Ah, it's that time of year again. Sleigh bells are ringing, holiday department store music is on repeat, and we are here to tell you about the BEST gift ideas for TWENTY BUCKS and below!
Gone are the days of trying to find the perfect gift that is just the right blend of trendy-yet-affordable-yet-unique-yet-special with a sprinkle of holiday cheer.
We happen to have the CUTEST $20 and under gift ideas to be had!
Unless the perfect gift has fallen right into my lap, I usually will debate what to get friends and family for the holidays. Do I choose one large gift? Do I compile several adorable, smaller items into a basket? While the meaning of the Christmas season does not lie in giving gifts, it is an excellent way to express love to family and friends.
The cutest gifts from Brick and Motor have arrived for your shopping pleasure! Between choosing a Secret Santa gift under $25 or trying to find a few little additions for your bestie’s gift, look no further!
The ever-so-famous belt bag has stolen the accessory show this year, for good reason. Say goodbye to shoulder cramps from your clunky crossbody and store all of your necessities while staying handsfree!
Pair the belt bag with a super cute smart watch band–there are few feelings better than running errands in perfectly accessorized athleisure while sipping a coffee. Right?
Ditch the holiday ribbon that may or may not see the top of a package next year or the inside of a garbage bag this year and replace it with an adorable holiday scrunchie or clip fastened to the top of a gift! It will bring just the right amount of flair while also giving a little extra something to your loved one.
While an ornament is a holiday staple, it has earned its place for good reason. Perfect for coworkers or a gift topper, our ornaments are sure to make you smile.
]]>While I love a good crewneck (and we certainly have more than a few cute ones), there is something to be said about the most comfortable tee. It can be slouchy and oversized and baggy in all the right ways, but also lighter and breezier in even better ways than a crewneck.
I always thought that bipolar weather was a strict characteristic of the Midwest, but living on the West Coast has shown me that this is not always true. What does differ, however, is the way that the residents of said area speak of the weather—there is something about discussing the weather with a fellow Midwesterner that you can’t find anywhere else.
While a crewneck can be cozy, the oversized tee offers layered options. Chilly in the morning? Layered jean jacket. 90 degrees at the pumpkin patch in the middle of October at noon? Cast that jacket aside, baby. Watching a Hallmark movie with an emotional support cup of tea? Chuck on that chunky sweater. You don’t have to suffer, trust us.
The oversized tea is the pinnacle of “dress it up or dress it down,” the phrase constantly uttered in dressing rooms across the globe to convince one or more parties that the piece in question is, in fact, worth it. In this case, it truly is. Check out four of our favorite ways to style our “Spice Girl” tee for the season!
Biker shorts. Period. Full stop. Anything paired with biker shorts ensures a look that screams “effortlessly running errands while on a busy street in New York and ~please~ don’t take my photo.” Paired with a hat to get out of styling my hair and a cute pair of socks to bring a little dimension to my sneakers and I am off, grocery list in hand and latte in heart.
You can find these Biker Shorts at the boutique, and I can’t recommend them more. They are incredibly soft and comfortable, but they also hold up to the test of HITT workouts. Bonus for both!
Cue the chunky sweater, Hallmark movie, and emotional support cup to tea. Something about a cute tee and a sweater just makes the air feel a little crisper, the coffee a little sweeter, and the house a little cozier. Even on a Sunday at home or a night in, I am always down for an ice cream run because I feel so cozy but still look cute.
Rolling and tucking a t-shirt is a booming trend this year, and Pinterest will tell you a thousand-and-one-ways you can tuck or roll your shirt. No matter if you tuck it into your bra or use a hair tie, styling the oversized tee with a skirt or overtop of a dress creates this style mixing vibe, kind of like the way chunky boots look great with a dress.
If nothing else, never forget that a tee shirt looks great with a pair of jeans and a cute pair of shoes, no matter WHAT!
Written by: Peyton Maechtle
Meet baby claws, the flyaway problem solver you didn’t even know that you needed. The 90s trend of butterfly clipping hair away from your face is absolutely adorable, and yes, we are here for it. BUT, have you ever thought about bringing baby claws into other areas of your life, say to combat those annoying bits of hair that NEVER stay down during a gym-session? Creating a little twisted halo with my baby clips before bringing all of my hair into a ponytail has CHANGED. THE. GAME. I base 25% of my exercise success on how I feel and I feel 100% cuter with my baby claws saving me from what my highschool friends lovingly dubbed the clown halo. Life changing sounds dramatic, but it’s true.
