fascinating and fashionable

Fascinating and Fashionable: Denise, Owner of a Plus Size Boutique

by Sally on April 12, 2013 · 7 comments

I was present for the grand opening of Bombshell Boutique in St. Paul, and have been a fan of owner Denise Alden’s fabulous shop ever since. She stocks gorgeous, covetable clothing and proves to her customers that style has no size. Let’s hear from Denise!

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What inspired you to launch Bombshell?
In a word, beauty. Or rather, the lack of diverse images of beauty in the world. Beauty encompasses so much, and so many, and yet we’re subjected to images that all look exactly alike. That, and I figured I couldn’t be the only fabulous babe who wanted clothes to match her personality!

Do you have a background in retail or sales?
None whatsoever. Talk about a steep learning curve!

What was the biggest challenge you encountered in getting your business off the ground?
It’s hard to say. Looking back, there were lots of challenges and learning on the fly when we began, but I now know that opening a shop is child’s play compared to keeping it open, you know? Financing is a big challenge, and balancing work with your life. Everyone always says that when you have your own business, you never stop working, and I used to think they were wrong or overly dramatic. Not so much anymore: I have to make a conscious effort on a regular basis to make sure I’m not always thinking (or, god forbid, talking) about the shop.

How did you select the lines that you carry? How often do you consider adding new lines?
Okay, maybe this was, and continues to be, one of the biggest challenges of running my business. I knew I wanted to carry lines like Igigi and Kiyonna, but I also did lots of searching for lines that weren’t available, or that were from very small designers, or from Canada and Europe, to really bring the designer experience to my plus size market. When I select lines, I really look for fit first. Our aesthetic is about celebrating beauty, and that philosophy is one that many vendors selling plus size clothing were (and are) confounded by. I look for fitted, tailored clothing that shows off the figure, not over-sized clothing designed to hide something. I am always looking for new lines, because believe it or not, in the short time we’ve been open, several lines we once carried are no more.

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What do you wish you could tell the current group of plus-sized clothing designers?
I don’t know that I have anything to tell current designers of the clothing I buy, but I would caution new designers, large or small, to really do their homework on fit. Many large companies will add a plus size line onto their straight size line simply by “adding inches.” This practically guarantees poor, crazy fit. You have to commit to plus size, and that means a size 18 fit model.

Do you think high-end designers will ever make good on promises to manufacture clothing in plus sizes?
No. There are lots of reasons for this in my opinion, but it is a chicken and egg problem if ever there was. I can’t buy plus size clothing if it’s not available (duh), but on the other side of it, I can’t manufacture clothing that plus size women won’t buy. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard some version of this: ‘Well, if Gucci (or Marc Jacobs, or Chanel, et al) made clothes in my size, I’d buy them.’ However, the same person will balk at spending $200 on a dress or jeans in a boutique. Designer denim could run $1200: are they really going to spend money on designer clothing? I don’t think so, and neither does the market.

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Can you recommend any plus-sized style or fashion bloggers that inspire you?
I am in love with Stephanie Zwicky; I think I first discovered her through you and your blog! I enjoy Nicolette Mason; I really like her point of view. I am also inspired by Anna at Curvy Yoga, as well as Advanced Style. And I am thoroughly entertained by Tom and Lorenzo. They judge stylists’ choices, not celebrities (well, not too much!) and they feature the few plus size celebrities there are. I have learned a lot about styling from my gay uncles (that’s how they refer to themselves). They’ll post a photo of an actor in designer duds, and then post the look from the runway. I’ve found it invaluable to see how things fit and are styled outside of a fashion show.

Any plans to create an online shop for Bombshell?
No. We do so much here that doesn’t translate well to the virtual world. Interestingly, Chanel doesn’t sell their clothing online (yet), either. Here’s why, according to Bruno Pavlovsky, President of Fashion at Chanel: “We sell a lot of clothes. Our clothes are quite sophisticated and one of our strengths is alterations. To be able to wear Chanel clothes, you need to try them on. You need to be in the fitting room. You need to have a tailor who alters the clothes to fit exactly to your body. I think it’s part of Chanel. It’s more than just our service. It’s part of our differentiation to have ready-to-wear that is perfect for our customers.” Well, we are not Chanel, of course! But we feel just as strongly as they do about assisting our customers with fit: whether that’s selecting silhouettes for her figure, or suggesting tailoring, or even offering styling advice when it comes to colors and accessories. We can’t do that online, and we’re really about creating memorable experiences and lasting relationships with our customers.

