Diary of a Labellover By A. Fashionista

Shopping for the Social Good

Mashable coined the term "Summer of Social Good." Now with August coming to a close I thought I would do my part and write about a shop owner, Ms. Ashley Judge, who recently contacted me about her online consignment shop, Tra Tutti.  As a blogger, I receive tons of PR requests and I do review every single one of them, if they have a professional pitch. 

What I like about Tra Tutti is the simple but cute design and the fact that they are giving back 20% of a customer's purchase to a charity.   Granted they are not the first the consignment shop to do this, Christabelle's Closet began donating in 2004 to the Michael J Fox Foundation because of her mom. Nonetheless, it is great to see this trend in e-commerce spreading.

As someone who has paid full retail price for anything in years, the first thing I look for in a consigment shop is the level of brands they carry.  Many shops claim to be high end and that often translates to "Banana Republic."   On the other end of the scale, I know several brick and mortar locations in the city that  request you "ask for assistance when handling the Chanel."  No names, folks as I am a regular! Tra Tutti fits nicely in the range of the higher end, offering the trendy Diesel and Dolce to the classics of DVF and Pucci.  Ashley's designer's range is sure to cure any fashionista's shopping fix!

No, her site is not "tricked" out in a fancy programming language that will serve you your non-fat moca latte, but I can search by size, designer, or style and frankly, Im not a fan of mocha lattes anyway. That shopping is a cinch and isn't a 2.0 experience should be food for thought to the Milennial generation.  Ultimately, it is the way Ashley presents herself - as approachable and authentic that will draw customers in.   She has chosen charities that are local and clearly mean something to her - charities aimed at the empowerment of women - Dress for Success and Rosie's Place, Big Brother's Big Sisters, AIDS Action Committee and MSPCA for animals.  If you are in the New England area, AShley will even host a trunk show for you, which is a fabulous way for related companies to generate brand awareness, and raise money for a good cause, while building social responsibility into the brand's equity.

Dubbed "Couture with a Conscience" this shopping experience is like eating dessert without any of the calories!

The Brand That Thought Too Much

Recently I worked on an RFP for a potential high-end fashion client.  It prompted me to write this post because after looking at their site I realized clearly the creators of this brand were in love with themselves.  Don't get me wrong, I am all for creativity and uniqueness in the site experience but when it hampers the ultimate selling proposition then that vision becomes lost in translation.

I believe there is something to be said for a luxury brand creating an online experience that mimics that of the brick and mortar experience.  Whether the site is set up for e-commerce or not, it is critical that the value the brand brings to the consumer be evidenced simply and effectively, whether through a strong mission statement or through demonstrative visuals.

Ultimately,  a better use of that creativity should be spent thinking about communications plan that includes word of mouth, guerrilla marketing, events and strategic partnerships.  Last time I checked, business did exist to serve their customers and turn a profit, right?

Photo Credit:  werner-reiterer

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Morphing from Man to Gentleman

In Jewish culture, a boy becomes a man at his Bar Mitzvah.  However, the question remains, at what age does the man become the Gentleman?   I have met many men in their 20's with successful careers who have the maturity level of the 12 year old Jewish boy waiting for his rite of passage.  Understanding that being a gentleman holds one of the keys to success in life, this doesn't mean you have to change who you are, its merely just refining certain parts.   Therefore,  I have put together a mini- guide, with the help of my British Esquire friends to give you a sense of where you are in the rite of passage.

1. You open doors for a woman in any situation.

2. On a date, you compliment the woman when you first see but only once.  Sincerity is critical and over-complimenting a woman is a turnoff.

3.  You have graduated from the electric razor to double safety razor and you actually employ the technique of a shaving brush.

4.  Your closet has a winter suit and a summer suit. If you emulate Cary Grant, there may even be a tuxedo.

5.  You realize the essential role a collar stay plays in wardrobe. Who doesn't luv the collar stay?

6. You may not be a Mixologist but you can make a killer Martini.

7. You understand the importance of being connected but when you are with "her" , emails can wait.

8. The gut instinct can sometimes fail you. However, you never do a deal with someone you mom wouldn't like. (Mom's really do know best)

10.  When entering into negotiations  you remember a few  of the basic rules:  keep cool.  know your threshold.  Never underestimate history - even if it is the first time you are in negotiations with other person, you should understand their style and have a sense of how they operate.

Answer Key:

-If you can't mix a martini, you have more than 2 suits and you answered "true" to less than 4  other statements, then your rite of passage is not yet complete, and you are still a BOY.

- If you answered "true" to 4 of the 10 statements but still only have one all around suit in your closet, you FAIL and are considered to be a FRAT BOY.

-Answering "true" to to more than 7 of the 10 statements is giving Frank Sinatra a run for his money..you've got game baby...

Monogamy: The New Black?

 Lately, I have had several conversations about the state of affairs, literally. Whether it's been with my single female friends or with guys under the age of 28. 

