The Window Shopper by MGB Photo

*window shopper photo by Mallory Berry of MGB Photo

So… you can see that I love Mae’s (let me count the ways). This collage is a mix of outfits from the past year or so, each one contains an element from Mae’s Heirlooms .. Click à here for all things tagged with Mae’s on The Window Shopper.

Mae’s Emporium (or Heirlooms – it’s listed as both on various outlets) is unlike any store I’ve ever been in. It holds the stuff of dreams. The vintage/antique bauble boutique is housed in a room the size of a tin can. It’s very small but packed to the literal brim with sparklers and trifles from almost every era. Jessica Graham, the lady of the shop, opened Mae’s nearly five years ago after a stint of successful trunk shoes. The shop has since become an institution for avid collectors and date-party-bound sorority girls alike. She, along with the two close friends that convinced her to set up shop, is and has always been a vintage jewelry enthusiast. They saw the opportunity to translate their zeal into a completely individual offering for our area. The shop has a short week {w-s 11 to 4ish} but it’s not for a lack of merchandise. At any time, there are pieces from the 1860s to the 1980s and almost every time in between.  Jess loves the history behind each shiny thing and that inspires her to travel far and wide in search of pretties. She tries to stay close to home for most searches, though. She (like most of us) attempts to keep her money in NWA when she can, plus she has two adorable young sons.

In my opinion, what’s extraordinary about Mae’s isn’t just its distinct place our community; it’s the range of items available, the multiple price points (multiple options for $8 to $800, most in the bottom half of that array), and quality wares. A rival just doesn’t really exist anywhere else. Take a gander at the gorgeous, expertly-styled snaps on the store’s instagram, maintained by Jess, of course.

I feel like this picture is a perfect representation for what happens each time I stop in Mae’s. I’m like, “I’m here! Make me sparkle!” I feel like I’m bursting in, bull-in-a-china-cabinet style, every time I walk into the teeny shop. Blink and you’ll miss it from the outside, the small space is a veritable treasure trove past the front door. Personally, I have always preferred pretty over practical in a gift, especially from a man. Every holiday that implies gift-giving, I tell Ro (my hubby) that I want something sparkly. He usually delivers. But, I have no qualms buying jewelry for myself. I could complete any ensemble with something fabulous from Mae’s.  I’ve worn my finds all over the place, to my rehearsal dinner, to Razorback games, to events, to work, to everything. Each piece is one of a kind and reminds me of a special time in my life.

Jess, on the origin of her store’s name:

Seven years ago (while I was still doing independent trunk shows) I bought a locket to chop for parts from a dealer in Texas. I unpacked the box of estate spoils to find a handwritten note that warranted a change of heart…the note read;

“I hope that you enjoy this necklace. I have owned it myself for over 25 years and it’s time to pass it on. It belonged to one Ella Mae Prothrow- a gift from her husband, Samuel “Boss” Cain, for her birthday. That would have been in May of 1885- give or take a year or two. Her beloved husband died in a mill accident the very day he gave her this. She wore it every day until she died at the age of 92 and never remarried. Theirs was a great love story I have cherished and I hope you will too. It should be worn and shown- enjoy!”-Fanny B

After such a tale how could I do anything to it but preserve it? Not only does that piece hang in Mae’s under glass, but we took her name as well- and MAE’S it was :)

Mae’s is partnering with Lola on the runway Friday night of NWAFW 2013 (3/15). I know I can’t wait…

Details:

All jewelry from Mae’s, styled by Jessica Graham & Payton Bridewell

Dresses/Shoes – Payton’s own

Black Dress – Ann Taylor (thrifted) | Floral, White Eyelet, Teal Dresses – Vintage (Cheap Thrills)

by mallory berry

Hi everyone! This is our first window shopping adventure together! I am so excited to share these collaborations with you. This project has been incredible so far and it has just begun. Before we get to the good stuff, I want to share a little more about your tour guide, me. I’ve been keeping Fayetteville funky for the past 20 years (with a four year detour to NOLA for school). My style is lighthearted & eclectic, I’m a collector of all things fashion and I love treasure hunting.  I love: trying new things/trying on new things, classic feminine shapes, funky details and clean lines. I love piling and styling. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but it gives me great pleasure to play dress up every day.

