Penniless Socialite: On a Budget: Lucky B Boutique

Today I want to introduce you to Lucky B Boutique, a fun (and of course affordable) clothing retailer run by the lovely Brandi!

Jeans: c/o Lucky B Boutique | Top: Marshall's |

Necklace: Lucas Jack via Rocks Box (worn) | Flip Flops: Lauren Conrad for Kohl's (worn) |

Bracelets: Pame Designs (giveaway win) & Sira and Mara (worn)

Brandi sent over these pale yellow skinnies to try out. I freakin love them. They are so soft and have the right amount of stretch in them. When I bought this little fox shirt, for some reason I knew I wanted to pair it with yellow. And then Brandi was reading my mind and sent over the perfect color skinnies to show off my foxy shirt. Sorry...I had to go with that pun. So, now...meet Brandi!

Q. How did Lucky B get started? What does the name mean?

I opened Lucky B Boutique on October 22, 2011. I was working in hotels and wanted to get out and pursue my love of fashion without losing the customer service aspect that I enjoyed in the hotel industry. It was a really quick turn around from when I decided to take the plunge and start putting together a business plan and applying for small business loans. Probably only 5 weeks total from when I decided yes I want to go for it, to our Grand Opening!

I played around with names for awhile. My little Jack / Yorkie mix is named Lola B. I felt like Lola B didn't quite fit, so a friend of mine helped me run through different versions until we landed on Lucky B. I feel very blessed and lucky that I have family and friends that support me in this so Lucky sort of worked. Kind of a neat sign for me was right after I had been turned down from a couple of banks, I was playing golf with my then boyfriend (now husband - he proposed the night of the grand opening and we got married September 15, 2012 :) anyway...) and I sat down on a little hill on the course waiting for him to shoot and there were clovers all around and I grabbed one at it was a 4 leaf clover! The next day I was approved for my business loan and kind of felt more sure in the name Lucky B. :)

Q. Tell me a little bit about you. What are you doing when you're not managing your shop?

During the very little free time I have away from my store (I work pretty much 6-7 days per week), I usually spend time with my husband and 3 dogs (Linus, Lola and Russell ). We like to golf, try new restaurants around town and travel. My husband works as a Director of F&B for a hotel and is working 24/7 like me so most of our free time is late in the evenings when we like to hang out with our friends and neighbors or catch up on as many HBO and Showtime shows as possible! If I'm home for the evening alone, reading a good book with a glass of wine out on our patio is probably the place you'd find me. :)

Q. Any advice to ladies thinking of starting their own business?

Plan, plan, plan... I wish I had done more planning but I was in such a hurry to secure my location and get open that I lost out on some of those planning stages. Also, talk to as many other business owners in your field as possible. Had I known what I know now I could have saved myself a lot of time and money. If it's your passion, don't be afraid to go for it, but be prepared to work long hours for little pay. The retail business is so up and down and there are so many competitors, but if you can find your niche and really connect with the people you are helping dress it is really rewarding!

Q. Who are your style icons?

This is a hard one! I tend to look more at the clothing I see and determine what I like vs. determining what I like based on who is wearing it. I think we are all swayed by certain trends, but if you stick to dressing in clothes that make you feel pretty and happy then you'll enjoy getting dressed each morning. That said, I do love seeing Blake Lively and pretty much anyone from the cast of Gossip Girl's outfits though. I still wear a pair of Grey, Knee High, Flat Boots I bought after seeing Serena wear them in Season 2 lol :) I really like Marnie's character from Girls too and how she's casual but pulled together looking. I tend to watch characters more so than a specific actress, singer or celebrity in real life.

Q. What are some of your favorite pieces in your shop right now?

We just got a tie dye open back dress that I am in LOVE with! I'm 5'10 so it's a little short on me, but I'm obsessed with it! Any maxi dresses and statement necklaces we get in are hard for me not to take home too. I also really enjoy side or back cutouts. I have a black and white striped dress available right now that has little cut outs in the rib section and I feel like it's just super flattering with the cutouts and skimming skater style skirt.

Q. Any predictions for upcoming fashion trends for the summer and fall?

I've found that following to closely to trends works out badly for me. For example, all we saw was printed denim, printed denim everywhere, and the 2 styles I got in were subdued to some extent, but they are definitely hard to pull off for your every day woman. I think solid colored denim has become more of a staple than a trend at this point. Our Skinnies in brushed cotton sell out quickly! I'll be ordering darker colors for Fall like Navy, Mustard, Forest Green etc... They always go for $36 so it gives women a chance to break out and try different colors without draining their bank accounts! I go to market or shop online for the boutique and try to only choose things that I think will be flattering and make sense for an Indianapolis market. As I grow the website I hope I can bring in a greater variety of styles, but I think I offer a range of selections that suite many ages and body types.