Dressing Your Age at Emilia

Sorry, she said rhetorically, but it’s a fact. Some women just refuse to act their age and the results, unfortunately, often aren’t pretty. When it comes to exuding an aura of elegance and class, what you decide to wear, she said, can make all the difference in the world. And that's where she comes in.

You see, Jessy Krol knows style. It’s been her business, her life, for years as an interior designer who has always had a penchant for the classic look. She’s had her work featured in major style magazines and on national television. About a month ago she opened up her gown shop, Emilia, on Monmouth Street in Red Bank with the hopes of serving a segment of the population that’s been forever stuck in the retail middle, the comfortable place between high-end and low-rent. 

And, she says, she’s finally got her own stage.

“A woman can walk in here and I know what will look good on her in two minutes,” she said, taking a moment to sip her coffee. “If you’re going to ask me what my opinion is, I’m going to tell you. I’ll shoot from the hip. Why can’t I? You try to always be honest. If you are, you create a customer for life.”

In her first month open, Krol said several women have come into the shop to look around and to express their frustration over the fact that a shop like Emilia didn’t exist when they were looking for a gown for their special event. The only solace she can offer is her card and an invitation to come back next time.

Emilia’s premise is simple: the right gown for the right price. This isn’t a budget dress shop, there’s no discount rack and Krol, 35, certainly would never think to add a word like “barn” to the store’s name, but at the same time Emilia succeeds in eschewing the marble-tiled, gold-trimmed aesthetic – and price point – of the elite boutique. 

If you’re looking for a gown that’s inexpensive, she said, you could find something adequate at the mall. If price isn’t an option, you could find that right here in Red Bank on Broad Street, she said. Emilia is for every woman over 30 that’s looking for the middle of the spectrum.

The message is in the clothing and the personal approach Krol provides. It’s also in the look of the place, its interior designed by Krol, which succeeds in being both stylish and inviting.

“Style is style,” Krol, who still runs her interior design business but out of the back of Emilia now, said. “A woman that understands good design, she knows it’s not just head to toe, but everything in her environment.

“It’s taste. I think trusting someone to have good taste is important.”

The matter of taste also led to Krol locating her shop in Red Bank. She’s worked in Monmouth County much of her professional life in areas like Point Pleasant and Asbury Park, but it was Red Bank that appealed to her when she was looking to set up shop. Local business owners have also been a pleasant surprise, she said, with many welcoming her and providing support as soon as she opened her doors.

“I like the soul and the vibe of Red Bank,” she said. “When you walk down the street there’s just a feeling you get here.”

Emilia offers cocktail dresses and gowns for special occasions and mother of the bride. The store is located at 28 Monmouth Street and can be reached at 732-530-0007.