Sandylew gives women's apparel a good name

Seattle's newest boutique, Sandylew, which opened March 1 near Pike Place Market, is a refreshing new addition to the downtown shopping scene. Displaying an urbane eye for style, owner Sandy Lew, a local metal artist and jeweler, offers unique clothing and accessories for women of all ages.

The shop occupies the First Avenue space that Three Dog Bakery vacated when it moved a few doors north. Its motto is "having fun getting dressed," and the clothes, jewelry and accessories contained within prove it.

Nouveau parachute pants ($97-$125) in the softest cotton from the Dutch line ART and chic deconstructed tops ($168) from Turkish designer BNG share the racks with well-priced and eco-friendly vegan handbags from amykathryn ($105). Constructed from faux leather and custom-printed fabrics, these handbags are in the running to become my new spring purse.

Vibrant, polka-dotted tops in modern silhouettes ($161) from Whitley by Johnny Was are particularly adorable, as are the boxy cotton fleece jackets from The Truth Is ($130).

Lew's own fashion-inspired steel and mixed-media dress sculptures grace the walls of her boutique, and the display cases showcase her jewelry ($50-$250), made with beaded gemstones and sterling silver, as well as innovative pieces made of window screening. Other highlights from the jewelry cases are gorgeous oversized resin chains in translucent oranges and greens ($148), and chunky wooden rings from Pono ($80).

Lew focuses on edgy, fashion-forward clothes that don't insist you have a size-2 body to look fabulous in them. "I think it is all about giving every woman an opportunity to have style, have fun and give herself a chance to try some new looks," she says. We'll shop to that!

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