Making Money From Your Closet

Making money from your closet is easier than you think. You may be avoiding things such as a big closet clean because you don't want to be reminded of how much you have spent on things you don't use. The key is to turn the negative associations you have with this task into a positive change for your future. The stuff in your closet is just "stuff," so take off the emotional labelling that you have given those items, and look at them for what they are; pants that don't fit! Keep the memories, get rid of the clothing.

Sort things into three piles; Keep, Consign, & Donate. The first rule of a successful closet clean, is answering the question of how you feel when you wear that item, along with answering whether you have worn that item in the last year. If the answers to these questions contain the words, "frumpy, and "no," respectively, then get rid of it. Go through this ritual to be left with a closet that is full of things you like, and a clear sign as to what pieces you need to fill it in with. Use the money that you make from consigning to buy the pieces that you are missing in your wardrobe. No extra money will have left your bank account, preserving your savings plan, while still being able to shop and look good.

Investing wisely in pieces you will need is an art, which some may need help mastering. If you live close to Changes Vancouver or Calgary, book a free Diva Den. If not, then be sure to bring your favourite items to the store with you so that you can make sure the items look good together before investing in them. Shopping consignment will always save you money. Do not buy things, that you are not excited about, are too expensive, are dryclean only (unless it is a suit), or that you need to lose weight to wear. These purchases are for today, tomorrow, & next week. If you lose weight after that, great, but it doesn't change the fact you have nothing to wear tomorrow. Looking great is a good motivator to do what you can to keep looking great. Looking frumpy is a good recipe to end up as a "before," photo in some late night infomercial.

What else can you sell? Skis that you don't use, a bike that you swore you would ride all day, but haven't touched in 2 years? There are great places in every city to sell these kinds of goods, along with online sales places such as Craigslist. By freeing yourself of clutter in your home, closet, and life, you can make some easy money to feel more empowered while saving.

Dust off that piggy bank and start putting your change in it every night. Find ways to save your change by doing little things like parking for free or packing your own lunch, treat, & drink. Count up your savings at the end of the month to see what every street busker knows well; small change adds up to big bills. Use this as your me-money to make sure you feel and look great.

We will always live in a world that revolves around first impressions. With an increase in competition for jobs, it is all the more important to look great by feeling confident. Make sure your goal of saving money includes room to spend wisely on yourself now and then. Look to the "stuff," in your home for some extra cash, and next time you are using your change, ask yourself if you would rather stash it for a larger me-time indulgence.

Dress with Intention

I always tell people that they need to be prepared to give clothing a great life. It was designed and intended for attending parties, having dinner with friends, wheeling, and dealing. The fashion trends of 2011 want to be taken out on the town and shown a good time, rather than be treated like a pop-tart for breakfast - mindless and bad for you.

This coming season will be filled with textures, prints, rich fabrics, sheen, and luxury. To me, a lot of the styles featured are very 60s inspired in their simple lines with bold colour blocking and accessories. The fashion is not mute, but rather, screams out, "Hello! Look at me!" Will women outside of the pages of Vogue be able to handle this kind of attention? (Insert a "Hell, Yah!" here)

As always, the details are what create greatness in everything - your job, parenting, client care, architecture, design of all kinds, and fashion. Every day before you leave the house, you should have at least 3 fab accessories visible with every layer of your outfit. So, when you are bundled up, accessories can be seen to make a statement, and when you get to where you are going, take off your coat to reveal an outfit that shows deliberate attention to detail - it shows you made an effort! This can be a scarf, brooch, a great belt, printed tights, amazing jewellery, and statement pieces like shoes, purse, and/or coat.

There is no doubt in my mind that I will get asked if the fall trends will hold through the ages. Uhhh... no, and the entire point is that they are not supposed to. Buy things that you love and you will love them for a long time. Buy practical pieces and you will be a practical person for a long time - whippee ding, just what every woman wants to be described as; practical.

Seeing as you can get amazing pieces for less by shopping at Changes, or consignment in general, money gets taken out of the question. It simply becomes a question of being artistic and detail oriented in your wardrobe art, OR being plain and thoughtless about what your clothing is saying about you. You choose.

