Countless women studying at the University of Mississippi or living in Oxford are familiar with the trendy boutique Miss Behavin. Situated on the Square, Miss Behavin proudly stands as a go-to shop filled to the brim with carefully curated clothing for all occasions.
As popular as Miss Behavin is, few know the name and story of the woman behind the shop.
Ivy Jackson has earned the distinction of being a role model in Oxford after years of building her business, along with building the confidence of the young women she employs.
Born and raised in Ripley, Miss., Jackson began her journey towards starting Miss Behavin when she was 21 years old.
“I went to Northeast Community College and played tennis for Northeast,” Jackson said. “I only went to a two-year university, and that was the extent of my college career because I opened my first door when I was 21.”
Jackson’s first store, “Clothes Minded,” failed to satisfy both her hopes and financial needs. In the face of adversity, she refused to give up.
Fortunately, Jackson possessed a female role model of her own to guide her: her mother.
“My mom had a shoe store called My Favorite Shoes in Oxford,” Jackson said. “She told me, ‘Oxford is busy, you know. If you’re doing this to make a living, you probably need to do it in a college area.’”
Heeding her mother’s advice, Jackson steered her sights towards Oxford. Having already started one store that wasn’t a success, she approached her new project with a different mentality.
“I had to rethink what I was going to do. I couldn’t just be in it because I love fashion. I had to make money with what I have here,” Jackson said.
She recognized that the University of Mississippi would be only minutes away from her new store, meaning that the college students would be her main clientele.
In the past, she sold mainly high-end clothes. However, due to her new location, she defied previous products and began tailoring her new business around her new buyers.
“I’m here to make money and provide a service, which is bringing the best fashion I can to Oxford at the most affordable price,” Jackson said.
The name of the store, she decided, would be a play on the words Ole Miss. In 2003, Miss Behavin was born.
As a 43-year-old woman, with three children, Jackson acknowledges her style may not be parallel with the fashion popular among college students. When asked how she stays up to date on fashion trends in a college town, Jackson credits her dedicated employees.
“Nobody wants to dress like me anymore,” Jackson said with a laugh. “It’s my employees. It’s who I hire that creates the vibe over the season. Everybody has a say in what we buy. That’s kind of our secret too, you know. Most places want it their way, and they want to show their style in their store. I think that’s where a lot of stores, especially small boutiques, make mistakes.” Jackson said.
She also makes a point to hire young women of different backgrounds and personal styles.
“What I try to do is embody every girl at Ole Miss, so I don’t have the same type of girl across the board,” Jackson said.
Entrusting her employees with a voice in decisions resulted in increased success for Miss Behavin, and it also provided a safe and uplifting environment for this generation’s upcoming business women while building their confidence.
“Miss Behavin is about empowering women. We try to build each other up and stay positive all the time. We help each other go up in life you know?” Jackson said.
Though she said she could write a book on do’s and don’ts, she offers this brief piece of advice to women who have an interest in starting their own business.
“You’ve just got to be willing to work hard and not give up. I had a point in my business where I had to work extra jobs to get it (Miss Behavin) off and going at first,” Jackson said. “You’ll do whatever it is you have to do if you believe in what you want to do.”
