For over 30 years Marjory Warren Boutique was located the Upper East Side and run by Marjory Warren, or Marj as she was known. Her daughter in law, Chris, … [Read More]
/ˈəpˌsīk(ə)l/
verb
gerund or present participle: upcycling
Upcycling has become the trending keyword this past year or so. I was using it whenever it made sense in marketing and website descriptions to help entice more customers to my business. I was buying upcycled products from vendors, but I never produced my own.
I have to admit, whenever I go into clothing stores, especially large ones, I get so overwhelmed with the amount of new clothing. I get upset knowing we do not need all of this. The question I kept asking myself, “What can I do and how can I change my business model to accommodate using discarded materials.
Spenting the last few months knowing a big pivet was coming, I made the decision to create my own upcycled products. To start, I am using Vintage French Linen Tablecloths for my first batch of tops and dresses. I am so excited to see the finished products and show them to all my customers!
Going forward, sourcing for materials will be my primary job. I do love the hunt. Totally fits my personality.
I am extremely happy I am following this new path. Please join me on this adventure!
]]>For over 30 years Marjory Warren Boutique was located the Upper East Side and run by Marjory Warren, or Marj as she was known. Her daughter in law, Chris, … [Read More]
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Read the care labels and you'll find that, in most cases, merino wool, cashmere, alpaca, and mohair sweaters can be hand washed.
Step 1:
Fill a basin, sink, bathtub, or large container with cold water. Add a mild soap, preferably a nonpetroleum, eco-friendly detergent. I have been using True Laundry.
Step 2:
Turn the sweater inside out, cover it with water and swirl gently, taking care to avoid stretching the fabric. Soak in water for about 10 minutes.
Step 3:
Drain the basin and refill it with cold water. Gently swish the sweater back and forth in clean water to rinse out the soap. Repeat this step as many times as needed until the soap is gone.
Step 4:
Drain the basin and gently press the sweater to remove excess water. Do not wring or twist, as the fibers are very delicate when wet.
Obviously, if you are nervous about handwashing your sweater then don’t. Personally, I have not used dry cleaner in 25 years other than a few winter coats.
FUN FACT
Dry Cleaning was invented in NYC in 1821. Thomas Jennings owned a Dry Cleaing business and was the first black man in the United States to be granted a patent.
The credit for being the first commercial dry cleaner goes to the firm of Jolly-Belin, which opened in 1825 in Paris, according to the Handbook of Solvents. In Paris, of course, fashion was an important part of society. They soaked the clothes in vats filled with turpentine. Next, they put them into a predecessor to the washing machine. They air-dried the clothes so the turpentine could evaporate.
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The store was a boutique size and quite intimate. The sales girls were offering advice and encouragement hoping to help and of course, make sales. We all could hear each other's conversations.
The customers were under 30, including the saleswomen. I and one other woman were 60+. We all were mingling and enjoying the atmosphere. Then I heard the other customer speak to the sales associate. She was apologizing for her age, saying she was just an old woman and most of the inventory was not going to work for her. Her words stopped me in my tracks. I was so saddened, but not surprised.
As women, we tend to apologize for way too much during our woke hours. Such a bad, bad habit. I do it myself, maybe more than some since I am Canadian :) I am constantly trying to withhold at least a few ‘sorry’s during my day. Compounding our culturally engrained tendency to apologize for mostly nothing we have done wrong, we start to apologize for aging. We actually say sorry to the world because we are still up and running!
I quietly slipped the woman my business card. I would never interfere with another business's sales, but I felt so strongly about connecting to her, I introduced myself, and my online store for women over 50.
I believe women can wear anything they want. I have no judgment. If they love it, believe they look great and feel great, go for it! But, if women struggle with their identity and are confused about how to present themselves to the world they lose confidence.
If you can rediscover yourself, and connect with your identity and all the awesome traits you possess, your sense of style will follow. What you wear is basically an expression of who you are inside.
Or course I did not spew all this to the woman in the store, but I so wanted to! By stating she was just an old lady, she was shrinking herself to invisibility. She was riding the cultural rollercoaster. She was verbalizing what we are told to believe.
Don’t drink the kool aide.
]]>These besties become favorites because we relate to them, and then we become a customer.
This brings me to a question I keep asking myself. Why do my customers follow Marjory Warren Boutique?
Why do my customers buy from my online store? What am I sourcing, buying, and selling that catches the eye of my customer? I can also ask what am I offering that discourages potential customers? What specifics are a deterrent? When I ask myself these questions, I start questioning how and what I am selling and to whom. I always decide to keep full steam ahead and continue on my own path, buy for the customer I know I have, making small adjustments as I move forward and keeping my vision clear.
So why do I buy the products on my website? What is involved behind the scenes? What is my process?
I guess my starting point is from a personal point of view. What do I think women should wear and why? Of course, this is controlled with many restrictions; inventory availability, price point, shipment dates. This is all the business stuff! The fun stuff is the creative process I go through when I decide to buy a product.
