Country Vs. Town | Mar. 2026
COUNTRY VS. TOWN: KIMBERLY HAPPEL
By Morgan Hogerty
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANNA KOMAROV
HAIR AND MAKEUP BY EMILY ANN MUBY
STYLING BY THERESA DEMARIA
Kimberly Happel wearing Alémais dress, neimanmarcus.com
With 19 years of experience behind the chair, Kimberly Happel recently took the leap from longtime stylist to owner of the salon where she’s worked for nearly a decade, now called Maiden Salon in Barrington. She met her husband, Dan, when he was a client, proof that a great haircut really can change your life. Married 12 years with three kids, she balances salon ownership with a calendar ruled by youth sports. Outside of work, you’ll find her trying new restaurants, discovering cute coffee shops, traveling when she can, or giving her home a fresh update.
Mantra? Grace over perfection. Best grooming tip? Invest in a great med spa, a talented hairstylist, and skincare that actually works. Guilty pleasure? A chocolate chip walnut cookie and a latte at Ambrosia. I take one of my boys at a time for a special 1:1 date. Favorite foods? Seafood, Mexican. Music you love? Coldplay, The Lumineers, Noah Kahan. Best advice ever given to you? Create a legacy you’ll be proud to leave behind. Best advice you’ve given? Make time for the people you love and say what you mean. You never realize which moments become the memories you treasure most.
Earliest memory? Being in Indian Princesses with my dad and sister Christy. When life’s biggest decisions were campout snacks and our alter egos were Rainbow Star, Shooting Star, and Chief Dark Cloud. We were kind of a big deal. Before bed, you? Scroll Instagram when I should be sleeping. What’s on your bookshelf? Knick-knacks, haha. You can’t live without? Lipstick and my Chobani coffee creamer, feeling somewhat put together and fueled gives me life. Love to escape to? Siesta Key. Advice you would give to your younger self? Don’t tie your worth to what other people think of you.
WHEN IN COUNTRY
Your style is? Easy layers, soft neutrals, and pieces that feel casual but polished. Can’t leave the house without? A water bottle, phone, and a purse full of snacks for whoever gets hungry first. Transportation? A SUV big enough for my three kids and the chaos that comes with them. Driving music? Indie rock, Emmit Fenn, Andrew Belle. Place to eat? Region for their Miso Cod and Sticky Toffee Pudding. Never disappoints. Shop? One Girl, G&G, Evereve. Best thing about country? It’s polished, driven, and slightly intimidating, which has pushed me to grow. Worst thing about country? Traffic and trains. The perfect day is? A workout at Lifetime, cheering on my boys at their sports, squeezing in snuggles with my daughter, and dinner at our go-to family fav, Tacos El Norte.
WHEN IN TOWN
Your style is? Elevated from my everyday, likely a dress of some sort, the city calls for it. Can’t leave the house without? A plan for where we’re eating. Transportation? Uber. Driving music? RÜFÜS DU SOL, Kaskade, Tiesto, John Summit, Odesza. Place to eat? Aba, Purple Pig, Tanta. Shop? Stores in Fulton Market. Best thing about town? Concerts at the various venues, the Riverwalk, and that skyline view that never gets old. Worst thing about town? Traffic. The perfect day is? AIRE Ancient Baths, dinner at Purple Pig, and an after-dinner drink at Beatnik or City Winery on the river.
