Duo owner Kyle Barber wears a $70 turquoise necklace of her own creation. Photograph by David Phillipich
Because we folks here at Shop Around spend our working (and, let’s face it, non-working) hours scouring the stores of Washington, we’re always delighted to see a new boutique pop up. The most recent on our radar? Duo, a stylish new shop in North Georgetown. Opened the weekend of February 11, owners and sisters Elizabeth Sutphin and Kyle Barber have filled the space with a mix of bohemian-inspired and classic pieces, plus plenty of brightly colored baubles.
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On the racks you’ll find flirty tops from the Addison Story, Dolce Vita, and Collective Concepts, plus preppy-chic day dresses from Ali Ro and Amanda Uprichard. Denim comes from Black Orchard, which Barber likes for its stretchy fit and lower price point. Much to our delight, that lower price point carries through the rest of the inventory: Blouses stick around $60, and dresses top out at $250—a lot easier on the wallet than neighbor Urban Chic, and just as cute.
The real draw, though, is the accessories. Barber has been making her own jewelry since undergrad, and Duo was partially conceived as a selling space for the line.
“My favorite outfit is a white tee and a statement necklace,” says Barber. “And I kept not being able to find pretty jewelry that wasn’t $400. So I started making it for myself.”
Dubbed Hippie Chic, her hand-beaded necklaces, bracelets, and earrings are playfully styled with plenty of jewel tones and neon colors. Some pieces—plenty of which were made in store as Barber minds the shop—even feature elements refurbished from jewelry picked up at suburban thrift shops (Barber frequently sources from the children’s jewelry section at Unique Thrift Store in Falls Church). Prices range from $45 to $100, and Barber is open to custom orders. So open, in fact, that when we mentioned a certain neon turquoise and yellow necklace would be perfect for us if it were just a few inches shorter and had one less strand, she popped it off the wall, made the necessary adjustments, and sold it to us for $10 less. Talk about customer service.
See inside the boutique, and more photos of the Hippie Chic jewelry line, in our slideshow.
Duo. 1624 Wisconsin Ave., NW; 202-652-0837. Open Monday through Saturday 10 to 7, and Sunday noon to 5.
Sarah is the Editor-in-Chief of Washingtonian Bride & Groom, and writes about weddings, fashion, and shopping. Her work has also appeared in Refinery29, Bethesda Magazine, and Washington City Paper, among others. She is a Georgetown University graduate, lives in Columbia Heights, and you can find her on Instagram at @washbridegroom and @sarahzlot.
