In recent years, there has been a huge change in the shopping landscape with online fast fashion retailers like Shein and Fashion Nova serving as an ultra-convenient way to get your hands on the latest trends for dirt cheap. But the reality of these places is that the quality is severely lacking, and your purchase will likely fall apart in the wash after one use. That’s why Bridget Quinn Stickline, owner of Green Spring Station’s beloved kids’ boutique Wee Chic, decided to open her neighboring sister store, Girlhero. She sees it as a place to offer young women quality fashion that will not only fit and be on-trend, but last for years to come.
What inspired you to open Girlhero?
We were hearing from our client base at Wee Chic that there was a void in the market, and stores that used to service the high school- and college-aged girl had kind of disappeared. They had all been kind of grouped into the Forever 21 and fast fashion world, which really did not speak to the experiences and events that these girls were going to and how they were living their day-to-day life. So we saw an opportunity.
How would you describe the Girlhero customer?
Our customer has a more elevated taste and sophisticated influences. She’s got homecoming, she’s rushing a sorority, she’s going to a nice dinner with friends, she’s going to Hunt Cup and music festivals. We are very immersed in the community and keep track of what events are happening at schools in the area and curate our selection for that.
For example, Notre Dame Prep has their “Gym Day,” which is a huge thing every year where each class gets colors, so we put together these great gift assortments in the colors of their classes. We track all of the dances closely, so that we have many options ready and in store. The great thing is, all of these customers aren’t new to us. These are people and families we’ve been dressing for a really long time, and it’s been so lovely to see these kids grow into women and have these new adventures.
What are some lines that you carry?
We carry One Teaspoon, For Love and Lemons, Free People, and Free City, to name a few. We mix those very established brands with new brands that you don’t find everywhere, because to me that’s what makes shopping at a boutique so special. We have a number of women on our team who are our target customer, so they are a huge resource when buying. It’s really a collective effort and we are constantly getting new items in to keep things fresh.
Finish this sentence: No outfit is complete without…
Confidence. When somebody comes out of a dressing room in something that they love, you can instantly see it. Their shoulders are back, their chin is up, and they feel good about themselves, and I think that is the most important thing—that you feel good in the outfit you are wearing. I also think that goes hand-in-hand with quality. If you are buying better quality pieces, they are going to fit you better.
What’s your current favorite fashion trend?
The beautiful Italian influence that’s happening right now. Lots of rich blues, antique lemon prints, gorgeous floral prints, butter yellow, and really interesting textiles are going to be huge this spring and summer. And they just look beautiful in the store. Sometimes the industry can miss the mark with a color palette and that can be really hard on us buyers to navigate, but this season everything is prettier than the next and it makes our job very easy.
What is your must-have item for spring?
This is universal for all seasons, but I think you have to have a really good pair of jeans. There are so many different styles and washes in the market right now, but I’m liking that kind of clean oversized, low-rise denim that pairs really well with a lot of different tops.
Where can people follow Girlhero?
You can find us on Instagram and on TikTok that we update all the time with new products, styling ideas, and news on in-store events. We also launched our website in July so you can shop online as well.
How did you come up with the name?
The name is actually inspired by my daughter. When she was little, we would read stories with strong female characters, and she would say, “Mom, it’s a girl hero.” And I just always loved that term. We wanted to promote the idea of independence, and your style is one of the earliest indicators of that. It’s really meant to represent a girl who is figuring out who she is. We want people to believe in being the hero of your own story.