Shopping Sabbatical: Week Four

This week I bought a lot of clothes in preparation for spring break! I'm going to California and I am so ready for the warm weather.

My first purchase was from Gap. I have been in need of some new jeans for awhile. I love these jeans, they fit me perfectly. 

Also since I work at Old Navy (owned by Gap Inc) I get 50% off at Gap!

My next purchase was from Old Navy. I have had my eye on this white top ever since we got it in. I was waiting for it to go on sale and it finally did.

40% off for all Old Navy card holders!

I also bought joggers for the plane ride. Cute, comfortable, and fashionable.

(40% off)

Next week is the start of no shopping for a month.. I'm not sure how easy it will be for me to not buy anything, especially when I am in the Golden State. 

Alley Kats

My last stop of the day was Alley Kats arts & antiques. It is attached to Retrofit Culture in downtown. 

I love antiques. I could spend hours looking at them. This little display in Alley Kats caught my eye, I think it was because of the luggage (I love to travel). The display created good proportion. Everything was at eye level minus the suitcase on the floor and camera on top of it. I overlooked those two items at first. 

The display created good emphasis with contrast. So many items stuck out to me. The antler on top of the stacked suitcases was a unique idea. There was a calendar and painting hung on the wall. That helped created the asymmetrical balance of the display. 

The display also created a travel theme with the suitcases, camera, and vacation books. Overall I was impressed with the display because sometimes in antique stores it can be really cluttered and hard to see all the merchandise, but not at Alley Kats!

Wilson's Cycle

I wasn't sure if Wilson's Cycle in Downtown would have a neat display but I thought I would pop in and see. Turns out they did have a unique visual.

The display spanned the entire entrance. It consisted of old bicycles that were not for sale and new bicycles that a customer could purchase. 

The new bikes were in the main window. They did a great job displaying them. The proportion of the display was perfect. People walking by outside could easily see the bikes from far away and people inside were still able to see them as well. Emphasis was created with size and and repetition.  

Hanging the bikes allowed more items to be displayed and it created an unexpected sight for the customer. 

Towards the top of ceiling, old fashion bikes were displayed. I think the idea was there, but the proportion was lacking. The old bikes were hard to see from far away or up close. I think the old bikes would have created a better atmosphere if they would have been located at the customers' eye level. 

Crossroads

Crossroads is one of my favorite places in Downtown Bloomington. I love the unique merchandise in the store and I also love talking to the ladies who volunteer there!

Crossroads had a lot of appealing displays, so it was hard to pick which one to evaluate. 

I ended up picking the display customers see right when they walk in the door. Crossroads did a good job creating height and dimension with the clear glass tables. The glass allowed a customer to walk right up to the display and be able to see everything, even the merchandise on the bottom. 

The theme was very spring like which is perfect because everyone is ready for spring to be here. The store displayed the fabric in a unique way by draping it on a ladder behind the glass display. Draping the fabric was a new eye catching way to display it rather than just folding it and setting it on the table. 

The store was well lit from lights above and the windows outside. Crossroads did a great job creating an appealing visual! 

Hobbyland

Hobbyland: "The Fun Store with the Red Door."

I had never been in Hobbyland before, but I am sure glad I made a stop in there. As soon as I entered the door I saw a huge model train track set up with at least three trains running on the tracks. 

This visual was brilliant. It was a great way to show off the merchandise the store offered and the endless possibilities of what a customer could do with it. If a customer came in with their child, I doubt they would be able to leave the store without buying some kind of train merchandise. 

The display was at eye level and each level of the train model raised the farther back it went so the customer could see every aspect. The visual really went with the theme and logo of the store.

Their lighting was brilliant as well. They used an old train light which enhanced the theme ever more! This display requires more than a split second glance, I watched it for at least three minutes. In those three minutes I was seriously tempted to buy a model train. Hobbyland created a wonderful visual. 

RetroFit Culture

I am in love with Retrofit Culture. It's a cute store in Downtown Bloomington that combines new and old. 

If you have ever been in Retrofit, you will know that the entire store is filled with merchandise you want to buy and it is displayed so well!

I wandered around the store for a solid 20 minutes just trying to decide which display to evaluate. I finally decided on this table displaying jewelry.

I loved how the store displayed jewelry using merchandise that was for sale (tins and jewelry box) and merchandise that wasn't, like the antlers the rings are hung on. The merchandise also helped elevated the products, making them easier for the customer to see.

For signage, Retrofit used oversized tags to label the price of the items. The table had a lot going on. Even so, it maintained good proportion and balance. 

I was very impressed with the store. I never leave there without buying something and today was no exception. 

Shopping sabbatical three

I'm spending the weekend in the Windy City and so far I haven't bought anything! It's shocking really. Today I went shopping in this cute neighborhood  that had boutiques and vintage shops but nothing stood out to me. I think it's because I'm with a large group of people. I can never shop with a group. I really only like to shop with my mom. 

I didn't buy anything this entire week, now that I think about it. I'm just not in the mood to spend money. 

I still have tonight and tomorrow left in Chicsgo though, so there's still time to shop. 

