HOP SING VIBES... with Gudrun!

From the very first time this tall, attractive, and quietly confident woman walked through the door, all I could think of was how incredible she would look in our clothing... I wanted to run over and just beg her to try on a few choice pieces that would look perfect on her, but I refrained from accosting her - for at least 30 minutes! The power of restraint! Haha!

Meet Gudrun, she has been a Hop Sing enthusiast for about 3 years and she appreciates the whole unique process...  meaning she loves the involvement when we make special suggestions and help her choose styles that she may otherwise have passed by, especially when those pieces become favorite additions to her wardrobe. To my delight she allows me help her choose pieces that will compliment her life & personal style. It's truly a love, love relationship!  We love her & she loves us!  - Lauren

Name:  Gudrun Miller

Place of Birth:  Goerits, East Germany near the Baltic Sea, formerly Prussia.  Born right after WWII.  I grew up in Berlin and my family emigrated to the United States when I was 7.

Occupation:  Professional Counselor, Visionary artist and metaphysical teacher focusing on soul psychology.

Age: 67

Describe your signature look:  Funky but fashionable.  Casual but stylish. 

Who or what inspires you?  I am influenced by current fashion trends.  Lauren has been my greatest inspiration recently.

What makes you feel beautiful?  I like to look different.  Good quality stylish clothes help me feel beautiful.

Name an item of clothing you can't live without:  A great pair of jeans or two or three!  Now AG jeans.

What's the biggest splurge in your closet?  I think now it is Odd Molly clothing which I love and treat almost as collector's items!  Other than that, it is Native American jewelry made by artists who are friends. 

The biggest waste of money in your closet:  When clothes look good on me, I want to purchase them.  A lot of clothes look good on me so I am having to be more mindful of what I will actually wear!

What's the most memorable piece of clothing you've worn and what made it special?  I am looking for that piece!  It is the primal quest!

What is your guilty pleasure/something you can't resist?  A great glass of red wine.  or white!

Do you have a style icon?  I think now it is Lauren who embraces beauty in women regardless of age or size.  Other than that, it is whichever woman I may see that is happy in her skin.  I saw this a lot more in Europe and in South America, mainly Brazil where the women seemed so confident of their beauty regardless of age or body size.

What is your beauty/skin care routine?  I do minimal things regarding makeup.  I am very conscious of eating healthy and I use mainly simple things on my skin, organic if possible.  I am now also using essential oils internally and externally which seems to be helping my overall health and well being.

"...one of my missions in this life was to learn to love myself."

What has been the biggest surprise about the age you are now?  I am amazed that I love life!  I see the signs of aging and I am not overly concerned.  Mostly I am grateful to have wisdom and inner peace.  I wish I had known this when I was younger.

The best advice you have ever received:  This came from a spiritual source that informed me that one of my missions in this life was to learn to love myself.  I do now and that love has allowed me to forgive all that have ever hurt me and to forgive myself for my own shortcomings.

Do you believe in destiny?  Yes.

What's next for you?  I am open to that.

Thank you so much, Gudrun! You inspire us!

♥

Off to Market.... work, work, work! No parties I promise

There’s always something new in Las Vegas, and the apparel industry is doing its part to make sure that adage holds true for the upcoming apparel market. Next week this time I will be in Fashion-a-rama land! I love it! But just for fun I thought a share an insider's perspective... About 3 years ago my daughter wrote the article below for a publication... and it's an interesting read below... (yes... she is a fashion snob, and proud of it)

Retail buying, for real...

"So a friend of mine recently asked about my work, and specifically how she could get into it too. At first I thought, oh yeah... it's nice. As much as I complain- it certainly has its perks; Great clothes, cool people, a little travel... But when I really start thinking about it, it's much more than that. Good and bad, it's much more.

