I mentioned in an earlier post that cleaning out your closet can be a great way to make some extra cash. Every 2-3 months is a great time to delve into your closet/drawers and purge. Best of all, this creates both space and money for new purchases! I find closet-cleaning most easily broken down into three steps.
1) Purge:
On “Tim Gunn’s Guide To Style”, he and Veronica Webb recommend making 4 piles as you turn your closet upside-down: Keep, Mend, Giveaway, and Throwaway. This system enables you to easily categorize each item and forces you to make a decision immediately on each piece. Similarly, here’s some advice beyond these simple 4 piles, in this Mahalo post “How to Clean Out Your Closet”. In addition to offering purging guidance, this post discusses closet organization — my next topic.
2) Organize:
For those of us living in metropolitan areas, closet space is often at a premium…and creative solutions are a must! While you’re cleaning out your closet..now’s your chance to win! I recently saw an ad for a contest — if you submit photos of your current closet situation, you could win a closet upgrade from California Closets! “Show us the size you might have to work with (or lack there of), creative ways you can squeeze everything in, or other inventive ways you’ve started to store your belongs. Just email the photos to closets@7×7.com.”
3) Sell:
Here’s where the fun part comes in! Today’s New York Times article by Ruth La Ferla discussed how re-sale and consignment stores are thriving, as people want to achieve fashionable looks without breaking the bank. Personally, I am a seller and not a buyer at these stores. I prefer to purchase brand-new items (on sale, yes — but unworn!) – but I nonetheless rely upon these same re-sale stores as a great way to make some extra cash. My final stop in the closet-cleanout adventure is one of the local resale stores. The Times article took a similar angle: “As Judy Yun, a customer and consignor at Ina, acknowledged, there are no savings in getting back $350 for a Balenciaga bag that cost $1,600, then spending the money on a $400 pair of Manolo Blahnik sandals. She buys and consigns nonetheless because, she said: “I like seeing that little bit of extra cash. Actually, it’s not so little when you’re talking about a Balenciaga handbag.”
Well maybe not all of us are turning in Balenciaga bags…but recouping some cash from past purchases definitely makes future shopping more fun!
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Check out these glam looks that Yuli, from My It Things, found in her Shop It To Me email today! She wrote a great post too, and even included her favorite brands (can you guess what they might be???).
We love seeing these pieces displayed so beautifully…not to mention, Yuli did come across some GREAT deals!
Have you ever tried to buy a bathing suit online? Initially seems pretty scary…but as long as it’s returnable, in some ways I find this takes away the anxiety associated with swimsuit shopping. No fear of awkward dressing room lighting, or needing to de-robe multiple times in various stores on your shopping trip – you can now try on your suit in the comfort of your own home!
And I’ve already seen some great deals in my recent Shop It To Me emails — for various body types and all price ranges!:
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One of our Trendsetters, Bargain Chic, highlighted some trendy swim looks this week. The post specifically focused on retro swim styles and captured some great deals. Check out the swim post here.
Summer is here — making it bathing suit season!
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Typical Father’s Day gifts include tools, socks, and even ties….somewhat boring, right?!
Just this week, I read a Wall Street Journal article about the downtrend of men wearing ties: “According to a recent Gallup Poll, the number of men who wore ties every day to work last year dropped to a record low of 6%, down from 10% in 2002….Although sales are expected to get a bump around Father’s Day, June 15, the future of neckties is very much in doubt. ”
The article continued, “The problem for neckwear designers, as for regular guys, is that a tie no longer automatically conveys the authority and respectability it once did, even if it does cause some people to call you sir. In fact, it can be a symbol of subservience and of trying too hard.”
So what are a few less traditional gifts to consider? I think Father’s Day is an important time to not take too seriously, and remind the Dads of the world to lighten up and have some fun! Similar to my post on Mother’s Day, I consulted my Shop It To Me email and found some fantastic man-friendly bargains (especially for young, hip dads)!
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Now I’m not trying to say 100% don’t buy a tie. If you find the right one, more power to you! After all, the article concluded, “Gerald Andersen, the tie association’s executive director, stresses that dissolving the trade organization doesn’t mean that ties are dead. Bankers, lawyers and accountants still wear them, Mr. Andersen says. Celebrities still wear them to red-carpet events. And skinny ties are a fashion trend: Justin Timberlake wears them. “Are the days when men wear ties to baseball games coming back? No.” But ties, he says, will still have a place in men’s wardrobes.”
