Because We're Obsessed.

Hi everyone. Emily here. So I just got through browsing the Free People website for...um...about an hour, when I should have been writing a paper (Free People stalking is way better) So the Free Peep catalog images are so beautiful I can't not share them with you. I'm obsessed. We all are obsessed. So here you go. Be inspired.

I'm thinking when I come home for Christmas, I'm comin' to the Hop to build my Free Peep winter look and I'm going to do a photo shoot like this one. I live out on a ranch and we even have a horse this color, named Moon. It's destiny ;). 

xoxo,

Emily

Top Fall Trends

Hi everyone! It's Emily here. Really missing everyone in Prescott! Really missing the Hop. And of course Lauren. School is going good but really slow and I haven't been too motivated. I'm working at Anthropologie now, which is great, but I do miss Hop Sing lots! You ladies in Prescott are lucky to have Hop Sing. Trust me, I live in LA, but I still am saving my money to go to Hop Sing for the Holidays. I can't wait to see what Lauren brings in... I'm thinkin some Odd Molly and some cozy Free Peep sweaters. Yay!!

But for now, I'm going to focus this post on some of the top trends for fall that I see lots in LA. So here you go.

These next few photos are some I did for my new website. If those of you who don't know, I'm at Biola University studying photography. I'm trying to go into fashion so I'm working towards building my portfolio and these are a part of that! If you're interested, my fashion website is emilygoswick.com

And I was pleasantly surprised to find out the way I styled my model for this shoot is right on target with the fall trends! Check it out. She's wearing the skirt, the boots, military jacket, and headpiece. I think I got it down ;). 

That's all for tonight! Have a good week everyone! 

xo

Em

New Hop Sing Blog Guru

Hi Hop Sing Readers!! I'm so happy to announce that as of today I am going to be Hop Sing's new official blog guru :)! I'll be helping with creating some posts for you all! My name is Emily Goswick. I work for Lauren at Hop Sing. BEST JOB EVER. And as you can see by my sign, I will work for clothes. So through my time at Hop Sing I've inherited a kick-butt wardrobe and I'm so excited to share the looks I've created (with Lauren's help of course) with you! 

I wish I could work at Hop Sing forever, but I'll be going off to California within the next couple weeks to college! Being able to help out with Hop Sing's blog will keep me connected to Lauren and with all of the wonderful styles that Hop Sing carries. 

P.S. I personally have a blog. It's called The Ranchers Daughter. Would be blessed if you checked it out! 

Tie Dye Scrapbook Blouse worn with gold lace shorts and tall tan lace up boots. Accessorized with Peruvian Beads and Leather Cuff. Get the look at Hop Sing! 

Tales of inspiration...

I'm often asked where I find such interesting fashions for Hop Sing, and my reply has probably been slightly different everyday. I find it practically impossible to reply to this question with a parroted response. The selected designers and intricate details that quite truthfully draw me like a Marlin to the fishermans lure and usually land me with a thud onto the boat... the famous photo of the trophy catch now comes to mind. How can you explain to someone in a snapshot moment that this particular designer reeled you in with amazing bursts of color and luxe, couture sensibilities; simplified to create the perfect beachy-resort dress that can easily translate to dinner at that cool new Thai-fusion restaurant near your house in Scottsdale.... That's a mouthful of TMI and I'm quite sure the potential customer would most likely run, not walk, to the nearest exit... Thinking "that woman is insane!"  So, resisting the urge to blather on & on... I usually just say "I buy things I really love, or we try to find specialty designs or... " Whatever seems to be the quick and easy answer of the moment. But not today. 

 Today, I was asked the usual question... And when I looked up to see the woman querying, she was young, exotic, beautiful, and spoke with a French accent... Straight out of a Gauguin painting. Wait a minute! I'm in Prescott Arizona! This is not a woman who is asking me that question because she's confused by the prices or the labels or the prices.  She wanted to know who chose our collections, and she was most curious because it was, in her words: "So beautiful and different compared to all the other stores in town".  Of course I was beaming over her compliments, and so appreciated her excitement over the "island flavor" of many of our fashions.   I asked her where she was visiting from and she said "Mauritius". "Oh! You are an Islander!" I exclaimed.  She looked shocked that I'd ever heard of her home. For those who may not know of this exotic locale, it is located off of the continent of Africa between Madagascar and Australia. It's beautiful, tropical and perfectly resorty. She and her husband were considering moving here to Prescott, and she was thrilled to find our boutique here. Earlier in the day she had visited the Gateway Mall to see what kind of shopping was offered, and left disappointed. 

 It was at this moment that I realized just how deeply my past island lifestyle has influenced me as a buyer. How certain visions of sand between my toes lead me to choose a summer dress or drapey sweater... or a swanky outdoor "tasting" might be reeling through my mind as I'm considering this or that fabulous cocktail dress arriving at the party (oooohs & ahhhhhs in the background and all). My brain just creates these wearable scenarios to compliment the item in my hands, almost from the moment I see it. From jeans to gowns I have a vision of the woman who will wear these pieces and all the styling tweaks that will make her look perfect no matter where she plans to wear it. Casually or dressed up. It's my gift and my curse. I don't enjoy mediocrity or trendy. I love feminine, but tomboy, romantic but funky, retro yet modern... A yin and a yang. 