Women love clothes, and young women especially tend to think of the fashion industry as glamourous, and beautiful and I don't know what... so when I tell people I'm a buyer for women's clothing, the immediate response is usually: "Wow!" "Awesome!" "Lucky..." or "Fun". Oftentimes I wonder what they're imagining my work to be... I try to think about it from an outside perspective and wonder, what would I imagine a "buyer" does all day? I can't. I've been up to my eyeballs in this business since I was 14 years old, working as a gopher and retail slave -girl for two years before wriggling my way into "Buyer's Assistant" at 16 (which, cool job title aside, was exactly the same job). It's impossible for me, therefore, to have any remotely unbiased views of this life or to relate at all to the countless girls that seek it out. Am I jaded? Not unless I started out that way. My opinions of, and interest in fashion are so deeply ingrained, they're hard-wired.

My mother sourced and sold vintage couture. I grew up reading "W", "Vogue", and French "Elle" like they were nursery rhymes. I understood the nuances of "cuts" and "lines" while most girls my age were still dressing their Barbies in poly-blend. This may seem smug, but it's really the opposite of that. I didn't know any better. I had no idea that it was any big deal until I was helping squeeze Salma Hayek into a Norma Kamali boneless corset dress at 15 and said: "Well, it's all in the structure- her couture is influenced by architecture and swimwear of the 1940's, so it's really structured, without being restrictive. Flattering without being overt, you know? She sews you in and holds you there with these incredible dual-purpose fabrics, so you don't need the boning!" Salma looked at me like I was possessed, and then she bought the nearly $4,000 gown. My imminent promotion followed soon after. This was my "Oh, I'm not normal"-moment.

The thing is, I knew so much about fashion by the time I went to college, that I couldn't have cared less if I ever went near the industry again. I lusted after the cuts and lines of industrial architectects rather than the cuts and lines of couturiers. Fashion was family, and home, and fall-back, and meh... it wasn't going anywhere. Inevitably I went back to it, simply because it came easily, it was what I knew and I knew it well. I went from gopher, to assistant, to buyer, to store owner and I can tell you- there's not a ton of differences between the four other than money; who's making it, who's spending it, and who's paying it out. Of all those little hats, the one that fit me best was buyer. I make my own hours, I work alone, and the better I buy- the more I earn. The best part is, as I get older, I buy better, I buy smarter and it just gets easier and easier. The worst part is, I'm not challenged, except by my own morals.

You see, there is a new breed of consumer- someone who grew up on Claire's, Forever 21, and polyester prom dresses. They want more and more for less and less, and they don't care where it's made or how- so long as it's cheap and trendy. What's more disheartening is the fact that we (in the industry) are kow-towing to this woman. We're supporting disposable trends, and unethical manufacturing simply to meet the demands of debt-ridden consumers whom either don't know any better, or don't care. But it's cute? That dress you're purchasing at a bargain price was made of cheap, synthetic fabric, dyed with hazardous chemicals and some (illegal in this country) pesticides thrown in for good shipment. But it looks okay to you? It was probably sewn in a filthy sweatshop by a worker paid an unfair wage. There is nothing to be proud of in that prom photo, dear. Your dress is shit and it will fall apart on you. In fact, it's likely something will go wrong with it by the end of the night. Got a deal on your bridesmaid's dresses? Bad manufacturing doesn't bode well for the chicken dance, sister. You're better off having just one bridesmaid and buying her a decent ensemble. Better yet, buy vintage. The fabrics and tailoring are incomparable. Try the touch test. Vintage satin vs. today's cheap but oh-so-shiny and wrinkle-free impostor-satin...

