Jackie McGilbray, Jewel Angels

At Jewel Angels, unique is the name of the game. No matter what the occasion, owner Jackie McGilbray (who graces this month’s cover) says she has three goals. One, help her shoppers “unleash their divine radiance.” Two, offer affordable luxuries. And three, keep customers looking unique and fresh.

“We get new merchandise every week, and I don’t repeat the same items. Our reason for doing that is so everyone is not in the same look. We’re trying to allow our customers to wear unique items that they won’t see someone else in town repeating,” McGilbray says. She and her six sisters and one brother were the children of a pastor, so they were raised dressing up for church and sewing their own clothes. This fostered a unique sense of style — a characteristic that McGilbray didn’t initially realize was a coveted virtue.

“We made everything ourselves. We sewed our prom dresses and we didn’t even like them that much, but when we’d get to prom everyone would say, ‘Oh my gosh, your dress is so cute!’ It’s almost like a gift we didn’t know we had, until people started to copy it,” McGilbray says with a laugh.

McGilbray, who has a business and entrepreneurship degree from Friends University, opened Jewel Angels in 2010 in a St. Louis suburban mall. Three years ago when she and husband Darren moved back to Wichita, she opened her shop on Douglas Avenue in College Hill. During the pandemic, she decided to model her weekly merchandise arrivals in a Facebook Live event called Fashion Friday. It was such a hit (especially drawing out-of-state viewers and shoppers) that she has continued the event every week since. You can watch Fashion Friday on her Jewel Angels Facebook page every Friday at 8 p.m. Catch her Fashion Forward Tuesday show at 11 a.m. Tuesdays on Good Day Kansas on KSN Channel 3.

This fall vests are giving blazers a run for their money, McGilbray says, cargo jeans and pants are everywhere, and the fashion world has gone metallic. “Last year’s faux leather leggings are in metallics this year.” 

Allison Baker, Aspen Boutique

My next stop was Aspen Boutique, located at Douglas and Oliver. Arriving early, I had the chance to capture beautiful photos of the building; then, just before 10 a.m., the empty parking lot soon became full. One by one, women dressed to the nines were arriving. Some were early-bird customers and others were arriving to work at the store. 

Owner Allison Baker arrived dressed in a colorful watercolor print dress and an awesome pair of boots. She’s the queen of “the Aspen look,” no doubt. “I love boots — ankle boots, mid-calf or tall boots are always a great staple for fall and winter,” she says. “They can be worn with jeans, skirts and dresses, and provide a casual or sophisticated tone, depending on the look you are putting together.” 

Since purchasing the store from its longtime owners two-and-a-half years ago, Baker has added over 30 new fashion and jewelry brands to the store, while keeping the brands that existing customers love. “Aspen Boutique has always been known for its unique fashion and jewelry,” Baker says. “The store has a bohemian feel to its fashion sense, but, with the new brands, we’ve diversified to include fashion that appeals to a broad customer base of women in their mid-20s and up. It’s often referred to as a store where mothers and daughters can shop together.” 

Aspen carries brands like Johnny Was, Sympli and Habitat. Baker tells me, “The first thing customers notice is the array and selection of jewelry — both fashion and estate fine jewelry ranging from southwestern turquoise and sterling silver to diamonds and rubies. I am especially proud to have a selection of seven local artisan jewelry collections. Once you get past the jewelry cases, the store is filled with an assortment of unique fashion and accessories including hats, handbags, scarves and shoes.” 

Baker has an eye for the unique and luxurious, which only adds to the 36 years Aspen has been in business. Her additions to the already iconic Wichita boutique will keep me coming back for decades to come. 

Candy Hardesty, The LBD Etc.

Sure, The LBD Etc. has a multitude of little black dresses, but they sell so much more. It’s a robust collection of clothing that could dress you from head to toe. “We have tons of great dresses for every occasion. We also carry every fashion category you would love to have in your closet. Designer denim, great sweaters, silky blouses, shoes, boots, jewelry, handbags — all the best stuff,” says Candy Hardesty, manager and head buyer. 

The LBD is locally owned by Barbara Mann and is going on 14 years in business. As the extrovert that I am, I appreciate a talkative staff with high energy, willing to help me explore everything the store has to offer, and that’s what you get inside The LBD. I walked into a busy store full of laughter and conversations. Customers seemed to know the store staff and the staff knew the customers by name, which is the magic you get from a local boutique shopping experience. 

