At Whistle and Wild, shoppers don’t have to contend with sprawling lines or Beltway traffic—they just need internet access.
The new online-only boutique is the brainchild of Fairfax resident Amanda Nelson, 26, whose 2016 New Year’s resolution was to leave her career in retail management and launch her own shop. After reading up on entrepreneurship and settling on a brand name at a Starbucks brainstorming session, Nelson opened the virtual storefront in September 2016.
The site offers affordable clothing and accessories well-suited for women in their 20s to early 40s, but Nelson aims to provide a little something for everyone. “You can be a stay-at-home mom who wants to feel good about herself after having a baby. You can be a 9-to-5 [employee] who wants to go out with her girlfriends after work,” says Nelson. She adds that her grandmother owns a piece from the store.
There is no formula for selecting items for the shop, Nelson says. Rather, she hand-picks clothing from trade shows that she says fits her aesthetic, a blend of bohemian and urban chic. Pulled from brands such as Mustard Seed, Jealous Tomato and She & Sky, the tops on the site range from T-shirts with trendy text to metal-hued blouses. Shoppers in search of either ’60s-inspired frocks or nightclub wear will be pleased with Whistle and Wild’s dress selection. And not to be missed is the site’s collection of jewelry, which sports a Southwestern sensibility.
About 80 percent of the apparel is made in the United States, something Nelson values. “I’m very patriotic,” she says. “My husband was in the military, so it kind of runs deep.” She hopes to add some NoVA-made products to her inventory soon.
Eventually, Nelson says she would like to open some brick-and-mortar stores, and she sees NoVA as an ideal location. She lives just down the road from Fairfax’s Mosaic, a location she treasures for its neighborhood feel. “I’m obsessed with [the] local and organic culture that is encompassing this area right now.”
