Style Tips from Edina’s “It” Women

A how-to and where-to-find fashion and style guide.

Beth Boucher

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Style and beauty experts seem to be everywhere. From glossy fashion magazines to gossipy red carpets, from runways to fashion weeks, everyone has an opinion. While information gleaned from those sources can be entertaining, how does it translate to the Edina woman?

Three Edina career women and mothers who’ve developed their personal style niche share their discoveries of local boutiques, shops and even items found at the corner drugstore, so Edina’s women can become their own style and beauty experts.

Beth Boucher is committed to supporting local business owners while tending to her personal and professional style needs. Recently wed to James Boucher and mother to James Behm, 8, Boucher co-owns Room No. 3, where shoppers are treated to lingerie, loungewear and sleepwear that elegantly blend style and function.

By day, Wendy Boyer is a hard-hat-wearing senior territory manager with Brady Corp., selling industrial adhesives and graphics. After work hours, she turns her attention to her family—husband, Chris, and children, Weiss, 13, and Amelia, 17—in addition to running her interior design business, Brown Cow Design, through which Boyer has given new looks to the Edina Country Club and several Edina homes.

Wendy Witherspoon is an independent stylist for Stella & Dot, which features boutique-style jewelry and accessories. She’s also a parent, with husband, Keith, to Madelyn, 8, Amelia, 6, and Olive, 4, so she understands how to tend to clients’ multifunction fashion needs.

(Left: Wendy Boyer; Right: Wendy Witherspoon; Above: Beth Boucher)

Describe It
your fashion style

Beth Boucher: “Classic, fresh, simple.”

Wendy Boyer: “European, soul-filled, classic.”

Wendy Witherspoon: “Casual, tailored and flair.”

Name It
five must-haves for any closet

BB: Beautiful lingerie, soft linen/cotton blend button-down shirt, great-fitting jeans, wedding band (“It still makes me giddy to put it on”) and a sleeping gown.

WB: Jean jacket, black dress top, black high boots, black wedge sandals and a white starched button-down shirt.

WW: A great pair of jeans, go-to booties, denim shirt, fitted blazer or jacket, and a statement necklace.

Explain It
what a good accessory does for an ensemble

BB: While Boucher admires women who accessorize, she keeps it very simple, wearing her wedding ring and rarely switching her choice of earrings. “It’s one less thing,” she says of time and thought put into accessorizing.

WB: Boyer suggests using modern accessories with classic ensembles. “It shows you keep up with the trends, but you’re not trendy. It also gives an outfit soul.”

WW: “A good accessory item is a great way for a person to show their personality. It’s a great way to tell a story.”

Ban It
style “cringe”

BB: “Too many trends on one person” impedes a woman’s opportunity to reveal her true self. Also wearing too many name-brand pieces at once is a no-no—“Don’t rely on those for confidence.”

WB: “I don’t like patterns. I don’t think they’re complimentary.” Large patterns, including pink flowers and aqua circles, are especially high on Boyer’s cringe meter. “Those patterns only draw attention to [problem areas].”

WW: “When people wear things because it’s the latest trend and not because they love it. Confidence goes a long way with fashion.”

Admit It
the clothing piece you just can’t let go of

BB: “An ivory cashmere sweater—I wear it year-round. It always feels good over jeans, over a nightgown at home.”

WB: “I still have a pink angora sweater that I had from high school that I think will come back in style. I loved it so much then.”

WW: “I have a vintage wool plaid coat. Every time I wear it, I feel like Jackie O. Hopefully, my daughters love it, because I want to pass it down.”

Recommend It
beauty products you regularly use

BB: Oribe dry shampoo, Laura Mercier cosmetics and Donna Karan Cashmere Mist deodorant (“It smells ladylike and fresh”).

WB: Clinique’s three-step cleansing system and Vanicream, found at local drugstores. “It’s the greatest product ever” she says of the cream, calling it dermatologist recommended at drugstore prices.