Share this Post[?] Did you know that Shop It To Me offers the ability to select Women’s size profiles through size 24? We hear that the aggravation of finding a great style and then learning it is only offered through size 12 can be excruciating. So by selecting your size ahead of time, you’ll only see styles offered in the sizes you desire, saving you a lot of time and frustration.
Sarah, the editor of Pasazz.net (a site for Plus-size women) shared her thoughts with us:
There was a time when finding stylish and fashionable fashion in plus sizes was a nightmare, and for some women this is still the case. I feel that in the ‘usual’ brick and mortar store the selection is still rather limited, but the same definitely cannot be said for the online retail scene. There are many stores focusing exclusively on plus size womens’ fashion needs, and the designs which are available are gorgeous. So I definitely encourage plus size women to shop online as the choice available is so vast. I can also see the styles made available to curvy women develop and improve year after year, and the selection increases as well. Curves are definitely in fashion and the web is definitely where it’s at!
Just as we have provided thoughts on Petite and Maternity brands to consider adding to your profile, here’s some words for Plus. In addition to Lane Bryant and Cambio, check out Rachel Pally, MICHAEL by Michael Kors Charter Club, Ann Taylor/Loft, Lands End, Alfani, Eileen Fisher, and Anne Klein. Sweet Pea, Guess, and Rocawear have trendier options, while Old Navy is ideal for the basics.
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Other thoughts?
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Here at Shop It To Me, we’re looking for a top notch developer who is proficient in Java or Ruby, loves challenges and is looking to help build the next big thing. If this sounds like you (or someone you know), find out more here
Share this Post[?] We recently decorated one of the walls here at Shop It To Me HQ with shopping bags!
This made me think about the merits of a shopping bag, and what I personally consider to constitute a good one….
1) The sturdier, the better. Have you seen Cole Haan’s bag? That is one sturdy bag that will hold up in the rain!
2) A nice rope, ribbon, or cloth handle that won’t break. It’s a plus when they fit over your shoulder when shopping, so you can still have free hands when in another store or on the bus/train/subway. Banana Republic does a good job with this.
3) Colorful, eye-catching, or interesting/unique design. Neiman Marcus generally has interesting bags as well as Kate Spade, many local boutiques, and even babygap. It’s great when you can give a gift in the store bag and have a beautiful appearance without needing to re-wrap it!
4) Practical sizes. I don’t necessarily want to be carrying around a big honkin’ size shopping bag if I only bought a t-shirt! However, I am a fan of smaller size shopping bags to fit these mini purchases. Definitely prefer this over a plastic bag, primarily because you can re-use these paper bags more easily to carry lunch or shoes, for example. I will say though that Sephora uses these tiny tiny shopping bags that I can never figure out what to do with after I make a purchase…unless I am using them to wrap a gift! Any thoughts?
5) Unique surprises. Interestingly, Bluefly puts a shopping bag in your box when you receive a shipment from them. I think this is brilliant — extra free advertising as people carry around the bags, and many customers ship items to their workplaces so it provides easy transport for the way home!
What other shopping bags rank among your favorites?
Share this Post[?] Ever wish you had a friend to consult about a potential online purchase?
Sometimes you just need the extra urge to push you over the edge — someone to tell you that something is cute enough/a great enough deal/high-enough quality, or just perfect for YOU… and it’s troublesome when you’re shopping alone.
Did you know about the “Ask A Friend” feature in your Shop It To Me emails? Click that little envelope below any product, and the “Ask A Friend” box will appear.
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| Petite Floral Medallions Beaded Scoop Neck Dress | |
| Reg $99.00 |  |
| Now $59.99 | |
You can type in as many friends names as you want, customize a message to them, and wait for them to give your product a thumbs up (green), thumbs down (red), or even a ‘maybe’ (purple). Then you can view all of their combined responses at one time!
Online shopping is no longer only a solo-endeavor!
Share this Post[?] Some say that shoes are their favorite thing to buy online — it’s often easier to predict how they will fit than clothing.
Well, just as Cinderella fit into her perfect glass slipper, we are trying to make shoe shopping that much closer to ideal!
You now have the option to include Narrow and Wide sizes as part of your shoe size selection in your Shop It To Me profile. Remember, you can log in and modify your size, category, and brand preferences at any time…
And, this option is great for both Women AND Men!
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