Gillianism
“Style yourself from head to toe
– not just in between”
Clothes are a big part of fashion, but great style does not stop at the clothes you wear, as it is only one part of the style package. There are other parts to the package and not using them properly, can make you look unpolished and not quite finished. In part 1 of this 5 part series, we will discuss clothes.
Spend as much as you can afford; you do not need to go into debt to look stylish. You can buy an entire outfit for $100 and make it look like you spent $1,000 instead. Choices are endless: Big box stores like Walmart and mall-based stores like Macy’s, Nordstrom, and Saks 5th Avenue, have price ranges from reasonable to expensive. Alternatively, if you get tired of driving and walking around or you have not seen anything you want in the regular chain stores, there are other options:
- Online shopping: There are stores that do not have a physical location you can visit. There are pros and cons to this option. The main pro is that they usually offer more options than a physical store because their overhead is usually lower. Keep in mind that even physical stores have an online presence and sometimes they have options not available in-store. The main cons are that sometimes the actual clothing color looks different from the online color, the material is not what you thought it was and you don’t have the opportunity to try before you buy. However, their exchange/return policies are usually generous, but always confirm before purchasing what each site’s policy is. Here are some examples of online shopping sites: https://m.lulus.com/.
- Thrift stores: Organizations such as Salvation Army and Goodwill usually have a lot of great merchandise including clothing at a really cheap price.
- Consignment / Vintage stores:These are stores with one of a kind gems that you usually will not find anywhere else. Why? Because these items are usually gently worn (once or twice by the original owner) or were never worn (some with the price tags still attached). These pieces are either (1) sold directly to the store for a deep discount then resold to the store’s customers or (2) they are priced and placed in the store and when sold the original owner gets a cut off the sale price. This is a great option if you want one of a kind pieces and brand name items at a small fraction of the original cost. Here’s one to check out http://stashboutique.net.
Whether you spent $10 or a mortgage payment on your clothes, they must fit you. Your clothes can come from Walmart or Saks, but if they don’t fit properly, no matter how much you paid for it you would have wasted money. If you have a piece that does not fit as well as it should, consider taking it to a tailor for alteration; they may be able to customize your piece to make it look like it was created specifically for you.
Finally, whatever your style, remember the must-haves for all clothing items – they must be clean, they must be stored and maintained properly in order to keep their shape, color and strength and they must be assessed on a regular schedule to see if they still fit in with your story.
Next Steps…
This is should be a prospective customer’s number one call to action, e.g., requesting a quote or perusing your product catalog.
