Izzy and Ash, for the young chic hipster

August 6, 2009 by Julia
Filed under children's boutiques, Westlake Hills

izzyandash-storefront I’ll admit it. I was one who liked to doll up my baby girl with all her pretty baby shower dresses, and if I had known about Izzy and Ash four years ago… Never one to mind the fussiness of it all, she let me play dress up with her. I could justify spending money on boutique clothes for her with the logic that I would garner a higher resale value from higher end clothes so long as I was able to find a bargain on the boutique item in the first place and could keep the outfit stain free. (For curious minds, the resale value was closer to 80% and a few occasions, I got back 100%.)

This was before the slowing of the economy. That was before my kid painted everyday.

Now, I have a harder time plunking down the change for boutique items that will be destroyed even behind an art smock so unless the item is just too good of a bargain, we pass in the name of financial responsibility.

Enter Izzy and Ash, a local children’s boutique store in Westlake Hills that opened a storefront after its online boutique (according to the salesperson). We stopped here out of curiosity after picking up a present at Kid Genius in the same shopping center, and it’s like a By George, for kids. They carry Catimini, Claesen’s, Baby Nay, hiho Batik,,,a lot of the same lines that you would find in exclusive clothing shops and Neiman’s. The clothes are gorgeous, luxurious fabrics and hand detailing from domestic and European designers. They carry sizes for newborns through tweens mostly.

boy stuff on the entire left wall of store

What was impressive to me was the boy’s selection. Typically boy clothes lack originality beyond the typical polo with stripes or dino/teddy bear/sports ball/automobile applique. I would say that the boy stuff was as hip as the girl stuff.

The original prices are high, I think. There were handmade batik t-shirts at $40, for instance. I have learned from bargain hunting to never say never to places like this. Prices only stay like this until the changing of the fashion season which is typically about 1-2 months before the actual change of season, and sometimes the boutiques have better bargains than one would expect.

pretty stuff marked 50% off

Sure enough, we happened upon the store during the massive 50% off lowest price sale. Fabulous. I scored something for under $10, and I called that a day of good shopping. I also liked that I was left alone to browse the shop without any high pressure sales.

Boutique finds, I tuck away for special occasions where photos and dinners with the grandparents are in order or for that special gift for other children. It’s a bit indulgent I’ll admit, but at least I don’t have to break the bank doing it.

Izzy and Ash is in the same shopping center as Wild Wood Art Cafe and across the street from Austin’s Pizza with the playground.

Izzy and Ash
3663 Bee Caves Road, 2C
Austin Texas 78746
(512) 306-8687

Hours:
Monday-Friday: 10 am-6 pm
Saturday: 10 am-5 pm