Feature: Miss Cherries Boutique!

 

Oh i am so super excited! Today we're talking about Miss Cherries Boutique, a gorgeous online store stocking the very best in unique one-of-a-kind jewellery inspired by everything from pirates and sailors to tea parties and Alice in Wonderland, and everything in between.  If you're reading this right now i'm going to assume that you share my love for everything vintage and kitch and will undoubtedly share my adoration for Miss Cherries Boutique too.

MCB is owned and run by the lovely Vicki, who first started the store as a hobby, but then decided to expand and focus on it and the prosepct of it becoming a serious business venture after moving to Manchester to study fashion. I asked the lovely lady herself about starting Miss Cherries Boutique, and what makes it different to every other online jewellery store;

"Being in the heart of the city I found a few places that were wholesaling a wide variety of alternative stock, & all though it sold well it didn’t really vent my creativity. I started to notice the up and coming Vintage trend, and it excited me. I found it more inspiring and it allowed me to be more creative, beginning to make my own jewellery. As of 2009, the Vintage style has become the main focal point of my brand." 

It's no secret that the online fashion market, specifically eBay, Etsy, Folksy and BigCartel are flooded by stores offering "unique" or "handmade" jewellery that almost always ends up being the same repackaged stock, which is disappointing and uninspiring to say the least. I was so pleasantly surprised and excited to find that i'd seen nothing like the pieces on MCB on the internet so far, just when i thought i'd seen it all. Vicki is a self-confessed lover of unique and individual fashion and knows "[...] how difficult it is for anyone to find that special something that you just cannot get on the high-street," and this is exactly what inspired her to set up the store.

Vicki was kind enough to send me one of her necklaces, which i absolutely fell in love with. It's also worth saying that unlike many online boutiques, Vicki goes all the way with the packaging, making it just that little bit more special. What could be better than waking up to an adorable pink and white striped candy bag, with the jewellery hanging out in its own pink taffeta jewellery bag? I was super ill when i recieved it to so it instantly made my day!

And a few snaps from when i wore it out!

 

 

I know what you're thinking; i'm rarely this complimentary...what's going on Truthfully, it's such a breath of fresh air to see someone young doing something innovative and stylish, and providing fantastic customer service from beginning to end. It's also one of those rare moments in which i literally wanted every single item in the shop. I put together a few of my favourite pieces for your viewing pleasure;

 

 Tea Clipper Sailing Ship | Vintage Flamingo Cameo | 50's Style Owl Sweetheart

 Pirate Watch Necklace | Large Skull & Crossbones Cameo | Working Telescope Necklace

Miss Cherries Boutique currently sells "Vintage, Kitsch, Nautical, Steampunk, Emo & Rockabilly style jewellery" that is completely unique to the store and when i get paid i know where i'll be spending it. MCB is currently on eBay, Etsy and Folksy so there's no excuse. I love that on the eBay store you can browse by style, and as you can probably tell the nautical themed ones are my favourites. 

I'm dead set on the brass telescope one; imagine having a mini working telescope hanging around your neck! And besides, my eyesight is pretty appalling so it'd come in handy as well as looking fabulous.

Vicki tells me that eventually she wants to expand the store and move into designing clothes once she's finished university, and open up her own shop in Affleck's Palace in Manchester's Northern Quarter, which is famous for it's quirky, original boutiques. I've only ever been to Manchester once but i DID go to Affleck's and i can totally see a store like Miss Cherries Boutique sitting homely amongst the other alternative, individual stores.

Although i love shopping on the highstreet and in chainstores, most of the time it feels so much better to buy from individual sellers and designers who are working hard to make their dream a reality; you know that everything you buy has had so much more love and effort put into it, and you know exactly where your money is going. I think it's so important to support creative young people, especially in an economy like ours and an industry that's already so difficult to succeed in, and Miss Cherries Boutique is a prime example of everything i love about small independant businesses in fashion.

There is nothing not to love about this store and i urge all of you to have a look, i garuantee you'll spot something you'll love!

Miss Cherries Boutique on...
Ebay | Etsy | Folksy | Facebook | Blogspot

Love always,