If you do want to take the plunge grab a pair of shorts that have a good stretch. You all know I love Liverpool's Stretch and options. We have 2 Liverpool short options that are stretchy, good length, and wash that pairs with everything. When buying shorts keep in mind that you may want to size up for comfort.
So there you have it! Pick your style and comfort zone Ladies. You don't have to LOVE shorts but know there are options available just for you!
]]>Here’s to the next season and making more memories in your favorite Pieces!
~Em
So what's my go to items I'll be focusing on in my Closet?
If you find yourself "Stuck" with what to wear but your closet is Full, try this method to plan your Season out! It will help you take on your day with Confidence and save you some Time!
Be Backwards Ladies
~Em
]]>
Dressing for Fall is soooo much easier for me because if you are cold, layering is easy. How about if you are too warm = distressed jeans which are sometimes just like shorts but I feel more comfortable in! All the Fall colors also Blend together nicely so you don't have to worry about "Does this Match" or "What should I put with it?" Those questions I get everyday in the Store, but not usually during Fall.
Before Owning Backwards Boutique I would grab something at a Store because it was cute or grabbed my eye. I would get home thinking "I have 5 of the Same Sweater why did I buy that", not cool. Grabbing items can work but knowing what you NEED may make your life a little easier in the morning when trying to get out of the house with both shoes on.
What should you have in your wardrobe for Fall you may ask?
This List may seem like a lot but my guess is most of you have some version of these in your closet. Go through your Closet/Dresser and get excited for the approaching Season. Make your life easier by trying to make sure you have a good foundation of items to make those Mondays and early Mornings go just a little more smoothly!
Go out today and hold that chin up High!
~Em
]]>Picture this, Black Friday with Thousands of women for 3 days in a row for 9 hours a day. I'm sure some of you are thinking absolutely sign me up, but that's not typically how I like to shop. I like to have a warm coffee in my hand, be surrounded by people I love, and take my time to make my purchase. Yeah, that's not how market works at all.
After 3 days and 532 Pictures Later it's really hard recalling what you purchased and making sure you didn't buy something when you were Hangry or making sure you didn't miss a new Trend.
So why go to Market, you are probably asking yourself? I have to remind myself every time I go of the Pros and Cons.
Pros:
Cons:
Looking back on our Spring Market Trip, it was very successful and the days blend together. I am very Blessed to have my husband by my side so I don't get lost in the craziness and he knows when to make sure I take a break to regroup. We even took our Niece Courtney to help cover more ground this trip. Courtney helped add humor to the Flash Flood we experienced in Vegas and the 10 min stomach turning elevator ride we had to take. Oh and the time we forgot she didn't know where she was going and she had to run up the down escalator to get off. All great memories and that's what life is, memories and the experiences we go through to make those memories.
It's a trip that while very stressful is very necessary for my Store...I just need to hit the dentist and the gym before the next market.
~Em
]]>
First off, I want you all to try to take a good picture of your feet, not easy without falling forwards or making your feet look huge! Sandals are arriving at the store and it hasn't even started snowing in Iowa yet! Spring shoes are not really what everyone is looking for, but at least Backwards Boutique will be ready for those people taking winter trips! Until Spring arrives, I'll keep practicing my Feet Pics I guess. If you walk by the store and I'm laying Flat on my face on the ground, please assume I was trying to take a close up of my feet and wasn't successful!
Tuxedos really? I know they aren't for women but there's a need in my Community and we are ready to fill that need! Backwards Boutique will now be a Jim's Tuxedo Vendor and will be renting Tuxedos, Suits, and Accessories. You can design a tuxedo right from the Logo Link on our Website or come into the store and we will go through the books.
Most of you know I used to work retail and measuring was something I did with almost every client. So measuring for Tuxedos can't be much different right? Ha! I had my first measurement this week and measuring women is SOOO much easier. At a towering 5'4'' most women were close to my height and easy to measure. So with Men, I'll have to figure out the whole height difference and have my step stool close by in case!
So in the next few weeks we will be busy Running the Store, practicing measuring for Tuxedos, taking awesome Feet pictures (wonder if there's a Pinterest page for that?) and going to a January Market in Minnesota. Sounds Fun to me!
Really if you are a Foot Model I need tips!
~Em
]]>
So lets try to remember what happened within the last 6 weeks...honestly it's a blur! The last 6 weeks have been so amazing for our new business and my family; we couldn't ask for more. I feel like we have learned a life time of lessons within 6 weeks and I know there's plenty more lessons to learn.
Biggest take- aways from the Last 6 Weeks:
* I love working with my Husband and Family at the Store. I wasn't for sure how working side by side with Dan was going to work out, but it is awesome! He is such a trooper carrying those heavy boxes, steaming product, helping move racks around the floor, and running the cash register at times. I couldn't do this without him and he has been my biggest supporter through this journey.
* Keeping the Fitting Room Rugs Clean is a Chore in itself. I feel like a fitting room rug is a must because people like to stand on a soft surface, but man keeping them spotless is a challenge.
