Women’s Clothing

Fashion trends never really die, and this season in particular is bringing us old styles revamped. Mod cuts and styles are huge, but the prints we’re seeing are reminiscent of another age. 70’s paisleys in earthy tones are back as strong as ever. Art Nouveau inspired curls and lines cover fabrics from chiffons to satins.

An unexpected revival comes in the form of Tie Dye. This look hasn’t been around for years, but no one is complaining about the update. The colors have shifted from saturated rainbows, to deep gem tones, making this old look relevant again.

70’s inspired peasant tunic tops are here again, and have been since last fall. This long running trend shows no signs of dying out – likely because of the comfort of the billowy cuts. You don’t need to raid mom’s closet anymore for amazing retro and vintage looks.

As people become more anxious over the political and economic mood in the US right now, marketing is more important than ever. Reports show that despite worries, customers are STILL spending money in retail stores. In fact, this month, there has been the largest increase in retail sales since November of 2007.

People are being more picky these days, though, and it’s no wonder. When things are tight, they still want the best items, but they may be less willing to spend indiscriminately. So how can you, as a retailer of womens clothing, capture their attention and customer loyalty?

We’ve discussed how a web presence, and strong customer service can help you, but what about marketing? Are you calling your best customers to tell them when you have a sale or promotion going on? It’s a good idea to keep in close contact with the people who keep your store going. Do you have a strong brand identity, so that word of mouth will effectively spread the popularity of your store? Do you have print ads that will easily win out over the old newspaper ads, and inserts mass produced by big department stores?

It’s important to keep in touch. Make a list of ten or twenty excellent customers, and call them personally when you have a sale or promotion. They’ll feel special and included, and there’s a good chance they’ll buy.

Make a strong name for yourself. Prominently display the name of your shop or boutique on the storefront. Make a name and stick to it. Follow up with a business card or flyer, and slip it into every bag you send out of the store.

Most importantly, pay attention to print marketing! Newspapers constantly run ads that people looking for a deal might find, and the bigger stores always fill the morning mail with small pamphlets advertising sales and new products. How can you compete with this? It’s simple, actually.These ads and brochures are not targeting anyone in particular, but you can. Take down the addresses of customers when they have time to give them, and then send out your own beautiful postcard. Or better yet, let us do it all for you, and save your time for more important things in your store!

For those of you carrying bridal fashions, be on the lookout for the very best stock in bridesmaids gowns as the wedding season approaches!”The brides are saying I want them to wear it again,” said Monta Vaden, a certified wedding specialist at Wedding Wonderland in West Knoxville. “Some of them look like party dresses.”One reason dresses translate to other occasions is length.”The trend is tea-length to cocktail, which is about right at the knee,” Vaden said. “This makes them kind of flirty but sophisticated.”

The higher hemline plays to a certain bridal demographic. “The average bride that comes in here is 19 to 24,” Vaden said. “Her bridesmaids are going to want something young and sexy, so they are going for the shorter dresses.”

Silhouettes for the little numbers range from classic A-lines to empire-waist goddess designs. Some have a simple natural waist with an easy skirt. Also, the bubble skirt is blowing up.

Fabrics also make them easy sells. There is polished cotton, which has a soft casualness and creates a dress that works for more relaxed or outdoor weddings. Chiffon adds elegant movement to the pieces. Of course, silk is popular, as is taffeta. Some makers have opted for polyester-silk blends, which has a super-lightweight hand. The Alfred Angelo label has done a knit-jersey line of bridesmaid dresses. “The fabric drapes beautifully and flatters every body type,” says Alfred Angelo designer Michael Shettel. “The combination of a unique fabric and trendy styling means these dresses can be worn again. Whether to a summer cocktail party, fancy dinner out or next year’s holiday parties.” Vaden said some brides are snapping up the dresses for rehearsal dinners. Also, she has sold some of the dresses to high schoolers during the prom season, where shorter looks took center stage.

At A Joyous Occasion, Frye has seen interest in them from mothers of the bride. “I encourage younger mothers to look at bridesmaids dresses,” she said. “A lot of the things for them are so matronly.” Although short is in vogue now, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a place for long dresses. “Some girls get nervous about the hem not falling at the same place (on their bridesmaids) with the shorter dresses,” Frye said. “I say eliminate the stress and go long.”

In necklines, strapless reigns supreme, with emphasis on the sweetheart. Halters are an option, too.

Details make the dresses pop. Waist interests are key, from skinny belts to bold obi-style sashes. Ruching (vertical and horizontal) at the bodice works, as does pleating. Some even have pockets.

As far as color, citrus brights are hot right now. On the other end are neutrals: black, brown, and taupe. Metallics are popular, as well. And it seems white bridesmaids dresses are no longer a no-no.

“The rules are out the window,” Frye said. “It’s all about personal style and about what the bride envisions.”