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Fascinating and Fashionable: Peter and Cathy, A Sewer and his Muse

by Sally on March 22, 2013 · 15 comments

I’ve been friends with Peter for several years and read his blog, Male Pattern Boldness, for even longer. His focus is on sewing and related topics, but he writes thoughtfully and frequently about body image, pop culture, style trends, and consumer ethics. Although I’ve never met Cathy, I’ve always been fascinated by Peter’s interest in sewing for her … and for women in general. (You may notice an uncanny resemblance between the two of them!) So I requested an interview to find out more. Let’s hear from Peter and Cathy!

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Could you describe your relationship to Cathy?
I call Cathy my identical cousin (inspired originally from the Sixties sitcom “The Patty Duke Show.”) Is Cathy really my identical cousin? I think anyone looking at us side by side can see that while we’re strikingly similar in appearance, we are definitely not identical. For starters, Cathy is much younger!

What prompted you to begin sewing clothes for her?
True story: When I had just started sewing in 2009, I was walking down the street one night in my neighborhood when i stumbled upon four bolts of black fabric on the sidewalk near the curb where people leave their trash on trash pick-up nights here in NYC. I brought the fabric home and decided I’d make an LBD (little black dress) with some of it, since there was in an LBD competition on a sewing website I am active on called “Pattern Review.” Naturally I needed somebody to model the dress for me, and just my luck, my cousin Cathy was available! (You can the results of our very first modeling session here.)

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Since then, Cathy and I have done more than twenty photo shoots of outfits I’ve made for her, nearly all from vintage sewing patterns I’ve bought online. Cathy has modeled everything from a chiffon Twenties flapper dress to late Fifties maternity! (Cathy had her first child late last summer: A baby girl named — what else — Simplicity.)

As best I can, I’ve tried to assemble period-appropriate accessories (on a pretty tight budget) for our shoots. With the help of my local Salvation Army and the Chelsea flea market on weekends, I think we’’ve done pretty well. Thankfully Cathy wears a 9 or 9 ½ shoe, which is not hard to find.

You sew for yourself, too. What interests you about creating clothing for a woman’s figure?
It isn’t so much a woman’s figure per se that interests me as much as the huge range of styles and garments — and identities — available to women. Let’s face it: when it comes to men’s clothing, it’s pretty much just pants and shirts, and there’s not a whole lot of variation for most men. Are there exceptions to this standard male uniform? Of course there are, but most American men don’t wear kilts, tights, caftans, ponchos, pirate shirts, turbans, or any of the other garments that you might see men wear if you live in a big city or watch a lot of adventure movies.

What’s your favorite garment or outfit you’ve created for Cathy?
It’s really hard say because I’m fond of all of them. I think Cathy’s 1940’s playsuit turned out especially well and we really had a lot of fun photographing it during Fleet Week here in NYC:

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Cathy’s vintage Forties reversible two-piece swimsuit - which she modeled on the beach in Provincetown, Massachusetts last summer – certainly raised a lot of eyebrows, especially as my cousin had only just given birth but looked as toned as any Hollywood starlet.

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Any advice for people who would like to create and/or wear clothing that’s designed for a sex or gender other than their own?
As far as creating the clothes, it helps tremendously to know how to sew. Vintage patterns are readily available on sites like Etsy and eBay, where I’ve found most of mine. Prices vary but it’s not hard to find a simple design from, say, the 1950’s, for less than $15. If you can’t sew, thrift stores and many flea markets are great places to find fashions from the past. You’ll have better luck finding true vintage at vintage clothing shops but naturally you’ll have to pay more too. There are so many blogs written by women who wear vintage who don’t sew but who have a love for, say, the 1940’s, and have learned how to put a period look together inexpensively. These days, it’s not hard to find contemporary clothing that echoes styles of the past. (In fact, most does.)