* I love Christmas Music but can only handle so much of it. That's an easy fix and next year I'll mix the music up a little to stay sane
* Women love Cardigans with Pockets and so do I! If there's a cardigan with pockets it will sell out within days. Good problem to have, but I always wonder what is the next hot item.
* What is "trendy" in LA, NYC, or even People Magazine does not always work in my community. I am constantly watching Trends to see what's coming and what's the new thing but not everyone in Iowa is 6'5" with endless legs. Like Momma says "Just because someone else is doing it, doesn't mean I should do it."
* Facebook Live Videos - I need to Slow down when talking and the odd long blink, what is that? Either way I know people enjoy watching them and I hope in years I can say I've improved on them too.
Next year will be filled with more Lessons to be learned, friends to be made, and experiences to be had. We are so blessed to have this opportunity to have a business in a Community we love and surrounded by the people we love. Here's to a great 2019!
Em~
]]>
So now our Grand Opening is this weekend and we feel like we can take on about an situation that comes our way! After having about 1,000 people come through the store on Saturday we learned some things that we need to improve.
I know part of a blog is getting the inside track into someone's life or in this case both life and businesses, so what did we learn from the soft opening?
1. The fitting room Curtains don't side very well on a wooden dowel. When we put up the curtains I had the mind set that it would get easier to slide as we use them. Yep, not the case at all and I'm 5'4 on a good day, so jumping up to close the curtains was fabulous...NOT. So that's our first Fix by Friday for our Official Grand Opening.
2. Spreading out your Shoes throughout your store makes you look like a crazy person searching for that one pair in that one size. It looked pretty to have Shoes Sprinkled around the Store but man that was not the smartest thing I did. Keep things easy and a centralized location to stay sane for sure!
3. Make sure you have enough Shopping Bags. I was that frantic Store Owner the Day before we opened that had to run to grab more Shopping Bags because we didn't have enough. I Drove to Des Moines at 6:30a.m. because Google told me that the Retail Bag Supplier was open 24 hours a day. Definitely not the case but it was a "God Thing" that the owner was there early and saw the frantic "I need in NOW" look in my eyes and let me in to buy 2 cases of bags and get out of town within 15 minutes. I did ask the owner of the Bag Store if any store owner comes in not in a Panic and he said Honestly most store owners are just like me and are in a huge hurry. So I calmed down and made it back to Perry with 1 minute to spare for our 8:00a.m. Chamber Coffee.
4. What about Money in the Cash Drawer? Yep, should've put that on the prep list. Thankfully I grabbed my Husbands Wallet and my mother-in-law ran to the back to get extra $1s, $5s, & $10s. Praise Jesus we did because after all it was our Soft Opening and only a few customers where going to becoming through.
Friday and Saturday is our Grand Opening and now we feel like we can manage about anything. So come out and see us at the store and tell us your story so we can get to know each other! ~Em
]]>
My poor husband has definitely earned a million gold stars with all the "can you please carry this 50lb rack across the room" and "um, now put that rack back on the other side of the room, it doesn't look right"! It's a lot of shuffling products round and thinking we have it all set, just to change my mind 2.3 seconds later.
My kids are loving this stage of the store because no one is in the shop yet and they get to play store. Each kid takes a turn scanning the empty shoe boxes pretending to be customers who need a gift for their loved ones. I even heard a "I need an anniversary gift.'' It warms my heart that the kids are enjoying this process right along side of us. I am trying to remember to give the kids their chance to play and make memories because time is flying by so fast. Of coarse right before we leave I quickly straighten the shoe boxes to my OCD tendencies so they all face the same direction.
So for now we are pumping the loud music and drinking loads of coffee trying to get the floor set for our soft opening November 10th & 11th complete. I'm sure after that weekend we will do another floor set, putting out the Christmas Decorations and tweaking the space to make our Store a fun shopping environment.
]]>
Now when the trucks pull up to the house our indoor dog Rory still goes absolutely crazy but the kids know "it's just clothes guys, relax". Then comes the unpackaging, tagging, steaming, and inventory.
As our house is getting full of product for the Shop and the excitement is building. I walk by the room where all our product is being stored and think to myself is this really happening?! Yep, it's happening and the product is arriving so get to work.
Other business owners in my community told me that once you make the commitment to opening a Business it's going to be live, breath, and eat your new venture. They were 100% correct. I find myself when I'm at the local grocery store, restaurants in Perry, or watching the kids play at the park I think..."I love that top, People do still wear ________ , Where did they purchase their..." fill in the Blanks.
So while Rory our vicious Maltese Poodle barks like crazy right now at the delivery trucks and the doorbell is ringing, it's the begging stages of our new Business. The kids may not love the boxes coming in, BUT I DO!
]]>
We moved our family from the Des Moines area to Perry approximately 5 years ago not knowing anyone or much about this community that we have grown to love and call Home! God has a plan and while we didn't understand at the time, we now know he had a plan for us to buy a Historic Building Downtown Perry and begin renovating it with our families for our new business venture.
So here we go! Our soft open date for Backwards Boutique is November 10th, 2018. We are so excited to see what God has in store for us and trying to empower others to follow their "Dreams", even if those Dreams are new!
Em ~
]]>