((Credit to Kevin Cowan, Koxnews ))

Looking for some great summer dress stock, but don’t know all the jargon? Cuts, shapes, and color names can be so confusing. Well, here’s a handy guide to help you make sense of the words designers use to describe their products. Here are a few of the more common terms used when talking about dresses.

A-line Dress – A-line dresses are generally waistless. They start out with a narrow top, and flare out with straight sides to form an ‘A’ shape. A-line skirts follow the same pattern. This cut is great for people who want to hide a little something around the waist.

Bubble hem Dress - The bubble shape is one of the hottest new trends, and shows no signs of going away. The bubble shape features a gathered hem that is fixed to a shorter lining beneath. The effect is a round hemline with no visible edge. This shape is perfect for anyone who wants to hide their thighs without sacrificing their legs.

Crystal Pleat – This is a very fine, permanent pleat in fabric. Generally in sheer fabrics, but with its growing popularity, the style has expanded to include satins and polyesters.

Geometric Print – A geometric print is any print that features either angular, or abstract shapes in its design.

Mod Dress – A mod dress is any dress that is reminiscent of styles worn by the fashion icons of the 60’s. Mod dresses are generally, but not always A-line shapes, and often feature trapeze necks.

Trapeze Neck – This means something in between straps, and a halter neck. The back of the neck is usually high, while the front swings down. It’s a popular shape for people who want to show off their arms and shoulders, because it’s a bit classier than most sleeveless cuts.

Viscose – Viscose is a new fabric made of a form of Rayon. It’s benefits are that is it lightweight, silky, and it breathes much like a cotton weave. Many of our finer Cable and Gauge tops are made of Viscose.

It was a sad weekend for the high fashion world. One of the founding designers of our century passed away at the age of 71 years old. Yves Saint Laurent, who retired from haute couture six years ago, has been plagued by health concerns for the past few years.

Laurent was born in Algeria in 1936, and studied under Christian Dior. He founded his own house of haute couture in the 1960’s. Later, he became synonymous with new trends and high fashion. His market expanded to Japan, and then to South Korea and Taiwan.

As a giant in the world of fashion, he will be sorely missed.

There are a lot of reasons to drag your feet on the online issue as you build the brand and identity of your physical store. “ But all my customers are local…”, or “They’re just not online shopper types.” Not to mention the money involved in startup, and the hassle of inventory control and shopping carts. You might be surprised how much an online presence can really help your sales and community identity. These days,  women’s wholesale clothing stores are everywhere.

Online stores are open 24 hours. Your customers may like to come in, try on the goods, and speak to you personally, but that doesn’t mean they can’t get a sneak peek at the new clothing trends. Put your website on your business card, and let them know they can look at items any time. They’ll come in as soon as they see new things, rather than stopping in randomly and being upset when you’re sold out of their size.

Online stores can track your customer demographics. Using analytics, you can see what your customers are looking at, what items they like, and you can even do surveys in exchange for clothing discounts to get more information to better help you stock your store.

Some online store systems let you sell items that you don’t physically have in stock. Some online clothing websites are affiliates of bigger companies who will hold the inventory for you, so you never have to store it in house.

Online stores make an attractive placeholder for your contact information. If someone wants to know what your address is, or what your hours are, do you want them landing on a generic yellow pages page with little or no information? Of course not! Your online store should be as lovely as your real storefront, and it should prominently display important information on getting to the store. Even if your customers don’t want to shop online, they’ll see that you are a professional, established business.

A great plus to women’s clothing websites is - you can let someone else do all the work for you! Ask your Julie-Ann sales rep to tell you about our affiliate program, which will provide all web design, shopping cart, inventory control, and customer service for you.

Customer service is probably the second most important aspect of your retail women’s clothing business, after marketing. Customer service is what will give you an edge over your chain store competitors, and bring people back into local shopping. Great service will have them spending more, because they trust you as a retailer, and it is well worth the extra effort. There are some simple things you can do to better serve your customers, and yourself.

Love your products! If you don’t, how can anyone else? Always wear what you sell, and be a living model for your customers. Take the time to research the name brand items you sell. Know where everything is in your store, where it was made, what it’s made of, how it fits, etc. Try on everything in your size, so you can tell them if it fits big, small, or if it’s cut for wide hips or small busts. Be ready to suggest great items if they’re not sure what they’re looking for.

Answer your phone and e-mails! Some customers just like to check out what’s there before they head into the store. Always have a phone ready, and if you’re assisting a customer, have someone else there to help grab it. Check your email at least once a day, and answer every question, no matter how small. If you have a women’s clothing website (which we highly recommend), then make sure everything is updated and current at least once a week. It won’t take care of itself. As an extension of your brick and mortar business, your online clothing store should look as polished and professional as your storefront. Put out a little money on it if you can. If someone needs the address or phone number for your store, that’s likely where they’ll land, so you want it to look good.

