That Special Gift: Gift Corners No. 2

It’s “Small Business Saturday” today, and it’s an interesting day of note considering it came about via American Express marketing campaign, I’m pretty sure. They started a campaign some years back to showcase and lift up the small businesses that were becoming obviously overshadowed and put out of business by the behemoths like Target, Walmart and Amazon. By lifting them up, their hopes was you would use your Amex card to shop there, a win-win for the credit card and for the small business. Except Amex notoriously charges the highest percentage rate upon charge to the retail business versus the other companies (I know this after years working in retail and at a small shoe boutique that often voiced the disgruntlement, but felt their hands were tied since so many customers do want to pay with Amex.)

All that said, whichever payment method you choose to use, and if you’re going to gift at all with merchandise (you very well don’t have to go buying stuff for others and can creatively come up with alternatives, like experiences or donations or crafts…) please do step away from Amazon at least for a bit. When we lose small businesses we lose ingenuity, art, craftsmanship, and creativity. Below is a list of some of my favorite go-to boutiques that are female-owned. It’s by no means even close to an exhaustive list that I frequent, but hopefully the below inspires you to visit a new e-shop (or even in person if you’re local to some of them) and give the business a follow on their socials. Oh, and some other little thoughts on my favorite non-profits to donate to (all year long and not just during the holiday) and where to maybe pick out that unique ornament, or two.

Here’s round two of my “gift corners” guides…

Female-Owned Online Boutiques: my go-tos time and time again!

Vestige - A Philadelphia boutique that pulls together vintage clothing, homewares, and current designers that I always, always find something to my liking. The shop’s owner knows how to find that new designer that I would not have found and merchandises her selection to perfection. If you’re lucky to visit the Fishtown neighborhood, do stop by in person.
A. Cheng - A Brooklyn-based boutique that curates comfy clothing, jewelry, and accessories that I’m always scoping out and making sure to click open every new email they send out. A neighborhood small shop that has been holding on since 2002 — what a small business feat these days!
MILLE - A Minneapolis-located boutique that has moved into designing their own clothing (and table linens) line over the past few years. The owner has an eye for shapely sleeves and hand block printed patterns from India that create a selection of designs for formal to casual outfits. I always look forward to her upcoming season’s look book that’s shot in a definitive location.
APORTA - A Bozeman / Montana-based boutique that I’ve kept my eye on and hope to visit one day in person! The owner a textile designer herself that makes beautiful wall-hangings (do check out this section on the site, they’re gorg!) curates her other objects of interest with pure love and personal selection, you can tell. So far my only but highly treasured purchase from this shop is a piece of artwork done by James Redfox, a native of the Blackfoot tribe. You’ll see items like this only at APORTA, guaranteed.
Salter House - A Brooklyn-based boutique started by one of the founders of Goods for The Study that I haven’t been able to visit in person—yet. You can find luxe cotton nightgowns (their most beloved and coveted item it seems), playful enamelware for the kids, linen kitchen napkins, and other kids’ accessories and necessities. Hopefully I can visit in the coming months and see for myself all the beautiful merchandise in person.
Preservation - A Des Moines / Iowa-located boutique (are you seeing the breadth of locations I’ve curated yet?) skews natural tones in the clothing ./ accessory selection with an equal focus on vintage and new apparel. I love the owner’s style eye who also posts many o’ styling inspirational videos on Instagram stories that truly leaves me yearning to refresh my wardrobe every time.
Emerson Fry - An online boutique that sells a lot of wholesale to other boutiques and carefully manages inventory and only makes what it can given the material and logistics necessary. Most pieces are quite timeless and last years over years, or at least the ones I’ve picked out tend to do so. The mainstay item that comes back season after season are the kaftans, and are a great gift for someone you know that is looking to take that resort and warm-weather trip soon. Each kaftan is handmade in India and again, stands the test of time with year to year use.
two New York - This Brooklyn-boutique also goes for kaftans, and other flowy, linen, comfort-wear that you can easily pack into a suitcase for your next jaunt (unless you’re headed off to ski). The leather goods are also worth checking out; they combine pebbled leather with sturdy eye-catching straps, all from Spain. If you sign up for their newsletter, you’ll be privy to the special sale for “the list” that’s happening right now.

These hand ( turned on a lathe and then with a hand chisel created the detail) carved wooden vases of maple, walnut, cherry, and walnut ambrosia are for those dried floral bouquets you’ll have long past the holiday season. Image from APORTA.

Giving Back: As I mentioned above, I don’t really wait until this season to give back to the below charities, but if you’re looking for something to gift that goes a lot farther than accrual of another object to sit on a shelf, then look to the below to give in someone’s name.
- Charity: water - 100% of your donation goes to funding clean water, the basic necessity to all human life but which actually isn’t available as it should be to all communities and people.
- IRC - I found it pretty incredulous how many countries the IRC supports, including recent Afghan families who have resettled in America, and those families that haven’t been able to leave the country and most likely face famine this season (or most likely already are facing it as I type). This organization supports refugees and displaced people in many regards, and the only way they can keep spreading their support is through donations. ‘Tis the time to donate here, if you haven’t yet in life.
- Artolution - Art is one of those often over-looked areas of “needs” when thinking of basic necessities to get through life, but Artolution finds the act and process of making art crucial to helping kids and people survive personal trauma. Art has become a safe place for individuals to express emotions and experiences that they otherwise can’t give voice to in crisis-affected communities. Give the gift of healing through art.
- EJI (Equal Justice Initiative) - This non-profit started by Bryan Stevenson (if you’re not yet familiar with him, do make it a point to read up) is committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the U.S. which often befalls mostly African-American males. They’re also committed to continuing to educate on the conflicted racial past in American and create proximity to the very real stories of communities that suffered from this country’s horrid legacy. 2.2 million people are incarcerated in the U.S., think about that figure and understand the magnitude and ripple effect that creates in our country.
- Asian American Federation - This non-profit is offering up a “Where I’m Really From” poster with a donation to “Hope Against Hate” with its proceeds combatting AAPI hate with critical programs that help keep Asian Americans safe in New York City and beyond. Not even of Asian-American descent, but because of my “dark features” and last name, I have received the above question wondering “where I’m really from” and not understanding my answer of “Cincinnati” or “Indianapolis.” These artfully designed posters flip the script on that frustrating question, very clever indeed.

“You belong in the place you call home.” It’s as simple as that for any human. Image from AAF.

Ornaments - True story: I don’t have a tree and haven’t ever had one of my own since living in NYC. It really seemed like no point, to be honest, given I was always leaving during the holidays to visit family, and still to this day, my apartment doesn’t have the space (yet, somehow hundreds of books have found space…) All that’s to say, I still admire well-made ornaments and lovingly wish I did have a tree to buy the ones I come across. Since I can’t buy any for good use, please do so for me and from the below shops!
- Marine ceramic knot handmade in Brooklyn - My trip to Maine this past summer might be rubbing off on me in more ways than I recognize! I love the organic shape and lines of a knot design.
- A MANO I picked out the cutest handmade ceramic animal drawn ornaments last year for my nephews and niece from this boutique. But I’m also partial to the rainbows and the “agate” designed ornaments, too. This designer’s pieces sell-out fast, but she just dropped some other new items today, go take a peek!
- Skippy Cotton - It’s the “holiday knit” and “evil eye, lavender scented” ornaments for me! But of course, all their fabric based ornaments are beautiful, too. I’d find it hard to believe you couldn’t find an ornament to your liking from their selection… a Montclair, NJ-based shop that would be fun to visit during the holidays I’d imagine, too!