Skirt & Satchel owner Andy McManis holds a crimson velvet diva dress by Steady ($78). Photo by Martin Boling

BY SOPHIE RAYMOND

A display features items by female makers, including soaps and candles by Zolia Vera ($8–$22), Hemleva brass planters ($29–$60), and a MaiTai graphic tee ($24) that offers reminders to add whimsy to your week. Photo by Martin Boling

Andy McManis says fashion has always been a big part of her life, from making her own clothes with her mother to working at a boutique that offered styling services for celebrity clients, including concert promoters, music video producers—even the World Music Awards. Now, as owner of Skirt & Satchel, McManis has brought her fashion sense to Bloomington, targeting the city’s young professionals.

“It’s an underserved market because so many stores are catering to college students,” McManis, 32, says. “Once someone’s out of college and they’re working in Bloomington, they’re a little bit left out.”

McManis earned a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University and a master’s from the

University of Phoenix. After college, she landed a job in finance, leading training programs in three states for a wealth management firm based in Northern California. “And then fashion found me again,” she says. After a frustrating shopping experience, a friend suggested she open her own boutique. Just three weeks later, her shop in downtown Phoenix was up and running.

A little more than two years ago, McManis and her husband, Joseph, now a master’s student at Indiana University, made the move to Bloomington. “We hand-picked Bloomington as a place that would be great for my boutique as well as his career in museum collection management,” McManis says. After opening pop-up shops around town, she says she found her dream space in Fountain Square Mall.

A backpack, with plenty of pockets, is designed for photographers (CamPro by Venque Toronto, $199). Photo by Martin Boling

McManis says Skirt & Satchel carries fun, stylish clothes for young professionals who don’t feel the need to “check their personalities at the door” when they go to work. “It’s stuff you can wear from work to happy hour or from yoga to brunch that makes you feel like you’re representing who you really are,” she says.

Skirt & Satchel offers clothing in sizes XS to 4X, as well as a variety of handbags and gift items. Most prices range from $20–$100. There’s also a beauty bar where customers can test products. “Being able to touch and try stuff is what’s going to make the shopping experience that much better for our customers,” says McManis, who also offers one-on-one styling tips in the store and online.

Skirt & Satchel is located at 101 W. Kirkwood. For more information or to shop online, visit skirtandsatchel.com.