Bringing You Boutique Women's Fashion in Harrisburg
“Shifting energy around is always a good thing.” - Jenna
Here at Plum Bottom we like to think we are constantly transforming. We try to learn from our mistakes and revel in our triumphs. We strive to learn from our past, but not remain stalled in it. The past year has brought many changes. The biggest of which was opening the Camp Hill location; a space that we are excited to say is thriving. Since we are not ones to remain stagnant, we decided to embark new on the journey. A few seasons ago we successfully introduced Mauritius leather jackets and Commando faux leather leggings. At the same time, several clothing stores closed at the Shoppes at Susquehanna Marketplace (home of our Harrisburg store). We realized adding a capsule collections of tops, pants and jackets to our Harrisburg location would create freshness and excitement that would allow us to continue to thrive in Harrisburg, too.
Lauren, Jenna, myself (Andrea) and my husband Gary recently visited NYC for Coterie—a venue for exploring new brands of ready-to-wear clothing and accessories--to select a few lines that we believe will be an ideal fit for our clientele. That show gave us more direction as we discovered brands that were focused on “Slow Fashion”. These brands advocate for manufacturing that respects the people and environment in the creation of their product. We also want to make sure we are bringing you something unique. We don’t want to bring in brands already carried by our Sisters in Surrounding Business Boutiques (SSBB). Good news—we found many new-to-you brands that we love!
Enjoying our buying trip to NYC! I love these girls...and that guy :)
One of our favorites is ETICA, based in Los Angeles. ETICA uses equipment, wash techniques and sustainable sourcing to reduce water usage, energy consumption and chemical usage as compared to other “Fast Fashion” brands. ETICA recycles its water for local farmland, even compressing the stones used to wash their product into bricks for low-income housing. They are committed to workers’ rights and environmental initiatives. In addition to all this...their products are just really cool! ETICA uses upcycled fiber made from recycled cotton. ETICA is feel good fashion at its finest.
Jenna pairs the ETICA Utility Shaket (that’s a shirt/jacket for those in the know ;) with Commando joggers. This versatile piece is a fabulous transitional style.
We’re always on the lookout for a great new pair of jeans. No matter how many we have, we always seem to want more! If you’ve never splurged on a pair of “good” jeans, you’ll see the difference as soon as you put them on. Just Black Denim offers premium quality denim at affordable pricing. They are also committed to local US manufacturing, which is music to our ears. We have a variety of styles including skinny and the newly popular wide legged style.
Our most popular style has been the wide leg Utility Jean in both blue denim and clay. We know not everyone is as gung-ho about the lean towards higher waists and wider legs in fashion. We feel you. But really you should try the trend before you throw it out the window. There is a great freedom that comes with the look...especially after, many of us (speaking from experience) have been in lockdown, the weather has us abandoning our daily walks and our bodies are not quite swimsuit ready. We would love to get your feedback as we explore the world of denim.
During this season where you have absolutely no idea how to dress according to the weather, and your beach body isn’t quite ready to hit the sand, we love the idea of a good kimono. Powder Designs out of Edinburgh, Scotland makes kimonos are lightweight, flowy and fabulous. The colors and designs are vibrant and varied. We also added a few hats to the mix. The packaging alone that comes with these styles are works of art...or as my daughter Celeste would say “aesthetically pleasing”.
Pair these kimonos with a white t-shirt, jeans and one of the many variety of clogs we are offering in-store and you are ready go!
In addition to clothing lines, we have also curated a few more jewelry lines that we can’t wait for you to experience. Corda, is an inter-woven line of cotton cords and beadwork, designed by Martha Stewart’s former Craft Editor. She works with a small group of at-risk women from New Delhi, providing fair wage employment. And check out Los Colores de la Tierra, a designer that works with Mayan artisans in Guatemala. You will be floored by proprietary design of the handmade beads that make up these exquisite pieces of art for your ears.
These are just a few of the many brands that we have introduced to our Harrisburg location. We have really tried to curate a collection that is exciting, with easy to mix pieces that you can integrate into your wardrobe. While we are thrilled with all the “slow fashion” brands, we have also brought in some quick collections of more “fast fashion” styles to the mix. The price point of the combination runs the gamut with our average price point floating in somewhere around $75. We want to bring you a collection that reflects our own purchasing ideals by investing more on items that you will carry from season to season, while pairing these essentials with lesser priced items that reflect your style, but you don’t expect to hold onto forever.
And as far as what “style” will you find at Plum Bottom? Check out our “Style” tags on the menu of our website. From Boho to Sleek, from Romantic to Sporty, we are not defined by one style, we are the eclectic mix of all things. We’re also still exploring, so if there is a brand that you particularly love that no one carries in our area we want to know about it. Drop us a line in the comments. Talk to us up in the store. We are always looking to expand our horizons, especially when it comes to fashion.
While we endeavor to get as much as possible on our website, only about half of our clothing and accessories are currently featured. Stop by our Harrisburg store to experience the full range of our selection. In Camp Hill you'll find a petite collection of jackets and accessories.
One last note. We are so proud to be a part of SSBB. If you missed that acronym, it’s something I made up...but totally feel in my soul. We love that we live in an area that is vibrant with amazing women owned boutiques. We encourage you to visit them: on the West Shore there is Clothesvine in Carlisle, Three Little Birds in Mechanicsburg, our next door neighbor Little Black Dress in Camp Hill; Presence, Maggie Adams, The Plum all on the same stretch of Gettysburg Road in Camp Hill. On the East Shore there's Annabel's in Harrisburg, Simply J in Hershey, and Taupe in Lancaster. By supporting one--or we hope all--of these small businesses, you are insuring the vitality of your community. These businesses are the ones that support you locally with their contributions for the small-town events which enrich all our lives by fostering community and adding to the unique style of Central Pennsylvania. They appreciate your business, as do we. We promise to continue to work to make Plum Bottom your “Must Shop” favorite.
All our Best, Andrea and Carla