As far advice about wearing clothing designed for another gender, it all depends. Today it’s not unusual to see images of men (if not the actual men themselves) who like to wear women’s clothing but who aren’t trying to look like women. They feel more comfortable wearing skirts, for example, or find high heels sexy. There are many different reasons for wanting to wear the clothing of the opposite gender (not that gender is solely a question of opposites; its actually quite fluid for many people), and most of them have nothing to do with “passing” as a member of a gender other than one’s own.

I think people should wear whatever they feel comfortable wearing, regardless of the whether the garment is strongly gendered or not: It’s really nobody’s business but the person wearing it. It may give us satisfaction to know that others find what we wear and how we look to be pleasing, but it’s not our job to please others. (Unless we’re literally being paid for our efforts; most of us are not.)

If you are a man who wishes to wear women’s clothes in order to pass as a woman, it helps to keep your face stubble-free, choose a foundation as close to your skin tone as possible, and, please, go easy on the lip liner! ;)

Any questions about me (Peter) or Cathy? We’re happy to answer them!

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Fascinating and Fashionable: Michelle the Thrift Stylist

by Sally on February 21, 2013 · 11 comments

As you know, I’m now working once per month as a guest stylist at Arc’s Value Village thrift stores, but I wanted to introduce you to the woman behind this groundbreaking program, Michelle Dustin. Let’s hear from Michelle!

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This program was your brainchild! What inspired you to create and launch the Arc’s Value Village Personal Shopper program?
One of my first jobs as a teen was as a cashier at the Arc’s Value Village in New Hope; there I developed a love for the eclectic, unpredictable and adventurous world of thrifting.

Over the years, I built a wardrobe full of thrifted finds. What really jazzed me was the ability to create a look that reflected current trends, but wasn’t a cookie-cutter replication of the mannequins at the mall. And what jazzed me even more was the ability to create this unique look for so much less!

When people took notice of my personal style or complimented me on something I wore, I reveled in the opportunity to say, “Thanks, I got it at the thrift store!”

The familiar response I got to that declaration is what inspired me to create the personal shopping service, which is now offered exclusively at Arc’s Value Village. The response was always the same, “I wish I could find things like that at the thrift store; I just don’t have the eye for it,” or “I get so overwhelmed at the thrift store; I just don’t have the patience to sift through all those racks.”

I created this service for that very reason. I wanted to create a service that bridged the thrifting gap, allowing those who have felt overwhelmed, intimidated or uninspired by the thrift experience, another way to engage. I wanted to give those folks a reason to give secondhand a second chance.

How have social media influenced the program’s progress?
Style is so personal. The service I offer is so personal. When I’m working with a client, we develop an intimate working relationship. Social media preserves and builds on that personal connection with my clients. I believe that connection keeps clients coming back.

People also connect with me via social media to stay on top of the latest appointment openings and cancellations. I’m on Facebook and Twitter.

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What’s a typical session like?
When a client arrives for their personal shopping appointment, I’ll greet them at the front of the store and escort them to their reserved fitting room. Excited “oohs” and “ahhs” are often heard as clients open the door to their private fitting room to find an attractive display of shoes and handbags picked just for them.

They are then presented with a rack full of clothing items I’ve hand-selected for them, based on the information they’ve provided on their Client Image Profile Form.

Not only is there a wide selection of separate pieces to try on, there are also 5-10 complete, outfits for them to try. The completed outfits are a significant value to customers. Most any thrifter will tell you, it’s relatively easy to compile a collection of great thrifted pieces, but the real challenge is creating outfits around those great pieces. By coordinating full looks for clients, I’ve eliminated that challenge.

The client has an hour and fifteen minutes to try on the items. I’m there at the fitting rooms throughout, offering a second opinion and suggesting creative ways to wear and pair each piece. Throughout the appointment, I’ll gladly grab items in a different size or style if need be. I’m also on hand to re-hang any rejected items.

As the appointment wraps up, clients will have the opportunity to weed through their (often heaping) pile of treasured finds. They’ll consider their budget and their existing wardrobe, deciding what to keep and what to cut. There’s no pressure to buy – I always say, “Only leave with what you really love!”

In that short 75-minute timeframe, my clients are able to reinvigorate their look for pennies on the dollar and have a lot of fun doing it!

Any recurring questions or concerns that arise on a regular basis?

It stinks that folks have to wait a month or longer for their appointment. But I think those that have used the service will tell you, it’s worth the wait!

