Show & Tell - Maggie's Farm Boutique, Dundee

It was just by chance that I happened to glance inside to the magical interior of Maggie’s Farm Boutique, carefully and cleverly designed by owner, Laurissa Drysdale.

It was a love at first sight moment – when I clapped eyes on a gaudily upholstered armchair in the shop window, its pink and gold combination waving at me like an old friend. Oh, how I exaggerate. It was subsequently a heartbreak moment upon discovering the wonderful chair had in fact already been sold! Damn these one-offs and their finders keepers charm.

Clothes and amazing furniture - I'm in heaven!

And it’s not just chairs… this beautiful boutique has all sorts of dreamy numbers for the vintage junkie. Chairs, chests, chic dresses and bags, pretty playsuits, scarves, tees, shorts, jackets, jewellery… someone STOP me! Playing in this fairground of inspired style, colour and detail, I daydreamed of a wardrobe that emanates cool like Ashley Olsen, style like Rachel Zoe, and quirky chic like Le Blog De Betty and all sorts of other nonsense that I needn’t (read – shouldn’t) divulge. If you get the chance to pop in, you’ll understand why, and maybe have a few daydreams of your own…

Chair, £125 | Dressing table (behind), £395

Her stock, its detail, diversity and lack of mainstream availability, is in fact the reason why Laurissa’s beautiful boutique (named after a Bob Dylan tune, in case you’re wondering) has remained one of Dundee’s secret successes. “I hate when I spend a fortune on an outfit, only to go out and discover everyone else is wearing the same thing,” Laurissa told me. I couldn’t agree more.

The interesting (and appealing) thing about Maggie’s Farm is that not only does it provide the high street shopper with a quirky vintage alternative to the mass produced Primark / New Look fare, Laurissa also buys in non-vintage pieces and re-works them for an individual, unique twist on a modern product. Alongside this clothing fantasy, she also stocks wonderful jewellery and Ashley Olsen-worthy bags. I have a crush on the fringed leather masterpiece that comes in tan and black (below).

Bag, £25 | Chair, £125

And I haven’t told you the best bit yet. It’s very reasonably priced. A dress or bag averages at £25 and the jewellery starts from £8. An undeniably competitive price point, wouldn’t you agree?

I asked the lovely Laurissa if she would mind taking part in a wee interview for the purposes of this little blog of mine and she very kindly agreed. Here’s what she had to say…

Laurissa Drysdale, founder of Maggie's Farm

What inspired you to open Maggie's Farm boutique?

I've loved fashion ever since I can remember. What I really love is finding new shops and going to vintage markets, little boutiques etc to find clothes that are different and having my own unique style. I think the mass-produced clothing readily available in shops such as Primark, etc has meant that everyone can dress better for less which is great but has also kind of killed a bit of our British style in a way. So the idea behind Maggie’s Farm came from my own love of shopping everywhere and anywhere, my love of alternatives to the main highstreet players and the need to be individualistic in my style.

Even the shop name reflects this, inspired by the lyrics in Bob Dylan’s song Maggie’s Farm.

Did you study retail or fashion design at university?

Yes, I came top of my class with a First Class degree in Textile and Fashion Design Management – handed to me by British shopping legend Mary Portas.

How do you choose the clothes that you stock?

I rarely pick clothing that I wouldn't wear myself so it's built around that to begin with but obviously I don’t expect (or want) everyone to have the same taste as me so I'm a blogger stalker and I'm at my happiest on my laptop for hours in end strolling through all the amazing fashion blogs we have online now, looking for inspiration! I like to keep in touch with what others are wearing - which is a great thing about blogs- they’re all about personal style!

Where do you source the clothes, especially vintage items?

The vintage items are imported from across Europe and America and everything is hand-picked by myself – which is a task in itself but I want to vet everything before it gets my tag on it! There are so many people claiming to sell " vintage" nowadays that people think that vintage is just any old stuff from charity shops but suddenly by calling it vintage, it's cool. So I get self-satisfaction in selling original designs with real history behind them that have withstood the test of time and are still stylish in this day in age. It's true what they say, fashion may come and go but style lasts forever.

Do you rework the clothes or do you have someone who does it for you?

Yes – I have my own reworked vintage label which I stock in Topshop called Maggie’s Farm Boutique – it gives the customer the opportunity to mix up their outfit with a reworked garment or original piece of vintage and make it more unique to suit their personality. Because we do vintage staples like reworked Levi shorts/jackets etc, these are done more in bulk. All of our reworked items are professionally done in factories. And then obviously the untouched, original one off pieces are all handpicked – so you have vintage from either end of the spectrum.

Who is your style icon?

Aw! Hard one! Ok, too many and most of them are everyday girls with fashion blogs. But I've got love for Jesse Jo, Alison Mosshart and Mary-kate Olsen.

If you could collaborate with any fashion designer, who would it be? 

I love Hedi Slimane and that he combines his passion for music directly with his fashion work and creates more of a lifestyle brand rather than "this is what's in right now, and this is what's out". It would be amazing to go round the underground clubs with him and create some looks!

If your shop was a stylish person, who would it be?

It would be Ms Vintage Virgin from the blogging world!



Dolly Recommends! Go follow if you're not already! I love her cool, totally original style...!



If you could include any designer in your boutique, which would you choose?

I've got mad love for 80s/90s Chanel and Versace (and stock vintage Chanel jewellery in the boutique) but I'd love Chloe, Stella McCartney and Alexander Wang if I was in a dream world, for their simplistic staple styles.

Simplistic style...
Dress, Chloe | Top, Stella McCartney | Sunnies, Alexander Wang
All available today from net-a-porter.com

Describe 'Maggie's Farm' in your own way...

“Well I try my best to be just like I am, but everybody wants you to be just like them, they sing while you slave and I just get bored, I ain't gonna work on Maggie’s farm no more...” Lyrics from the Bob Dylan song, Maggie’s Farm.

What are your future plans for Maggie's?

A website coming very soon and another boutique in a completely different location! 

Reveal your favourite item(s) in store right now? 

The leather on this vintage jacket is amazing plus it has studs and a fur collar!
And I love my music so the Stone Roses t-shirt (underneath) will be getting thrown on with everything.

Jacket, £65.00 | T-shirt, £25.00

I’ll update you, my lovely readers, when the website is live, but in the meantime, you can show your love via the Facebook page - click here…

What do you think of Maggie's Farm Boutique? Been there? Wish you could be there? Do you have a favourite boutique in your city that you’d recommend?

Love from boutique Dolly x