One of the wonderful things about Fayetteville is the abundance of cool people. Cool people open great shops and great shops want to be involved in amazing community events like NWAFW. When I spend money on my wardrobe, it absolves me to spend it in a way that supports a local business and furthers the community.

 Maude was the first stop for the window shop. I remember when Becca opened Maude in 2007. I still have a dress that I bought on my first visit. Personally, I think Maude was the tipping point for a wave of boutiques that have opened since, offering a variety of contemporary apparel for women who love to look good. Becca (and in turn Maude) was a trailblazer. She started small, cultivated interest in the community and expanded when the time was right. As demonstrated by her interest in NWA Fashion Week, she is proactive and has a vision for community partnership. The store’s website details, “A Maude Girl is much more than her closet, but the one she has should be full of clothes that help her feel confident as she makes her dreams happen.”  What a feel-good place to shop, right?

I went shopping on a Sunday in early January and quickly found it hard to narrow down my selections. Ultimately, I chose examples of styles I already love. I wanted to pull from my own collection to create looks that you wouldn’t necessarily find at Maude but compliment their aesthetic.  I found corresponding pieces in my closet to complete the looks and was lucky enough to snag some of the best creatives in NWA to transform me. They really deserve all the credit (more on them below).

Maude’s High Heels, High Hopes takes to the runway at the Hotel Chancellor on the Friday Night of NWA Fashion Week.

NWAFW Window Shop: Maude

DETAILS

• floral skirt-like trouser by Greylin {worn with a vintage Leslie Fay cropped pink blazer, necklace from Forever21, thrifted sunnies and chunky Jessica Simpson heels}

• open-back sheer maxi by ark & co {worn with pink Gianni Bini heels}

•  gold paneled crop by mystree {worn with a Lillie Rubin gold lame leather skirt, my mom’s gold star earrings, locket & chunky necklace a gift from my hubby from Mae’s Heirlooms, Miss Me sandals and a vintage hat}

• high waist black & white trouser by Line & Dot {worn with a vintage velvet Doris Dodson Jrs, vintage /Forever21 necklaces, Lulu Townsend pumps}

• floor-length print skirt by Line & Dot {worn with a backwards vintage lace jacket, collar from urban outfitters, heels from Forever21 }

The TEAM!

Photography: Mallory Berry, MGB Photo [ instagram.com/mgbphoto ] [email]

Styling/Orchestration: Payton Bridewell, The Window Shopper [email]

Makeup: Kory Tyler Simpson, MAC [ instagram.com/korytyler ] [email]

Hair: Taylor Johnston & Lindsey Wright, Guillotine Hair Lounge [ instagram.com/guillotinehairlounge ] 479.582.8770

Most vintage is either locally purchased at thrift shops or Cheap Thrills in Fayetteville, AR

Featured Items: Maude Shoppe in Fayetteville, AR

Special thanks to the Chancellor Hotel in downtown Fayetteville for being quite the gorgeous backdrop for #3 & #4

More about Maude…

what I wore: dress – BILA, booties – forever21 by way of Plato’s Closet, bow necklace – mae’s, belt – thrifted,

So I found this dress at the goodwill and I knew it would be much cooler if the rather dowdy and wrinkled slip were removed. I did just that, wore another shorter slip and voila!

what I wore: fabulous spandex dress – vintage td4 by eletra from cheap thrills (find it on etsy), thigh high boots – aldo, socks as gloves

*

For someone who loves clothes and dressing in general, Halloween is a veritable holiday. I always look forward to it and this year I found my costume in the form of this spandex dress early this summer. I knew I had to have the dress but honestly couldn’t foresee any appropriate occasion. Then…a light bulb: Morticia Addams (a la Anjelica Huston of course). I’d been devising and conniving for months but it didn’t really come together until late last week when I found the perfect suit for Ro’s Gomez. Ro will pretty much dress as whatever I suggest but he cannot be counted on to procure his own costume. You may find it hard to believe but I really don’t mind shopping for him.  It was as if the stars aligned, I was attempting to find a semi-suitable suit for him without him present which is next to impossible. I happened upon a gray Halston pinstripe ensemble at a local thrift store that was listed at $20. I thought it might be close enough to his size but I wasn’t sure and if it happened to be too small or too short, I would be out $20, which I never enjoy, even with a bargain. I got it home and it literally fit better than some of his tailored suits. I was in thrifted nirvana. We had a fabulous time and I had an excuse to look sullen in photos – which of course, I don’t need.

years past

I am a woman that has very dark hair.

