Why did you start a boutique?

I’m not sure if my love of fashion began when my mama let me start dressing myself at age 4, where my outfits consisted of candy cane pantyhose, my favorite floral skirt, and a leotard. Or if my love came from wearing my sister’s hand-me-downs and a thrift-store Abercrombie & Fitch denim skirt at age 10. What I do know is, by the time I was 15, my walls were covered in Teen Vogue Magazine cut outs of all the outfits I wished I had. This love continued throughout high school. I never had the best of everything. My parents worked their butts off to give me and my 3 other siblings everything we needed. But, if there was something we wanted, we had to work for it! And you better believe, when I got that $100 paycheck from workin’ at the Wings & Things restaurant I was going to buy a new outfit (things costed less back in 2007, ha)!

By the time my senior year of high school rolled around, I was a MTV’s Laguna Beach addict (if you have no idea what I’m talking about, you’re too young or it was a show your children watched – remember, I’m 6 days from the big 3-0). Lauren Conrad (LC) was MY GIRL. I was hell bent determined I, too, was going to Savannah College of Art & Design in California – just like LC – to study fashion & merchandising. Fast forward to the next fall – I didn’t quite make it to Cali, but I did make it to South Georgia for College; 30 minutes from the Florida border – close enough, right? While at Valdosta State University, I started out with a major in marketing, because, duh, I was going into fashion – whatever that may look like at this point. Long story short, math is hard & I changed my major to Education; my fashion dream faded. I graduated and immediately accepted a teaching job in my hometown. While teaching, I also worked on online courses to complete my Master’s Degree in Education.

After 5 years of teaching, something was still missing. Sure, I love my job & being creative flows through my blood – but something. was. missing. I joked to my husband several times about starting a boutique. Finally, one day, he said: just go for it. So, I did. SSB is name after my first baby, a black lab/pit mix - Saige. She is the sweetest dog ever!

Presently, I am moving into year 3 with Southern Saige. I feel this year, more than ever, I have been able to put the most time and effort into this dream. It took some difficult decisions, such as making the call to go back online exclusively so I could spend more time with my husband and one-year-old. It could also be the fact that this COVID-19 pandemic gave me the extra time I needed to spend on the boutique.

I am so happy y’all are on this journey with me & I know SSB is going big places.
 
Until next time.
XOXO, H.