We’ve recently launched a Guest Stylist program which will help alleviate some of that congestion during peak times. Our featured guest stylists will offer appointments to Arc’s Value Village customers on a limited, as-needed basis. Connect with the Arc’s Value Village Personal Shopper Facebook page to learn about Guest Stylists’ openings and other appointment opportunities.

Which classic pieces do most of your clients take home from their sessions?
Clients will of course purchase some classic pieces – a pair of great jeans, a flatteringly fitted blazer, a nice pair of boots, an LBD, etc. But what I find more often than not is clients opting to go for a little risk over the safety of a staple piece. At such low prices, clients are more willing to try a new trend or explore new aspects of their personal style.

What would you say are the advantages of shopping thrift?

It’s an eco-friendly approach to fashion; thrift epitomizes the green mantra, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.”

Choosing your thrift stores selectively is also important. I opt for non-profit stores that support a worthy cause. Knowing your dollars have a positive impact on others is another great benefit to shopping secondhand.

Of course, secondhand shopping is easier on your wallet. We can all appreciate that.

And lastly, shopping secondhand allows you to infuse your look with greater creativity, originality and personal expression.

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If you’re interested in booking a session with Michelle or one of the guest stylists, drop her a note at personalshopper@thearcgtc.org

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Fascinating and Fashionable: Zahra the Modest Clothing Entrepreneur

by Sally on January 21, 2013 · 36 comments

I met Zahra at the Giant Steps conference and immediately new I wanted to share her amazing story. She’s a smart, savvy businesswoman with a vision of creating an online shopping destination for women who prefer to dress modestly, and her site, Mode-sty, is well on its way. Let’s hear from Zahra!

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Can you give me a little background on your schooling and career path?
I grew up in a a suburb of Los Angles in southern California. I attended UCLA where I received my undergraduate degree in mass communication with a mathematics minor. I then attended law school at Syracuse University College of Law in New York. I worked for a local nonprofit organization as a civil rights advocate and also had an estate planning practice. In both roles, I had to essentially grow a small business.

I moved to Minneapolis in 2008 after I finishing law school and getting married to my husband who was working on his Ph.D. in computer science at the University of Minnesota. However, Minneapolis is where my “entrepreneur self” was born! I started two companies* here in the Twin Cities, as well as my private law practice. Minneapolis has quickly become home, with many wonderful and supportive friends and mentors as well as my son (almost 2!) being born here.

What inspired you to launch Mode-sty?

As a Muslim woman, I made the choice of dressing conservatively when I started college. Ever since then, it has been a struggle to uphold my values and my sense of style. The majority of retailers simply neglect women like myself by producing overly revealing designs (backless, see-through, sleeveless, etc.) As a result, conservative women are at a disadvantage because they have to spend significantly more and money to find anything much less something stylish. My husband who has entrepreneurial experience then helped take the first steps in determining if this was a viable idea and if we had a sufficiently large market. A few months later, we co-founded Mode-sty and have received tremendous support from thousands of women worldwide!

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How would you describe the site to someone who has never heard of it or visited it before?
Mode-sty is an online boutique that caters to stylish conservative women. We offer a selection that builds a beautiful modest wardrobe for every occasion and ever modesty level.

When did the site launch? At what point will you move from Beta/pop-up to full-use?
We had our first beta “pop-up” store at the end of July and we’ve had several more since then. We are using these pop-up stores as experiment to learn more about our customer and refine our business model. We are currenlty planning for a mid-2013 full launch.

Do you have a background in fashion or merchandising?
No, so I have immersed myself with designers, manufactures and trend setters. I spend a lot of time reading and talking to fashion insiders to be on top of everything that is currently happening in the fashion industry.

Who makes up your customer base?
The largest portion of our customers are women who really value dressing modestly for religious reasons. To these women the first factor they consider when shopping for clothing is: “will this garment give me the coverage I need”. We also have many customers who want more modest yet stylish options for professional reasons. In both cases our customers are very frustrated by the time, effort and compromised style they face when they shop.