Fabrics are a whole 'nother story...  Because no matter how cute the design, bad fabric can kill the deal instantly! I've watched sales reps cringe when I go from "ohhhh love it", to "uggghhh the fabric".  In fact one of my favorite reps now warns me when she knows I probably won't like the fabric. It's pretty funny, especially when she tells me that the style has sold really strongly for her (to other buyers). That is a line we buyers hear often, and it never plays into my decision making. Mistakes are made sometimes, and buyers remorse can overcome me as I'm opening a box of "what the hell is this". But most of the time it's more like Christmas when the orders arrive. I find that even my items that haunt the sale racks are items that I loved for one reason or another; but didn't necessarily translate to my customer at this time and this place. Perhaps my resort background from living on the garden paradise known as Kauai for just over three decades,  can deceives me at times. After all how often will my new customers experience salty, white sand between their toes? 

I buy for the woman in each of us who longs to be carried away to that far off exotic place- whether it's yearning for a tropical holiday, dreaming of a homeland, or recalling a favorite memory...  So perhaps the shortest answer to the question of inspiration in Hop Sing is "you".

Why... Generation Y

"I represent Generation Y...

My name is "Christine C." I am a young consumer, I can tell you this: my attention is short and my demands are great. As Millennials as we are often called, we may seem fickle, limited and spoiled to most retail professionals as our lifestyle and shopping habits affect everyone from big-box retailers to mom-and-pop stores, and will for the next two decades at minimum. We will be responsible for the return of our nation's thriving economy."

Here is where my opinion takes over...

(or will they be responsible for... China's thriving economy...) To put it bluntly, if you're a Retailer, big or small, uncomfortable with marketing to Generation Y that means your probably mainly opposed and uncomfortable with selling mass quantity's of the cheapest "Made in China" merchandise, which this "unique demographic" as they like to refer to themselves, will most likely buy in obscene quantity. This groups battle cry is "Quantity over Quality".

I find this ironic since their generation, even more then their predecessors, has been bombarded with "Reuse & Recycle", " Climate Change", "Sustainability" and "Unemployment". Yet most, not all... of these young people seem to have no concerns for Sustainable Fashion: How or where a garments made, such as fabric content or ethical global trade practices, they'll purchase a trendy garment regardless of non-identifiable fabric content or it's compatibility with water, let alone a washer... probably made by a person who's been paid 1.00 a day, why else do you think your only paying 5.99 to 29.99. My question to this group is, do you really need 200 poorly made clothing items in your wardrobe? How many times can you wear it and wash it before it's falling apart? Answer is.... Who cares, throw it away or donate it to a thrift store... Y's standard method of operation, obviously parent approved as they're probably still paying for it on the credit card long after the demise of the garment.

My experience recently (yesterday, and every time our little town host special events geared towards increasing mass foot traffic in our historic retail district) and routinely includes masses of teens and twenty-somethings rudely rummaging threw my upscale merchandise, while loudly proclaiming so I can hear their dismay... (as they maul, damage and ridicule) an item that catches there (A.D.D.) attention span, " w.t.f.... are you kidding me... that price is ridiculous ... what-ever..." then they often become increasing hostile in their browsing-demeanor, until they thankfully leave my store.

This generation is what I prefer to call the "Disposable Generation", and it's really a heartbreaking scenario that this increasingly large number of consumers has no connection to the era of quality over quantity, handmade and lovingly cared for pieces to be handed down to future generations. The special things that I and my daughter lovingly refer to as vintage treasures from either our Grandmothers closet or our own that are to be cared for for the next in line, in our family to adore...

I say loudly!!! Shame on the countless Baby Boomers and GenXer's who've neglected to cultivate their offspring on far more then manners, common courtesy and simple appreciation for the finer things in life, even if it's not within their financial means.... in summation...

Education is the key to the future of our country's financial strength or weakness, and that education needs to begin at home! Regardless of fashion or other various consumer needs... we must teach our children values and the value of the dollar about earning it and how to spend it wisely in a sustainable way. I realize that many families are in tough financial situations today, and I'm not complaining that they should buy my merchandise. I'm suggesting that they should teach their children to appreciate peoples property, or to just leave a store if they do not care for the style of merchandise, not be obnoxious, destructive or to voice opinion and confirm ignorance by sharing their thoughts out loud. Too many parents are failing their children, our society and our country's economic future, and I don't even think they realize it started by watching how Mom & Dad react to the most basic situations in life... and their commentary.

Regardless of if you understand Generation Y, you should observe them in mass at any local shopping venue, and you will most often be as appalled as I am. I am a specialty retailer in a region that has either largely forgotten to instill minimal courtesy values in there youngsters or perhaps consists of a fairly large population in and of itself that hasn't been unexposed to anything other than Wal-Mart.

Either way it's really sad... Again this is just my opinion.