Second Ave. Serendipity is a clothing, body and home boutique that carries up-and-coming designers and funky, vintage home furnishings. Jodi Hoffman, owner of Serendipity, calls the home section filled with shabby chic furniture and her clothing an eclectic mix. The home section is fun to check out with its vintage beds and cool knickknacks, but most items are out of the price range for college students.  

The clothing section, however, is more appropriate price-wise. Serendipity is the place for accessories —from hats to handbags and scarves to jewelry; the store is filled with colorful accessories you can't find anywhere else in Spokane.

While browsing, I was excited to discover a small vintage section in the back of the store, until I realized

it was filled mostly with Gap and Lucky Brand jeans, which hardly seem appropriate to deem "vintage."

Just down the street from Serendipity, my shopping buddy and I stepped into the cute and unassuming boutique Lolo.

Once a pie factory, Lolo is now an airy and clean space, home to an assortment of clothing, home décor, gardening furnishings and bath and body products.  When entering the boutique, Lolo's eclectic nature is apparent: Racks of earth-toned shirts and sweaters are mixed right in with French soaps and oversized candles. On the side of the building is a small garden in which customers can browse through garden items or sit down and relax while enjoying a Pellegrino.   

The style of clothing for the most part is casual and comfy. Light, airy tank tops and soft cotton T-shirts are plentiful, along with a large selection of denim including brands LTB and Miss Me.

Beth Hitch, owner of Lolo, describes her boutique as a mini Anthropologie.

"We try to keep a variety of things in the store at all times. Our customers range from teenagers to women in their 70s."

And while there are trendy items of clothing throughout the store, sections of the boutique seem dedicated for an older crowd. Long, dark sweaters seem to be in at Lolo but not so much with younger shoppers.

After chatting with Hitch for several minutes about her store and other boutiques in Spokane, Hitch soon spied the oversized Nordstrom shopping bags my friend and I were carrying.

"Buy locally!" she said, looking at our silver bags in repulsion.

My shopping buddy and I smiled sheepishly at Hitch and nodded.

Upon exiting Lolo, my friend berated me for shopping at Nordstrom's only hours before writing a story promoting Spokane boutiques.

I couldn't help but agree with my friend and with Beth Hitch.

The idea of wearing something original and unique is in itself a wonderful reason to shop at these local boutiques. How many Zags wore their black Northface every single day during the winter? I would guess more than half. So how about branching out this semester? These local boutiques, while a bit pricy, can offer clothing and atmosphere that the Spokane malls can't offer.