Many women exclaim that they don't pay attention to what they are wearing because "they are a Mom," or they are "too old for that." Bullhooey. Stop hiding. Women who dress plain or frumpy do so because that is what they choose for themselves. It is a question of self worth. Dressing in comfort and dressing like you were issued a set of dingy yoga pants in 2003, that you are required to wear every single day for the rest of your life, are very different things. One has intention and style to it, and the other is a cop-out. If you can't do this for yourself, then do it for others. Your co-workers are the ones who look at you every day, and don't kid yourself in thinking that they don't notice what you wear.

Having a limited fashion vocabulary is no excuse to give up. If your car breaks down, and you don't know how to fix it, you wouldn't leave it on the side of the road to rot... I hope. So, if your wardrobe speaks more about the fact that you have ignored yourself than exuding empowerment, then it is time to find an expert to help you. Diva Dens are free at Changes. It is never too late to learn, change, and shine.

Look & Feel Great While Pinching Pennies

You and I know we are living daily with the effects of a recession, whether the media reports the economy to be recovering or not. Our friends and neighbours are paying more and taking home less. So, when we are in penny pinching mode, how do we still feel and look great?

Summer clothing often gets the most wear and tear as we wear it to the pool, park, hiking, etc... Looking at my summer wardrobe, it is clear that it is time for a new look. However, if you feel poor - regardless of how much money you have - it never feels great to spend a lot of money on new clothing.

A new white tank, a white tee, a black, jersey sheath dress that can be worn with a bra, and a cardigan; these are the must buy basics for your summer wardrobe, while being the perfect crossover pieces for fall.

The dress, if black, can be worn with flip flops or a dress shoe, and everything in between. The cardigan should be versatile enough to tie in the front, leave loose, crossover ballet style, or tie back. This will give everything a different look. Grey would be a good choice for the cardigan as it looks good with all other colours throughout the year. Whites should be replaced every season. Chuck your dingy whites or those that have yellowed. You could avoid white altogether, but it is a great basic that will make everything you wear with it, look crisp and new as well.

It is almost August, which means we are in full swing for fall consignments. Take the time to look at your fall wardrobe now. It is probably packed away or at the back of your closet, so it should look fresh to you. donate or consign the items that you are not enthused about, or those that don't fit you properly. Don't waste emotions on trying to fit your body to clothing. get rid of it and get something you will love to wear. A lot of women feel bad for paying a lot of money for things, yet they don't wear them. Nothing will change, other than the item staring at you every time you open your closet, so cut your losses and sell or donate it. If you are not excited to look at your clothing, you won't be excited to wear it! Make a consignment appointment and try consign some items. The money you make from these pieces will be wisely re-invested into something you do like, allowing you to spend zero dollars for something new!

Book a Diva Den at Changes - a free stylist appointment - to save money and time in getting your existing wardrobe to work for you. We will show you the 4 basics that I have spoke about, but will also make these work with your favourite items from home to teach you how to create even more versatility in your closet.

While you're at it, try some hair accessories to stretch out the time between your next hair cut, saving more money. Twist a small amount of the front of your hair back and secure it with a hidden bobby pin. There are plenty of websites online to show you hair tricks and tips. If you let your hair go sloppy and you don't like what you are wearing, you might as well post a sign on yourself saying, "In Hibernation until the money rolls in again!"

Try some of the many bottles of hair products in your cupboard to see if you like them or not. Finish the dregs before buying new stuff. We all have makeup that we received as a bonus in some pack or another. Why not test out the eye shadows to see what you think. Look into your jewellery drawer and try on a few pieces you haven't worn in a while. If you don't like this stuff, then get rid of it, as clutter is another culprit to make the house and mind feel overwhelmed.

There is no question that spending money on "stuff," is fun. As a retailer, I want people to spend money in my store, obviously, but I want people to feel great and buy wisely so they keep coming back! At Changes, there is the unique twist of being able to consign so that you don't have to outlay more money, but rather, get your wardrobe working for you.

Spending your money more wisely at a locally owned and community invested store will be a great win-win. When you feel like you shouldn't spend the money, remember to consign, and never let a thrifty time be an excuse to feel unpolished.

To book a Diva Den, call: 604-222-1505. Enjoy your closet!

As Far As The "I" Can See

I write this from the Big Island, Hawaii where turquoise waters meet black lava cliffs that are decorated with palms and hibiscus, creating perfection for the eye to drink in. For my Mom and I, Hawaii feels like home.

