Decorate yourself!

I received yet another email from a customer this week “frustrated” with her closet, and seeking help!

She felt “lost” and had “given up” on fashion...This is not a unique sentiment in my line of work, but I can’t help but wonder where along the way fashion stopped being fun for these women...

I always suggest that you play with your combinations. Write down the ones that work, and revisit those. Remember the items that you’re most complimented on- they’re usually something a little outside of your comfort zone. Take chances and enjoy your clothing. Most of all, keep evolving! Stagnancy is never fun.

All too often I hear from women who feel intimidated by clothing, shopping, and putting new outfits together. Want to know the very best fashion advice I ever got? Fashion should be fun. That’s it! Simple. It means, take it in stride, have fun with it! Clothes are ORNAMENTS, you are the Christmas tree! Remember how fun it was to decorate the tree? That’s what getting dressed every morning should be. CLOTHES are the CAR, you are the driver! Your clothes should be vying for a chance to be taken out for a spin.

And remember, nothing’s permanent in fashion. At the end of the day, it all comes off anyway. :)

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.

Love at first.... fit!!!

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.

Ok, ready for a little shop talk? Here's what I know about AG Jeans:

Did you know that in Los Angeles County, a woman stitching a pair of jeans earns as much as $15 an hour? While in China, her counterpart pulls in 68 cents to 88 cents. Los Angeles— the largest clothing manufacturing hub in the nation, and mecca for high-end denim manufacturing— is no stranger to the tumultuous forces of globalization. With China, Mexico, and even tiny Mauritius nipping at their heels, domestic manufacturers have been left little choice but to take their business overseas in effort to compete with an ever-increasing demand for lower manufacturing costs. The innocent casualty of all this? QUALITY.

Premium denim has been a rare hold-out in the crumbling domestic apparel market. Why? The big "Q" of course... In Los Angeles, experienced sewing contractors are absolute masters of their trade. They know how to make lifting darted back pockets— giving the appearance of a lifted derriere. Local laundries are also adept at expertly shading jeans so that legs appear longer and thinner, and at hand-sanding "whiskers" (light horizontal lines in the zipper area), so that hips appear narrower. They also employ what's called the "all in" method; which means using all techniques available, including grinding, stonewashing, baking, and applying oil stains and cigar burns to achieve an authentic worn-in look and feel.

Another advantage to buying domestic (and yet another reason to love AG), is the keen eye L.A.'s manufacturer's have kept on the environment. The routine process of obtaining those tricked out washes you love on your denim, is eco-destructive beyond your wildest nightmares. AG Jeans found these outdated and toxic practices unacceptable and in recent years, has led the pack in developing a new "clean denim” by overhauling their manufacturing process using organic and sustainable top quality fabric choices, and employing "Ozone Technology".

Wait, ozone? Isn't that just in the air? No, my friends, your jeans are now eco-friendly! Ozone is a process that significantly reduces water consumption, use of chemicals and dirty energy. Normally jeans are rinsed with large amounts of water to rid them of excess indigo, and toxic chemicals are applied to create fades while cleaning up indigo bleeds on pocket linings. When a jean is "ozonized" however, those processes are drastically reduced- if not eliminated, greatly lowering water, energy and chemical usage.

Thanks to a vertically integrated factory and 100% control of their wash processes (unlike other brands), they are one of the ONLY denim brands using this process on 100% of their products. The happy bi-product of supporting this process and striving to buy domestic, is a subtle but steady push for change from governments and our favorite clothing companies. It would be tragic if fashion and economics continued to come at the cost of our natural resources. Finally, we can be cute and eco-friendly. Responsibility and compassion looks great on you!

Experience this premium brand now @ Hop Sing!!!