In a claw clip renaissance, it's easy to get lost in the twist-it-and-clip-it mentality. Flower Claws have entered the chat. The slightly larger width of the flower claw allows it to grab onto more hair than a traditional claw, meaning it's perfect for those messy-but-chic looks. My personal favorite? I throw my hair into a messy bun and secure my flower claw at the base of the bun, taking my hair and making it look intentionally adorable.
Alas, the scrunchie. Not only is the scrunchie a standard hair accessory that has withstood the test of time, but it is also the cutest functional piece of arm candy there is. Creating a wrist stack can bring such a unique texture to your wrist and adding a scrunchie adds such a fun layer.
It’s time to say goodbye to the key chains that noisily bang around in your purse, your pocket, or your ignition. Keys remind me of the all too famous junk drawer, in the sense that you don’t realize how bad it is until you see it with fresh eyes. I removed my tarnished and broken chains and was shocked at how much smaller my set was. Slip on an adorable sparkly, incredibly light resin initial keychain and strut your stuff, seriously. It’s the little things in life, like walking through the grocery store and seeing my cute little P hanging from my keys.
To be completely transparent, I lose many things, and mostly the important things. After attaching the phone charm to my phone case, I realized that I would never be able to live a life without the charms again. On a purely aesthetic level, the beaded charms are adorable and bring such a fun spark of spunk to my phone. On a much more important level–the scatterbrain level–I can wear my phone around my wrist (hands free!) and not worry about setting my phone down to ultimately get left behind. Walking through Target, I can efficiently deny that I need a basket while lugging around a 5lb bag of potatoes because my phone is swinging effortlessly from my wrist. Gone are the days of bulky-phone-case-wristlet-wallets, hello phone charms. :)
]]>Written by: Brooke Hass
Brick and Motor Boutique
DAVENPORT, Iowa -- The Quad Cities offers a wide variety of small businesses, but there is a hidden gem in Rock Island, IL, called Brick and Motor Boutique. Brick and Motor Boutique, established July 23, 2018, is owned and operated by sisters Haley Walker and Lauren Corwin. The two began their business operating out of “Stella,” the duo’s mobile boutique, and through an online store that sells a variety of women’s clothing, accessories and gift items, while being based on a great cause. Each month, the boutique donates five percent of their profits to a local charity or organization to give back to the community that supports them.
Brick and Motor originally began as a “mobile” boutique, which operated out of a trailer with the interior styled for selling. Walker said that, before starting their business, the sisters knew that they wanted to start a boutique together, but they were not sure if they wanted to start a true “brick and mortar” boutique. “Our mobile boutique is definitely the bread and butter of our business,” Walker said. “We have had over 10,000 orders.” Drawing inspiration from online and from other businesses, the duo began planning their dream. “Lauren already had owned a truck, and the mobile boutique was much cheaper and a lot more reliable,” Walker said. “We didn’t want to start with something that we weren’t really sure
about.”
The duo would travel to events such as farmers markets, university pop-up shops and several other events within a three-hour radius of their location. While the sisters did not originally plan to have a storefront location, in November of that year, the Development Association of Rock Island reached out to offer a storefront for the business. “We were planning on using that for about 3 months, for the winter, since we couldn’t operate the mobile boutique outside,” Walker said. “Rent was really cheap down there, so we ended up doing that. That ended up being our storefront today!”
The sisters both worked day jobs after both graduated from Bradley University, Walker with a degree in advertising and marketing and Corwin in finance. Walker worked for a website development company for a year, building upon her marketing and social media experience. Corwin worked for Von Maur, representing the company as a buyer for men’s underwear and ties. While the two were both stable in their positions, they decided to take the leap into being their own bosses. Walker discussed their roots in their entrepreneurial nature, beginning with a project when the two were eight and twelve years old.
“When we were growing up, we were always thinking of ways to start businesses together,” Walker said. “We started a business called In Good Hands. We would help people with doing their yard work and anything else they needed.”
In the future, the duo seeks a franchising opportunity, hopefully opening several boutiques. They also hope to have a solid storefront with, potentially, a coffee bar of sorts to top off their storefront-mobile boutique collection. Walker offered up insight for those seeking to take the leap to owning a small business. “First of all, save up your money,” Walker said. “Second of all, do it. If you are passionate about it, you’ll find success with it.”
Be sure to check out Brick and Motor Boutique on Facebook and Instagram or see their
website at www.brickandmotorboutique.com.
Just when you thought floral might be out, it definitely made its comeback with this adorable dainty summer dress. Our Floral Lace Up Dress is a lightweight style to keep you cool this summer all while remaining high quality material to ensure the white isn't see-through in the slightest bit. The lace up detail on the front and back of the dress and the dainty floral design make it a summer essential in our book.
