47 www.CharlestonWomenPodcast.com | www.ReadCW.com | www.Instagram.com/CharlestonWomen Schmidt. “If you are going out to dinner, then wear the blazer over your little black dress. Take that same blazer to work and wear it with your high-waisted trouser pants. It’s finding quality items that are going to last you and wearing them in different ways. Those are the building blocks.” For summer, there are always lightweight versions of fan favorites available. FLY MODERN APPAREL With over four decades of experience in fashion, boutique owner Margie Sutton is fashion in historic Summerville. And she knows her stuff when it comes to the unique 2024 market. “Every era is in. It’s a matter to the person and how they bring it into their wardrobe. When you talk about the professional look, you need to have your monochromatic. That’s big this summer. Your tones on tones. When you have those basics in your closet, you can interject color.” Just as Schmidt stated, Sutton suggested always having a cute blazer in your closet — and a kitten heel. For accessories, silver is making a comeback. Gold is always a solid choice, but silver is an option again. However, above all, Sutton believes to shine, one must be authentic. “As a business owner, you must be you and do you, represent what you love.” At the end of the day, Sutton is all about having fun in her boutique. She doesn’t follow trends; she sets the trends, which is also what any woman can do. STYLED WELL BOUTIQUE Mayra Arena, owner of Styled Well Boutique, has always been a fan of fashion. She even left her corporate job to pursue owning her own boutique. That’s why we were so excited to get her take on professional fashion; it’s where her worlds collide. “The items I recommend having in your closet are a little black dress, a cute blazer and a solid pair of stilettos. Linens, dresses and body suits are also must-haves.” Arena hates the word trend. She encourages her clients to do what they want to do in fashion. For summer, she believes you should do what makes you feel and look your best. “I want to get away from ‘it’s what everybody else is doing.’ Wear fine things that tailor to your body.” SUBTLE AND SASS BOUTIQUE Owner of Mount Pleasant’s Subtle and Sass, Renee Smith, wants you to remember it’s not what you wear, but how it makes you feel that matters. “Fashion is creativity. It’s a way for people to express themselves. Fashion is fun and allows people to be who they are in every way.” However, experimenting with new looks might make you discover a part of yourself you didn’t know you had. Smith noticed a preppy trend with a collar athletic look at buyer’s markets this year. Bright bold colors, emphasis on sky-blues, sheer layering and any kind of small details were displayed heavily at markets and might be fun to play with this summer season as well. As many of our boutique owners have said, the mission of dressing for success this summer isn’t to find “the perfect outfit,” but to find the best feeling while experimenting with what’s out there. Whether it’s highlow pieces, linens, bright bold colors or dresses, this is the summer to express yourself. Charleston Women in Style Summer dress and champagne dreams at Styled Well Boutique. The vibe is vibrant at Subtle and Sass/
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