Shopping Sabbatical: Week Two

This week I bought more clothes than I did last week, but I have a reason! All stores are trying to get rid of their winter clothes so everything is on sale. I set out on a mission to buy sweaters for next year. I did set guidelines for myself, nothing with fur or a turtleneck. My reasoning was next season I could absolute hate those things. I was only allowed to buy classics.

So here's what I bought: 

A cute white Lauren Conrad sweater from Kohl's. 

Black yoga pants from Victoria's Secret. My old pair had a hole in them! 

A long, white, beyond comfortable, cardigan from Macy's. 

Ok, I know I said no fur, but this is different! I'm in love with this brown fuzzy zip up from Kohl's. It's so warm.

And finally these adorable pajamas from Forever 21. I had a gift card so I decided to use it on sleepwear because I love it so much but I can never justify buying it. Also I'm obsessed with macaroons. 

I acquired a lot of new things this week, but at least everything was on sale! 

Charmed Boutique

Last Friday my fashion promotion class took a field trip to Charmed Boutique, located in Pontiac Illinois. 

The little boutique was cute and had a lot of personality. One display inside really caught my eye. 

I loved the way the jewelry was displayed. Many different props were used to showcase the accessories. Some of the props were merchandise available for purchase and others were things the owner had found, like old glass bottles. 

Signage for the table was so creative. She used a mini chalk board (shown above) to display prices.

The best part of the table is the picture I have above. I loved how the merchandise was sitting on coffee beans. It added a different aesthetic to the table. 

The emphasis of the table was definitely the accessories. She did a great job featuring them. The only thing that could be improved upon is rhythm. The table had a lot of merchandise on it and I found my eyes bouncing from one thing (often overlooking products) to the next. There was not a flow from one item to the next.

Overall, Charmed charmed me. I left the store with a lot of inspiration a new black shirt. 

Express

The display at Express really caught my eye. Their window used Valentine's day as a theme.

Going with the theme they used a short phrase "What's your desire." The phrase was short enough that a customer didn't have to pause to read it. They could read it as they are walking and it could lead them right into the store. 

Express used one graphic in the window. Having a model in the dress along with the mannequins was a great idea. It shows what the dress would look like on a real human. 

The window achieves good proportion. The mannequins fill up the space without overcrowding the window. The three mannequins make the window asymmetrical as well.

Express's window achieved unity. It also got me to try on the red dress. 

Earth Bound

Earth Bound is one of my favorite places in the mall. I never quite know what I will find in there, but I always know they will have something I like. 

I really liked this in-store display. The top table had a theme of mini statues. I like the way they created different height by adding wooden boxes. I also enjoyed that they used the boxes as shadow boxes too and put merchandise inside of them.

They did make use of a little signage. In the picture above you can see they were promoting Valentine's day. I think the sign was the proper size for the table. The customer will be scanning the table and their eyes will quickly be able to take in the reminder that Valentine's day is coming up.

One thing that  could be improved upon is the bottom table. Honestly, I was so busy looking at the top that I forgot there was even a bottom part until I stepped away to take the picture. The top has so much going on that it would be easy to overlook the merchandise on the lower table. 

Pac Sun

I liked Pac Sun's window display. After looking at it, I found myself wanting to go into the store, which is the whole purpose of a window!

Pac Sun's customers are teens/young adults and this window display really fits that age group. The window has a very boho, Coachella vibe. 

They used their own clothing as props with a few wooden boxes that aren't for sale.

I thought the merchandise was overall displayed well, the only change I would have made is with the clothing inside the box. It's hard to see but maybe a spotlight on it would have enhanced it.

They had signage in the back of the display which was good because it blocked the customer from seeing the inside of the store and getting distracted. The only downside is from far away it was hard to see exactly what the sign was because of lighting/color.

Overall the Pac Sun did a great job on creating a theme that appeals to their target audience. 

Old Navy

I personally loved Old Navy's display. Some people might say I'm biased since I work there, but I disagree. 

I like how the mannequins are dressed in spring clothes, it appeals to customers because we are all wishing for warm weather.

The reason I love the display so much is because of the props and signage. 

It created an amazing theme that  appeals to people's desire to go somewhere. The suitcase is a prop and isn't something you can purchase at Old Navy, but just looking at it makes me want to fill it with clothes from Old Navy.

The signage depicts an upcoming adventure. It's signaling to the customer that a. they need to either have clothes from Old Navy for their upcoming getaway or b. having clothes from Old Navy will in turn give them an adventure.

I think the graphics/signage is genius. 

Overall I am really impressed with Old Navy's display!

Week 1 of Shopping Sabbatical

This week, I obtained three new things. 

I had a five dollar reward at Old Navy, and I found these distressed black jeans in clearance for $6. I had to get them, they were basically free.

A couple weeks ago, I entered a competition to win three free rings from a fair trade store, GREENOLA STYLE. I usually never win anything, but I actually won the rings! 

My last item of the week I had to actually pay for. My fashion promotion class went on a field trip to Charmed Boutique in Pontiac Illinois. I tried not to buy anything, but I couldn't resist. I ended up buying this cute flattering black top for $20. I have no regrets. 

I didn't think abstaining from shopping for a month would be that hard, but after this week I think come March I will be in for a rude awakening.