Apparel and Accessories

Getting Shoppers Excited (From page 40)

are in the dressing room and giving honest feedback. We love to accessorize and encourage customers to do the same.”

According to Tiffany S. Walker , owner and designer at Pink Lucy located in Dallas, Texas, sustainability is on trend for accessories as a whole and should always be an important element in the design process.

In terms of handbags, oversized bags to stash all of your essentials as we head back to the office after the pandemic are trending, said Walker. “For smaller bags we are seeing the ‘bagcelet’ - a small handbag that you can wear on your wrist as a bracelet,” said Walker.

For shoes, tall is trending. “We are soaring to new heights this season with “skyscraper” platforms,” explained Walker. “Made in every style imaginable, the commonality is eye catching platforms.”

To help customers coordinate an outfit from Pink Lucy’s merchandise, Walker always encourages customers to add a statement piece “to make what they are wearing 'pop'."

According to Walker, one statement piece is more than enough. “You don’t want the articles of clothing you’re wearing to compete with each other or clash,” she continued.

Lesley Timpe , owner and designer at Chicagobased Squasht Boutique said they specialize in local and handmade merchandise.

According to Timpe, retro is currently on trend. They carry clay polymer jewelry from Common Violet and 80s-90s inspired gold, chunky bright acrylic pieces from the Black owned business Vintage Royalty. Timpe anticipates that shells and natural elements will be trending come Springtime.

In her shop, Timpe selects socks based on what she knows customers in her area would be interested in –that includes animals, hedgehogs, horses, cactus –and cozy warm socks.

To increase sales, Timpe primarily uses social media. Timpe said they often partner with local designers and cross-promote together.

Timpe said they also encourage shoppers to coordinate outfits using social media. Instagram is their main social media platform. They just started doing outfit reels on Instagram. While they do feature photographs of models wearing entire outfits, they also use plenty of flat lay photos to showcase various outfits. Customers will often come into the store and mention they saw a particular outfit on Instagram that they have to have.

Timpe said that, while posts using models wearing the outfits garner a better response and more attention, it’s more practical at their 1,150-square-foot independent boutique to mix the flat lays with the photos of models.

Within her customer-base Angie Vodopivec , owner of Ohiobased 2,000-square-foot Yogi’s Closet is seeing dainty mixed with chunky trending. Gold jewelry sales are still going strong, but some are craving silver, she said.

Vodopivec finds customizable bags sell well in her 2,000-square-foot shop. Customers buy a base and then can purchase from a selection of straps, some decorated with embroidery, and others emblazoned with words.

To sell merchandise and show how outfits can be coordinated, Vodopivec features an unboxing video every Wednesday. These unboxing videos have grown in popularity she said. ❖

What Type of Shopping Experience Do You Strive To Create For Shoppers?

“We want customers to feel special and beautiful. They need to know they look good,” said Christine Boring of her customers at Bungalow Boutique & Gifts in Lakeland, Fla.

“I want customers to come in and have fun first and foremost,” expressed Owner Angie Vodopivec. She also strives to create an experience at Yogi’s Closet Boutique in Willoughby, Ohio, where shoppers can feel at home. She loves seeing mothers and daughters come into the shop together. They also have a sitting room where friends can get together to try on and share various looks together. What’s more: She hosts monthly events where customers learn a craft (last month: charcuterie,) are served wine and shop.

At Squasht in Chicago, Ill., they aim to give customers a fun, super casual experience. They don’t want customers to feel pressured or obligated to buy anything. Sales goals and numbers is not something discussed with staff. They want to make sure customers find something they really want. Owner and Designer Lesley Timpe said they encourage guests to try items on, but also read people – if they show they’re into it, she will give them items to try on. If not, she knows not to push it.

“We like to make our customers feel as though they are a part of the Pink Lucy family, because they are,” said Tiffany S. Walker, owner and designer at Pink Lucy in Dallas, Texas.

In their 1,500-square-foot showroom, where annual sales are $526,000, they have a charging station for cell phones and devices, offer wine and beverages, and one-of-a-kind apparel and accessories.

“From upbeat music, a warm and friendly environment to the way we engage with our customers- it is of the utmost importance for our customers to know that we are experts in what we do, that we are passionate about the art of fashion and we want to know that our success is because of them,” expressed Walker. ❖