By AML Publisher
Photos courtesy of Kevin E. McPherson

Hark The Herald Angels Sing!
Deanna Muth’s great sense of style makes The Pear Tree an irresistible shopping adventure.

Two years ago, Deanna Muth and her husband Thom were about to become empty nesters as their youngest child and only daughter, Andrea, was heading off to Penn State. Muth was facing that question that so many women have–after raising a family and sacrificing a second career, what will fill the next period of her life? The mother of three to Michael, 24, Bobby 23, and Andrea, now 20, was searching for a new creative outlet.

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By AML Staff Writer
Photos courtesy of Kevin E. McPherson

Main Line Mom, Minority Business Entrepreneur and QVC Model Monica Walker Miraglilo Talks Business, Babies and Beyond.

Fill-a-Pillow CEO Monica Walker Miraglilo

I am flying down Route 30 in Bryn Mawr at 6pm on a Friday evening in mid-September, hastily buckling my seatbelt in the passenger seat of Monica Miraglilo’s sleek SUV. It’s a great night, about 70 degrees, sunny with the perfect hint of fall in the air and every Mercedes, Lexus and BMW on Lancaster Avenue has somewhere fabulous to be. So we are weaving and moving and Monica is being Monica as I will soon learn: the multitasking machine is shifting into high gear as Miraglilo answers text messages and makes phone calls simultaneously. I’m trying to figure out when exactly in my sudden adventure we will find a good time to talk.

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By AML Staff Writer
Photos Courtesy of Kevin E. McPherson

Downtown Wayne dips its little toe into the big ‘pond’ of First Fridays

First Fridays in Wayne Begin October 3rd
Anthony Wayne Theater

Wayne seems like a natural fit for the wave of First Fridays that have sprung up in the last few years in the Philadelphia suburban region. And that is exactly what a group of Main Line business owners, some of the most active members of the Wayne Business Association, were thinking when they decided to organize the inaugural First Friday this October 3rd. “First Fridays just came out of the fact that the downtown merchants here in Wayne, especially the newer merchants, were getting together to think of new ideas to bring more local support of our small businesses and bring the community together,’ First Friday cofounder Liz Ayerle of Wayne Boutique Fresh Ayer said. “Wayne has such a great nucleus. There is such a neat flow and vibe up and down Lancaster and North Wayne Avenue. So, we got together and thought, ‘Why not take advantage of this and make one great night of shopping and dining where we can make ourselves available for the public?’ It’s convenient for those who work late and don’t always have a chance to browse our stores and we are going to make it fun for everyone and do it in our own signature way,’’ Ayerle enthused. The Wayne merchants had been inspired by some other local and successful First Fridays, which act as a night time block party in essence, include First Fridays in Phoenixville and First Friday Main Line (www.firstfridaymainline.com) which is a an arts and cultural night organized by 30 businesses in Bryn Mawr, Haverford and Ardmore
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By Elizabeth H. Ayerle
AML contributor, Main Line Fashion Expert
Photos Courtesy of Kevin E. McPherson

Top Women’s Fall 2008 Fashion Trends According to Fresh Ayer Owner Liz Ayerle

A Breath of Fresh Air
Fresh Ayer, Wayne, PA

Fashion has always been about expressing yourself, but for the past decade or so designers have really been celebrating the individual spirit. Ladies of all shapes and sizes can appreciate the variety of choices and customize their wardrobe to their individual taste. Thankfully, we no longer have to be slaves to the hem and color of the moment! The new mantra on the runways from the world’s most respected designers–wear what works for you! So here you go, ten of the top Fall 2008 seasons’ trends to choose from and make your own Main Line fashion statement.

1) Plaid: Maybe you thought you’d seen the last of plaid at a Nirvana concert in 1992, but no…plaid is making a comeback in a big way. At Ralph Lauren (Ralph Lauren at the Bellevue, 200 South Broad Street Philadelphia) you’ll find plaid on coats in a chunky red and black version, short or long and definitely belted. Lauren showcased a breathtaking capped sleeve, turtleneck (in bright Kelly green and black plaid) ball gown in his Fall 2008 collection. Carolina Herrera showed it in more subtle tones, layered as tailored vests, capes and pants. Marc Jacobs put it to use in his Marc by Marc Jacobs line on funky minis that feel graphic and ‘pop-arty.’
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By AML Staff Writer
Photos Courtesy of Kevin E. McPherson

A Bryn Mawr boutique helps AroundMainLine.com identify and understand key fall trends.

Jon Segal, Owner of Pants, Bryn Mawr, PA

As a Main Line lifer and confessed full-time people watcher, the rapidly changing face of suburban men’s fashion has been clearly evident to me over the past year. From preppy private school students strolling around downtown Wayne, to fresh college grads enjoying happy hour at the neighborhood Great American Pub, to retiring baby boomers hitting the links at Aronimink, the Main Line young, middle-age and ‘seasoned’ man is more discerning with his personable wardrobe than ever. As AML’s resident fashionista, I went straight to the hippest new men’s store on the Main Line, Pants in Bryn Mawr, to find out what exactly has set the stage for these local style icons, what guys need to wear this fall and why the Main Line (fashion) boys are back in town.
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