Hello lovely proprietresses and style fans!

i have been MIA lately – but for a darn good reason…it’s a BOY!  My 2nd son, Charlie, was born on May 21st (5 days late – little bugger!) and is a pretty dreamy little dude.  My time is haphazard – but the biggest reason i have not posted in some time is my brain has been overtaken by all that is Baby.  i’m awaiting the inspiration and gusto to get back into my groove – and suspect that time is coming soon.

in the meantime – i’d love to know what types of posts you’d like to see!  and if you have any hot tips on new designers – send em my way!!  finally – check out the new store featuring items from indie designers you may have read about here on the Proprietress!

big kisses until we meet again….

~kate

color is my best friend.   but every girl loves black.  i especially love to mix brights (MEGA brights) and black together.   with the weather getting warmer, i couldn’t resist a pair of super fabulous shorts from fave designer, Trina Turk.  the rest was easy – a great black top (i like something with a little slouchiness with shorts this short), some substantial patent sandals (although this would be equally cute with flip flops or converse), a bright bag (any color will do – but i am currently obsessed with yellow bags), some shades and my new favorite style of earrings – bright wood filigree!

(and i tossed in the Jantzen retro-inspired swimsuit because once this baby finally emerges – i don’t think it will be a bikini summer for this mama – and i LOVE this look!)

here are the details of the items shown:
Trina Turk shorts $158
Velvet t-shirt:  $79
Me Too shoes:  $39.95
Pink filigree earrings:  $15
Steve Madden shades:  $40
Boden handbag:  $178
Jantzen swimsuit:  $98

i have so many errands i need to run while my son is sleeping – but i just had to take a moment on a friday afternoon to express my love for plaid pants.  i have two pairs that i love, love LOVE and they both happen to be Trina Turk.  i’ve had them for YEARS and they still look and feel impeccable.  always chic, always a little funky – they are my go-to pants for anything in the fall (sadly – i rarely see a nice spring/summer plaid?  why?).

the last couple of years i’ve noticed an absence in new, geek-chic plaids.  so i was thrilled beyond words to see that Miss Turk has added a little dose of dreamy purple plaid into her Fall III collection.

Behold the magic:

i’m totally getting these.

do you sell handbags at your store?

do you buy buy handbags at boutiques?

i just had a thought that it would be lovely to buy a handbag and find a little lip gloss or nail file or some other purse-related trinket in the bag. 

either a little grab bag when you check out or just slide something into a pocket at checkout and let it be a surprise!  you could add a little thank you note with a coupon for their next visit too.

it’s these little personal niceties that make boutique shopping so much better than the mall!

here are some ideas and resources:
Favor Affair (no logos – but cute designs and low minimums)
Motivators (lots of choices and can do entire logo – 250 min)
Sunfiles (custom nail files in mini and regular sizes)

there are so many ideas – mints, purse hangers, mini notebooks – what would you like to see as a surprise giveaway in a new bag purchase??

I am so happy to present our latest Guest Star, the charming Arwa of Gemkitty!  Arwa Jumkawala is a life long lover of sparkly gems and beads, a former pilates instructor, and founder of Gemkitty, a custom jewelry e-boutique.  I had the pleasure of meeting Arwa at a CRAVE Portland event and we immediately started collaborating on ideas for Gem Kitty’s earring launch and a Guest Star appearance on The Proprietress.  She has some amazing (and easy!) ideas on how to re-wear your existing jewelry & for shop owners – new ways to merchandise/sell jewelry.  ENJOY!

*****

Captivate Through the Creative Art of Jewelry Rewear

As the owner of a jewelry e-boutique, I’m always looking for creative (and cost effective) ways to connect with my customers. One thing that’s really worked for me is engaging customers through the concept of jewelry rewear (figuring out new ways to wear or enhance jewelry you’re already selling).

Ways to puts rewear to work in your boutique:

Here are just a few examples to give you a flavor of how you can use the rewear concept in your own merchandising:

* Show the same piece of jewelry worn in different ways; the customer gets multiple looks for the price of a single item.

* Connect with customers who have purchased jewelry from you in the past and offer them a freebie to update their look (e.g. Remember that necklace you bought before the holidays? I thought you could update it with this cute flower pin. It’s free if you want to stop in and pick it up).

* Invite customers to bring their own jewelry in for a rewear workshop. You can provide free refreshments and crafting materials (such as flowers and ribbons), plus offer them a discount on new pieces of jewelry they might want to mix and match with their current collection.

A few rewear looks to get you started:

Look #1: The Twist
Take one strand, twist the other strand around it and secure clasp-to-clasp for a statement look. Each twist will shorten the length of the resulting necklace a tiny bit, so if the choker look is not your style, use a stretch of pretty ribbon to lengthen.

The twist technique can also help you create a woven bracelet. Simply wrap around the wrist twice and secure. If you need to lengthen, try a safety spin or even paper clip (or two).

Look #2: Tie A Bow On It.
Grab some pretty ribbon and tie on a cute bow, or two, or more:

Look #3: Rosette:
Affix a flower pin (or make your own with craft store rosettes and a safety pin) over a pendant:

Look #4: Roses And Ribbons:
Now that you have the hang of it, combine several of these looks to create a statement piece such as this:

Happy creating!