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‘NoVA Gals Are Chic’

Chic Envy an Upscale Boutique

By Sarah Jones

Photography by Jonathan Timmes

Chic Envy’s deals on designer accessories, shoes and clothes are sure to leave the full price-paying ladies green with covetousness. The family-owned upscale consignment boutique has been serving tots and adults in Northern Virginia for a year and carries everything from J. Crew to Chanel.

“It’s the perfect place for women who enjoy the thrill of the hunt and for women who still have clothing with tags hanging in their closet,” says Christina Crawford who co-owns the store with her eldest daughter, Rhianna. Don’t lust after this season’s hottest trends or allow your closet to stay stuffed with last year’s come and gone fashion statements. “Rotate your closet,” says Crawford.

Plus, when you tell your Mr. you saved 40 percent on some hot Alexander McQueen boots, he’ll be sure to know that those “boots were made for walking.” Hey, he may even be so proud of you that he heads over to the store to buy you a gift (as I saw a husband doing right before Valentine’s Day).

“You can count on everything in the store being authentic. If we’re not a hundred percent sure we don’t bring it in the store, and we have five ways of authenticating which are posted on our website,” says Crawford.

She also stresses that the store offers many opportunities to find great outfits for all ages, and that the store has something for everyone regardless of whether your style is St. John or Anthropologie-esque. The store even carries clothing for kids—which is pretty awesome considering how fast the little ones grow.

Crawford says she wants to pass down the store for generations and hopes to empower her daughters. Not only his her eldest daughter co-owner; her two youngest daughters have summer jobs at the store.

Growing up, Crawford was inspired to give back to her community as a business owner after witnessing how her grandfather was able to exercise his passion for his neighbors by serving people through his antique shop. She incorporates that same ethic into Chic Envy. Anyone entering feels special, is well attended to and, having been in the area for a while, the busy mom/entrepreneur says she has developed relationships based on trust and honesty with her customers and consignors. It’s these connections that have allowed Chic Envy to grow roots in Northern Virginia, and Christina and Rhianna are looking forward to opening a Chic Envy 2 in the near future.

11895 Grand Commons Ave., Fairfax; 703-268-5228; www.chicenvy.com

Check out the following links to see what others are saying about Chic Envy.

http://www.northernvirginiamag.com/travel/travel-features/2010/03/18/community-guide-fairfax/

http://www.northernvirginiamag.com/health-and-beauty/swag/2010/06/09/sex-and-the-city-2-fashion-for-your-budget/

http://fairfax.wusa9.com/content/chic-envy-consignment-talks-hot-items-valentines-day-gifts-and-more

http://classifiedchic.blogspot.com/2011/05/chic-envy.html

http://www.nationalmilitaryspousenetwork.org/public/May_Networking_Event_DC.cfm
http://classifiedchic.blogspot.com/2011/05/lesson-3-something-old-is-something-new.html

http://hipbargainchick.blogspot.com/2011/01/tip-41-upscale-consignment-shops.html#comments

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP_TaOoN7YU

http://hamptonpaperdesigns.blogspot.com/2010/08/ive-discovered-chic-envy.html