Where Smaller Merchandise Can Create Bigger Sales Accessories at Apparel Boutiques

Trends come and go, but the accessories category will always be strong for independent boutiques. “Jewelry and little items always do well, so we try to always stock plenty of them,” said Owner Joanne Dina, of Anna Grace, a Buffalo, N.Y., boutique. “It’s easy for people to buy. There’s no need to try anything on; jewelry or socks won’t make you feel bad about yourself. It’s just a fun little purchase.”

At the 700-square-foot store, the delicate jewelry trend has driven a lot of recent accessory purchases, and socks “sell a ton” in fall and winter. With limited space, Dina tries to “tell a story with a few items,” avoiding the clutter that can be a customer turnoff.

At MS Eye Candy Boutique, also in Buffalo, Owner Siobhan Taylor likes to space out displays, using walls as well as tables. “The more creative you are, the better you sell it,” she reflected. “And if you can put things on mannequins, that always helps.”

Hats are a top-seller yearround at the 1,300-squarefoot store. Wool and knit caps “are cute and keep you warm” in winter, while bucket and fedora styles do well in warmer weather. She doesn’t carry a lot of socks, “but when I do have them, I do sell them,” she added, citing fishnet and sheer polka dot styles that have lately been popular worn with heels.

After years when tops billowed and waists were not a focal point, Taylor said belts are now back in fashion. “Everything comes around again,” she reflected. But today’s customers wear them differently: They’ll belt a pair of “Mom” style jeans, or drape a loose style under a crop top to emphasize the waist. Taylor said jeweled and chain styles are most popular at MS Eye Candy.

Jewelry is also perennially popular at the 10-yearold boutique. While silvertone pieces sold better in the past, lately Taylor has seen a shift toward gold for small accessories, including hair jewelry.

In Cleveland, winter- and pandemic-weary shoppers are looking for a jolt of color this spring.

“I’m selling pieces that are chunky but still lightweight,” said Kim Crow , owner of Evie Lou, a 12-year-old boutique. “People are looking for a jolt of color. A fun necklace is definitely resonating now.”

Crow visits trade markets in New York and Chicago to find new items, as well as taking suggestions from her sales reps. Once merchandise comes in, Crow arranges jewelry and accessories on the front of every rack at the 3,500-square foot-store.

“We find that to be very effective,” she noted. She’ll also display socks with coordinating shoes, “to give people an idea of how they look together.”

Sales of socks are way up, especially the novelty styles that are in vogue to spice up otherwise restrained outfits. “People will wear all black, but with red and blue socks,” observed Crow. “We’re not a silly store, but people are definitely looking to have more

Continued on page 120

Where Smaller Merchandise (From page 119)

fun with their socks.” Polka dots and stripes are huge, multicolor is a winner, and funky textures like dots or raised weaves all do well.

Like many boutique retailers, Crow has seen sales of fashion scarves decline. A few years ago, scarves were such a key accessory that women would wear them all year round, with or without jackets, shifting to lighter fabrics in summer. Now, “sales have slowed a lot,” Crow observed.

During fall and winter, MS Eye Candy Boutique in Buffalo always sells a lot of scarves; they’re essential in upstate New York. “People also give scarves as gifts a lot, especially around the holidays, because scarves are practical and also fashionable,” noted Siobhan Taylor . Along with trade shows, Taylor said she increasingly Googles and shops online ven-