Back in the spring, we gushed a little about the annual Nashville Fashion Week, and how it underlined Nashville’s vibrant and creative fashion scene.
From where we stand, that scene’s grown as consistently and impressively as it has because of the efforts of a range of style-forward locals — the designers creating cool work, the shop and boutique owners stocking stylish collections, the Nashville Fashion Alliance bringing everyone together, and Nashville Fashion Week celebrating it all.
If you’ve been inspired by the growth of fashion in Nashville, but your budget hasn’t allowed you to take advantage of it as much as you’d like, here’s something you should put on your calendar this month: Saturday, August 27’s Fashion for a Fraction, held at City Winery downtown.
The event, shepherded by the Nashville Scene and Nfocus, invites a mix of local designer boutiques in for a day of deeply discounted shopping, with everything from jeans and dresses to bags, jewelry and accessories.
A few extra bonuses, aside of getting to grab new wardrobe staples on the cheap: You can spend the morning and afternoon bargain hunting without getting hungry or thirsty, since you’ll be able to take advantage of City Winery’s menus; and the whole event benefits your budget and the YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee, too.
Tickets for the Fashion for a Fraction boutique warehouse sale are $10, available online now (there may be some at the door, but it’s possible that it’ll sell out ahead of time).
We’re already planning out our Fashion for a Fraction must-hits, to make the most of the day, so we thought we’d share some of our notes. These are just a few of the Nashville boutiques/designers we’ll be looking for at City Winery on August 27, and these particular items aren’t necessarily going to be at Fashion for a Fraction, but they’ll give you an idea of the shops’ styles…
A few Nashville boutiques you’ll see at August 27’s Fashion for a Fraction
Sisters of Nature
521 Gallatin Ave #5, East Nashville
East Nashville boutique Sisters of Nature stocks American-made items that are a little casual, a little Boho, all-around relaxed and cute. If you’re drawn toward clothing and accessories that are fashionable without being stiff, owner Kimberly Parker’s approach is probably for you. She’s working on a Sisters of Nature clothing line, too — she previewed it at Nashville Fashion Week this year, and last we heard, it should be launching in the fall. (Pictured: Antigua Mini Dress, $108.)
KITTY
521 Gallatin Ave Ste 2, East Nashville
East Nashville’s KITTY promises “authentic Nashville street style” for “brazen, badass babes.” That comes out with torn jeans and sleeveless Ts, plaid and camo, fringe and lace. Tough but pretty, essentially. (Pictured: Cropped Denim Button-up, $48.)
e.Allen
312 11th Avenue South, The Gulch
You get a little something extra at Nashville boutique e.Allen — owner Elizabeth Allen focuses not only on stocking stylish women’s clothing, shoes and accessories, but on helping customers put their look together, with wardrobe styling that helps you choose what to wear and how to wear it. In her Gulch shop, you’ll find a lot of designers you probably know well, including Frye and French Connection, and a lot of great basics, from jeans and sweaters to little black dresses. (Pictured: Grammet Dress, $228.)
ABEDNEGO
1210 4th Ave. N., Germantown
Abednego opened last year in Germantown, and like Sisters of Nature, their clothing is cool but relaxed, stylish but unpretentious. For guys, you’ll find solid basics, like selvedge denim and everyday button-ups. For ladies, cool dresses, shirts, rompers and shorts. If you’re looking to dress up your home, ABEDNEGO stocks a cute selection of home goods, too, like throw blankets and pillows. (Pictured: June Romper, $58.)
Star Struck Vintage Nashville
604 Gallatin Ave Suite 110, East Nashville
We have a ton of great vintage clothing stores in Nashville, but Star Struck Vintage Nashville — which came to East Nashville via NYC — stands out with a knack for finding classic music Ts and adding stage-worthy embellishments. Along with stuff like leather bellbottoms and big belt buckles from the ‘70s, you might see a classic Dolly Parton T with custom distressing, or a Willie tank tweaked with Swarovski crystals. (Pictured: Custom distreesed Willie Nelson T-shirt, $125.)
Lots of other shops and boutiques are contributing to the event — find lots more info on the Fashion for a Fraction Facebook event page. Main details below.
If you end up going, tag us on your Instagram/Facebook photos — we’d love to see what you end up grabbing!
Fashion For a Fraction info at a glance
When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, August 27
Where: City Winery, 609 Lafayette St., Nashville
Tickets: $10