With spring cleaning rolling around, you may be searching for ways to spice up your wardrobe but look no further! Girlsside Boutique offers cute and trendy outfits perfect for all body types and any occasion. Read on how cofounder Sofie Mikaeili turned her dream into a reality.
1. What made you want to start this business?
I have always wanted to be my own boss, and my cousin Mary has always dreamed of owning a boutique, so one day I randomly was sitting in her living room and I said “You know what I really have always thought would be fun to own, a boutique” and she said “Oh my gosh I’ve always wanted to open a storefront!!” So we bantered back and forth and I kept telling her no no like seriously because I’m being so serious and she was like yes serious let’s do it, so slowly and slowly we finally got down to business and said hey let’s do this thing!
2. Girlsside Boutique has such a nice ring to it. How did you come up with that?
So our name actually took days to think of, I kept looking at random images and words hoping to spark something from something else. We knew from the beginning that our message was going to be all about body positivity and how us girls need to learn to love ourselves in our own skin. I actually saw the word “oceanside” and really loved that but I knew it was already a place and it wouldn’t stick for a clothing boutique so I kept whispering it over and over and then the lightbulb hit because I was like omg Girlsside like oceanside but girls. Then I realized that people would ask okay but what does girlsside mean and why is it one word. We already knew that we wanted to be a boutique that served all types of women. We wanted to stand out! We wanted sexy, classy and cute and we wanted it for ALL body types, because ALL women deserve to feel beautiful in their own skin. We want to give women that “Damn I look good” feeling every time they wear something from Girlsside because, well, we’re on the Girl’s side.
3. What’s the dream/endgame for the brand?
I aspire for Girlsside to be everywhere! I want Girlsside to become the next Forever 21 in every single mall, but I also have bigger plans for Girlsside. I hope our message becomes so understood and loved that we become a brand and a face for body positivity. I’d love for Girlsside to branch into other things such as a book, a podcast, a blog, a talk-show! I want people to see Girlsside how they see Nike and hopefully starting small online is just the first step to getting there!
4. How often is new merchandise released? Is it seasonal?
We launched January 24th and we wanted to see how we would do and what sells better etc. so after our launch we decided to go and see all kinds of vendors for our shop and we have all new merchandise sitting in my loft currently. We decided that we will be releasing one or two new items every Tuesday starting March 2nd!
5. What’s your favorite piece from a recent collection?
My absolute favorite from our first launch has to be our “Katie” Sheer Mesh Crop Top. It’s so cute, light and breathable and perfect for so many occasions depending on if you dress it up or down. If you pair it with your favorite denim jeans and white sneakers you could wear it to a picnic in the park or a casual lunch date. If you pair it with leather pants or black denim jeans and classic nude heels you have the perfect date night outfit!
6. What kind of products do you offer?
Currently, we have women’s clothing ranging from: tops, bottoms, dresses, matching sets and outerwear. We also have accessories ranging from: hair clips to purses.
7. Is there international shipping?
Yes! Super excited about this but we do ship internationally all over the world!
Stay up to date on all latest fashion trends by browsing the collection on www.girlssideboutique.com
Follow the brand on instagram @ girlssideboutique for all your fashion needs.