Photo of Myrtle owner Whitney Bickers by Megan McIsaac.
I've gotten to know Myrtle owner Whitney Bickers a little bit over the past month and not only does she run her own insanely cool, well-edited shop full of vintage finds and new designs for your wardrobe and home, but she is also whip-smart and totally hilarious. Can't wait to party with her this weekend! Check out her store! And her Q&A, which is right under these awesome Polaroids from the most recent Myrtle shoot by Megan McIsaac.
If not in Los Angeles, I would live in...Brooklyn in my dream life, but probably in Louisville (near my family).My dream holiday would be to...go to South America or back to Sicily which was the most dreamy holiday I've ever taken.
My current obsessions are...
Food: I just traveled to New Orleans for the first time so beignets, bananas foster, cafe au lait, gumbo, seafood...I could go on!
Music: Probably Watch the Throne! I saw a shirt recently that said "rap music makes me feel invincible" which is definitely true for me while working out or in high-stress times. In the shop though, I love when "I Get The Neck of the Chicken" plays on the jazz station and I play old Dolly Parton when the record player feels like working.
Fashion: My first love in fashion was Valentino (thanks Westerville Public Library!) and the recent collections have been so stunning. On the out-of-budget list I would also have to say Proenza Schouler and Jenny Packham. For my actual closet, it's the designers I carry here--Ermie, Filly, Hetterson, Dusen Dusen, and a few too small to retail: Wiksten, Rennes, Primoeza. And vintage! I am a sucker for a crazy detail on a vintage dress.
Retail Stores: This list would be endless for me! So I will restrict it to the ones I have been in for hours, forced others to go to, and never ever walked out of empty handed: Aunt Artie's Antique Mall and Cake Ladies Dream Shoppe (both New Albany, IN) and Legendary Beast (Washington DC). The concept of having my own 'dream shoppe' helped me get over some of the hurdles of opening Myrtle as well.
I channel my childhood self when I... play with clothes. One of my earliest memories is my grandmother letting me play with the hem of her silk slip in church. She would also let me play with things in her amazing closet whenever we visited and I'm honored to have inherited some of her things. I also still totally wear the shirt I wore for my seventh grade school picture—thanks boxy 90s cuts!
The fictional character I most relate to is...Alexander in Where the Wild Things Are.
If I had to be outdoors all day I would...have a good book; whether an outdoor cafe or the beach, I like to read outside.
My favorite quality in a man is...strong hugs.
My favorite quality in a woman is...steadfastness. And the ability to call everyone "honey" with sincerity.
I'm terrified of... everything! Not really, but I can make a mountain out of a molehill; starting your own business does bring up countless problem scenarios I've never thought of. Also, to my boyfriend's amusement, the planetarium show—the infiniteness of space! Terrifying.
My dream car is a...a tiny 1970s/80s Fiat.
My cocktail of choice is...scotch & soda. If I go to a fancy bar, I'll sometimes get an old fashioned or a gin drink instead.
My celebrity crush is...Jason Schwartzman.
My beauty product of choice is...most days I only manage three things: drugstore mascara, Nars blush, and cherry Chapstick.
My friends and I like to...eat brunch, preferably with cocktails.
If I could go back in time for one decade it would be...this is tricky! I'd have some fashion answers but really it would have to be a time when women had a lot of autonomy and optimism about what they could do and be. Maybe the 1920s? I'd love to hang out with writers and artists like Anita Loos and Elsa Schiaparelli.
As a teenager I was totally into...movies. I worked at a theater and would watch anything at any hour on TCM and IFC, this is what made me move to Los Angeles in the first place.
I tend to splurge on...my closet! Though I am really coveting a handmade chair at Heath Ceramics right now.
Drinking men's drinks, wearing boy's hair, and being the boss, but doing it as a lady...is what makes me have Tomboy Style.
THIS SATURDAY COME OUT AND CELEBRATE WITH US!