The central theme is whether or not people are comfortable being monogamous.  Open relationships seem to be v. de rigeur at the moment with some people chasing the idea that being with different people allows them to experiment and be free.  This is fine, if you are going to run your private life like a business - slotting in different dates when the schedules fit, assigning dates almost like tasks because essentially likes and interests will vary.  Ultimately, what this becomes is a lesson in time management.  If you can keep it light and fun then be as open and free as your heart desires.  However, I do believe that there is an element of avoidance that stems from it all.  The most common time to get involved in an open relationship seems to be after a painful breakup or when you are emotionally feeling insecure. Personally, I recently ended an "open relationship" because ultimately, we were getting close to one another but it wasn't real. 

That draws me to my conclusion that monogamy is the HOTTEST look right now. Nobody is labeling it "serious".  You are not moving in together or getting married.  It is simply time spent exploring one person.   I am not saying settle for the wrong girl or guy for monogamy's sake but if you can find someone who understands you, makes you laugh, is just fun to hang out with AND rocks your world, then why would you want to be with anyone else? Monogamy leaves a negative but unfair connotation of being staid, stuffy and vanilla.  Well, coming from a woman who has been married, divorced and has been single on and off for the past 5 years I will tell you that there is nothing better than being spicy and adventurous with the same person who knows you and your likes/dislikes then having to train people and give directions as if I am a traffic cop and hope they remember next time.

Seriously. Try it on.

Saks Isn't Just a Mecca for Shoes Anymore

 We all know that the Saks shoe department in Midtown Manhattan has its own zip code.  Well, now men have a reason to rejoice because Sak's recently debuted their private label collection exclusively for men. This is a brilliant way to diversify their product offerings while thinking about customer's needs.  As an "in house" collection, the majority of the collection is manufactured in the same factories as many of the same name brand designers that Saks carries.  In addition, many of the pieces are competitively priced in order to attract a new discerning clientele who may be a little more budget conscious. 

 We all know that most men are notoriously cranky when it comes to the shopping experience. Therefore, Saks has gone one step further and provided a concierge service offering premiere clientele in-office shopping.  Um, how convenient can you get? 

Saks is back. 

Image:  courtesy of We Are the Market

A. Fashionista's Rags Worth Reading

Recently, I read an interview with Amazon Chief, Jeff Bezos and how is he breaking down the walls of the publishing world much like Steve Jobs did with the music industry.  As much as I am proponent for the evolution of technology and the streamlining of processes, there is still a soft spot in my heart for the printed word, I don't maybe because I have been reading since I was the tender age of 2.

Therefore, I have compiled a list of books and magazines that I believe are worth their salt, whether they be for self-improvement, or just a lazy day day beach read.

1.  Soul of a Business - The book every Entrepreneur should read.  The founder of Tom's of Maine, talks about his journey to reclaim the instincts and how to marry profit with social responsibility, one of the founding principles of his company.  It's deep and philosophical in an inspirational and light way. A MUST read.

2. The Fine Art of Small Talk - I just finished this book.  Believe it or not, it was written by an engineer, so introverts and geeks will be able to relate to the author's journey.  The books is written in short, easy to digest chapters and use plenty of real-life examples that are 100% relatable.   A game changer book.

3.  The Greatest Generation - This book is a perfect for anyone interested in History (like I am).  Penned by Tom Brokaw he explores the WWI generation, that of our grandparents, proclaiming them to be the "Greatest Generation" and looks at history through their eyes.  Their value system, guts, strength and pride is a story that should be heralded with each passing generation. 

4.  The House of Gucci -  Of course I have to include a book about fashion. The story of the Rise, fall and Resurrection of the Gucci name is definitely a page turner.  How many of you knew what the GG monogram stood for?  "Guccio Gucci" , the man who started it all.  A fascinating mixutre of drama, business and colorful personalities. Great beach read.

5.  The Sexual Life of Catherine M.-  Currently reading.  I love biographies and autobiographies.  This story is about the experiences of a woman who was v. sexually open.  The manner in which she writes is real and not hyperbolized. It's just an interesting read if you dare.  Perfect gift.

Check them all out on Amazon.

Moral Dilemma

I recently read an interesting blog post that talked about the book "Moral Animal",which delves into the subject of evolutionary psychology (translation = why we are the way we are). Now I would like to first point out that I have not read it and I am merely commenting on somebody else's perspective. 

First, the author of the post took the time to point out a few major areas of the book that they felt were significant and eye-opening.  Let me recap:

• Altruism is a misnomer. People are inherently selfish.

• People are cruel, laughing at others mishaps because it's not us.

• Monogamy is a cultural artifact and not innate in humans.

• Selfishness and unreliability is a common trait shared by all.  Unless of course it is in the best interest not to be.

• Friendship is merely mutually self-interest.

I hope after reading these points you were left with the same thoughts as I was:  only someone who is afraid of being vulnerable would ever actually  agree with the thoughts penned in this book. In fact, I believe that many philosophers who only saw the dark side in humanity simply suffered from depression and therefore their prose, no matter how profound should never be translated literally.

The only point I agree on is the monogamy point.  I do not believe that it is natural either.  However, I do think that if you allow yourself to trust and love then why couldn't sexual satisfaction blossom between just two people?

Imagine if everyone thought that simplistically as the points mentioned above?  If people real didn't have any character,  business relationships would eventually turn mistrustful and sour and dating would be done more for sport than for romance. The point is the world would be much less of a fun, whimsical, exciting and complex place, wouldn't it?

If you are interested in reading the post, click here.

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