I also have a blonde mother, and when I was growing up she was on the local news. She always looked glamorous and had more than her fair share of admirers/imitators. I’m sure those early images of her ultra-light hair is the root-cause, I’ve always harbored a deep, dark desire to be a blonde.

My mom in the early 1980s

A lot of women fall into the not blonde/ not brunette range and they can flip and flop between. For those of us with the darkest locks, it’s mostly more of a pipe dream (due to cost, upkeep or finding a stylist that can do it). While I know that my hair and my wallet do not want me to turn to bleach, I still really really want to but have never really come close. I’ve had the occasional highlight, which has gone awry more than once. And I’ve gone darker, to give myself the illusion of a “change”. I’ve told myself that one day I’ll chop the whole thing off and dye it blonde, which would be considerably easier on my mane but in the back of my mind, I know it’s not true. It’s just not meant to be…

Enter Erika Bearman aka @oscarprgirl (above). She is the PR exec for Oscar de la Renta and an enviable force in social media. I keep up with her via twitter or instagram to see what she’s wearing and admire her for being a woman in a high-power/ high-influence role. It doesn’t hurt that she’s charming and visually lovely. Like me, she often expressed an ambition to become a blonde. I sighed along with her while perusing editorials and street style snaps of honey to champagne-shaded tresses.

Suddenly, earlier this week, she announced her intent. OscarPRGirl would be a blonde. I became excited and anxious to see the results. But also – I felt nervous for her and the finality of all that bleach, like only a fellow brunette would. Luckily, she took vogue.com (natch) along for the ride to document the lengthy (12.5 hour) process. I’m looking forward to seeing what she does with the wildly transformed hair color. I know she will rock it and ultimately help all of the lonely brunettes out there to decide whether or not to take the plunge. Full story here.

what I wore: jumper – LA gal – thrifted, heels – forever21, bracelet – express,nails – bulletproof by PISTOL polish,  glasses – shop ultra

what I wore: dress – thrifted leslie lucks (similar here), heels - report signature with added ribbon, lips – covergirl lip perfection hot

-

With similarities to the extreme couponer, the bargain shopper is always on the hunt for the absolute best find at the  lowest possible price. Believe it or not this dress – complete with the adorable cinched waist, strong shoulders and open back – was $3.

what I wore: dress – thrifted one to watch, nails – PISTOLpolish in criminail, booties – gianni bini, ring – black cherry vintage

So my extremely wonderful and talented friend recently started a subscription nail polish company. It’s similar to birchbox but you get full sizes.  Basically, you pay a monthly fee and two full size polishes are sent to your door in up-to-the-minute current hues. I was so excited to get mine that I immediately put it on. This is a sparkling gunmetal called criminail. Check it out here —-> PISTOLpolish, follow twitter @PISTOLpolish or find it on facebook.

-

Also, I found this dress for $3 at a local thrift store. I love the details like the high back neck and the slit. The colors do date it but I don’t really mind, especially for the pretty price tag.

I’ll be away from posting for a little bit (until 7/10). I’m in New Orleans and Gulf Shores taking a holiday with the Mr. Meanwhile, follow me on instagram to keep up while I’m gone – @mspayton. On twitter I’m @pbridewell, I’m also on pinterest, where these lovely images were cultivated – pinterest.com/paytonvail. Also, connect with the window shopper on facebook & click -> here to see all my outfits.

Diane Kruger is someone who has a style that I almost always admire. I also love how she and Joshua Jackson (Pacey) dress to compliment each other. I absolutely love this dress she wore to the Cannes jury photo-call. I can’t wait to see what she wears for the rest of the week.

source: daily mail