During the recent tsunami, we sat sipping a latte and marveling at the beauty of this island, while others scrambled to make travel arrangements back to the mainland. When a tsunami cannot chase you away, you know that you are exactly where you want to be. That blissful moment of being present and happy may not seem like much, but for a busy entrepreneur and constant planner like me, moments like that are rare.

The Farmer's Markets throughout every island in Hawaii are filled with artisans who are generally from the mainland USA. Most of the stories have the same theme in that they had visualized a better life for themselves in Hawaii, so made it happen. Most are not wealthy, and many left great paying jobs to make soy candles or sell organic veggies for a better world and life.

I love being around people who feel no boundaries in life. They know that happiness has only one obstacle which begins and ends with the letter, "I."

I cannot say that I "Live Aloha," all the time, but it is great to be reminded to keep trying.

Your Time To Shine

The holiday season is about sparkle. Snowflakes are not drab, but rather, are one of a kind - like you. Why would anyone want to look like everyone else or blend into the walls by wearing things that are "basics." "Basic" is a word to describe the lowest level of anything. Is that really what we should be striving for?

My wish for women, is that they would take words such as "basic," "neutral," and "classic," out of their vocabulary, spit them on the ground and walk away. It is time for women to re-gain the confidence to stand out, look great, and be considered "top notch, instead of "basic."

Many women use the the fact that they are a Mom as an excuse for being too busy to try put together a great outfit or think about themselves much at all. I see it too often where customers of mine go from being confident, fashionable, and successful, to losing their identity once they have kids. Many women say that most of the pressure they feel comes from other women who seem to be judging. Where we could once blame a patriarchal society for creating pressures on women, we are moving toward being the oppressors of our own sex. By not taking care of ourselves first, we will not be the role models that our kids and others should be striving to be.

So, what does this have to do with fashion? Fashion is a fun, creative, and colourful outlet for expressing that we have taken time for ourselves. Of course I want you to buy things in my store and other great, local businesses, but more so, our partnership of women will be enriched by giving each other a break, lending a helping hand, and demanding 'me-time' for ourselves and our loved ones.

So, back to that holiday party. If you can buy yourself a new dress that you feel amazing in, do it - consignment is a great option, of course. If you can't afford that, then take what you have and glitz it up. Worn with confidence, anything will work in your favour, so forget about the "basics!"

Demanding Change in a Fickle Fashion World

If magazines and designers said that women should wear flaming tire tubes on their heads, some women would do it, without a thought of the absurdity or the environmental impact. However, it is time for consumers to dictate fashion by demanding that environmental, human, and animal rights be the foundation from which the trends of our time are created upon.

It concerns me that fur is making a resurgence in the fashion world this season. Designers and consumers go from supporting animal rights one year to wearing animals the next. There is something utterly embarrassing in that human fickleness, which consumers, in particular, need to speak out against. Nothing should have to die for a fashion trend now that we no longer live off the land, trapping animals for our dinner and eating berries off trees for dessert.

Until all consumers, as a whole, take charge of actively choosing more ethically on a daily basis, I don't believe we will see any positive changes environmentally or otherwise. I am talking about the every day purchases from milk to jeans, not cars to airplanes. Instead of being hypnotized by cheap prices of brands such as Joe, Old Navy, H&M, etc.. all consumers need to ask themselves why that tee-shirt is only $4.95? Someone made it, it was shipped using expensive fuels, there are duty and customs charges, mark-up margins, and the overhead of the store, etc.. To then only be priced at $4.95 may seem like a screaming deal to the consumer, but I feel it is our responsibility as fortunate people to live in North America, to instead, put down that tee-shirt, walk out of the store, and choose to shop in a more humane and sustainable way.

The Best of Vancouver Awards came out recently in The Georgia Straight. For a city who seems to talk a lot of sustainability, fair trade, ethical living, and especially of shopping local, it disappointed me that a lot of the top stores listed as winners are US owned chain stores that carry this type of cheap clothing. I am wondering what these stores do for our communities and city? Owner operated businesses give endlessly to their communities, schools, customer's kids' fundraising efforts, yet are a dying breed due to lease rate increases, lower sales, and higher expenses.

We have seen many shopping areas of Vancouver such as West 4th Avenue, Robson, and South Granville become US owned strip malls in many ways. Most of the owner/operated businesses cannot afford the rents in this city, and when they close, only to be replaced by a big box chain, I wonder why people are not crying out more to preserve the makeup of our city? I am concerned by what this does to our community and therefore, our world.

