Nashville Series – The Hills – Calypso and H Audrey

The Hills Shopping Center Nashville 

For most people vacations are relaxing affairs which typically involve a beach, a cruise or perhaps time spent chilling out with family and friends. Not me – my relaxation comes from city trips where there is a little culture and history, fabulous restaurants, but, most importantly, lots of vibrant shopping destinations. One city that ticks all these boxes is Nashville, where I have recently spent a week delighting in all that the so called ‘music city’ has to offer. Don’t worry I’m not about to bore you with vacation anecdotes but I will – starting today – give a brief insight into the fabulous shopping destinations that Nashville has to offer along with my favorite stores and a sneak peak into my best finds.

H Audrey owned by Singer/Songwriter Holly William (daughter of Hank Williams Jnr)

My first port of call was The Hills outdoor shopping center which hosts a balanced mix of branded retailers and boutiques. Talk about perfect timing – I hit the eponymous H. Audrey boutique, owned by singer/songwriter Holly Williams, the very day they went into sale!  Ms Williams is also the buyer for H. Audrey and certainly has a keen eye for European designers with a representation of labels such as MiH, IRO, Rag & Bone, Current/Elliott, Helmut Lang, Rick Owens, Yigal Azrouel and Hanii Y available in her store.

IRO Norma Blazer found on sale at H Audrey

After a quick scout around H Audrey, I picked up a last season ‘Norma’ jacket by the French label, IRO, in a timeless biker style which will prove invaluable next season. Reduced from $700 – $125 it certainly was a good start to my day!  I was also looking to stock up on good quality basics so a seasonal stripe tee by Demylee (see below), also marked down, was a must.

Calypso St Barth, The Hills Shopping Center, Nashville

A stones throw away from H Audrey is the recently opened Calypso St Barth which sells vacation-vibe, casual wear such as tastefully printed kaftans and on-trend linen/cotton separates. In a smart marketing move, Calpso have aligned themselves with other labels such AG Jeans, Chan Luu and Velvet whose designs sit perfectly adjacent their own brand pieces.

While in Calypso, I was assisted by a delightful (and stunning) associate, Laura, who introduced me to the new ‘stilt satin finish’ white jeans by AG (above) which happen to be the best I have found this season. This stilt option is non transparent with just the right amount of stretch –  key for the perfect white jeans. I also picked up a Chan Luu cashmere/silk scarf on sale (yes another one) and a gorgeous Calypso white gauze cotton/silk blend blouse! Calypso, is without doubt, the best store to hit if you are heading out to an exotic location or beach vacation. You can also check out Calypso online

Top: Demylee. Pants: AG Stilts. Sandals: Tory Burch Regan. Bag: Jason Wu for Target (old). Aviators: Tory Burch(old). Pendant: Dream Mullick

Other noteworthy stores at The Hills: POSH ( an eclectic array of  affordable trend pieces with a mix of designer options). The Perfect Pair: A block away on Bandywood Drive and great source for shoes and unique jewelry lines.