Collard Queens Chic Boutique was sprouted at about 2:30am on one of many sleepless nights, well kind of. My husband is a snorer, an exceptionally loud snorer, and some of my best ideas are born between deep thunderous inhales and shrill, reverberating exhales. I would normally have been using this time to think up modifications for common household items to clamp off his nose or ways to bridle and capitalize on his melodic-at-times nasal symphony. Once I even planned to take his snore on tour and call it Bonnasnooze or Woodsnot; maybe even branch out into a band- Sister Nasal or 3 Snores Down. Sleep depravation can spawn infomercial purchases and good ideas. I digress.
On this particular night I was thinking about clothes, not uncommon for me. I was fanaticizing about a soundproof closet with shoes as far as the eyes could see. I love clothes, I have since I was a child. I once fashioned a Blossom Russo inspired skirt entirely out of neck ties, unfortunately it just didn’t take off.
A nurse by day, my fashion options are severely restricted to shapeless, potato sack-esk scrubs that, despite my best efforts, are not easily accessorized. Did I mention that along with clothes, I have a deep affinity for all things southern? College football and tailgating; especially dressing for it, front porch talking and soul food cookin, country roads and larger than life hair bows, sandy feet and slow drawls, Derby hats and mason jars, and pearls, pearls, and more pearls. You name it; if it is synonymous with the south, why count me in!
I realized that the walls of my perfect soundproof closet, busting at the gills with shoes, would be lined with quotes by Julia Sugarbaker (pronounced Sugah-bakah), photos of Audrey, and references to Steel Magnolias. Johnny Cash would be singing about Jackson, there’d be a Mimosa cooler, a chenille covered porch swing, and mini pecan pies for when I got hungry. So basically, I could pretty much live in there and it would represent my love of the south and my adoration of fashion, all rolled into one perfectly formed cathead biscuit. Then I imagined how something like this could take shape outside of my imagination. It was possible. It quickly dawned on me that something was missing- someone to eat pies and drink mimosas with; a partner.
Immediately I knew the perfectly spunky southern belle, who’d for sure be up for the challenge with me; introducing my friend, Ginny. Having raised a teenage daughter and with mine not far behind, I had called upon her through the years for advice and talk-me-downs. Her wisdom always came with an extra helping of wit and it didn’t take long for us to appreciate that we shared the same humor and enjoyed laughing inappropriately at the same things. She is a computer genius and a firm believer in southern rock and if that ain’t a sign of good people, then I don’t know what is. And so it began…
Fast forward to the next day on the front porch, libations in hand, and excitement swirling in the air faster than a riled up school of bait fish. The ideas overflowed and we funneled them into a single seed. We planted that seed in a pot of creativity, fertilized it with equal parts down home charm and southern sass, and then we watered it with a dirty martini. The Collard Queens were born, right there on the porch, in front of God and everyone. So now it is our mission to bring our customers chic, quality boutique clothing with southern charm and a side of fun. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pintrest and Instagram. Get your collard on!
