Material Girl Finds
Dress, $175
With the strand of fake chili peppers outside its front door and the other Southwestern design elements in the window, I figured the Southern Exposure
store in Westbrook (there's also a sister store in Mystic) would be chock full of turquoise and Western wear.
I was surprised to find a wide variety of beautiful clothes, jewelry, shoes and accessories when I walked through the door. From jeans and crisp white blouses to reasonably priced wide leather belts, the store had a sumptuous collection of goods, including this lovely calf-length black and white dress with a wide-ruffled ruching at the hem.
Southern exposure Shops at Water's Edge
1587 Boston Post Road, Westbrook 860.399.4445
Olde Mistick Village 27 Coogan Blvd., Mystic 860.572.1007.
Iron plant stands, from $27.99-$47.99
Strolling the grounds of the Salem Herbfarm feels sometimes like you're walking through someone's private garden. Brightly colored handmade chairs of rough-hewn wood with plants on their seats are situated throughout the grounds. Huge arbors and pergolas hold dozens more of the beautiful plants the Route 85 farm sells. These iron plant stands are perfect for adding a little height to your garden and range from about 18 to 30 inches. They're part of a large collection of garden goods the herbfarm sells in its gift shop.
Salem Herb Farm
320 Hartford Road
Salem
860.859.3344
Bronze peacock glass sculpture, $4,200
Missourian artists Tom and Julie Bloyd made this extravagant and colorful blown glass sculpture, which stands three feet tall and is 40 inches wide. It's one of several sculptures sold at Puffins, a boutique in the heart of Watch Hill, where you can also find an eclectic blend of clothing, jewelry and home decor.
Puffins of Watch Hill
60 Bay St.
Westerly
401.596.1140
Pendant, $525
There's something primitive in the creations of Holly Masterson, a jewelry artist based in Santa Fe, who sells some of her work at Clad In in Mystic. This pendant, or what Masterson calls an "adornment," is part of a collection she refers to as "gatherings." The individual pieces of the pendant, which can be worn on one of her handmade silver chains or a piece of leather, represent a blend of artifacts and beads that reflect Masterson's style of ancient contemporary jewelry.
Clad In 24 West Main Street
Mystic, 860.572.8442
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