WW: “I am in love with Redken dry shampoo. It helps your blowout last for at least three days.” Witherspoon also recommends Blinc mascara. “It creates little tubes on your eyelashes—full, thick and long.”

Share It
Edina go-to spots for clothing, accessories and beauty products

BB: Bluebird Boutique for denim, Bumbershute for splurge items, Room No. 3 and Parc. “I have a real interest in supporting local women business owners, and Parc is finding things in reach, pricepoint-wise.” Don’t walk past Fashion Avenue consignment shop, either: “I have the best luck shopping for dresses and shoes there.” For beauty products, Boucher hits Cos Bar. “It’s almost like a mini department store without having to go into a mall. They have it figured out.”

WB: “Madewell Clothing, I think it’s authentic, understated and genuine. That’s what I like about it.” She calls it classic with a modern edge. For accessories, Boyer scours estate sales for vintage jewelry, purses and scarves, and she appreciates the natural-looking qualities of MAC and Bobbi Brown cosmetics “You can still see the person. The Bobbi Brown blush looks like I just climbed a flight of stairs, rather than applied it.”

WW: Calling it a “super-cute new boutique,” Witherspoon loves Equation. For cosmetics, she heads to Sephora. “They’re my one-stop shop.” Go-to lipsticks include MAC Rebel and BeautyCounter lip sheer in Scarlett.

Highlight It
the importance of a good haircut or style

BB: Devoted to her own hair stylist for seven years, Boucher notes a good cut can freshen up anyone’s look.

WB: “I think simple, great haircuts are important. That’s one thing I treat myself to,” recommending Kate at LiLi Salon Spa.

WW: “Going into the salon for a cut and/or color is like hitting the refresh button. It just feels good, and you’ll be more likely to invest time into styling your fresh look.”

Suggest It
beyond the obvious, a grooming must

BB: Eyebrow maintenance: Eyebrows “define your face.” She calls out Bespoke Hair Artisans for the right brow touch.

WB: French manicures: “It’s timeless, and I don’t have to worry about it matching outfits.” Waxing the upper-lip area: “It takes ages off your life.” Waxing brows: “It give eyes a lift.” Quarterly massages: “Just having a deep-tissue massage gives a feeling of being cared for.”

WW: Eyebrow wax: “For me, it’s all about time, and I know I won’t take the time to maintain my brows with tweezing.”

Spill It
the items always in your purse

BB: Lip Slip, planner, phone, a comb and mints.

WB: MAC lipstick, Neutrogena lotion, hand sanitizer, bracelets and iPad.

WW: MAC lipstick, mascara, lip balm, tinted moisturizer (SPF 20), sunscreen (all year long), a planner and flats. “I have meetings with clients, and then I may be at the park with my kids, and heels don’t work at the park.”

Spend It
guilty pleasure

BB: Monthly facials—“It makes my skin feel so great.”

WB: A good massage—“That’s what fills me internally.” Feeling good on the inside translates to external beauty, she notes.

WW: A blowout at Wow Bar—“You go in and walk out feeling like a movie star.”

Live It
living in style

BB: Classic, clean and fresh elements are reflected in Boucher’s home decorating theme, which features clean lines with a touch of traditional expression.

WB: Her décor style mirrors her personal style. Home accessories feature collected and curated items for a feeling of authenticity while staying on trend.

WW: “I think style tells a story about someone. My home décor is classic, eclectic.” Witherspoon enjoys showcasing items that speak to the family’s history, including a painting of her hometown, family photographs and items carefully chosen on trips and vacations. “When you walk into my home, you know it’s our home. It represents who we are as a family.”

Love It
treasured home space

BB: “I love my foyer.” She calls it an extension of their home, and appreciates having a welcoming space to greet guests, allowing for “an experience that starts the rest of your visit together.”

WB: A European antique pine twin bed that Boyer’s children used while growing up now serves as a cozy respite in her office. “It makes a great office settee. It’s where I settle in at night and do design work.”

WW: “We spend a lot of time as a family in the kitchen cooking together, and I have an opportunity to connect with my husband and kids and hear about their day.”