There’s something about putting on a pretty new dress that makes us feel confident, empowered, and beautiful. Whether we’re dressing up for a special occasion, or because we just feel like being fancy for a change, the perfect dress is a necessary staple in every woman’s closet. Searching for yours? No worries, I’ve got a solution!
Based out of Honolulu, Hawaii, Lime Tree Boutique carries a variety of fashionable finds, from cardigans to scarves and even plus-sized clothing, but they also happen to sell the cutest dresses. Literally. Owner Meloney Thill says dresses are her best sellers, and that totally makes sense once you browse the selection. Lime Tree’s variety is colorful, feminine, fun, and fresh, as new items are added to the online-only boutique weekly!
KA – Tell me about yourself and what inspired you to open Lime Tree Boutique.
MT – I am a stay at home mom to two amazing little people. My daughter Riley is 3 and my son Liam will be 2 in a few months. Before becoming a mom, I worked in the fashion industry as an associate buyer and assistant buyer. I studied fashion design and it has always been my passion. I was born and raised in South-Africa. As a young girl my Barbies always wore “designer clothes” all made by me. Later in high school, I started designing and making my own outfits, some not so great and others that were really fun. So as you can see, fashion has always played a part in my life. My grandmother taught me to sew and I would spend hours at her house working on projects. After college, I went to live in London for 3.5 years. This is where I met my husband. He was a sailor in the U.S Navy at the time working at the American Embassy. After our time in London was done, we moved to San Diego which is where I started my official career in fashion. I started working at Charlotte Russe buying office as an assistant buyer in tops. My dreams where coming true. I was in a job I loved and could learn and grow. Almost 5 years later I had my daughter. I originally planned to go back to work but life did not work out that way. My husband had to relocate due to military obligations and with a tiny one month old baby at home, I decided to become a stay at home mom instead of searching for a new job and starting over. It was a hard decision as I truly loved what I did but we relocated to an area where working in fashion was not really possible. 1.5 years later Liam joined our little crew and we could not be happier. I loved being home with my babies, but terribly missed having a job and just doing what I loved. I have been playing around with the idea of opening my own boutique for a long time but the fear of failing was also very real. I am not sure what changed but I woke up one morning and told my husband I am doing this and Lime Tree Boutique was born. I decided to do an online boutique as it would be a lot easier to move my business with me if we had to relocate again, which was a very real possibility with military obligations. Lime Tree Boutique started in Maryland with us and has now relocated to Hawaii and will continue to follow us as we go where my husband is needed. It is the perfect job for me. I still get to spend time with my babies at home and I get to do what I love.
KA – What is the typical Lime Tree Boutique customer like?
MT – My customers are mostly women in their mid 20’s, some younger, through their mid 40’s. They are women who like to be bold and like to stand out in a crowd. They like to have clothing you cannot find everyday in your department stores. I have had a lot of return customers and I even have a few that pretty much own one of each item in my store.
KA – What sets Lime Tree Boutique apart from other online-only boutiques?
MT – I think the fact that I truly search for Items of quality and things I love. I do not just purchase anything and everything. I spend hours searching for just the right things. I may not have as big of a selection as some other boutiques but I do try and find things that will be fun, sassy and comfortable. I also believe customer service is huge. I do try and make my customers happy in every aspect. If they ask me for an item that is sold out or something they are looking for, I will make it my mission to try and help them out. I am also more than happy to return items if the fit was not right or if there was something else the person did not like. I really want my customer to be happy with their purchase. I want them to feel satisfied and most of all I want them to feel special in what they wear. I want every girl that wears any of my items to feel beautiful and happy with herself. I provide boutique clothing, but not at the high end boutique prices, so it is available and affordable for more women.
Not only does Meloney spend a significant amount of time finding items to add to her store each week, but she also offers free shipping to her customers on all orders to the contiguous US! Amazing, exclusive boutique clothes and free shipping? Sounds like a huge win to me. To find out more about Lime Tree Boutique and to check out its amazing selection of dresses (ahem!) and other women’s apparel, go to their website or Facebook page.
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