All we want during summer is a comfy pair of jean shorts that we can wear to any occasion. We have finally found the solution... Brick and Motor Boutique's Paper Bag Shorts. These shorts have already been our summer best seller... and it's not even summer yet! These shorts are a high-waisted style and have an elastic waistband, making them extremely comfy! Shorts run oversized and come in multiple color options.
Having enough swimsuits really isn't possible. Let's be honest, we all have that lake swimsuit, laying out swimsuit, and swimsuit we know looks best in pics. If you are looking for a few new ones to add to your collection, check out the multiple options Brick and Motor Boutique offers. We have adorable two-piece and one-piece styles, like the Polka Dot Swimmy shown here. All of our swimsuits run $26.99, so don't worry about breaking the bank if you have your eye on a few!
In my mind, sandals are similar to swimsuits in the fact that you can never have enough. You need a pair to match all of the different outfits you have, right? This summer Brick and Motor Boutique launched three pairs of adorable sandals. These sandals run $21.99 and come in a striped, leopard, or snakeskin style.
Something the summer is never complete without is a dark tan and a giant pool float. Brick and Motor Boutique has you covered with our wide range of summer pool floats. Everything from the basic unicorn floats to some badass ice dragon pool floats. We have individual pool floats as well as giant pool floats that can fit up to three people. Not to mention our Beer Pong Table Pool Float... our fav one for obvious reasons. You can shop all of these for 20% off this week ONLY.
Get ahead of the game this season and shop all of your summer break essentials with Brick and Motor Boutique before summer officially begins! If you are local to the Quad Cities area, plan on coming to our Kickoff to Summer storefront event, which you can RSVP to here. Happy summer & happy shopping babes!
xoxo,
Lauren & Haley
]]>No matter what type of spring break you have in mind, somewhere warm should always be top of the list. According to U.S. News Travel, top three places for 2019 include Cancun, Miami Beach, and South Padre Island. When looking into spring break destinations, a few of the most important aspects to be considered are its affordability, accessibility, and popularity among the college cohort.
Creating a packing list well before you head out for your vacay is crucial because the last thing you want to do is get to your destination and realize that your ID is in your other wallet or your favorite pair of shoes are no where to be found. Both crucial items. Some packing essentials that should be included on your list are:
Brick and Motor Boutique has a number of trendy sunglasses that won't break the bank... because there is an 80% chance you will lose them. From classic aviators to bright blue mirrored sunnies, we have a style for everyone.
Going with a large group of friends is a guaranteed exciting spring break. Making sure at least a few of these friends have a responsible head on their shoulders is always important though. You don't want to all simultaneously lose your IDs or experience third degree burns. The one item someone in your group should bring is a keychain breathalyzer. Brick and Motor Boutique offers an easy to use keychain breathalyzer for $15.99. Know your limit and make sure you're not going well above this limit, we need you to make it back home alive.
Make sure you not only have saved up for your spring break trip, but that you have at least somewhat of a budget in mind so that you don't blow through your entire bank account the first night. Besides making sure you have a plan for how much you plan on spending and saving up for it, you want to be sure your cash and cards are secure on your trip. Check out our adorable wristlets that are the perfect size - small enough to take it everywhere with you, but big enough to hold all of your essentials. Brick and Motor Boutique offers two different wristlet styles for $12.99, a cheetah print style and a snakeskin style.
When going on spring break one thing you don’t want to see is someone else in the exact same suit... and let’s just say it’s not the easiest finding a quality, unique swimsuit that won’t break the bank. Brick and Motor Boutique has a brand new line of swimsuits that are not only trendy, adorable styles, but all come at a super affordable price (Yes, we beat Target swimsuit prices!). Two of our most popular suits this season is our Pretty in Pink Swimmy and our Tropical Swimmy. Both of these adorable swimsuits are $26.99 for the set.
Hangovers can break a spring break trip if you don't come prepared for them. Some things to make sure you pack to avoid these dreadful mornings are:
Brick and Motor Boutique can help with your brutal mornings with the following self care items we offer. We have a hilarious, silk "Fuck Off" sleep mask for $6.99. We also offer a wide variety of face masks for only $2.99 (in store only) that help with different skin treatments such as hydration, pore cleansing, skin tightening, and more.