I mention the satin, in particular because I'm fresh off of buying for prom season and to my shock, I found the most incredible silk satin dresses by Joseph Walker. These feel like the vintage couture I know and love. These are the real deal- or as close to the real deal as you're likely to find for the price. Retailing for around $200 they blow the competition out of the water (*ahem* Jessica McClintock *cough,cough*). Even his palette is inspired and tasteful. There is nothing of the garish brights and neo-neons that pop up in nearly every showroom, nearly every Spring. Particularly, his pinks and greens... A subdued, and slightly greyed pink that just looks grown-up and beautiful and an absolutely sumptuous jade green; something universally flattering but oft overlooked. Furthermore, consumers, you're not actually saving on anything- here's a little fashion industry secret... YOU'RE BEING SWINDLED BY BARGAIN PRICED CRAP! Retailers know what prices you're used to, what prices you're immune to, and what you consider a "deal". The less they pay for the goods, the more they make off of you. Think they're passing savings onto you? Absolutely not. The "savings" are built into their profit margins, not passed on to the consumer. In other words, the less they pay, the more they profit. Is there a trendy little shop in your town that seems to ALWAYS have a sale going on? They actually don't... they're simply buying a dress for $10 pricing it at a 5.0 margin (WELL above industry standards). They then mark the dress at 50% off and you're thinking "Wow, I'm getting such a great deal", when in reality, they're profiting off of your trust and making more than they would on a higher priced, quality garment sold at full MSRP (a 2.3 margin). There is no bargain, my friends. The sale price was a farce and that damn dress will fall apart in a few months. Which just opens up a whole other can of worms... false economy, consumer culture, mass waste, etc. On this topic, the moral is this- hang on to your mother's and your grandmother's clothing; these are the items worth their salt, these are the items worth keeping and handing down to your daughters. Expect to pay more for items made ethically and appreciate quality craftsmanship. Have we forgotten what this is? With Levi's now made of varying materials in varying countries, two identical pairs of style 501 you've worn forever (and in the exact same size) will now vary by up to 3 inches in length and 2.5 inches in the waist. The washes and finishes will have no consistency and the cut and feel will most likely be unrecognizable.

Inevitably, potential buyers think that this job is about style, trends, and getting clothing at cost. On style... Of course style is a key factor in maintaining relevance, moving merchandise and longevity in this job. I'm not sure if this factor is innate, it's a bit of an x-factor- but it's also about influence, and inspiration. On trends... This aspect of my job is really the science part of it, and again a bit of x-factor for good measure. Trends are about picking up on little clues and subtle cues in the collective consciousness. They are about understanding the motion and force of fashion from Asia, to Europe to America's East coast, to California, and back to Asia again. It's about the trickle-down effect of Haute couture to Prêt-à-Porter to up-market, to mass production. And once you understand all that, it's about timing. Computer-generated analysis of markets and retail analysts offer some help and take a bit of guesswork out of which departments and categories are moving well, but ultimately it comes down to your innate ability to time a given marketplace. Knowing months in advance what trends will hit at what moment and where. Will your consumers be ready? I can't tell you how many times my own timing has been off. Often as a buyer, having access to upcoming colors, collections, and designs- you're so far ahead of the collective curve that you overestimate your own clock. I've had to store away entire deliveries for months at a time, until such time as the trend hit and the consumer was ready for it.

But more and more my job is really about protecting consumers and the marketplace from bad investments, it's about shielding stores from bad reputations, and finding a happy medium between style and substance, whilst maintaining a fair price-point for desirable apparel. And clothes at cost? Yes, it's a perk. If you're interested in being a buyer, you're likely something of a clothes-horse anyway, so you'll appreciate this aspect of it. I keep waiting for the stuffed-to-the-gills closet thing to get old (it hasn't yet)."

Inspiration: Audrey

Halloween Costume Inspiration

Hop Sing! It's almost Halloween! And you better have a killer costume. I've gathered some inspiration for you below. 

All these costumes are amazing...but another thing all of these woman have in common is their confidence! Most of all, whatever your costume, put a smile on your face (well maybe a "Halloween" look in this case ;)) and stand up straight. Own that costume because you look great! 

The next images I pulled from this great blog called, The Lovely Undergrad. For more inspiration, click on the link. Her blog is great!  

That's it for today folks! Have a wonderful spooky-ookie, candy- filled Halloween! 

xo

Emily

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! 

Haute Couture... Karl on sweatpants.

Karl Lagerfeld is a genius.  I couldn't have said it better myself.  

