This month, meet two local fashionistas and boutique owners: Mandy Becker of Swagger and Catherine Carter of The Gatorbug. Mandy and Catherine share their experiences in the fashion industry and list the wardrobe staples every woman should have. We discuss:

• The leather pants trend currently prevalent in Europe—and catching on in the U.S.—and Europe's influence on fashion.
• Mandy's trip to Barcelona and the Mediterranean, which focused on food and wine culture.
• The background of Swagger Boutique: founded in 2002 by Mandy, who attended Georgia Tech and studied to be an engineer. After several years of working as an engineer, she decided to open Swagger.
• Mandy's initial focus was to open Swagger as a gift store, but she expanded the offerings to include clothing in 2011 in response to customer demand.
• Challenges in transitioning from selling gifts to clothing, including different buying cycles.
• Mandy's learning curve in understanding fashion, styling and adapting to trends.
• Studying body types, outfit composition and how in-store stylists can help customers pick out the right pieces.
• Attending market in L.A. to bring fresh ideas back to North Carolina.
• Swagger Boutique's Raleigh and Cary locations, including its Lochmere Pavilion store in Cary, where Swagger is one of the original tenants.
• The importance of supporting small businesses in the community.
• Catherine Carter's grandmother, Patricia, started an online business that she named "The Gatorbug," a nickname for her grandkids.
• Catherine and her cousin Sydney Jarrell opened a boutique after Catherine's graduation from North Carolina State University.
• Catherine studied brand management and marketing at NCSU.
• The Gatorbug now has three locations: in Raleigh's Midtown East shopping center, Cary's Fenton development and Atlantic Beach's Atlantic Station shopping center.
• Current fashion trends include pops of color, cobalt (the color of the year), pastels, and vintage-inspired styles such as wide-leg flares and ’90s trends.
• The different customer bases for each location of The Gatorbug.
• Catherine and Sydney attend fashion markets quarterly to source products for their stores.
• The duo uses their education and experience to manage budgets and store inventory effectively.