I am a very tactile person. I am also very skin sensitive. Although I do bring in some synthetics to the store, I personally would sell only linen and cotton. Natural fabrics are my favorites. I know nowadays there are amazing blends on the market that feel and look great, and I do bring them in, but, I am a cotton/linen babe!
When I go to an apparel show, if I like the look of the clothing, I walk into a booth and touch all the fabrics. If I don’t like the feel, I say thank you and leave. Then combined with the look of the clothing, something will catch my eye I think my customer would wear.
The average woman in the US is about 5’5” tall, size 14 the last time I looked, and if she buys my clothing, she is most likely 50 years old woman and up. There are so many wonderful clothing stores to choose from, the next question is, how do I stand out in the crowd?
Since I closed the brick-and-mortar at the beginning of Covid, and drastically evolved my business, this is an important question. I do my best to stand out in the crowd by carefully listening to my customers. When they have a voice, positive or negative, I listen with both ears. By doing so, I have created a very specific brand.
I order products that are in a specific price point range, easy to wear, comfortable, wearable by a typical 50+ woman, good quality fabrics, well made, not basic, and hopefully not on everyone else's website!
This is an ever-evolving process. I am constantly learning. I do take risks to shake things up sometimes. Sometimes the results are worth the stress, other times, not so much.
I have a creative streek in me, and I know this plays a major factor in everything I do and makes my website uniquely mine. My hope is you like it and like to wear the products I offer you.
]]>Are you sensitive to certain verbiage used to describe older women? If so, why does it matter? Are there alternatives? What have you discovered about yourself? This will be an intimate discussion amongst women like you and me. This gives us all an opportunity to listen to others’ insights and voice our own.
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Because an Apple Shape figure is full around her middle, focus on the top half, away from your tummy. Look for shirts with an open front. A button down that can open the neckline, just above the cleavage. An empire waist is fitted underneath the boobs and is very flattering. This is the smallest measurement of her torso. Invest in a good bra and lift those girls up and away from the tummy. All tops should be loose enough to skim the tummy, cap sleeves loosely cupping the top of your arms, if you are comfortable with exposing them, and a wider v neck with a ruched waist
Look for jackets with an open neck and a tie at the waist creates camouflage and breaks up your torso. Jackets with open fronts look great on you too!
Again, the Apple figure needs balance and linear lines running vertically to visually break up the solid round torso.
Your torso is solid and round, with all of your mass distributed center stage. If you throw on a pair of leggings, what do you think you would see in the mirror? So many women make this mistake. They try to put their thinnest feature forward but in doing so, their thick middle is over emphasized.
The Apple figure needs balance. Always wear a fuller trouser; fullness around bottom works wonders and with less is more hardware around the middle. Find pants with a deeper waistband to help rest on the belly. Side zippers and flat front pants are really helpful which de-bulking the middle.
Skirts should also have a flat front and side or back zipper.
An inverted pleated skirt works great on an Apple's figure. Make sure the front is flat and the pleats start below the belly.
No bulky pockets to add weight and business around her middle.
Using color, pattern, and texture to break up her solid middle is a key to dressing an Apple figure type.
Layering your top half, perhaps with a sweater of cardigan will refocus the eye on two elements instead of one. Add pattern or texture to one of these tricksters, and it is a
Accessories can be extremely helpful!
Remember, the Apple figure needs to keep her neckline open, with a V-neck or a deep scoop. When adding accessories, keep this in mind. Absolutely use a scarf to break up your middle, but keep it either very loose and open around your neck, showing a lot of skin below the neck or leave it draped down, paneling both sides of your chest.
Necklaces can be of great help. Use them the same way as scarves. Longer necklaces will break up your torso and, again, lengthen your line and trick the eye to a slimmer middle
Footwear for an Apple figure is simple. Don’t go clunky and don’t go over petite. You need a little weight on your feet for balance but too much just adds more bulk.
👗Use Color and texture to break up your middle
👗Wear v necks and deep scoops
👗Layering pieces on top can break up solid middle
👗Empire waists and a good bra are your friends
👗Fuller trousers. Fuller on bottom works well
🙋No bulky anything around your middle! No pockets, zippers, etc..
🙋No belts
🙋Nothing fussy on your top half.
🙋No big lapels or no double breasted coats
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]]>Most of us reading this are beyond middle age. We are a lively group with well-earned lines on our faces and wisdom behind the twinkle in our eyes. The beauty we have carried all our lives is now peppered with the life we are living. We have stopped competing with our younger version, not seen in our mirror for many years.
I have gotten into a few heated conversations with women and men about terminology used to describe the Baby Boomer Woman. Working with these women over the years, I think I am sensitive to the wording in conversations about size and fit. I think I am sensitive to the wording about our age group, but, I am also sensitive to myself. Creating marketing for an older woman is very difficult. I have to constantly cradle the vocabulary.
I am a realist. I am 62 years old. I am not young. I have come to realize the word “aging”, for so many, is a negative word.