Hardesty has an impeccable style, which you can see actualized in the collection she buys for the boutique. She’s everything I picture an LBD customer looks like in the wild, wearing their latest purchases. When I stopped in to take pictures of the store and Hardesty, customers were arriving wanting to shop with her, and she gracefully helped them while taking a moment to pose for me. She commented: “This is probably a good time to take the shots; this is as slow as it will get.” That says a lot about The LBD. After our shoot, Hardesty was headed out to New York on a buying trip. Be sure you visit The LBD as the holidays approach to see all of the new pieces she found. The LBD is my go-to place for holiday wear, and any occasion, really.

Running a boutique involves more than glamor. It's a daily effort to stay updated with evolving trends, offering the community handpicked, unique styles that express individuality. In the age of online fast-fashion giants, supporting these local boutiques means contributing to our community's entrepreneurial spirit and fashion artistry right here in Kansas. As the saying goes, "People buy from people," so I embarked on a mission to meet the faces behind our beloved local boutiques pictured in the SPLURGE! fashion section each month.

Tonya Scott, Marketplace 67010 

I was excited for the opportunity to roll out to Augusta, to check out Marketplace 67010. Entering the shop’s front door, I experienced what the team at Marketplace calls the “Wow! moment.” 

“Guests will literally say, ‘Wow! It's so big.’ ” says Marketplace owner Tonya Scott. It’s true, I was surprised by the square footage and how every inch of the shop was full of a wide range of products. There I was, thinking I was going to check out a sleepy hole-in-the-wall boutique, and instead I walked into a naturally lit, spacious store with high ceilings, high energy and thousands of products. 

Along with its trendy and unique fashion staples, the shop has an abundance of specialty food items, gifts for anyone, home goods, a full-service flower shop and truly a lot more. “There is really something for everyone,” says Scott. “We try to have fun and unique items. The Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar Bar is an eye-catcher and tastings are encouraged! We have customers who spend hours shopping and then take home a fresh flower arrangement for the dinner table.”

When I met Scott, I noticed she was wearing a bracelet with the word “Nana” written in alphabet beads. I was surprised to hear that 12 humans call her “Nana.” Scott glows, and you can feel that radiance inside her shop. I had such a heartwarming feeling being there, maybe because of the small town location, but mostly because of the kindhearted smiles with which Scott and her staff welcome you. 

67010 Marketplace is well worth the drive to Augusta. Plan for enough time to explore the shop, but also the town. “Augusta is a fun little town with a growing downtown area called the Red Brick Social District,” says Scott. “We have an established restaurant, boutiques and two breweries coming this winter. Our restored bowling alley is opening soon, a brand-new coffee shop, and more. It's a nice place to go on a day trip.”

Tara Castillo, The Violet Closet

Tucked away a block north of east Central is a unique consignment shop located in Green Elephant Village. Located inside a 1920s converted home, The Violet Closet, named after owner Tara Castillo’s grandmother, is the epitome of a “hidden gem.” You are instantly met with an uplifting “Hello!” and jam-packed racks, featuring designer pieces from Coach and Chanel to Gucci, Anthropologie and Dorothee Schumacher. 

Castillo is a petite, bubbly blonde with an incredibly sweet demeanor — the type of person you just want to chat with all day. Between chatting, I was distracted by the clothing on the racks: a denim Coach bucket hat and a Burberry miniskirt caught my eye. I browsed around while Castillo completed her opening duties, which — as you can imagine — included the usual tasks, like organizing the racks, as well as more unlikely ones like feeding the pair of cats that live outside her shop. If you’re more of a dog person, you can catch her dog, George. “He works Wednesdays and Fridays.” Castillo tells me. 

Yes, Castillo is an animal lover, but she’s also a fashion enthusiast to the core. She truly knows her designers, and much of her job consists of researching new ones. “On a recent trip to Paris I saw a lot of pleated midi and maxi skirts, and of course the French love a good, classic trench. I have also been admiring pinks and variations of super red-pinks. Very pretty for this fall.” That’s what you want in a consignment shop: a well-curated, well-researched collection by a person with a well-rounded fashion sense. 

Shopping at big-box fashion stores just can’t give you the individuality that The Violet Closet offers. “There is something special about wearing quality pieces,” says Castillo. “My 5-foot self definitely walks a little taller when I'm cloaked in something smart and fanciful.”

Stop into her shop for one-off pieces, with designer labels at a discounted price, not to mention the sustainability factor of pre-loved clothing.