I can honestly say that Sojourn is the first locally owned
boutique I came to love. While working my way through graduate school and in my
early teaching days in Bellingham, I used to scrimp and save for that special
piece I’d long coveted through my hours of browsing and window shopping there.
Owner Peggy has great brand representation to appeal to a variety of styles,
body shapes, and ages. For example, my long-legged sister, my fair skinned
mother, and I can all find a piece or two that we not only fall in love with,
but which become staples in our everyday wardrobes. Because that’s what fashion
is really all about at the core, right? Finding a piece that you adore and that
makes you feel good when you put it on. For me, that happens oh-so-many times
when I visit Sojourn. On this visit, owner Peggy was out, but I was well looked
after by Monica, and then later by Sara, two sweet ladies who were incredibly
patient with me as I picked through every rack, shelf, and display to find the
pieces that spoke to me the most. In this visit, I scored a cropped dark wash
pair of Seven jeans that will surely become a mainstay in my Spring 2018
wardrobe, a beautiful dark floral top by Jack with sweet details like bows at
the wrists and a sexy crisscross peek-a-boo across the back, a wine colored
sleeveless lace top by BB Dakota for 50% off, and my new favorite item, a pair
of black satin Free People mules. I can’t wait to start playing mix and match
with these fun pieces.
You can tell by the color and texture of the store’s
offerings that Peggy puts a lot of thought into her purchases. Peggy offers
high end denim by brands like Hudson, but also affordable jeans by Level99. Some
of my favorite Free People items come from Sojourn. Even though we have several
Free People locations in the Seattle area, and Nordstrom carries quite a bit of
their collection, I find that Peggy’s smaller edit of FP are the pieces that
tend to be easier to wear. FP likes to play with volume and proportions, and
that doesn’t always translate to a wearable style for a 30 something like me. I
tried on an adorable faux leather embroidered moto jacket that I would have
taken home if they’d had my size. If you live in Bellingham, go grab one before
they’re gone! They also had an adorable gray floral stitched sweater by Willow
and Clay that also stood out to me.
Peggy’s eye for detail extends to her space. The fitting
rooms feature soft lighting, shabby chic mirrors, and vintage chairs and
clothes hooks. The seating area, or as Monica notes, the “Man Chairs,” are located
just outside the fitting rooms so that you don’t have to traipse across the
store to get a second opinion. A tall three-way mirror sits next to the seating
area for getting those alternate angles, and hung next to the mirror is a
beautiful chandelier giving off an aura of flattering lighting. The whole store
feels like you’re in your best friend’s apartment, trying on her most fun
clothes. To complete the vibe, music sounded over the store from a specially
curated playlist by Monica, including old school hits like Puff Daddy and newer
hits like Demi Lovato’s “Sorry Not Sorry.” If you happen to be in Bellingham,
Sojourn is a must visit, but even if you don’t, it’s worth the trip! And if you
need a pick-me-up after all the shopping, you should pop over to Avellino, a
couple doors down from Sojourn. Avellino is the perfect complement to Sojourn
with its eclectic, mismatched tables and chairs tucked under beautiful, assorted
antique chandeliers. Their homemade biscotti is not to be missed.
Pics from Sojourn
Biscotti at Avellino
