Pamper mom and shop local with these South Hills boutiques
Moms wear many hats throughout their day, and having outfits to match is fun. A little fun fashion can brighten the day if you are on the athletic field, out for lunch, volunteering at school or working.
We talked with a few local boutiques to see what they have for moms this spring in their many roles throughout their day.
Opal Rose
Rachel Bunta owns Opal Rose in McMurray, an upscale women’s clothing boutique with a spa and salon. “We have accessories, gifts, latest fashion trends, but also a lot of staple pieces for multigenerational shoppers,” Bunta said. Bunta bought the boutique in March 2020, during the pandemic, which she said pushed her to get an online presence. During her former pharmaceutical career, she developed a passion for skin care and offers HydraFacial services, which can be booked by appointment on weekday mornings. The hair salon within the boutique can be reached separately by calling Diane Mascara-Crooks at 724-288-4779.
One of the popular designers Bunta carries is Liverpool Jeans, and Opal Rose is a “Destination Liverpool Shop,” which allows the boutique to carry pieces in addition to jeans, including tops, shorts and blazers, Bunta said. Other brands the boutique carries include Cabana Life, HOBO bags, Charlie B, DIFF sunglasses, ink + alloy and Lemon Jelly Sandals. Her shoppers average in age between 30 and 80, she said. Bunta tries on all the pieces to know each item’s fit and style. For that shopper who might be a little older and doesn’t want to look older, she has items that will look great and aren’t “super expensive.” She said pastels, in blazers, tops and pants, are big for the spring.
Bunta is a working mom and admits it takes a village to get everything done. “I’m very thankful to my mom, who helps me out a lot,” along with a close friend who also works at the boutique and her husband. “I’m very blessed,” she said.
During May, Opal Rose will be the “Dip Jar” donation location for Dress for Success, a non-profit organization helping women. By donating with a credit card, customers are entered into a raffle to win an Opal Rose gift card. The boutique is located at 4067 Washington Road, McMurry. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., or by appointment. Visit opalrose.net for more information.
Vintage to Vogue
Cindy Rutherford, owner of Vintage to Vogue, is celebrating her 15th anniversary in business and her 10th year in the grand, white Victorian building on Valley Brook Road in McMurray. This” lifestyle” boutique combines fashion, home decor, gifts, garden and seasonal items, and she has a background in retail management.
Rutherford travels seasonally to the international market. She recently returned from a buying session and said dresses are huge for spring. She has a selection of colorful, floral dresses that are easy to wear and accessorize. “Prints are big, colorful, happy colors for this season. And they are easy to dress up or down. Throw a jacket over it during the day, and in the evening, dress it up with jewelry and a cute pair of strappy sandals. And dresses are easy because you don’t have to think about them. It’s one item. You’re not matching tops and bottoms.” Moms will like that many dresses she has are “no iron.” “Wrinkle-free is always a bonus for a busy mom,” Rutherford said. The boutique carries designers including Charlie Paige, Mud Pie, Mary Square, Lily Pulitzer, Coco Carmen, Before You Collection and Top it Off resortwear. Vintage to Vogue offers handbags, jewelry, summer sandals and various fun and trendy home decor items, including serving ware sets, seasonal decor and a wedding gift section.
Rutherford collaborates seasonally for special events with Cookie Wishes, a designer of high-quality, custom cookies owned by Rita Abbio. Rutherford also has “ladies’ night events” and seasonal open houses. Each month there is a featured product on sale.
For Mother’s Day, she will offer 15 percent off boutique apparel and accessories. She also provides “unique and special” Mother’s Day gift items.
Vintage to Vogue is located at 502 Valley Brook Road in McMurray. Store hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit vintage2vogueboutique.com for more information.
Vintage Grace
Vintage Grace Boutique’s owner Becca Carl strives to have something for everyone. “We try to be very inclusive, so no matter what the age, size or style, we try to have something for everyone. When you come in you, don’t have to ‘hope for the best.’ We specialize in personal styling,” said Carl.” We try to have a really wide price range for all budgets. And if you shop online, we offer Sezzle, and you can make four installments to pay for merchandise.”
The boutique has custom-made jewelry and custom distressed flannels made by Carl. She also offers Sunday classes in self-care, which can be found on the events tab of the Vintage Grace website, vintagegraceboutique.com. She’s always been a working mom and understands the need to take time for yourself. “You can’t take care of others until you take care of yourself,” she said.
She has found that young moms seem to know everything they want, and those 40 and up “seem to feel the most lost right now.” One thing that holds true is everyone wants to feel comfortable, trendy and comfortable at the same time, Carl said. “Moms have the best intentions to change clothes, but find what they put on at 8 a.m. they still have on at 8 p.m when they put the kids to bed,” she said. Some of the brands she offers include Judy Blue jeans, Risen and POL.
Vintage Grace is located at 900 Wildflower Circle in Washington. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursdays.
Designer Consignor
Barb Gallo has owned Designer Consignor of Peters Township for seven years. “We serve thousands of consignors, many of them moms,” said Gallo. “We serve them in two ways: Our consignors can bring in their gently used items, we sell them, and they receive money back (50/50 split between the store and the consignor), which helps with their budget. And customers can come in and buy higher-end designer items at up to 90 percent off of retail,” said Gallo.
“We provide a warm and friendly, clean and well-organized sales floor. It’s a nice escape from the busyness of their days. They can come in and have some retail therapy. We will help style them. A lot of friendships are formed. We know their families, and we love hearing their stories. We can help outfit them whether they are going to a soccer game or going to a wedding and everything in between.” Gallo said that most customers range in age from 30 to 90 years old.
Designer Consignor donates clothing, shoes and accessories weekly to the City Mission, another way of helping moms.
For Spring, Gallo said everyone is ready for pops of color after the winter, and spring items are “pouring in.” She said boho chic (including items from Anthropologie and Free People) is a big seller, and she has a large pool of customers who love Chicos and Talbots. “Because thousands of people are bringing things in, we have a great variety,” including snowbirds that bring back boutique brands from Florida. There is always a “tag” sale, which changes weekly.
She’s a mother of two children and loves being a working mom. “We really do cater to the moms. That’s what I’m passionate about and where I’m at in my life,” said Gallo.
Designer Consignor is located at 2858 Washington Road in McMurray and has a second location in Tanger Outlets in Washington. Store hours for the McMurray shop are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. shopdesignerconsignor.com.