Because my customer niche is mostly women over 50, I do a lot of marketing focusing on this generation. Obviously, I try to use keywords that get a lot of exposure to my customer base. This is what I have discovered.
I can’t use senior, elderly, mature, older. Women I have talked to actually get upset with me.
I know we are living longer, healthier lives. In these women’s minds, older means granny. Senior means our grandmother. I get it. How I remember my grandmother is definitely not what I see with many of my customers. But, when we remember our grandmother, we are remembering through the eyes of a child, or a young adult. Through our young eyes, yes, our elderly looked so old! How could we possibly be the same?
Is this the fear of aging? Not accepting the word, how does this make it more palatable? And why is the word so negative? Isn’t aging part of our process? Ignoring the words does not stop us from aging. Denial doesn’t cut it! To me, it is looking backward and it doesn't work.
What does work, is finding some incredible positives earned with aging. I know this is difficult to do all the time, especially when my hip hurts, but I focus on what I am now. My 62-year-old self is so much more confident, in total control of my own life, value and appreciate the life I am living, and do my darndest to acknowledge this every day.
I am tired of tiptoeing around the semantics. The “aging” words are only negative if we think they are. We empower our own interpretation.
Some may ask, why do we even have to label ourselves? We don’t. But the next time you want to find a blouse that is not cut with a junior pattern, you may run into a lot of fitting problems. I want products marketed to my age group. My needs keep changing and these products are helpful. That doesn't mean I am cut off from the rest of the world, I just have some options created specifically for me and my 62-year-old world.
I don’t understand what is so wrong with this?
]]>This is a Blog from Jianhui London, an amazing artist and humanitarian. It is a thrill for me to promote his products on my website.
"Most of our skilful artisans are from disadvantaged backgrounds. Some are single mothers with young children. For some, working for Jianhui London is their only source of income. We offer them flexible jobs that give them a good work/ life balance which allows them to raise their children. We respect our artisans and the salary we pay them is more than double the usual salary for the same type of job. During the global pandemic, Jianhui has been supporting his artisans financially from his own savings. We also try to give our artisans as much work as possible, such as making samples and stock for next year. We are proud of the role we play in having an ethical supply chain. As a sustainable jewellery designer, we believe in working harder to ensure that everyone making our designs are paid decent wages that contribute to the local economy and their way of life.
We keep our environmental footprint as low as possible. In the case of our leather necklaces, we don’t consume extra energy to make them. We buy our recycled leather from a market that specialises in it, and it’s cut near the site so that our materials aren’t travelling long distances. We use an electricity-free foot pedal machine to cut the geometric shapes. Irregular shape pieces are hand cut. Once again, we champion sustainability so that you can feel good about wearing our designs."
]]>These are the basic questions to ask yourself if you have a Pear-Shaped Figure. If you have answered yes to most of these questions, you are probably a pear shape. I know defining yourself as a piece of fruit is a little obnoxious. Some name this shape a Triangle Shaped Figure. Feel free to send me your idea of a new and improved name for your Pear-Shaped Figure! I would love to get your input!
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👗 Wear color, texture, and pattern on your top half
👗 Accentuate your defined waist with fitted waistbands and belts
👗 Wear straight or wider leg pants, straight and Aline skirts
👗 Wear straight boots, a heavier high heel, and platform shoes to minimize your calves,
👗 Don’t throw on oversized or baggy clothing to hide your figure.
👗 Don’t wear bright colors, bold patterns, and texture on your lower body
👗 Don’t wear clingy skirts and pants. Your worst enemy
👗 Don’t wear delicate shoes. These will accentuate your heavier legs and calves.
We never question why a piece of clothing looks great. We are just so happy it does! We do question why it does not, and sometimes it takes a keen eye to understand why?
When Cathy came out of the dressing room wearing the shirt, right away I saw the problem. Although the shirt fit, it is short sleeved and she is busty. The sleeve hemline drew the eye straight across her bustline, accentuating her endowment and distorting her shape.
Cathy should not wear a short sleeve.
She could try a ¾ sleeve, cap or tank for the summer weather. Walking out the store with a cut on the bias tank and a pair of crop pants, Cathy looked great. Her figure was balanced and I was so pleased she had a great outfit for the summer she would love to wear.
At the end of the day, I had a lot of fun with another woman trying on dresses. I will call Mary. Even though the dress fit, Mary tried on another size. A look of a garment can be perfect, but a change in size can surprisingly be a better choice.
There are women that know their bodies and grab off the rack and into a bag without a word of concern.
This confidence has nothing to do with her dress size.
It must do with what she likes, what she is comfortable wearing and knowing how to specifically dress her body shape.
Mary found a winning dress and looked great wearing it in the dressing room. This was the end of the day and the end of the week. With the lack of fresh styling vocabulary on my part, I tried to explain one size larger may help with her shape. So, does fit come down to semantics? The dress was ‘resting’ on her tush, not ‘pulling’, just ‘resting’. Was just ‘resting’ fine? Should it be ‘skirting’ ( styling lingo for grazing) the tush? ‘Pulling’ is a major no-no since it red flags the garment isn’t fitting correctly. ‘Resting’ can be perfectly fine whereas ‘skirting’ is better than ‘resting’.
