about us

meet elizabeth

Elizabeth Todd thought she would write about fashion for a national glossy when she completed a magazine journalism degree from Ohio University, but instead she wound up with the best-regraded family of fashion boutiques in the Washington, DC region. Starting with The Shoe Hive in a closet-sized space in 2003,Todd has steadily grown to three shops and carefully curated collection of designers for men at Yellow Jacket and women at The Hive and The Shoe Hive. Offering confidently classic ready-to-wear fashion, accessories, and shoes, Todd’s shops have attracted a loyal clientele both in Old Town Alexandria and online. Todd does all her own buying and has proven she has an eye for what’s next. Routinely lauded by the fashion press for her boutique’ spot-on collections for busy professionals, Todd’s discerning clients have come to anticipate her new discoveries. Elizabeth lives in Alexandria with her husband Bradley, two teenage children, and the two cutest Boston Terriers: Bonnie and Clyde. If she is not at her stores she spends her free time watching her kids play baseball and softball. Born and raised in Cincinnati and Columbus, she loves all things Ohio, especially the Cincinnati Bengals.

about us

yellow jacket

Yellow Jacket is the latest creation of Old Town Alexandria’s most successful fashion retailer. Offering casual and career wear and high-caliber accessories for gentlemen, the shop caters to men who seek a confident look and the highest quality fabrics and fit. Yellow Jacket’s clientele finds custom shirting from Southern icon Sid Mashburn, right-fitting jeans by Paige and AG, activewear by TASC Performance, and cocktail and active wear by Johnnie-O and Vince. Accessories by classic purveyors like Secrid and Timex round out the well-curated collection. 

about us

THE SHOE HIVE

Elizabeth Todd opened The Shoe Hive in 2003 in a small space tucked into South Royal Street in Old Town Alexandria. In just a few years, magazines were calling it the best shoe boutique in the region. Her knack for finding new lines that fit the lives of busy professional women built a loyal clientele, and introduced enduring brands like AGL and Rupert Sanderson to the Washington region. Moving to her current larger location off a courtyard on South Fairfax Street in 2009 made room for an expanded collection including Veja, Alexander Birman, Rupert Sanderson, and Jerome Dreyfuss, and jewelry by Alexis Bittar, ASHA by ADM, and Adina Reyter Fine Jewelry.

about us

the hive

The Hive was the second boutique concept by Elizabeth Todd in Old Town Alexandria, an offshoot of her popular footwear boutique, The Shoe Hive, that her loyal clientele embraced. Focused on elevated ready-to-wear lines created by female designers, The Hive’s offerings usher professional women in the Washington region from work to social events to weekends away. In 2021, The Hive expanded to a space three times larger and added options for online shopping, which introduced the boutique to women across the country and enabled visitors who found The Hive during a visit to DC to keep coming back after they returned home. Showcasing simply elegant lines like Tibi, Joseph, Veronica Beard, Ulla Johnson, Xirena, Isabel Marant, L'Agence, and Allude, Todd has curated a collection that projects a confident and classic style.