We hope that through our spring break guide you have found a few helpful tips when taking on your 2019 spring vacay. Don't lose your phone, don't get sunburnt, and have the absolute time of your life.
xoxo,
Brick and Motor Boutique
]]>Our Sherpa Slipper Socks are not your average fuzzy socks, they are most likely the fuzziest socks you will ever own. They are one size fits most and will keep your toes warm as ever this winter season. They are non-slip socks with grips on the bottom, making them a safe purchase for any age. These fuzzy socks come in 5 different styles as pictured here and are $10.99. And let's face it - you can never go wrong with gifting fuzzy socks.
If you are looking for a more humorous present to gift this year, our dish towels are exactly what you are looking for. We have five different options to choose from for $12.99 with the following sayings:
• "Don't worry dishes, nobody's doing me either."
• "I'm outdoorsy, I like getting drunk on patios."
• "Send Noods."
• "I love Jesus but I drink a little."
• "I don't want none unless you got buns hun."
Let's just say I wouldn't gift the first one to someone without a sense of humor...
More than likely, the women you are gifting to this year have their ears pierced which means you can't go wrong with a badass pair of earrings for them. We have two adorable styles for $14.99 each. The first style are our stone hoop earrings, which are basically Kendra Scott earrings without cringing at the final checkout price. And the second are our unique hexagon earrings. Both of these styles come in multiple color options that you can take a closer look at on our website.
Mittens are a great gift for anyone on your list because we all know we can never have too many pairs. Not to mention, we lose our favorite pair just about every single year. Our mittens are $12.99 and come in three different color options. The fur lined wrist makes them stylish all while keeping your hands toasty warm. They also have an attached string to keep them around your neck, ensuring you'll never lose your favorite pair ever again.
If you are like my family, you do a white elephant gift exchange every year. Whether your budget is $5 or $20, we have the perfect options to choose from. The first white elephant gift for only $6.99 is our "Fuck Off" sleep mask. The perfect gift for someone in the family who either loves to sleep or has a crude sense of humor - or both. The second white elephant gift we have is a makeup bag that reads "This Bag Contains My Face" for $9.99. Lastly, we have some hilarious flasks for the family members who enjoy their alcoholic beverages. These flasks come in three different options: Tampon flasks, sunscreen flasks, or iPhone flasks. No matter where they take their booze, it'll be a guaranteed in.
Everybody loves a warm pair of slippers to wear around the house when the temperatures drop. Keep your friends and family as comfy as ever this holiday season with our fuzzy holiday slippers. These are $14.99 and come in three color options - red, pink, and brown. They have a rubber sole to ensure they are slip proof and run in sizes 5/6, 7/8, and 9/10. These slippers run true to size.
In anywhere retail store you shop you will most likely run into fluffy sweaters, which are a huge trend this winter season. Unfortunately, many places that sell them have them extremely overpriced or do not offer the best quality. Our fluffy quarter zips are not only solid quality but remain in budget at $38.99. These come in four different color options - White, Pink, Gray, and Wine. The perfect cozy gift for any age.
Not only do we have your toes and hands covered, but we have your ears covered as well with our extremely cozy head wrap ear warmers. These winter headbands wrap around your ears to ensure they are toasty warm all season long. These are great, affordable stocking stuffers for only $8.99. These come in tan or black color options as shown here. A simple, practical gift that will be used for future holiday seasons.
A fun gift item for someone who hates lugging around their oversized purse all the time is our holiday wristlet. These are the perfect sized wristlets for carrying your essentials such as your phone and a wallet when out and about. Our wristlets come in the one style of black and red buffalo check as shown here. The cutest gift or stocking stuffer for $12.99.
If you have some big makeup lovers on your list this year, we have two great gift items to add to their stockings. First, we have a Nude Eyeshadow palette with six different beautiful shades for $6.99. Second, we have an Eyebrow Kit that has gel cream and powder to create the perfect sculpted brow look for $5.99. Both are great quality products without the steep prices you will find at most beauty stores.
A cute holiday pillow is a great gift item for those who love their holiday decor. These adorable pillows that read "Let's get holly jolly hammered" are one of our best selling gift items. These pillows are $10.99 and have the quote on the front and the rust Christmas trees on the back. Perfect if you need to flip it around to the trees before the not so fun family members show up.
We hope that through our holiday gift guide we have made your shopping a little easier for you this year by helping you avoid the hectic crowds, remain in your gift budget, and even find a few items to treat yo' self with. We are also offering gift baskets in which you can let us know your budget and what items you are looking for, and we will create the perfect gift basket for you to give this holiday season. If you are interested in a gift basket, email us at brickandmotorboutique@gmail.com or call/text us at (309) 798-8014! Happy holidays babes! xx
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