Brazen Betties Brings Local Fashion Scene to Torrington
Brazen Betties boutique in downtown Torrington just celebrated its second anniversary. With her motto “be fearless without being foolish” in mind, Julia Sloan, a Torrington native and graduate of Gibbs College in Farmington, opened the shop in the spring of 2009. Her intentions were to bring the local fashion scene to Torrington, an area primarily occupied by big chain clothing stores. She says she was motivated to open the shop because she had a burst of Torrington and Connecticut pride, and believes her hometown “deserves to be a destination, to have specialty boutiques and something unique in the heart of its downtown.” The store is definitely unique, and emulates the creativity and originality in the pieces it sells through its own quirkiness. They have such discounts as High Five Fridays, where patrons that give a high five get 15% off, and one for college students, where an I.D. will not only get you 10% off any in-store purchase, but also a package of Ramen noodles.
What really sets Sloan’s shop apart is that it only sells pieces by Connecticut artists and designers, featuring clothing, accessories, home accents and artwork. As a designer herself, Sloan was intent on building a community and a network of Connecticut talent through her store. She has noticed that patrons become more interested when they discover that all of the pieces are local, and are “stunned and pleased that there is so much local talent.” Some bestselling items right now include steampunk jewelry from White Flag Designs out of Canton, hair accessories from loveycraft of Collinsville, and watercolor illustrations by Geoffrey Houghton of Broad Brook. The store also carries products from the Mill Town Collective, featuring Torrington-themed merchandise such as post cards, T-shirts and coasters. Though the online shopping section of the store’s website is in its infancy, Sloan hopes to revamp the site in the following weeks, which will allow this Connecticut merchandise to reach a wider audience.
With its location right in the heart of Main Street, Brazen Betties will be featured in Torrington’s Main Street Marketplace again this summer. The street fair of local vendors and merchants drew in thousands of shoppers every Thursday night in its opening season last year. Sloan, who was on the Arts and Culture Committee behind the event, said that it was “absolutely amazing for business.” Stop by Brazen Betties during a Main Street Marketplace event, every Thursday evening from 5-9 on Main Street in Torrington starting June 30.
Brazen Betties it located at 95 Main Street, Torrington CT 06790. Closed Monday and Tuesday, open Wednesday through Saturday 11am-7pm and Sunday 12-5pm. For more info, visit their website.
Email
Print
Feed
