Evolution. (Read: Re-brand, Stylist Appointments, and More Fashion Forward Pieces)

Evolve: to come forth gradually into being; develop; undergo evolution

Maybe I’m addicted to change. Or maybe I intrinsically understand the importance of evolution: personal evolution, business evolution, creative evolution, the evolution of one’s style. It’s a concept that is always on my brain. Sometimes it manifests itself in the traditional gradual way, as is to be expected, but sometimes it's a burst of energy, as you'll witness now. Garnish is ready for a leap in evolution and we are taking it! We invite you to come along.  

For years I have toyed with it… I’ve made a few pieces here and there that have really pushed my customers' fashion boundaries, to varying degrees of success. Like spaghetti thrown to the wall, sometimes it sticks, sometimes it doesn’t. Now I will attempt to throw bigger handfuls, with the goal of throwing the entire pot-full one day. Life is too short to envy a different style and to say to yourself “I wish I could pull that off.” Likewise, my life is too short to say to myself “I wish I could design more fashion-forward pieces.” So I’ve made a decision:

I AM GOING TO DESIGN THEM AND YOU ARE GOING TO WEAR THEM. GOT IT?

Don’t worry, we are not going to start making pants with three legs and implore you to wear them… this is an EVOLUTION, not a revolt. We’ll still have some no-brainer, damn cute pieces that you won’t hesitate a moment to own. But we’ll also have pieces that challenge your notions of what you can and can’t wear.

So I ask, "Is it time for a style evolution?" The answer is yes, always. Yes for me, yes for you. You aren’t still wearing cut-offs and crop tops, are you? I'm not. Seriously, though, I believe it is necessary to constantly (or at least periodically) check in with your style and wardrobe. Do you have a few fresh statement pieces for the season that really excite you? Do you have edgy basics that can be a basis for a wardrobe without being boring? Most importantly, is your style exactly where you want it right now? Or is it who you were 5 or 10 years ago? I recently went through my entire closet and had to continually ask myself these questions. And for me, it was quite hard, as my entire wardrobe is almost entirely made up of pieces that I made - so giving something up meant giving up a piece of my evolution as a business owner and as a designer. It wasn’t that the pieces were dated or poor quality, they just weren’t who I am now or who I want to be going forward. Just because a piece WAS a favorite doesn’t mean that it STILL is a favorite. Sometimes, it’s time to let it go.

Will we talk you into that statement dress and kick you out the door only to have it hang in your closet untouched? No, of course not. We will tell you EXACTLY how to wear it - from the shoes, to the jewelry, to the underpinnings. This is why I've  decided to introduce private stylist appointments. Along with designing, my other favorite part of owning Garnish is dressing women, helping them feel amazing, and teaching them to dress confidently. Most days we can do that quite effectively during regular business hours. However, I thought “what if I gave my customers a dedicated block of time to work with us one-on-one and ask all the questions they want, knowing that they will not be interrupted by a phone call, another customer walking in, the mailman...you name it. Wouldn’t this allow them to dress more confidently, take a few more chances, get closer to that style they envy?” I think yes.

Here are the details… In order to facilitate the addition of stylist appointments, we are changing the store hours - to open at 12 daily. We will offer appointments from 11-12 seven days a week. When you schedule your appointment, you'll have the option to choose your stylist; we ask you to understand, though, that stylists need days off, too, so a particular stylist may not be available that day. We ask that you book at least 4 days in advance (but in a pinch, just ask). There is a short intake form (how else will we know what coffee to bring you?) on the website’s booking app that will help us get a sense of your style now and where it’s heading. Don’t hesitate to call with any questions (503.954.2292). If you are ready to go, then book here!