Tween Fashion with a Twist
Q&A with Courtney Tait, Owner of Twist
Courtney Tait grew up cutting out pictures from the pages of Vogue, and in her teenage years began dreaming of one day opening up her own clothing boutique. Her dreams have come true with Twist – the adorable tween clothing boutique located on Fore Street in the Old Port.
Walking into Twist is like being transported into a tween’s dream bedroom…a safe haven of secrets and friendship, adorned in pink, with a huge walk-in closet and tons of cute clothes (that you don’t have to steal from your big sister).
We chatted with Courtney about the inspiration behind her precious store, the must-have item for Spring, and why all the little fashionistas in town should really be striving for good grades.
What was your inspiration behind Twist?
I wanted to share my love of fashion with girls who were like me growing up – and offer them clothing in brands that I fell in love with that were versatile and adorable. I hoped for adults to kind of share that sentiment as they took a trip down memory lane and remembered what is was like to be that age. After finishing college and moving back to Portland, I realized the only place in the area to find girls clothes sizes 7/8 to 14/16 was at the mall – and even that wasn’t a totally great selection. That is when Twist was born.
Tell us about the items you carry at Twist. Who is the typical Twist customer?
We carry clothes in the latest trends by the best designers, a huge selection of jewelry (initial necklaces, charm bracelets, adorable studded earrings) and tons of great gift items. Some of our favorites are lip gloss in the shape of a pink stiletto, individual cupcake soaps, and bedazzled emery boards. We like to think the typical Twist customers are mothers and daughters who share our same passion for life as fashionistas.
What is your most memorable moment at Twist?
What really outshines anything is seeing a girl come out of the dressing room in a dress or an outfit that she can’t live without…and in turn, seeing the smile on both her and her mother’s face when it is the perfect look for a special occasion or just for everyday. That is truly what lets me know that I’ve done my job right.
Tell us about some of the fun things you do for girls at Twist.
We have a handful of different things we offer for our Twist girls….but the most important one, in my eyes, is our discounts for good grades. At Twist, we believe that a good education is especially important for girls, and so to promote hard studying and effort, we reward shoppers with a discount based on their report card. All A’s – get 15% off. A’s and B’s – get 10% off. All B’s and B/C’s with an A - get 5% off. Being a fashionista is fun, but you’ve got to have the brains and motivation to go where you want in life!
What are the big trends for Spring 2011? This Spring, every girl must have a ______?
A big trend that has carried over into Spring 2011 is the romper. Yes, they are continuing to make a comeback! We have a handful of styles and prints to choose from in an assortment of brands. Every girl must have an Ella Moss, Splendid, or Juicy romper to compliment her Spring into Summer wardrobe.
How would you describe your personal style? One item you can’t live without?
I am always conscious of trends but I truly believe it is possible to teeter on the line of being “too” trendy. I like to be a blend of trendy, vintage, bohemian, and classic. One item I can’t live without is a great pair of oversized sunglasses!
What do you love most about Portland?
Portland, although small, offers so much in the arts and culture. For the square footage of the Old Port, it is just packed with amazing restaurants, clothing boutiques, salons, art galleries and music venues. It’s big enough so you feel like you’re in the city but small enough so that you don’t feel completely lost. I love it here.
I know you are probably at the store almost 24/7, but what do you do for fun in Portland to break from it all?
You are right on that one! Seven days a week in the store is my typical schedule, but outside of the store I love to read, exercise, and spend time with friends. The occasional trip to New York City is also a super escape for me – although it’s usually filled with trade shows and meetings, it keeps me excited about bringing new items into the store for all the girls.
During the process of opening the store, what is the best piece of advice you received? What advice would you give to all of the aspiring boutique owners out there?
The best piece of advice I received was to have a specific business plan, which is such an important first step. This includes financial viability, location, limiting inventory to specific categories, etc. My business plan has kept me focused and on track. The advice I have for aspiring boutique owners is: Location, Location, Location! We are so lucky to be on a main strip of downtown Portland. Location is everything. You can have a killer store but if no one knows you exist or you are not in a place where your target market is and foot traffic is low, it may be difficult for your business to really thrive.
Thanks to Courtney for chatting with us and thanks for keeping all the little girls in our lives fashionable!
