A guilty pleasure of mine is to always find the best vintage wear. Personally; I am a fan of sweatshirts, jeans, and blouses of any sort. You may have a place on your area that has the coolest must have items. In northern New Hampshire, a vintage shop takes pride in their business and each item they have in store.
Black Sheep Provisions is a store located in Littleton, New Hampshire and co-owned by Barbara Williams and Betty Eagan. The two fashion enthusiasts, have been friends for a long time and worked together in the advertising business in the 90s and early 2000s in Boston, Massachusetts.
“We’ve both been faithful followers of fashion since we were kids,” said Betty.
A role model in Betty’s life was her grandmother. Betty was able to attend flea markets every weekend and learned how to sew when she was 13-years old.
“I desperately wanted to learn to sew, because I loved fashion, but I couldn’t afford it. So, once I learned, I was pretty prolific. I stapled swatched of the first dozen or so pieces I made to index cards. I still have them, and it’s funny to look back. It was the ‘70s, so it’s pretty much all polyester,” said Betty.
Barbara also had figures in her life that inspired her passions. A long line of women in her family were able to introduce her to style and individuality.
“My mom, grandmother and a few crazy aunts all had incredible personal style and taught me that individuality and confidence are so much more important than deep pockets,” said Barbara. “We didn’t have much money growing up so my mom would make a lot of my clothing. I remember she and I whipping up the perfect prom dress out of a cool top I found. I certainly didn’t have to worry about ‘twinning’ that year.”
The story and background of how they became passionate in the art of vintage clothing wear is beautiful. The love and dedication to the thing they grew up with most, definitely gives vintage wear a lot of respect for the people who care for it, such as Barbara and Betty.
Black Sheep Provisions otherwise known as their ‘modern village’ opened in May of 2017. They were, ‘riding a wave of cultural progress fueled by America’s small business economy’. According to Betty and Barbara, there is a lot of backlash in fashion these days.
“Millennials, in particular, are more conscious of where their clothing comes from and folks in general are choosing quality over quantity,” said Barbara and Betty.
Clothing isn’t made like it’s used to anymore. Vintage is treated as an antique and is too exquisite when it is found. There are two ways to get great pieces of clothing and that is spending a lot of money on newer designer pieces or finding a vintage piece that speaks individuality, difference, and personality.
“Vintage levels the playing field. We think of it as a sort of fashion democracy where everyone can wear beautiful, well-made clothing, if they know where to shop,” said Barbara and Betty.
Black Sheep Provisions has impacted both of them immensely by making life a little busier. They both have full time jobs; Betty as a freelance copywriter and Barbara as a creative director for TJX Industries. The ‘side hustle’ the store provides, is the perfect creative outlet that they need. It fulfills the dream and desire of being a part of owning a shop in a local community.
Some favorite clothing items they both have come from an inspiration and evolution of famous icons and extreme time periods. They both explained that the time between the ‘60s and ‘90s was an experimentation period. This is where you will find your hippies, British mod, rock n’ roll, disco, and grunge people. Famous icons such as Katherine Hepburn, James Dean, Barbara Streisand, and David Bowie are only a few of many that are muses to fashion and drive that innovation of style.
“Our favorite pieces come from these decades. Supersoft leather jackets, vintage Levi’s and Wranglers, 60s cotton A-line dresses, long floaty dresses and skirts, floppy hats. We’re romantics at heart,” said Barbara and Betty.
Littleton is so fortunate to gain Black Sheep Provisions, so the people of northern New Hampshire and beyond can get a taste of real fashion. Littleton is known to be a commercial hot spot for New Hampshire’s northern country. Like any small town, it has its ups and downs.
Like vintage wear, over the past decade Littleton has made an extreme comeback in an artistic way.
“There are the mainstays like Chutters, with its legendary ‘world’s largest’ candy counter, Lahout’s for premium outdoor gear and the classic Littleton Diner and Jax Jr. theater. But now, there’s Just L, a true mecca of midcentury modern living; Bella Funk for fashion-forward women’s apparel with a boho vibe; and The Little Herb Shoppe, which dispenses high-quality herbs and homeopathic advice in equal measure. Around the corner there’s Bad Art, a gallery specializing in eclectic, affordable art, and The Loading Dock, a community art space. And of course, there’s Schilling’s, a hip-and-happing brewery in the old Littleton Grist Mill building on the riverfront,” said Barbara and Betty.
The best part about learning more about Black Sheep Provisions, is the great joy they have for the town they settled in. The shops and businesses that neighbor them are all a part of one big family. They all seem intertwined to keep Littleton alive with a vibe that is like no other.
“We both feel privileged to have our business in Littleton. It has such a cool, creative vibe and is so ready to own the title of New Hampshire’s hippest town. Between its music and art scene, all you have to do is look around to notice how important self-expression is. So it just feels like the perfect match,” said Barbara and Betty.
The best part of the work they do, is passing along their passions to other people who come to the store. Local craftsman and artists take advantage of the style they provide in store and add it to their own. Also, they have opportunities to clean out closets of many people who are looking to pass along great pieces or need to feel refreshed.
“There’s just the effect the shop has on customers. More often than not, people come into our shop, ogle the clothing (and usually buy a piece or two) and have a good laugh while they’re at it. Pretty much everyone leaves with a smile,” said Barbara and Betty.
Black Sheep Provision’s tagline is to ‘never blend’. Exposing those from northern New Hampshire and beyond allows people to be able to be their most authentic self and get a taste of different.
“We celebrate that. Uniqueness. Creativity. Black Sheep Provisions is essentially all about celebrating individual style – every piece in the shop has a soul, a story. As such, we stock a carefully curated collection of vintage clothing for women and men. In keeping with our screw-the-rules brand sensibility, we also sell a small collection of home accessories and gifts that strike and perfect offbeat, irreverent tone,” said Barbara and Betty.
Ideas for spreading more joy this store provides, is doing post-COVID 19 popups. This would give opportunities for the store to come to other locations. Details will be coming soon.
If you are ever finding yourself needing something new and creates a statement, Black Sheep Provisions is the place to go. It is worth the drive, and Littleton will definitely ignite magic once you enter into its little town of creativity and style.
Follow us on Instagram: (@blacksheepnh)
Website: blacksheepnh.com
