It happens all the time in our stores; a customer storms into Plum because she has a job interview, or is meeting an important client or has advanced to a new position. Many women hate to shop for clothing so they put it off... and who can blame them when there are so many stores where the staff do not know how to really help. They certainly don’t know what it is like to work at your job.
As part of our training program, we’re looking at the different levels of formality in different workplaces and developing wardrobe formulas to help you choose a complete wardrobe for your career. Because Western Canada is generally pretty casual, it can be tricky to navigate the business workplace while keeping true to your personal style. No one ever seems to explicitly state what makes up the different levels of formality and employers don’t want to tell their team what they should purchase. And the wheels really come off the wagon on Casual Friday (which we think is basically dead!). Here’s the lowdown; some general guidelines we think will work to figure formality into your position at work:
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Number: the more pieces of clothing you’re wearing, the more formal you are. The exception is a dress. See Colour, Pattern and Style below for guidance on dresses.
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Colour: the more colour you wear, the more casual you are.
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Pattern/Texture: the more patterns or textures you wear, the more casual you are.
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Accessories: more of these, and more chunky or colourful equals more casual.
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Style: the level of tailoring and the smoothness and tightness of the weave makes a garment more formal.
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Shoes: is it a science or an art? The right shoes can make all the difference. Soft and flat is more casual than heels and polish.
* CAUTION: These are only general guidelines and there are exceptions to all of them. Plum associates are trained to assist you in finding what works for you.
Most professional women today "dress for the occasion," at work. A suit is in order for meeting the big client but if you are knuckling down with the 'team' for the day, the comfort of well chosen separates might put everyone at ease and in a creative spirit. It doesn't matter who designed your jersey jacket, jeans or yoga pants... they almost never belong at work. If you take pride in what you wear it will show that you take pride in the work you do. So with or without a dress code, you can have your own code and you will inspire others to do the same... and all without rules!
Submitted by Suzanne on Wed, 10/29/2014 - 12:43
Being first means, usually people will follow you...For me, at least, the only thing better than chocolate, not requiring diaper changes, is new arrivals. Isn't getting something first such a rush? Don't mind people following your lead or looking for a way to freshen up some portion of your wardrobe? Perhaps you are also a first-a-holic...Do you like to be first in line, first to receive something, first to wear the new thing....whatever the case may be? Plum can easily feed that 'new arrivals' addiction. While Plum's merchandiser might not be 'first born' in her family, rest assured, she's definitely first at discovering new labels, capturing new trends, interesting style features, fabrics and accessories.
Below a few of Plum's recent arrivals...
Hard to tell if this is a dress or a tunic. And so, in trying to figure this out, it's now become 2 garments! This is such a unique design because it reminds me of a vneck vest, yet has all the makings of a very feminine form fitting dress. Vneck, wool blend, egyptian print with a very defined waist feature is above the knee in length. Just gorgeous! So many ways to incorporate this into your existing wardrobe with it's incredible fall color palate.
Kerisma wool blend Cleo sleeveless dress $ 149
Fun is the best way to describe this sweater. And no, no combing is required for maintenance! So soft to the touch, be prepared for plenty of tactile attention. Features an open front with hook and eye neck closure.
Beulah style fuzzy sweater in Vanilla Milkshake $ 99
What a fetching little number! I had to show the back view because frankly, it has pretty written all over it with that back detail. Can you not see this translating from daytime activities (whatever they may be) to evening? Comprised of a simply amazing stretch knit fabric, featuring a very well concealed side zip and a completely easy to match black/white floral print (or solid option). As if the fabrics wonderful stretch was not enough, it features a very stretchy below the waist lining. So, on that note, you can leave the spanx in the lingerie drawer if you wish. ;)
Simone cap sleeve dress black/white or burgundy $ 139
Don't forget Plum's own labels (Simone and Tobias) are designed and made in Vancouver. When they're designed and made so locally, it can take no time to go from conception to arrival (no pun intended).
Stay tuned for more..........
Yours in fashion passion
Suzanne M.
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Submitted by Suzanne on Wed, 10/22/2014 - 13:44
Remember the coupon offer. Time is running out.
Neck wrap with minimum $ 200 (before taxes) purchase offer valid only while quantities last.
What is toast without jam, mornings without coffee, wine without cheese or Simon without Garfunkle (forgive the throwback). My point being, what goes better with a coat than scarves...Don't you just naturally reach for one, once you put on your coat? It feels like, something needs to be hugging your neck to complete the look.
To assist in your quest to find a companion for your coat, below is a taste of what Plum has in store:
Destined to be a beloved staple for years to come this neutral color can merge well with any canvas. It's basic nature helps to break up any monochromatic look or offset any color your coat has to offer. Add a great, bold lipcolor and you're ready to go.
Melange ivory fringe scarf $ 36
Maybe something lighter with a rather eastern flair, alternating blue/cream short fringe with paisley design.