Haute Couture... Karl who?!

Never taking himself too seriously...  that's why I love you, Karl.

Haute Couture... a beautiful mess

Words to live by...  

Haute Couture... the American dream

Always telling' it like it is...

Haute Couture...

Couldn't agree more.

Haute Couture... Karl Lagerfeld

I'm kicking off a little mini series on fashion legend (and Coco Chanel successor), Karl Lagerfeld.

His incredible collections for CHANEL have served as an endless source of inspiration for me,

and I'd love for you to know him too.

The consummate artist and tireless talent... 

often witty, sometimes silly, ALWAYS one of a kind. 

Living Vicariously...

I'm loving the pattern-play here... the navy and white striped marinière against that busy, urban red. 

Simple yet impactful.  

Beautiful.

♥

Living Vicariously...

Everyone believes in the sun, even when it doesn't shine...

I believe in love, even when it isn't shown. I believe in GOD, even when he doesn't speak. 

I love life and I'm in pursuit of living it to the fullest...  But, I admit, I really enjoy living vicariously!  

In this age of information we are able to find inspiration through design, film, social media, and google - just to name a few... For me, my mannequins, aka "the Natashas", allow me to take (size 6) fashion journeys; imagining what they're going to wear, "cuz shes going on an adventure, a first date, a wedding... Ohhhh ohhh ohhh, shes the Bride!...." See, I'm all ready getting lost in my own story, in my mind.  In the Natasha's hollow little plastic minds... 

Thankfully there are the ladies who often ask me, my favorite request:  

"Can you help me with some fashion inspiration?" 

These are the moments when my passion for vicarious fashion becomes sport!  So fun, and so wonderful to go on these little adventures with you!  Live vicariously through you... Just for the moment.  

Who do you wish you could live vicariously live through?  Just for a minute... just for fun...

♥

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".

Young at Heart?

What is your inner child?

The aspect of one's psyche that is believed to retain feelings as they were experienced in childhood. The aspect of your consciousness that is naturally innocent, playful, uncomplicated, and whose approach to life is simple and straightforward.

When it comes to fashion often woman are afraid to be fun. By "afraid" I am referring to color and easy, relaxed styles!!! I'm not suggesting you dress like the mannequin in the window at Gap Kids- but you don't need to dress like "Betty from Sun~City Arizona" either... Polyester slacks and a Polo shirt, or ill-fitting jeans with your Labrador Retriever sweatshirt are not "age appropriate". Ever.

Playing, imagining and curiosity served you well in childhood and can again be renewed to enhance your quality of life, well-being and, ultimately, your happiness as an adult. Including fun, colorful, unique and (dare I say) quirky fashions can elevate your mood, add a sassy little sway to your hips, a little pep in your step, a smile on your face... the kind of smile that starts in your eyes and works it's way to every muscle in your face.

A natural facelift!

If you are in doubt about embracing your inner kid. You need to spend some time remembering what it felt like to play, discover, feel and explore without fear and concern. Learn more about what fresh styles will work for you, and make you feel young again with out looking like the mannequin in the window at Gap Kids... and then welcome that brave little girl back into your life.

"We are intended to remain in many ways- childlike," anthropologist Ashley Montagu once wrote. "We were never intended to grow up into the kind of adults most of us have become. We are designed to grow and develop in ways that emphasize rather than minimize childlike traits." We are all born with the gifts of creativity, imagination, play, exploration and curiosity. Children act on these valuable attributes freely, discovering happiness, belonging, connection and community through them.

Do you use the phrase "I'm too old" to avoid trying new and different activities?

I hear this phrase all too often in our boutique, uttered by women who look like they’ve surrendered to the fashion grim reaper- only they are younger than my own mother, who at 70 years young... is youthful, tasteful, in great physical shape and feels great about herself! And guess what?! She’s not medicated for anything, because a joyful heart full of childish enthusiasm is the fountain of youth!

More ...USA made, less...