Do we all get it?
By the end of the day, at end of the week, this all can sound like gobble-de-goo! Honestly, it does make a huge difference!
Do you know how to dress your body shape? The language of fitting can be confusing and even funny at times. Once you start to familiarize yourself with your silhouette and understand why one dress looks great and another doesn’t, you’re one your way to styling yourself. You just have to let those words roll off your tongue….‘pulling’ and ‘skirting’ and ‘resting’……
]]>Now more than ever, most of us are only comfortable shopping online. Many do not even going close to a fitting room. Trying to buy a garment online can be a real pain, especially if you are not a rack size, nor have mannequin measurements.Returns are so time consuming, for both the customer and the business. It is loose - loose on both ends. The customer did not get to keep the new garment and the business did not get to keep the sale. Moving forward in this new mostly online world of ours, how can we make this situation a bit better?
Measuring is the most important first step. The customer really needs to know her recent measurements, be familiar with her body type, helping her feel more confident the garment style and size will be a good choice.
Start with a pre clothing fitting. Before you even open a e-commerce site to buy yourself something new, do a body measurement session in front of your mirror.
The retailer’s responsibility is also to be in tune with the styles of the garments, what body types they will flatter and each garment is measured and sized.
All women’s body’s have their issues with fit. No matter what a woman's size is, (this can fluctuate between manufacturers, so this can not be a good indicator), measuring will tell the truth.
Some women are thick waisted, short waisted, wide hips, no hips, big busted, no bust, big arms, small butt! You need to know your numbers!
I measure each garment in my inventory the same. I standardize this so I have a go-to when I help customers determine if a garment they are looking at on my website firstly will fit, and and secondly will look flattering.
I have to say, this extra step is so beneficial to ordering clothing online.
Check out the simple measurement template I have created one you can download and measure yourself.
Here is the link. 👇
Here is the Link to your Personal Measurement Template
How do you measure your body? Follow the template guide, enter your measurements in the little boxes provided. Maybe every 4 months do an update.
And have it handy when ordering a new garment online! You will save yourself a lot of time and effort and your success rate of loving your new purchase will sky rocket.
]]>I send out email campaigns to my customers, presenting all the new inventory to their phone, iPad or home computer. Customers are much more reliant with this connection since stores are much more online, I want to address little questions coming to my attention.
What is the Hamburger and What Does it Do?
Customers use their phone to read emails more and more. Since online shopping is exploding, so are their inboxes. Most stores are sending emails, opening up directly to a website where a customer can browse all the products offered, not just the few displayed in the email.
How can you get there? This little tutorial is for those not tech savvy and need the basics.
Once you receive an email from Marjory Warren ( and most retailers) with images and of course awesome products, you have a few options. Double click on the images, and this will take you directly to the product page on the website, or click on the name of the website (URL), so mine is www.marjorywarrenboutique.com. If it is properly linked to the website, it will be displayed in a color, usually pale blue or another pale color and underlined. Also, a buy button, or Read More ect. will take you to the website as well.
So, you are on your phone, you have clicked the link and now the website is displayed. How do you see the products on your phone? (Always easier to maneuver on your computer). The top left of the website page on your phone will have a little icon with 3 stacked lines.
This is called a hamburger. Examples of the Hamburger... (not last one)
Click and this will open up the drop down menu. From there you can start choosing what you would like to find and browse. Simple as that!
I have added a few step by step pictures to follow. I hope this clarifies the steps for some of you.
#1 #2 #3
#4 #5
As the saying goes, you don’t know something until you know it!
Now you know!
]]>How do you feel about getting older? "I'm over 50!" Did you ever think you would speak those words? Fifty is an astounding milestone, but not every woman is excited to reach it.
Let’s be honest, some days we love it, and some days we don't. And you know what?
That’s totally normal.
After all, the world constantly reminds older women (usually, a woman over 50) of their age like it’s a sin!
And when it comes to women’s clothing, it’s like fashion boutiques forget we love to dress up and look beautiful too. (Don’t worry, at least we didn’t forget!)
Beauty, to many people, is tied to youth. And the two ideas can seem almost inseparable as we get older.
But, beauty isn't a constant. It's always changing. I mean, that's the beauty of it, right?
The truth is, most of our society is failing to realize that there’s a lot to love about growing older, and a woman over 50 knows this firsthand!
So let's get together and celebrate this wondrous life journey, because a woman over 50 is fabulous, and we can give you 5 reasons why embracing age has been the biggest advantage of our natural lives!
As a woman over 50, there’s obvious things we may not want to deal with right away.
Can you say huge hormonal changes, anyone?
At times, we may miss the body (or skin!) we had when we were 25— like trying different makeup looks or switching up your style because we could literally wear any type of women’s clothing.