Paisley scarf with tassles $ 32
Maybe you need something which provides more of a neck cuddle (is that such a thing?). It does a good job of faking a hand made scarf from your granny! Well, maybe Granny didn't make it, but someone did! Right?;)
Aztek chunky infinity scarf $ 36
This adds a lovely hint of fun with a bit of fall color play. Once you take off your coat, you can still leave the scarf as it's light in weight and can easily compliment any of your fall outfits.
Plaid fringed out scarf $ 32
Scarves play a great role in pulling together an outfit, whether it's inner or outter wear (or both) providing, at times, a much needed finishing touch. The other great advantage to scarves is, while they don't require a huge outlay of cash, they rarely go out of style and are a great investment (especially since they don't require hemming). So, go ahead, play match maker for your coat. Plum has plenty of options.
Yours in fashion passion
Suzanne M.
ps..don't forget about the coupon. Good until Oct.26, 2014. Don't miss out.
Interested in seeing some different ways to tie your scarf...check out this 5 minute video.
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Get the most bang for your buck in the closet
When you’re building your functional wardrobe (see our last blog post to find out what we mean by functional), there’s always a consideration of what you value most. No matter if your budget is large or small, there’s a universal desire to get value out of what you purchase. There are several ways to determine value and straight economics is just one. Here are three ways to measure the value you’re getting from your closet:
1. Dollars and Cents: This way of measuring value looks strictly at the way you spend your cash. A good guideline to follow for clothing purchases throughout the year is 5-10% of your net income and this includes socks and underwear. If your lifestyle is more casual, then your expenses will be closer to 5%. If your lifestyle is more formal, then you’d likely be spending closer to 10%. You can also look at cost per wear - take the cost of the item and divide it by the number of times you expect to wear it. This is where fast fashion often loses out – a $10 shirt you can only wear twice ends up being more expensive in the long run at $5 per wear than a $50 top you can wear 50 times at $1 per wear.
2. Emotional/Physical: If you have a strong feeling about what you wear, then the value of your wardrobe might be more emotional than economical. In this way, you’ll be shopping more for things that make you feel great, things that will suit your mood when you get dressed in the morning and feel great on your body. You might buy clothing that makes you feel confident, powerful, alluring or fabulous. You might like shopping for trend or for fun. Therefore, the strict dollar value of something won’t matter as much to you as how you feel in the clothes you buy. In a later blog post we’ll also be looking at ‘age appropriate’, a term we define a bit differently than most.
3. Versatility: Things you can wear more than one way or with more than one outfit give more value over time. That top that looks great only with one pair of pants isn’t going to give you as much value as the top that looks great with two or more bottoms. There are a couple of different wardrobe formulas that our staff is learning to help you build these kinds of combinations effectively, according to what suits your colouring, body type, personal style and lifestyle. ( more info). Also, we look at ways to combine those pieces with accessories that can level up the formality, dress an outfit down, increase polish or express your personality, whichever you prefer.
Whatever measure you use for valuing your wardrobe, we want to make sure that what you’re buying will give you good value. Wondering how this will work for you? Come and see us!
Submitted by Suzanne on Wed, 10/15/2014 - 12:53
Two great promotions:
While supplies last, spend a minimum of $ 200 before taxes and receive a neck wrap (7 color options)
And
receive a $ 20 coupon when you spend $ 95
Unless your name is 'Lennox' and you're a furnace or 'Joseph' and you have an amazing technicolor dream coat, at this time of year in Canada, you'll probably start to need a coat. Possibly different weights and perhaps different colors, but what I learned long ago is, you're unlikely to find one coat for all your fashion and outterwear requirements. So, on that note, Plum, as always, has provided us with some great investment, outterwear options.
The pea coat; a time honored style. This one, slightly longer in length than the usual and double breasted with crest buttons. Looks great with skinny jeans, a knee length dress or maxi. Such a beautifully fitted, tailored feel.
Tobias wool blend Pea Coat (black, olive or grey) $ 298
What a sensational coat. Usually I have my hands full of kid things so, I find the collar clip hardware not only functional but a point of interest. This coat covers all the bases; it's drapey design is fashion forward, the boiled wool blend is light weight, keeps you abundantly warm and layering is never an issue with it.
Tobias boiled wool blend asymetic coat (black, navy, chocolate) $ 249
Possibly you fancy a bit of nostalgia (cover of email). This feels a bit like the 50's, with the shawl collar, large, one button and above knee length. So great with everything, dresses, pants, any length of skirt or a thick sweater underneath. Plum's designer brings this classic up to 'now' with the color block sleeves.
Tobias shawl collar wool blend coat (Olive/black, grey/black and black) $ 275
A fully functional coat. Ready to serve you weekend after weekend, rain, sleet, baby spit, you name it. "Shake it off", as Taylor Swift would say....Fleece interior, double ended zipper, zip pockets and drawstring hood.
Soyaconcept zip coat (black) $ 110
It looks like Plum has it all covered.
Yours in Fashion Passion
Suzanne M.
Don't forget about the promotions....neck wrap while quantities last.
Remember, Plum's Tobias coats are all made right here in Vancouver.
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