Why do you think so many women are seeking less revealing clothing options?
I think that we are seeing such an interest in Mode-sty from all types of women because the vast majority of big brands and designers are all targeting the same demographic: the fun and hip twenty-something. Just check the homepage of brands like Zara, Mango, JCrew or online retailers like ShopBop, Gilt and you’ll see the same model smiling out at you. Therefore, even if you are not particularly conservative, there aren’t many alternatives to what every other brand is selling. Furthermore, with the rise of style blogs and particularly modest fashion blogs many women see examples of ways to be trendy and stylish without sacrificing their values. Thus instead of feeling like you have to choose to either be stylish or dress modestly now many women a looking for options where they don’t have to choose.

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What’s your best-selling item?
Our peplum little black dress: trendy, provides great coverage, flatters the figure, and can seamlessly go from a work to an evening outfit with some accessorizing. (Shown here, dress is Canadian designer Jessica Rose.)

Any plans to open a brick-and-mortar store?
At the moment our sole focus is to grow online.

*Muslim Buddy is Zahra’s other company, and she received a Bush Fellowship to continue her work there. So yeah, she’s 100% amazing.

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Fascinating and Fashionable: Sarah the Minimalist

by Sally on November 30, 2012 · 31 comments

This is the first in a new series of interviews with fascinating folks about their unique perspectives on style, fashion, and body image. I’m launching with Sarah Von of Yes and Yes, who is one of the most stylish women I know yet owns an absolutely tiny number of wardrobe items. Call her a minimalist, a capsule wardrobe aficionado, or a thrifty shopper, she’s got a good thing going. Let’s hear from Sarah!

How many pieces of clothing do you own? How many are thrifted?
Without actually counting each piece of clothing, I’d say I have somewhere between 20-30 pieces, not including accessories. I have 4 or 5 pairs of shoes that I regularly wear, but I have approximately a gajillion scarves and bangle bracelets. About 80% of my wardrobe is thrifted. If it’s not thrifted, it’s from Target, Old Navy, or TJ Maxx.

It should also be noted that I’m self-employed and I work from home. Virtually nobody sees me two days in a row. I seriously have three or four go-to outfits for each season and nobody is the wiser. Well, they weren’t until I just told the internet about it.

What’s your philosophy of wardrobe-building?
It’s probably overly generous to say I have a ‘philosophy’! But I try to limit myself to clothing that’s
a) versatile
b) layerable
c) fits really well

Also, if I find something I really love, I buy it in multiples. (I only have five pairs of pants. Three of them are Old Navy ‘Rock Star’ jeans. For a long time I only had two pairs of pants, then my BFF threatened to stage an intervention about my grey jeans.)

I spend about three months of each year traveling, so I’ve become very accustomed to living out of a carry-on for weeks at a time. Once you’re used to that, it feels weird (and sort of overwhelming!) to fill a whole closet with clothes when you know you can look good with just a few things.

Until about a year ago, 99% of my wardrobe was thrifted but it’s quite difficult to find clothing that meets the above mentioned needs at a thrift store. I still thrift when I want to fulfill a shopping urge without spending lots of money, but I’m much more likely to go to a ‘Proper Store’ if I’m looking for something specific to add to my wardrobe.

Sarah’s closet

Do you ever get bored with your clothes? How do you keep things interesting?
Very occasionally, but that’s usually when I’m traveling. If I’m feeling bored, I add a patterned layering tank. Or a scarf. Or tights!

What would you consider to be an investment piece? In other words, what are you willing to spend big on and why?
Shoes and boots! I balk at paying more than $30 for just about any piece of clothing, but I will happily spent $80 on a pair of nice ballet flats with arch support. I spent $50 getting my riding boots reheeled and I’d happily do it again.

What motivates you to shop? How often do you do it?
I shop once every 2 or 3 months, when I feel bored with the few pieces I have for that season or when I see a new trend I want to try. It should also be noted that I haaaaaate malls and I don’t particularly like shopping with other people, so that limits how often I got shopping as well.

Sarah with gorgeous blogger Carly of Smaggle

What advice would you give to someone who wants to follow your minimalist example?
It’s lovely if you want to have a small, curated wardrobe but don’t force yourself to edit your closet down to nothing if you like having lots of choices and clothes!

If you’d like a bit more space in your closet, get rid of anything that doesn’t fit, can’t be paired with several other pieces, or doesn’t make you happy. I have a few pieces in my closet that I wear once or twice a year, but I genuinely enjoy seeing them there on their hangers, so I keep them.

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