But, guess what? We can still do all of this, even now!
Despite the physical changes that come with being a woman over 50, women typically feel more comfortable in their bodies and less self-conscious about how they look as they get older.
Who would’ve thought? Oh that’s right, us!
Women over 50 have not given up their womanhood just because age is now a more obvious factor.
We can still dress and style our bodies with confidence, because at some point we have to realize it’s the only one we have— and we should cherish it for as long as possible.
This beautiful self-acceptance, along with the benefits of menopause (freedom from unintended pregnancies!) often enables women to enjoy sex a lot more in their 50s too.
Now, that’s something to celebrate!
Growing up, women typically care about what others think, at least to a degree. Caring is not always a bad thing, but when you don’t worry about somebody else's thoughts at all?
You start to feel so free!
The teenage years are typically the peak of peer pressure and conformity for most women, while post-fifty years are the exact opposite.
Some days we may find ourselves caring so little about how we look that we have to remind ourselves to be presentable when we leave the house.
Other days we may be bold enough to switch up our style of women’s clothing or makeup that we’ve been putting off due to the fear of judgement.
Forget that, this is the time to experiment!
As a woman over 50 gets older, we tend to be more confident about what we can pull off and what we can’t fashion-wise.
And even if you love to keep up with the trends, we don’t feel bound by them like we did when we were younger!
Most of a woman’s adult life is filled with her family, home and career. Even with no regrets, (and there are NONE!) there wasn’t much time to focus on ourselves. Let’s face it, when you’re raising kids, it’s all about them, not us!
Aging gives us more time and opportunity to satisfy our curiosities by changing up our style of women’s clothing, trying unique makeup looks, joining a book club, or learning a new language.
Many women find themselves having more time to eat healthier and get more exercise than they have in years, often reclaiming positive feelings about themselves that they enjoyed when they were younger.
Whether it’s a grand adventure overseas or camping in a nearby state park, new opportunities are everywhere for a woman over 50, because we have the time to do it!
As we get older, we’ll have many opportunities to serve others, make a difference in the world, and share our wisdom and experience with those who need our inspiration.
The more we push ourselves into more uncomfortable places, the more we’re going to grow.
How amazing is that?
When we’re 20, our time may be limited with a girlfriend who lives two hours away to keep up the friendship.
When we’re 50, we have more free time and resources to maintain friendships, family and others we love.
Our relationships with our children often improve as our daughters and sons become adults.
Living on their own, adult children tend to appreciate the work their mothers did to help them have everything they needed in life. Lucky us, right?
Many of us become grandmothers for the first time in our 50s. So, we often rediscover the joy of having babies, toddlers and little ones in our lives.
And the benefits of handing them back to mommy or daddy when the day is done!
With getting older comes a deeper understanding of the value of our romantic relationships. There is more time to refresh, improve, and enjoy our marriages or partners!
Even if you’re not married, you can dip a toe back into the dating pool, or make new friends by volunteering. You can be proactive and intentional about being a better parent to your adult kids, or even being the best mother-in-law you possibly can.
Turning 50 is momentous. This is the time to evaluate what's important, what needs to change and what doesn’t.
Your optimism, hope, regret, and fear can determine your quality of life when you reach your next milestones—60, 70, 80, 90, and beyond.
This time of our life is the fresh start we’ve been soul searching for!
How can we help you look your best while celebrating your uniqueness? I don’t have all the answers, but one of them is to take a peek through our women's clothing boutique for the latest trends, style, fashion and accessories for older women like you who deserve to feel confident and empowered every day of their lives!
]]>Even if some have a partner, having women friendships are so important to our mental health. With the pandemic of the last few years, joining forces with other women via zoom groups, walks in the park or long chats on the phone, so many of us have learned we need each other.
I am a member of the over 60+ crowd. Teenage years watching Charlie Angels, and listening to Super Tramp. Disco dancing in my late teens. Modeled in Europe and Japan, then the natural progression to acting on network TV in the 80's. Got married and had kids. Being a mom has a lifetime of rewards, and is lifelong identity. I am grateful for all of these achievements. I am grateful for my life.
Owning an online boutique, serving women over 50, keeps me extraordinary busy and would have it no other way. Working with women in this age group, and older, I know so many of us need the support of other women. Never married, divorced, widowed, so many are alone. Even if some have a partner, having women friendships are so important to our mental health. With the pandemic of the last few years, joining forces with other women via zoom groups, walks in the park or long chats on the phone, so many of us have learned we need each other.
Personally, I am a bit of a loner. Love being by myself. I do have my limits. I know I need someone to chat with when I catch myself talking to myself... way too much ;)
What I have learned through this pandemic is we need one another, we love our friends and family, even the ones that drive us crazy...and we are tougher than we thought.
Best,Chris
Some of my customers seem so lost when having to shop online. I know many are very computer savvy, so this is for those not knowing even know the basics.