Fresh off of a major buying trip, I'm eager to share the truth of fashion's current behind-the-scenes dilemma with all of you:

In a market inundated with "Made in CHINA" disposable fashions, it becomes more and more difficult to source, "Made in the USA" brands, but we maintain a passionate devotion, and a patriotic responsibility to do so. We are so blessed to have you, our loyal customers here in Prescott- who appreciate the efforts we go to in supporting "Made in the USA" brands, by in turn, supporting US! On any given day, we stock more than 20 brands of clothing, jewelry, gifts, accessories, and personal care products that are made right here in the USA. I believe that as Americans, each one of us has a responsibility to support these manufacturers, and keep our money at HOME rather than sending it to China. Many retailers make the argument that Made in the USA is "too expensive" or "consumers don't care", but our thriving business is proof that they do! I challenge you to hold other retailers to this principal. Check labels before you buy! Ask questions! Let shop owners know how important it is to you! We're all in this together.

A recent article in the New York Times really hit home for me:

"Before jeggings, back when there were letters, before texts and tweets, when there was time... before speed cameras, when you could speed... before graffiti management companies, when cities had souls, we managed. Before homogenization, when there was mystery, when the original had value, before digital, when there was vinyl, before Made in China, we had the impression we were doing all right. Before apps... when there were attention-spans, before “I’ve got five bars,” when bars were for boozing, before ring-tone selection, when the phone rang... when love was all you needed..."

It's so true! Granted, this quip plays to the hippie in me... I am a child of the 60's, but my boutique reflects this post-modern bar of excellence; It defines the type of buyer I am. I'm guided by the quality and preconditioning of fabrics, (a key point of consideration while sourcing Hop Sing's fashions) which result in the most glorious-to-the-touch fabrics, a vital component which many of you have come to expect in our boutique. Of course, one of the realities of fashion today, is that American manufacturers have been pushed out by their overseas counterparts- the result of which is those old world touches and heirloom quality details we love: smocking, applique, embroidery, crocheting, etc., being rarely ever "Made in the USA". At Hop Sing, we've found alternative brands that support fair wages, ethical working conditions, and produce excellent quality goods at market rate. It's a matter of doing our homework and looking deeper. The great Vivenne Westwood had this to say about educating ourselves as consumers:

"We are so conformist... nobody is thinking. We're all just sucking up stuff. We've been trained to be consumers and we are all consuming far too much. I'm a fashion designer and people think 'what do I know', but I'm talking about all this disposable crap. I'm saying, buy less, choose well, make it last! Everybody looks like clones, and the only people you notice are my age. I don't notice anybody unless they look great, and every now and again they do- and they're usually 70."

What does quality mean to you? For me it means supporting fellow Americans, supporting family-owned, supporting heirloom brands and practices. It means keeping my money domestic- paying for the roads we drive on, the soccer uniforms our kids wear, the bread baked around the corner, and the agriculture produced in American soil. I'm proud to say that we strive every day to select the best quality, ethical designs that the up-scale marketplace has to offer. We vow to continue supporting those labels proudly produced right here in the USA, and we have YOU to thank for it.

THANK YOU & GOD BLESS!

Frequently asked question..."why so expensive?"

Love at first.... fit!!!

Adriano Goldschmied has killed my old jeans!

Here's what I know about... AG Jeans!

I love jeans. They're by far the most versatile item in my closet, and my personal favorite too. Shhh... don't tell the shoes! But my AG Jeans have blown every other pair out of the water. I could list the dozen or so brands left pouting on the shelf since the AG's moved in, but I'll save them the embarrassment. AG has everything I'm after... fit, lift, comfort, and they are without a doubt, the softest, most beautifully flattering denim I've ever owned. Unless it's a serious crisis-of-a-laundry-day, I don't see myself wearing any other brand any time soon.

But that's just scratching the surface of these amazing jeans and the company behind them. I can feel good in them for so many reasons, not least of which is the moral and ecological commitment I'm making just by wearing them.