Everyday Dresses For Westchester Moms
 
– By Janice Llanes Fabry –

Tired of slipping into sweatpants or putting on a pair of jeans every morning? Clotilde, The Dress Shop, in Larchmont gives women an alternative, perhaps one they’ve been seeking for as long as owner Kristin Holby Darnell has. “For many years, I was a stay-at-home mom in Larchmont wearing baggy khakis and t-shirts,” she recalled. “What I really wanted to wear was a day dress like women did in the fifties, but all I could find in the stores were evening dresses.”
Once Holby Darnell’s son and twin daughters went to college and left her with an empty nest, she flew to Hawaii and bought a selection of fabrics for designs she had been working on. She set her sights for a summer collection, manufactured it on Seventh Avenue and unveiled it when she opened Clotilde a year ago.
Attuned to what Holby Darnell calls “the beautiful moms of Westchester,” her dresses are what her daughter calls “easy chic” for women from size 0 to 16. “I use a variety of patterns that fit every body type and use all natural fibers, including linen, cotton, pima cotton and silk,” she said. “This winter’s collection will have velveteen, luscious featherwale corduroy that’s as soft as butter, and warm and cozy cotton flannel.”
What the designer is most proud of is how well her dresses fit. “I use myself as a fit model,” she explained. “Because of my experience, I know what a good dress looks like and what it feels like.”
Indeed, Holby Darnell’s background prepared her well for this second career. Not only did she study apparel design at the Rhode Island School of Design, she worked as a top runway model for a number of couture houses, including Chanel, Givenchy and Yves St. Laurent. A fixture in the garment district for 14 years, she was a model for Ralph Lauren and has graced a number of magazine covers, from Vogue to Cosmopolitan, some of which are framed at the shop. (She also appeared opposite Dan Aykroyd in the 1983 comedy, “Trading Places”).
Throughout her modeling career, she went by her middle name, Clotilde, her paternal grandmother’s first name. “My grandmother was a southern belle from Alabama, who grew up in Larchmont and only wore dresses,”ù she recalled. It’s only fitting that her store, on the corner of Chatsworth Avenue and Addison Street, is so named. She decorated the bright space with ornate moldings, French doors, shutters and photos of her favorite 1940s and 50s dresses from her old Vogue magazine collection. (Among the furnishings is a “husband bench” for spouses who accompany their wives.) Its high ceiling and corner windows adorned with flowerboxes belie its small size.
“I designed it to look like a ladies boudoir or an old French dress shop, feminine and romantic,” said Darnell, who is not always at the shop these days. Having come full circle, she’s back in the garment district on the manufacturing end, that is.
For the fall, she has designed a line of A-line, straight and circle skirts. They will be available in tweed and whimsical prints. In addition to the ever-so-pretty dresses, Clotilde carries accompanying petticoats and a selection of shoes, handbags and belts to match. Vintage sunglasses, jewelry and accessories are also available.
Between collections, the shop will close temporarily in October as Holby Darnell will be quite busy in the garment center. She looks forward to reopening with her winter line, which will be more urban and will include black cocktail and velvet party dresses as well. “I love seeing my customers walk out of the fitting room with their dresses. They look so gorgeous,” she said.
Hours: Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays till 7 p.m. The store is located at 30 Chatsworth Avenue; call 834-2400.