A while back I had a customer complain she could not see the images of the email campaign I had sent her. I ask if she could see three little dots all in a row. This is Gmail “trimming content”. If you click on these three little dots … all in a row, the rest of the email will be expanded and you see all that was sent. It is that easy!
And to give you a trick, if you send an email, and do not want Gmail trimming it, delete the three dots … before you send your email, and Gmail cannot trim. Ha!]]>
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I have always been sensitive to offering unsolicited directions. I never want to assume my customer doesn’t know how to perform simple tasks on her mobile or desktop.
I know now I need to step up to the plate. If my customer doesn't know how to maneuver from an email campaign to the attached website link, for example, she will not buy my product and sadly, will not be able to buy what she needs.
I will be rolling out some very simple directions to help make your online shopping easier. This is for the customer who really needs basic directions. If you have a specific question, feel free to reach out on this website through the messenger.
This is the little icon to click on my website. You can reach out by leaving a question or concern if you need help maneuvering the website through your cell phone or computer.
This was your first lesson! HOW EASY IS THIS!
]]>The retail industry is changing. Retailers big and small are trying to keep up. I have noticed over the last few years many manufacturers are bowing out of the tradeshows. Online wholesale sites are popping up and although new companies are constantly joining the market with shiny branding and high hopes of taking a market share, many have closed.
Over the last two years, I lost four of my main clothing lines. For a small business, this is a big number. Although I am constantly looking for new sources, this situation has left me on high alert. Sourcing clothing that fits the niche market I cater to is now even more difficult. I look for high-quality fabrics, flattering designs for women wanting to wear comfort and ease of style at a moderate price point.
It is very easy to source cheap clothing. The market is flooded with low-quality fabrics and low-end craftsmanship. It is also very easy to source high-end clothing. Beautiful as these gorgeous creatures are, they are not in the price point I am offering to my customer, nor are they generally in the style and design I am looking for. I like to buy clothing we can wear every day.
So, what is a buyer to do?
Well, I have been using a few different tactics. I hunt on social media for sources, and then I research the company. This has opened the whole world to me.
I also have to say, I love the connection with small artistic brands I have found. Most are owned and operated by women, and even generally in the same age demographic. This has been growing into a support system and I love it.
This morning I was DMing India on Instagram, ordering clothing from an Australian Designer. Last night I glanced at a textile jewelry line in South Africa and saw a new product I have put on my list to buy this spring.
I can take a peek at the lines other small boutiques are carrying across the country and if I find something I think may work in my store, I source the designer-manufacturer. This has really added to my resources. Many small boutique companies cannot afford to show in tradeshows so I would never know they existed.
As a small business owner, to stay in business, one must constantly find new ways to fight the fight. There are always new opportunities to take advantage of in our constantly morphing industry and social media has very high value.
Social media can also suck the life out of small retailers. We live in a new age and to stay relevant and hopefully bring in sales, all this 'BE YOUR OWN MARKETER' is so time-consuming and exhausting. If you don't have the money to hire someone who can understand your market, don't bother. You will have to do it yourself. That being said, I am continuing to find reasons to keep at it. Sales of course but also a sense of connected community.
I really appreciate all of it.
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Our bodies are involved in a progression. Women need to be offered outfits to embrace this journey. It should always be exciting to choose what we wear and present ourselves to the world. Stylish clothing with good quality fabrics and shapes specifically aimed at our demographic. We need clothing we can continue to wear with adaptable styling.
]]>I wanted to share this article from Patricia Hampl. Thought it is wonderful :)
Life, if you’re lucky, is divided into thirds, my father used to say: youth, middle age and “You look good.” The dawn of that third stage is glinting right at me.
It isn’t simply that at this point more life is behind me — behind any middle-aged person — than lies ahead. Middle-aged? Who am I kidding? Who do you know who’s 144?
It’s not just about aging. By the time you’ve worked long enough, hard enough, real life begins to reveal itself as something other than effort, other than accomplishment. Real life wishes to be left to its own purposeless devices.
This isn’t sloth. It isn’t even exhaustion. It’s a late-arriving awareness of consciousness existing for its own sake.
The to-do list that runs most lives through middle age turns out, in this latter stage of existence, to have only one task: to waste life in order to find it. Who said that? Or something like that. Jesus? Buddha? Bob Dylan? Somebody who knew what’s what.
Mine was the first year of the notorious American baby boom, 1946. The year three of our recent presidents were born: Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Donald Trump. “You’re a boomer!” we were always told, as if we were named for the bomb, that midcentury annihilator.
We got all the good stuff.
The postwar hope and determination of our Depression-era parents was piled upon us, the fossil fuel of earlier generations we burned up without a care. We had a preposterously long sense of our own youthfulness.
But now the boomers are approaching the other side. Not death necessarily (though the time has begun when no one will say we were cut down too early). We’re reaching the other side of striving.
“You should try meditating or maybe yoga — yoga’s good,” someone said when I mentioned my fevered to-do lists, the sometimes alarming blood pressure readings, the dark-night-of-the-soul insomnia
But meditating is just another thing. Yoga? Another task, another item for the to-do list.
