Amanda Valderas remembers the day she decided to follow her dream of owning her own boutique. She had been working
in human resources for a little more than six years but felt restless.

“I’ve always loved fashion and was the go-to girl in my friend group for advice on clothing or where to find cheaper versions of things,” says Valderas. “But I never worked retail, I was always the consumer, so I never thought owning my own store would really happen.”

After talking with her mom and her husband, Joe, she decided to write up a business plan and take the leap. Many long nights later, Arrow Clothing was born in December of 2017, offering affordable—most items are under $50—contemporary women’s clothing and accessories.

What makes Arrow Clothing unique is its business model. The store is online-only, relying heavily on social media to spread the word. Valderas, who has always preferred online shopping, saw a need in the market for convenience with a local feel and a more personal touch.

“We call it a hybrid model: We are mainly online but also give people the in-store experience through our social media content, pop-ups, and events,” she says. Valderas stays connected to her clientele by doing online try-on sessions where she is able to walk her customers through each item in her store, allowing them to see how a product fits or looks on someone else before purchasing.

“When I first started doing my try-on sessions, I would hear Joe listening to them in the house, and I would hear my voice and think, ‘No one is going to want to watch these,’” laughs Valderas. But in fact, these videos are the thing that has allowed customers to develop trust with the brand and keeps them coming back for more.

While online customers can look forward to new arrivals each month, local Arrow shoppers can look out for events and pop-ups at nearby venues such as Anthem House apartments and The Charles in Federal Hill. Follow Arrow Clothing on Instagram for details on their spring launch party happening this month.

Back when Aaron Jones was 12, if he wasn’t on the football field, he was sitting at a sewing machine, helping his mother with the seamstress work she took on to make ends meet.

“There was a shirt that I wanted, and my mother couldn’t afford to buy it, so she took me to the store, we bought the fabric, and I tried to make it myself,” says Jones, now age 30. “It was a lavender gingham shirt with western appliques on the shoulders, and it was so ugly, but I could wear it, and I am still proud of that.”

It was then that Jones discovered the power of making and altering his own garments. He attended the Savannah College of Art and Design and then began working as a tailor’s apprentice at Nordstrom in Towson, which was where he truly began to understand proper fit and how to tailor garments correctly.

Jones stayed with Nordstrom until 2013, when he and his friend Jason Bass created the high-quality bag line Treason Toting Co. The accessories company was a hit, even catching the eye of Sagamore Ventures, who invested in the brand. However, Jones was still hearing from his old tailoring clients, who were looking for him to alter their clothing and suits.

So this fall, he decided to branch out on his own, opening the Bushelers of Baltimore tailor shop in Mt. Vernon. “People don’t realize that tailors are providing a service similar to a barber or beautician,” says Jones. “They are essentially there as your clothes therapist, listening to the issues you are having with your clothing and helping you to feel your best.”

And Jones says the difference a well-fitting garment can make is immeasurable. “Wearing tailored garments gives you an added boost of confidence,” he says. “People react to you differently, you even walk and talk differently because you can feel the difference, and I want to share that with people.”

As the retail climate shifts to more people shopping online, a great fit has become even more of a challenge—a problem that Jones thinks is easily solvable by seeking out a good tailor. He points out that it’s more affordable than people think. “I think people still see tailoring as a regal service,” he says. “But you can go to a tailor and not spend too much. I am very straightforward with my customers about their budgets. It’s really all about how much you love something.”

Bushelers is open in the evenings Monday through Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. “I’m at Treason during the day, so we make it an evening thing,” says Jones. “We have a couple of whiskeys, figure out their fitting issues, and then I send them on their merry way with an outfit cut to perfection.”

When it was time for Raina Filippelli to name her new, trendy women’s contemporary boutique in Quarry Lake, the decision came easily. “I’ve always wanted to see my name in big, bright lights,” she cracks with a nod to the large pink neon sign that hangs above her store’s cash register.

Filippelli is no newcomer to the fashion scene, having held positions as a photo editor (for magazines such as Glamour and CosmoGirl), a luxury event planner, and a wedding blogger before moving from New York City to Baltimore six years ago for her husband’s business.

“I felt like I could take my experience and do something special here in Baltimore,” Filippelli says. “It just came down to timing, and I had a gut feeling that Quarry Lake was the right place to open a store when I saw all of the great restaurants and stores opening here.”

Raina Dawn, which opened its doors in October, specializes in fashion-forward pieces that are wearable and versatile, as well as shoes, accessories, and gifts. (Look for brands such as John + Jenn, Greylin, For Love & Lemons, and Generation Love.) The store’s bright white walls, gold accents, ornate chandeliers, and pale pink pops of color will make you feel like you are shopping at your favorite SoHo boutique.

“My strength is definitely in the little details,” says Filippelli. “Everyone is busy with life, and to have a place where you are able to come in and have people help you choose things and style you from head to toe, there is a lot of value in that. I want shopping here to be an experience.”