Understanding Oxford Boutiques

By Erin Foley

HottyToddy Fashion Contributor

Moving from a Northern town with no boutiques and only large shopping centers with mainstream clothing stores, I was baffled by the amount of boutiques in Oxford. The Square never fails to amaze me with not only its beauty but also with its tons of boutique shopping.

Despite growing up so close to Boston, I was shocked to see so many of the picture-perfect boutiques here in Oxford. According to visitoxfordms.com, there are about 23 boutiques in Oxford. I always thought they were somethinbg of a myth, since we have none in the North. 

Luckily for me, I’ve met a couple of people who have worked in these shops. One is Ole Miss freshman Layton Lawhead, who worked at Neilson’s Boutique. 

Neilson’s Department Store is one of the oldest department stores in Mississippi and the biggest store on the Square. Lawhead worked there during the summer and into the school year, giving up the job because of a heavy courseload at Ole Miss. However, she will be working there over holiday breaks to help out with one of their busiest times of the year. 

“Working at Neilson’s is awesome and they have the best environment,” Lawhead said, “but it became too much balancing school and a job.”  

When I made my way to the Square for the first time, the Neilson’s building stood out. As I entered the store, I was amazed at all the beautiful, expensive merchandise.

What surprised me even more was that every boutique had its own flavor and personality, yet they were similar in their price tags. Lawhead noted that rent on the Square is expensive, and each boutique is carefully curated, so prices do tend to be a little higher. 

“The Square’s selection is going to be a little more expensive,” she said, “but my advice is to find pieces that are more of a statement piece and something you are really in love with.”

While the holidays are huge for these boutiques, game days can be just as busy. On game weekends, Lawhead says, business picks up on Thursday and does not stop until Sunday, with its busiest time being Friday afternoon. 

Of course, since I’m not a local, I had no idea about how packed the Square can get. I knew it would be busy, but I never expected to be driving around for nearly an hour during the LSU weekend trying to find a parking spot on the Square. I eventually gave up and returned to my dorm empty-handed.

Along with the amazing and unique clothes, the people are a huge positive to working on the Square. You never know who you will see or meet there, especially during football season. 

“My last day before I had to quit, I was talking to this really nice woman who was telling me about her kids who went to Ole Miss,” Lawhead said. “They sounded very familiar but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it until she left. I realized I just checked out Leigh Ann Tuohy, the mom from The Blindside.”