This battle between striving and serenity may be distinctly American. The struggle between toil and the dream of ease is an American birthright, the way a Frenchman expects to have decent wine at a reasonable price, and the whole month of August on vacation.
Maybe it goes all the way back to the Declaration of Independence, our founding document. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. How proud I’ve always been, through the years of protesting, the radical this and progressive that of my 1960s generation, to think of those words.
That unlikely word — happiness — made me proud to be an American, not just for my own sake, but that everyone was enjoined to find a personal project of delight. Of course happiness is an illusion. Still, I’ll pledge allegiance to it.
But happiness is the only word in the Declaration of Independence triad that doesn’t stand alone. Happiness is not, like life and liberty, a given. Happiness in the American credo is a job. It must be pursued. It may not be clear what happiness is, but you better get hold of it. Your fault, sucker, if you can’t somehow nab it for yourself.
The essential American word isn’t happiness. It’s pursuit.
This is where the struggle is engaged, happiness as a national enterprise. Its pursuit is the loneliness coiled within the heart of the American dream.
Even a postmodern to-do list is not the answer. Go ahead — meditate, do yoga, eat probiotic foods, all that.
But how about just giving up? What about wasting time? Giving up or perhaps giving over. To what? Perhaps what an earlier age called “the life of the mind,” the phrase that describes the sovereign self at ease, at home in the world. This isn’t the mind of rational thought, but the lost music of wondering, the sheer value of looking out the window, letting the world float along. It’s nothing, really, this wasted time, which is how it becomes, paradoxically, charged with “everything,” liberated into the blessed loss of ambition.
Other cultures labor, but what other nation implores each citizen to tackle happiness as a solo endeavor, a crazy paradox of a hunt for something that cannot, after all, be earned but can only be bestowed from the mysterious recesses of life? Give it up. Waste the day.
That’s what that great American lounger Whitman did. “I loaf and invite my soul,” he wrote. “I lean and loaf at my ease, observing a spear of summer grass.” In this way he came to his great conception of national citizenship for Americans, “the dear love of comrades.” His loafing led to solidarity.
It’s no coincidence that our most American poet handed out this contrary notion — to loaf — amid what he called our “democratic vistas.” There’s not much said about American vistas these days. Instead, there are plans to militarize a wall on our southern border.
Loafing is not a prudent business plan, not even a life plan, not a recognizably American project. But it begins to look a little like happiness, the kind that claims you, unbidden. Stay put and let the world show up? Or get out there and be a flâneur? Which is it? Well, it’s both.
Maybe this is what my father’s third stage of life is about — wondering, rather than pursuing. You look good — meaning, hey, you’re still alive, you’re still here, and for once you don’t really need to have a to-do list.
Patricia Hampl is the author, most recently, of “The Art of the Wasted Day,” from which this essay is adapted.
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This is a picture I took at the Flax Seven Windows Showroom while on a buying trip for this coming season. Clothing is Art! On the wall or dressed on our bodies, we all have our own style. We express our true selves by how we wear our clothing.
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Or so it seems....These ideas were seeded at least two years ago. All based on science. Not magic. Data procured by marketing companies is the foundation for the choices I offer you in my little store. Even if I am not a youthful trend driven boutique, these fashion offerings morph for every demographic, changing to fit the lifestyle and age of the customer. Last year, the trend was off the shoulder and open cut sleeves.This style even crept into the lines I offer in my small boutique. Altered for the wearability of elementary school age girls to the advanced age woman, this style was hanging on the manufacture’s racks for me to offer my clients. The next choice is up to you; what you want to put on your body, what you are comfortable wearing and how much money you want to spend.
Color is the other obvious seasonal change. I am visually bombarded with the new color pallet. I love this part. What did the color gods pic for us this year? Aka Pantone. We all have our favorites, so it is very exciting when a choice pops up I haven’t seen in years. This is especially fun for this weeks January show. Our cold New York tundra landscaped is miraculously refitted with gorgeous spring designs and colors. Almost like virtual reality for the day. I will be surrounded by Pantone colors of Meadowlark, Cherry Tomato, Little Boy Blue and Chili Oil. Then I will step outside to the New York Landscape of cold and wind and winter gray. Maybe I should just stay inside.
Buying is hard work. I own a little boutique and I find it difficult. I imagine buying for a larger operation and I cringe. Buying is also exciting. For me, not necessarily the new trend of the year but the never-ending creativity that pops up. Every so often I discover a garment or product I think is incredible. Even if I can’t bring it in my store, I am amazed and thrilled to witness ingenuity presented right in front of me. This find makes the time walking the football field size tradeshow worth the effort, even if I really sore feet:)
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A dialog was brought up this week about senior discounts and discounts for customers with fixed incomes, low incomes etc…
This conversation reminds us of the retailers’ social card we all must deal with. It is the social conscious of our business.
