News & Politics

Five Favorite Shops

Middleburg has boutiques selling everything from hip dresses to antique knickknacks. A shopper picks her favorites.

During the week, Cynthia O’Connor runs a New York City fashion showroom. She founded the business in 1992, and since then her company has helped launch designers such as Kate Spade and Lela Rose.

Weekends are for relaxing with family at their home in Middleburg; her husband, Fuller O’Connor, works at FBR, a financial firm in Arlington.

“Middleburg is so charming, and I love that it has everything on one long street—a friendly social scene with wonderful shops and eats,” she says.

Here are O’Connor’s favorite stops for a Saturday of shopping in Middleburg:

Beauty shop: “Beyond the Pale (22 E. Washington St.; 540-687-8050) has every kind of cosmetic product or beauty-related gadget you can think of. They carry some of my favorites—Molton Brown hand soap and DDF skincare products.”

For clothing and accessories: “Tully Rector (13 E. Washington St.; 540-687-5858) has a sophisticated assortment. Karen, the owner, makes sure that women of all ages can find the perfect dress, shoe, handbag, jeans, you name it. They carry Tory Burch, Milly, L.A.M.B., Rachel Roy, Three Dots knits, Citizens of Humanity jeans, Botkier handbags.”

More accessories: “Lou Lou Too (18 E. Washington St.; 540-687-4204) has goodies for people of any age, like Hadley Pollet, Echo handbags and scarves, and vintage-looking hats, scarves, and costume jewelry.”

For the hipster: “I love Clothes Minded Boutique (3 N. Liberty St.; 540-687-4774)—a cute store. My 14-year-old daughter and I shop there as well as the girls from Foxcroft School. It carries lines such as BCBG, French Connection, Alice & Trixie, and Michael Stars.”

Antique finds: “Middleburg Antique Emporium (107 W. Washington St.; 540-687-8680; middleburgeantiqueemporium.com) has beautiful antique furniture, wonderful little silver collectibles, and Staffordshire ceramics. The knickknacks are plentiful and at all price points. We have an old 1800s house in Middleburg—it’s been fun decorating with antiques.”

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