A Nice Chat With The Boho Babes of Romance Riders

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Natalie, of Romance Riders, dropped me an email and we spend the majority of the summer trying to get together - it was a silly, modern day email back-and-forth for two people who, it turns out, live blocks away from each other. We'd probably passed each other on Miracle Mile twenty times in the course of our email tag. But finally, we met for coffee and all the tedious email planning was worth it. 

I've heard it said that Miami is a particularly hard city to meet people and I don't think they're totally wrong. When I met Nat, for coffee at Books & Books, we totally jived and not only did I make a new friend, but I found a new amazing online resource for my wardrobe needs. While Romance Riders is a totally online business, it's nonetheless a new business in Miami and we should totally get behind it. Plus - fringe! lace! festival wardrobe niceness! It's a laid-back kind of hippie-festival-love-good-times-vibe that feels both totally comfortable and lived-in and totally new. 

The very next week I accompanied Nat and her partner Lucy, who really make a dynamic duo - Lucy the extrovert and hand-shaker and Nat a bit shy and more pensive - on a buying trip at a tradeshow in Wynwood that turned into an exploration of Bargain Barn that lead to the Goodwill down the street. We talked food, we talked clothes, we talked and talked and continued our conversation here for all of you... 

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here's nat via @romanceriders on instagram, where they have a pretty serious following. 

Hello Romance Riders! First of all, tell us a bit about yourselves and Romance Riders – who are we talking to and what are we talking about?

Lucy and Nat: We are the owners of Romance Riders, a new online boutique based in Miami! We wanted to create an online store featuring up and coming designers with bohemian inspired clothes and accessories.

Talk to me a bit about the quality of the pieces that you carry and how you find the designers that you work with...

Lucy and Nat: Social media has been an amazing tool to help us find emerging designers- instagram in particular. It's really helped us connect with new designers that are just starting out. Another way we love finding designers is through the fashion blogs we follow. Alot of the designers we work with produce their clothing and accessories in the US- most in LA and NYC. We look for designers with great quality product that fit our vibe. We love to support emerging designers and give them exposure.

I know the inspiration for starting Romance Riders was your personal struggle finding festival-worthy clothes. What kind of festivals would you like to see come to Miami?

Lucy and Nat: The Fillmore has brought amazing shows this year, I really cant complain. My favorite band, Crystal Fighters, preformed earlier this year at Revolution in FLL. Jack White had a really great performance a couple weeks ago, The Black Keys are also one of my favorites and they are coming to BB&T in December. Oh yeah, plus Lykke Li was at be at III points - South FL has had a great year in concerts for sure. 

The clothes isn't only for festivals though, I've seen you two in Miami, doing your daily routine of meetings and errands looking totally appropriate. It seems to me like the great thing about this kind of style is that it's comfortable and beautiful and totally nails that "effortlessly chic" thing. What do you think?

Lucy and Nat: Absolutely, we wanted to share our personal style through Romance Riders and collect designers that encompass a similar look.

Lace, fringe, maxi dresses, rompers etc are our every-day style.

Nat: I always get stopped on the street about my purse- its hand made leather and snake skin with long fringe made by one of the designer on our site (Three Arrows Leather). I love sharing it with people bc Sessan, the designer, is so talented- if i had to pick one item in my closet that I couldn't live without it would definitely be that bag. I guess I would need a romper to wear with it!

Lucy: My fallen broken street hat that I can even wear in 90 degrees.

What's your favorite beach in Miami?

Lucy and Nat: 1 & 2nd street Miami Beach

You're both currently Gables girls like me, do you have any secret local spots that you can share with us?

Nat: OBSESSED with the new organic gelato spot in The Grove.

Lucy: Cafe Curuba

What's the one local place that would totally devastate you if you heard it was closing?

Lucy: Bardot, I would cry if that meant I couldn't see Russ anymore. 

Nat: Im sort of a foodie- Cypress Room is my fave rest in miami, its small and super intimate and the food is unreal (best burger). Its a little pricy but totally worth it for the special occasion. 

What's your favorite drive to take in Miami?

Lucy: William Powell Bridge Best view of the skyline

Nat: Can I change it to bike riding? The trail around the Key Biscayne Lighthouse right on the water is my favorite.

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and a little more inspo from the Romance Riders instagram. Which you should really follow. Really.