20 Dalton Magazine ◆ MARCH/APRIL 2016

Comedian Billy Crystal rocketed to stardomin the mid-1980s with his “Saturday NightLive” character Fernando lampooning thelate Latin actor Fernando Lamas. AsFernando, Crystal would interview andjoke with celebrities. After telling them,“You look marvelous,” he would pepperhis interview

with the phrase, “It is betterto look good than to feelgood.”

Miranda Bentley will prob-ably never win an Emmy for comedy. But the youngentrepreneur who owns Cotton & Twine Boutiquewomen’s stores in Calhoun, Chattanooga and Dalton isdefinitely catching the hearts and minds of areawomen who love buy great clothing in a comfortablesetting. You see, when you shop at Cotton and TwineBoutique, fun and fashion can co-exist as you can lookgood — and feel good — when shopping for clothing

and accessories.In a world where malls and merchandise can over-

whelm, Miranda creates a shopping experience thatblends a personal touch with high fashion and friend-ly, superior service. Cotton & Twine gained its namefrom the combined ideas of Miranda, her younger sis-ter, Camellia, and their mother, Larissa. The store itself

has earned the trust of its cus-tomers by offering unique fash-ion in a setting that is relaxing,nostalgic but always in stepwith modern styles.

Kathy Mathis of Dalton is a customer who lovesCotton & Twine’s “very unique items. I think it’s wel-coming to different age groups. Teenage on up. I shophere several times a month. Great customer service.Everybody’s very friendly. Great selection. They’realways getting new things in and they’re very helpful.It’s something new, something different.”

Miranda and Larissa opened Cotton & Twine

Story by Jeff Rancudo

Dalton Magazine ◆ MARCH/APRIL 2016 21

Miranda Brantley owns Cotton & Twine Boutique women’s stores in

Calhoun, Chattanooga and Dalton.The stores are definitely catching the hearts

and minds of area women who love buygreat clothing in a comfortable setting.

Photo

by M

att H

am

ilton

22 Dalton Magazine ◆ MARCH/APRIL 2016

First Bank of Dalton®

‘Your Bank for Life’

www.firstbankofdalton.com

118 N. Hamilton St(706) 226-5377

2518 Cleveland Hwy(706) 876-5377

785 Shugart Road(706) 259-4186

3075 E. Walnut Ave(706) 370-4186

141253054000205756

women@work Boutique in March 2012 in a small shop below the

Waugh Street bridge in Dalton. A year and a half later,Miranda found a larger location around the corner at305 N. Hamilton St. In the years since, she has updat-ed it with her unique style that blends old fashionedcountry with a casual chic but trendy feel. Cotton &Twine also expanded with a store in downtownCalhoun and another in downtown Chattanooga,each with their own unique look.

“We wanted something Southern but also edgy.Kind of a Bohemian-type feel,” said Miranda, recallingthe early days of the business. “I felt like there was aneed there. We have affordable pieces but good qual-ity. I’m always researching new fashions. We serve alot of women who have their own money. Womenlove to shop. Sometimes, they just come in to visit.”

Life is good for Miranda, 26, and her husband,Andrew, once middle school sweethearts who wentseparate ways but later reconnected and married in2015. Andrew works in the music industry and playswith his brother, Trey, in a band called The Van Lears.Miranda and Andrew live in a suburb of Nashville,which the couple says is a good compromise forAndrew’s music career and Miranda’s need to beowner, buyer and creative director for Cotton &Twine. Camellia manages the Chattanooga store andBaleigh Coley manages the Calhoun and Dalton loca-tions. Some weeks, Miranda is buying clothes in LasVegas. Other times, she visits New York City for

Fashion Week.“We’re always changing. Changing inventory.

Changing the look,” said Miranda. “We’re putting in alarger seating area soon. I like to go to flea marketsand do local antiquing to help decorate the store.Women want to express themselves through theirclothes. Workout clothes, clothes for going out orclothes to go to work.”

Besides stocking jewelry, Miranda sells cards andcandles. She also offers area rugs from AmericanDakota in Dalton. Running three stores can be a 24/7job even for a young, energetic owner. But if Bentleyever needs inspiration, she can look to her mother,Larissa, who began battling Hodgkin’s lymphomaaround the same time the larger Dalton storeopened. With Larissa’s treatments in Atlanta coincid-ing with Cotton & Twine’s growth, Miranda put herfamily’s needs first and leaned on her employeeswho came through with flare in her absence.

“2014 was a recovering year for our family,” saidMiranda. “If the store didn’t have great employees, wewouldn’t be where we are. We just decided there wasdefinitely a purpose in this happening to us. We putour trust in our people. This store is like our baby. Alot of people are Negative Nancy about competitionamong women’s clothing stores. But I wish we wouldlift each other up. It’s OK for all of us to do well.”

Through Miranda’s challenges, she and heremployees have been thankful for each other. “She is

Dalton Magazine ◆ MARCH/APRIL 2016 23

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awesome,” said Coley of her boss. “She’sbecome one of my friends. She and herwhole family are real good people. Andyou can tell by the way that she runs herbusiness. She wants everyone to behappy. You can tell by the way that sheorders the clothes; every customer isalways satisfied and happy. She likes thatand that’s what she strives for.”

“I think (the clothing) fits any agegroup,” added Coley. “We have highschoolers who come in here. We havecollege students. And then we have cus-tomers ranging from 30 to 60 or 70. Themajority of the time they find somethingfor themselves or something as a gift forsomeone in their family. It’s really a widerange of stuff for everybody. (Miranda)tries to pick out something for every-body.”

Miranda grew up in Calhoun, the

daughter of two educators. Despitebeing raised in a small town, she said she“wanted to do everything” and has sincevisited 21 countries. Miranda has lovedfashion since she was very young and

used to dress up her Barbie intoilet paper.

“When I was in middleschool, I used to go the mall,look the mannequins and say,‘I can do a lot better thanthat,’” said Miranda. “It’s notabout money for me. It’s moreabout providing a happyplace for women. I’m big intoseeing what’s ahead.”

Miranda graduated fromDalton’s Christian HeritageSchool in 2008 and attendedBerry College, but at Berrydecided business and Frenchdidn’t interest her.

“Something wasn’t con-necting,” she said. “Fashion hitme.”

So she transferred to theUniversity of Georgia andeventually graduated with adegree in fashion merchandis-ing. While at UGA, she evenhelped open a boutiquecalled The Cheeky Peach.

Customers, vendors andemployees agree thatMiranda’s Cotton & Twinestores have found a niche inNorthwest Georgia andshould prosper for a longtime. Jill Massey, who owns JillMassey Couture Jewelry inAtlanta, loves offering herproducts at Cotton & TwineBoutiques.

“Her product offerings arehip and cool but classic piecesoffered at excellent price

points,” Massey said of Miranda. “She’sreal good at predicting upcoming fash-ion. It’s mind-blowing how quickly herstores have grown. But she hasn’t lost abit of her down-to-earth style.”

Photos by Matt Hamilton

Cotton & Twineowner Miranda

Brantley checks outthe inventory of her

Dalton location.