Merry Sales: Shop with Purpose

Joan King

December 29, 2019

Merry Post Christmas Sales! Whatever didn’t sell for the holiday is now on deep discount. This applies to more than just the holiday decorations. Retail is preparing to unload all their winter wear as they will be displaying “Resort 2020” in the next month! What does this mean for you? Take advantage of these sales to fill your closet with whatever you need to get you though the rest of the winter season.

So with so many sales the hardest part might be “where to begin?” I have some suggestions and examples here to help you start to break it down. Instead of shopping aimlessly, have a plan. Look at your wardrobe and figure out where the holes are. Of the key pieces you need for your lifestyle, what are you missing or need to replace? See below for a few “key pieces” for almost any wardrobe to get you started!

Work-wear: Whatever your job, there is a chance that on occasion you need to dress up a little. Or maybe just look more put together than the athleisure that you live in. I’ve always found that a simple neutral blazer can go a long way to pulling together a look, especially when you feel at a loss for what to wear. Depending on how formal you need to dress, you can pair a blazer with jeans for a more casual look or pair with a shift dress for a more professional look.

The Versatile Dress: A simple dress can be accessorized in multiple ways so as to fit any number of occasions. To find a dress that will work as a great base layer in your wardrobe, choose a neutral tone and a simple silhouette. You might be surprised to see that I have chosen a leopard print as my example but in fact, this is considered a neutral tone as it can paired with so many others. Keep jewelry to a minimal and pair with nude pumps for a low key affair. Add a little bling and color for something more exciting!

The LBD: This is a must have staple in all wardrobes. The little black dress fits so many occasions and never goes out of style. Keep this dress in your closet from one season to the next for any impromptu occasion you might have. Whether you are in need of a last minute cocktail dress, have a dinner invitation for work, or attending a theater performance, the LBD will get you there in style!

The Cozy Sweater: Chances are your closet is full of sweaters, especially if you live in New England. But do the sweaters you have live up to your expectations? Do they fit your lifestyle? How long have they been in your wardrobe? Sometime we hold onto to sweaters longer than we should. If we get use out of a sweater, it can wear over time. Sweaters are one piece we will be continuously adding to our wardrobes every year. Something warm, simple and with a touch of detail could be just the piece you need.

J. Crew Crewneck Sweater with jeweled buttons

The Statement Blouse: Whether you are dressing for work or a night out, this blouse can become a staple in your wardrobe to help get you through the next few months. Pick a color and style that flatters you. Then start pairing it with everything in your wardrobe. From jeans, to a pencil skirt, to dress pants or a suit, this simple blouse can take your wardrobe to almost any occasion. The versatility of this blouse is what makes it such a key ingredient to your wardrobe.

The Coat: In this case, the coat is a perfectly simple one button topcoat. But coats in all colors, styles and fabrics are on sale right now. Depending your lifestyle, find the coat that will be the most versatile in your wardrobe. Where do you go on a weekly basis? Are you outside much? Do you need a heavy coat or will something lighter work better? I encourage you to get the coat that you will get the most use out of. Only you can determine what that will be. While I know that you want to find a coat that will fit over all your other layers, you also want to find a coat that will “Fit” you properly. Where possible try on multiple sizes to determine the best fit for you body.

Joan King

July 10, 2019

Freshly Cut Styles for Summer

Joan King

July 10, 2019

It makes me sad to think about the end of summer. This is clearly my favorite season. But as I’ve been telling you for a few weeks now, where retail is concerned… summer is almost over.

Why do I keep repeating myself? Well, it seems like the sort of intel that you might find useful. If you know that summer is slowing down for retail, you’ll be prepared for all the price slashing you’re seeing and you won’t be surprised when all you find in stores next month are Fall Back to School deals!

So now that you know to expect deep discounts in the near future, how should you proceed? Well, here is my tip… shop now for any remaining summer wardrobe needs you might have. While the sales will keep getting better you will run the risk of inventory running out if you wait. In particular, you run the risk of not finding what you want in your size. That’s usually my biggest hassle! There might be an amazing sale happening but I won’t get to take advantage because the items I desire are no longer available in my size. Over time, I’ve learned to keep an eye on items that I like so when they first go on sale, I can take advantage of a discount but still find items in my size.

This has also been a tip to my clients when shopping. Try on everything you like in a store, regardless of price. That way if you fall in love with something in the dressing room that is a little to steep for your pocket, you’ll know what size you need when the next sale comes along!

Seeing as the sales are in bloom, take a look at a few favorites below from the current fresh cuts at Anthropologie!

Joan King

August 4, 2017

How it Looks on the Hanger

Joan King

August 4, 2017

Most of us (dare, I say all of us) shop online. MANY of us shop for clothes online. It's so much easier to shop from the comfort of home after we've put the kids to bed than to try to find time to go to a store. The flexibility of shopping online outweighs the disadvantages of not being able to see the product up close. But what about trying it on?

An item of clothing does not fit everyone the same way. So trying an item of clothing on is an important step to deciding if it will work for you. How it looks on the hanger can be deceiving. So if you are going to shop online be sure to check out all the pictures of the item. Normally you will find anywhere from 2 to 6 pictures of a clothing item that is being sold. Often you'll see a picture of someone actually wearing the item. This can be helpful.

Even though it's not your body, you can get a sense for how the item looks on someone. Two dimensional pictures of an item that is lying on a white background will not help you to determine how that item will look on you. A picture of the item on a model will at least give you a sense of dimension (where the hemlines are, how an item falls, where the seams are and so on). Pay attention to the details to get a sense of how that item will look on you!

This is also true in store. When you see an item on a hanger, keep in mind that item may look differently onyour body, This is why when you do shop in store, it's so important to make sure you try things on. This is your chance to see how different styles and colors will look on you!

Here are a few items from Madewell that will help you to see the difference between an item on a hanger versus an item on a body. The Madewell website features all items photographed on a hanger. However, once you click on the item you can see additional pictures of that item on a model. Check out a few examples, I've posted below to see the difference.