Never run the store alone. You should never be the only person in the store. If you’re at the register, a customer who comes in isn’t being greeted, assisted, or smiled at. If you’re helping a customer, someone with money who wants to pay is being ignored. No matter how small your space, never work alone.

Get to know repeat customers. Anyone who walks in your store twice is a repeat customer. Know their names, what brands they like, how many children they have. Anything. It not only builds a rapport with the community, but it also helps you market properly to your demographic. Make sure they know you, too. Slip a business card in their bag as they leave, or offer a little discount to them in the form of a signed, handwritten coupon. If they think of you as a friend, as well as a business, they’re more likely to visit you, rather than the big chain with the blank faced cashier. Your store should be a place to hang out, shop, chat, meet friends – in other words, a destination, and not just a quick stop on the way home from work.

Work friendly hours. It’s important to make sure you’re not always closed when people want to shop. This doesn’t mean keeping the doors open past midnight, but if you’re open until seven, people have a chance to get home from work, walk the dog, eat a quick dinner, and get in before closing. You can open your doors at ten or later, as long as you can stay open after five on weekdays.

Sometimes, specialization is your key to success, especially in rough times. As promised, we’re here to deliver some helpful business ideas to keep you going in a tougher economic climate, and one of the best methods we’ve found for success is in cornering a niche market for women’s wholesale apparel.
A niche market doesn’t have to be anything exotic. Here are a few tips to help you corner the market in your local neighborhood.

+ Know your demographics  Marketing is a prime way to gather information to help you better serve your customers. By sending out mailers, e-mails, and by using word of mouth, you can not only lure people into your store, but you can find out what they need. Keep track of who visits your site, how old they are, what they buy, etc. You’ll be able to stock what they want more easily that way.

+ Specialize  Are you the only formal wear store in your town? In plus sizes? Do you offer custom tailoring? Or maybe you’re where all the trendy teens like to shop when they’re not up for a long drive to the nearest mega mall. Play up whatever makes your store special. Have a large selection of it. From Red Hat Society to Prom, be the best in your area.

+ Customer Service   This cannot be stressed enough. These days, when a trip to a huge chain is as easy as getting in the car, you have to make your store special not only through great pricing, but through impeccable customer service. Answer questions knowledgably, be extra courteous, and ensure that your staff can do the same when you’re not in. There’s no comparison to great personal service, especially when the alternative is a curt cashier in an enormous chain who doesn’t care about the product or the customer.

+ Unique items   When you buy stock, look for items that simply can’t be found in the larger stores in your area. Items with different cuts, or exciting prints. If your customers know that they will get interesting pieces at your store, they’ll bypass the larger one-style-fits-all chains.

Knits are the new jersey, retro is the new modern, and green is the new black. Trends were redefined at the recent MAGIC Marketplace, Project Global Trade Show, United trade show and Pooltradeshow in Las Vegas and the Action Sports Retailer Trade Expo and Agenda trade show in San Diego. Not to be missed, the West Coast trade shows have become centers for emerging style trends. Denim continued to reinvent itself with retro cool and futuristic styling, the ’80s returned with their colorful version of edgy, and eco continued its growth as a category.

The new “must haves” included knits, jackets and dresses. Boho moved forward into Fall with modern 1960s and ’70s inspiration, and a uniform-meets-menswear look emerged. Designers also looked to the stage for inspiration, creating styles with that are rock ‘n’ roll-hip and full of circus whimsy. Here is a look at the key trends for Fall ‘08.

Source: N. Jayne Seward

Inflation, Recession, High Gas prices- This is all we hear! I don’t know about you, but I am sick and tired of hearing and reading about this.

All this focus on negativity, breeds more negativity. Look back over the last 30 years and you will see that we are always faced with adversity. Inflation or Recession, Stagflation, or a Stock Market Crash, High Interest Rates or a Natural Disaster that affects the economy – we’ve seen it all, and bounced right back.

The real question we are faced with now, as sellers of women’s apparel, is how we can not only survive, but how we can THRIVE in this economy. It’s far from impossible!

We have to face the fact that in tough times you have no choice but to be TOUGH, and fight harder, and smarter. Let the other guy cry over the Headlines. Let the other guy use the “Economy” as an excuse for failure. A business with a good plan and solid marketing strategy won’t need excuses, because even in the roughest times, a loyal customer base will keep them going.

We can’t do anything about high gas prices or commodity inflation in the short run, but we CAN adapt ourselves to the current economic climate.

In the coming weeks we are going to focus a section of our Wholesale Apparel Blog on Retail Tips, Marketing Ideas, and other tips on How to prosper in this Economy.Let’s make our own News, and Let it be Good News at that! By the way, did you see the previous post about Ann Taylor? The good news is rolling in already!