We had so much fun chatting with Upper King Street author Valerie Perry, who published her Charleston-based love story this past spring. Valerie, who is a frequent Butterfly shopper, talked with us about her book, her love for Charleston, shopping, and of course Butterfly!
Upper King Street's leading lady is Lucy Cameron, a humorous and playful spirit who owns an art gallery in the French Quarter. Her appreciation for art has led her to travel around Europe to study art history and architecture. Lucy feels that her life is simple yet satisfying -until she becomes interested in handsome world traveler Samuel O’Hara. "Lucy," Valerie says, is also "a fun, quirky character who I couldn't describe without describing her wardrobe."
A devout Butterfly customer, Valerie has many a treasured item in her wardrobe from our store - we're even featured on page 237 in her book! "When I was writing Upper King Street," she says, "I went into Butterfly and Maggie at Butterfly made me – forced me - to try on this dress. I put it on, and it was the most amazing dress – an Alberta Ferretti. To this day, people literally cross the street to ask me where I got it."
The Alberta Ferretti dress, therefore, had to make a guest appearance in Upper King Street. "Where I mention Butterfly is a critical moment in the book. Everything has to be just right because Lucy is meeting Sam’s parents and is having a dilemma on what to wear. She’s going through her closet and all her clothes, until she finds this dress and thanks the girls at Butterfly!"
Valerie describes her own style as "Fun! I wear mostly dresses - things that are retro, 60s inspired. Jane Fonda and Audrey Hepburn are my inspiration. When I’m casual, it’s just jeans. I love going to Butterfly because I can get designer jeans at such a great price! I always wear fun shoes and wedges – my style is simple, but fun and artistic. I also always send my friends to Butterfly!"
Upper King Street is available in Charleston at Blue Bicycle Books on King St., the Preservation Society store, at the Gibbes Museum of Art and on Amazon.com. Visit the Upper King Street Facebook page for more information. We're thrilled for Valerie's success (and can't wait to see her again the next time she pops into our store)!
Valerie in her Adriano Goldschmeid jeans from Butterfly, Talbot's top from Victoria's, Murano shoes from Butterfly, and her dog Winnie (Lady Winifred of the Lake) from Airedale Rescue Group.
