Lotte Boutique — Local services in Annandale

Really cute little Korean clothing and accessories boutique!! I'm a fan of Korean style/aesthetic, and have always wanted to visit one of the little boutiques in Annandale, VA. I ventured in and was wooed to make several lovely purchases by the very attentive shopkeeper! One cool thing is that we discovered we have variants of the same surname! (My husband is half Korean.) It's a relatively uncommon Korean name, so that was pretty neat. I probably wouldn't have bought anything (the items were a bit pricey for my income), but Kum (the nice shopkeeper) gave me discounts after I asked if there were any sale items. I realized that you can definitely barter a bit, especially if it's your first time. They want to make you a repeat customer!

I was surprised by the pretty leather handbags. They were a bit too expensive for me, but my eye was caught. They have a variety of colors and styles (more unique than you'll find at TJ Maxx). The clothing was interesting. A lot of the styles were not quite for me (intentionally loose blouses with pretty involved/sparkly patterns), but there were a few that I absolutely loved. I ended up getting two BEAUTIFUL flowy skirts, of very good quality. It's so hard to find delicately made, modest, beautifully worked skirts like these. I bought a blouse that has a lovely pattern (it's a fabric that Kum assured me is sought-after in Korea). I bought the loveliest little tulle scarf (they had a variety of colors...could have bought them all). Kum was constantly checking on me as I was trying things on and brought me tops and bottoms based on what I'd picked out. As a former sales associate for a women's boutique, I can tell you that this strategy WORKS and is actually appreciated by customers who just want a little encouragement (and a little pampering, if I'm being honest!). She even brought me some bold kitten heels...that cracked me up! But I was actually considered some black-and-white striped ones...and I never in a million years would have tried them on without her suggestion.

I also bought something I never thought I'd buy...stylish tennis shoes. They're absolutely adorable (see the photo I posted). They were thoughtfully displayed in the fitting room stall (brilliant marketing move, putting attractive handbags and a variety of shoes in there to catch your eye!). They look like they're emulating a designer (I'm not in the know enough to know which one) and are super cute.

Kum asked me how I'd found her shop. I had seen a few Korean boutiques while getting amazing authentic Korean comfort food, and did a simple search on Apple Maps for "Korean apparel." There are several other boutiques in the area which I look forward to perusing. She said she would love to attract more visitors who aren't Korean. I told her that I agreed, that I thought lots of ladies would love her store. She asked if I could leave a review and I enthusiastically assented!

Visit this store if you want to spend an afternoon imagining what it would be like to shop in Korea! Don't worry...prices are displayed in USD, not Korean won. ;) There's something for everyone here, and I bet you'll be asked where you found...

Nice people, the clothing was nice, though on the pricey side. Be sure to haggle a but. The employee swiped the card but it didn't go through and, instead of using another card, continued to scan the card, scratching it significantly. She did not give back the card on request, causing the card to be locked.. Be sure to use cash should...

Super cute store! Friendly and super helpful customer service. Found two pairs daily formal comfortable shoes. Surely...