Brick and motor retail have an open window to the pulse of its’ community, wherever that may be. Like the old home goods store in a dusty small town, the retail store becomes an expert in what is happening its’ neighborhood, socially and financially. We feel it through our pours of our business.
I constantly give price breaks, and many times without the customer even knowing. I struggle offering discounts to customers because of the adage,
“Don’t judge a book by its cover”.
My brick and motor is in the middle of a few levels of income demographics. I am half a block away from Park ave, on the border of Harlem and the Upper East Side. I am surrounded by upscale doctor offices and the giant Mt. Sinai. Most neighborhoods in New York City can be like this. Just one block away can house a population with a totally different income level. Our customer net is full of financial disparities.
I bought a necklace from a very elderly woman a month ago. She said she needed the income to buy food. Yesterday I had a woman spend $800 to have clothing to take on her vacation. I have low-income women who work in the neighborhood and professionals who can afford my prices without a second thought. This can be a daily occurrence, for me and for many other retailers out in the world.
Obviously, we, as retailers find visually gauging our customers gives us data we can then use to help us sell to them. I try so hard not to do this. I try so hard not to pre-determine. I have made a fool of myself on more than one occasion. I do believe over the years I have become smoother helping people on limited budgets find a purchase in my store they can afford. I usually head straight to the sale rack if they have discussed their price range. Sometimes, I ask their price range in advance so I know what to offer them without guessing and miss guessing.
My sale rack can help with the issue of affordability. I always have a few items I hope most can afford. I know I am in business to make money, but making everyone comfortable, even if all they can do is browse and enjoy the experience to me is important.
Many larger retailers donate to charities, and they receive tax breaks or write-offs in doing so. Small retailers give price breaks to customers face-to-face. It is not a marketing ploy, it is part of our daily community activism.
Sitting outside and collecting my thoughts at a local restaurant last summer, I was upset with myself for chickening out! My intent on this Friday night was to head straight to my hair salon, get a pixie cut and grow it white. Instead, I was eating a cheeseburger and drinking a beer.
]]>Sitting outside and collecting my thoughts at a local restaurant last summer, I was upset with myself for chickening out! My intent on this Friday night was to head straight to my hair salon, get a pixie cut, preempting the struggle of growing my hair color out to its oh-natural roots. Instead, I was eating a cheeseburger and drinking a beer.
Six months later, I finally stopped coloring my hair. It’s not even gray underneath. It is almost white. I feel so free.
As I was sitting stuffing my face with french fries, I watched women pass by my table. I started conducting NYC street research. My question, why did some women look great with their natural gray/white hair, either long or short. and of course, what was going wrong when it is not working?
So, two beer later and darkness setting in, I came up with my answer.
I noticed many women with short uncolored hair looking matronly, yet others in the same age bracket looked full spirited and modern.
I noticed some women with long gray/white hair. Personally, I have long hair and one of my fears was to end up looking like a witch character as I age. Some of these women were not pulling it off, yet some were. Why?
Style!!!
From my point of view, it is all about how these women dressed. I am not talking expensive designer brand outfits, over quaffed and over polished anything. I am talking about the art of throwing on a few pieces that work for her figure, add maybe a scarf or a stylish pair of sun glasses.
Specifically, when women were pulling this natural look off, they had confidence and style executed, with what looks like, just a little effort. It seemed to me, these women know their bodies and how to style their specific shape.
The bottom line is “Style”. If you don’t have it, how do you catch it? Can you find it? Does it rub off from other women? Can you hug perfect stylish strangers and be transformed? Is it expensive to buy or is someone giving it away?
Well, style, to me is an artistic expression of who you are. Some people have a more creative side and it is easy for them to whip that scarf around their neck and run out the door like the entire female population of France. Others look at magazines, get their colors charted and stand in front of their mirror staring in confusion and uncertainty.
Even though I own my own women’s clothing boutique in New York City, I must admit I am a lazy dresser. I am a busy business owner. My day can be very physical and I cannot be constrained by my clothing. I am getting older. My hair is growing out white. I hide my aging skin like everyone else and I am coming to terms with the aging process.
Honestly, I believe the simpler the better. The right shape of clothing for your figure is so important, a touch of color and wear nothing so tight it is straining your body. As we age our skin become looser and even if you are in great shape, skimming your body with fabric generally is a good idea.
Color can be a good idea around your face. Gray/whited hair can wash out face color, so use a touch of makeup if you wear it, a colorful scarf or necklace around your neck and a dash of women attitude will pull it all together.
Open a magazine. follow a few middle age women blogs and discover your new body. Keep checking on it. It will not stop changing, so keep up with your body instead of ignoring it and you will be ahead of the game.
I don’t know if I will love my white hair. If I hate it, I can always color it again, but right now it is like a science experiment. Every morning, I look in the mirror to see how my white skunk line is growing. For me, It is kind of fun!
So, all said and done, I want to look like one of those stylish older women on the streets of New York who seems to just throw on a few things, run their hands through their hair and dash out the door. I think maybe you do too!
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