Some businesses completely suck and deserve to shut down. They are a disgrace to those of us who pour our heart and souls 24/7 into our businesses, and treat it as an extension of ourselves; our legacy. I believe in survival of the fittest, but what I am moreso amazed at, is all of the many outstanding businesses that have been forced to close, only to be replaced by a now US owned, Tim Horton's or another chain store that sells cheap crap made in China.

When I was in New York City, recently, I found an amazing bakery cafe grocery store called, Butterfield Market, that was founded in 1915. Wow. They survived the depression and the introduction of the supermarket through their service and expertise. I am very thankful to the customers of Butterfield Market over the last near century as they had the dedication, loyalty, and respect for that owner / operated business. The customers are the ones who kept that store thriving through troubled times when there were many other easy and maybe even cheaper, options for them. My aim is to be a survival story like Butterfield Market, but again, it comes down to the values that the inhabitants of our city hold true.

"The Personal is the Political;" Our choices, however small, large, or fashionable, make a statement and change the world. Here's to choosing well. Changes Good.

Do You Have An Accessory Phobia?

Snakes, spiders, heights; these are appropriate fears, but put a woman in a room with a scarf and terror strikes. Accessories are meant to add the finishing touch to an outfit. They are the wow factor that set a fashionista apart from someone who is wearing clothing simply to avoid an Indecent Exposure ticket.

The general rule for accessories is that wherever you add colour, texture, or your main accessory, is where you will draw the eye. If you want to minimize the bottom, accessorize and add colour to the top. If you want to draw eyes away from cleavage, put on a necklace that sits higher on your neck so people will look there or use a scarf and/or fabulous earrings, drawing the eye toward your face. Accessories can be used to distract from things like less than perfect nails. Wear a chunky, sparkly ring and no one will ever notice your nails, I can guarantee it.

Scarves:
Scarves are an inexpensive way to add colour and texture to an outfit and can be tied or draped in infinite ways. It is nearly impossible to go wrong tying a scarf, but what happens is that women over think it. They stand in the mirror for 25 minutes trying to "tie it right," only to undo it as they are about to set foot outside. This leaves the rest of the outfit bland and too boring for words. Tie it, leave it, wear it, enjoy the compliments.

Jewellery:
Bold, layered, or chunky jewellery generally makes the most impact and draws attention. A thin little chain with a tiny little pendant on it that you have worn since your sweet sixteen has got to go. I don't care how long it has been in the family. It is a fashion crutch for you that I am chucking. If you MUST wear it, then you MUST wear something else to layer with it. Vintage inspired layered necklaces are lovely together and can each have charms that are meaningful to you. BUT... change it up the next day please.

Earrings, necklace, scarf, rings, bracelets; can you wear them altogether? Yes. How much is too much? You want to wear enough so that you walk with a little power kick in your step that says, "yes, I am fabulous." I like my accessories to match in colour and general style, but they don't have to be a matching set. I will pick a theme of black and silver, for example, for my jewellery but will still wear a rich fuchsia scarf or some other colour that takes the outfit to the perfection zone.

Is it a Confidence Issue?
Some women have low self esteem which makes them want to blend into the walls. Rather than spending $5000 on a psychologist, spend $10 on a rich, teal scarf and wear it. Teal goes with every bland colour there is, and looks great with black, grey, and browns - all of the fashion basics. You will get compliments galore because teal makes most eye colours pop and is complimentary to so many skin colours. A deep raspberry fuchsia is too by the way, but one step at a time.

Is it Habit?
Some women simply forget to accessorize. Maybe they have a job where everyone looks like a beige wall, so they don't really feel the need to step it up. Well, life is too short be blah, so step it up and raise the bar for yourself and therefore others. Buy that same teal scarf that I have spoke of and keep it next to your coats - please tell me you have more than one coat. When you pick up a coat, put on the scarf. It is cheaper than a haircut and will get more compliments. Once you see how great this works, buy a few more scarves to keep it fresh.

Fashion is fun. TV shows and magazines that trash people for wearing certain things have got us feeling like we will be picked on if we choose poorly or try to stand out. Confidence is the most highly prized fashion foundation. Without it, everything looks worse. With it, anything is possible. Life is short, live in colour and sparkle.