Today was a good day

I want more of those days: A few charming men shopped today. They loved the experience and came out happy with their multiple, designer infused, reasonably priced, purchases. Silly me, I forgot to ask them to model for the blog, I must have been all flustered and confused because they looked so good. Sorry. I'll get them the next time...
And I got to hear some good stories as well. That's the way I like it.
I need suggestions for good music for the shop. Please send your ideas.

I love my shop

I do. It's true.
Every day people come in and talk to me, tell me about themselves, buy something nice for someone or just for them, which is of course why I do this, but I love the fact they feel at home enough to want to talk to me. I love hearing these little snippets of their lives, although the stories can be painful, or heartbreaking sometime. I feel connected to people on a very basic human level, something so simple and comforting. I make a point of asking, or making a personal comment to make them open up a little. I put music on, and if I had the room I'd dance.
It's even better when I get positive comments on how the shop looks or feels. Yes, I am aware it's not the best designed shop in the market, that it's crowded and can get a bit messy (specially after I get a load of new clothes), and I know many people have ideas on how I should do things differently. Still, I feel that there are plenty of people out there who get it and like it and that's good enough for me. For now, at least.
Yesterday a woman came in wearing the most wonderful winter coat. The hairy, woolly, texture made it look like a blue cat. She admitted of buying it even though it's a few sized too large, she couldn't resist. I totally understand. What is it about feeling something soft against our fingers that makes a garment (or a person, for that matter) irresistible?

New qoute

A gentleman can live through anything.

William Faulkner

A Gentleman To Love

Things I put in the window:
Dress coat - Armani $250
Suit - Zara $120
Tie - Metropolitan Museum $20
Leather gloves - $20
Brown silk scarf - $20
Ferragamo shoes - $75
Bauer skates for when you're stuck in traffic - $40
A hand-made fedora hat in grey rabbit fur felt (made by moi for my lovely husband) - not for sale, ever!
A quote to give you something to think about - priceless

Simply Nice

Yesterday, Valentine's Day, a lovely lady in her 80's, a painter I know from my previous incarnation, popped into the shop. I have not seen her in the last 2 years and feared the worst. And there she was, lovely as ever, cheerful, happy to see me, smiling and curious to look around the shop. I asked her where's she'd been. She had breast cancer and a few other ailments I can't remember but sounded awful, and I could not guess it, she looked in top form. She ended up buying a nice leather jacket as a Valentine's Day present for her husband. Isn't that wonderful?

And, on my way to the movies this evening, I bumped into one of my favorite customers, Douglas the opera singer, wearing a shirt he bought at the shop, looking his most gorgeous self. That was quite pleasing.

Old Man Winter

What can I say, it's February in Canada. It strips life to the bare minimum, just like the trees, and business suffers. I know, they all say this is the toughest quarter and to bear it. I am. But I'm looking for, and finding, ways to see the beauty around me, to cheer myself up. We're here to stay, might as well love it.
Here is what I saw this morning, I see it every morning when I drop of my son at the docks to go to school on the island. It is an ever changing show of glorious nature.

New qoute

One must be fond of people and trust them if one is not to make a mess of life.

E. M. Forster

Kink

In order to fend off the winter bore, we have to have some amusement.

Snow Day

Things I've heard recently

"You're like a surrogate mother to all of us" (he probably meant step-mother).

"I was walking home from a doctors appointment on a different route and saw your sign and thought I should check it out, the name intrigued me, and I'm so glad I did" (he bought a new outfit for a musical gig and then some...).

"I need you to stay in business, it's important to me".

"I hope your mother is doing better" (every one of the regulars says that and I love them all for caring).

"Your shop is the best thing that happened to me. I can dress like a king and pay like a pauper. People, specially women, look at me differently when I dress better".

Exciting progress

The Toronto Life Magazine asked to put a little notice about the shop in their new shopping guide, someone tipped them off about it, not sure who. Whoever it was, many thanks. I do need the exposure and the support.

On another note:
A couple of young men returned to the shop yesterday, having shopped here in the past. They excitedly looked around for things to buy, and at one point, with a puzzled look, asked me why some of the shoes look used. I made my explanation, puzzled myself, that this is a shop where everything is either used or pre-owned. They asked where does it say that this is a second hand shop - I said right on the front window. "That explains the good prices" one of them said as they quickly made their exit, telling me they don't do second hand, as if it was something to be proud of. And all the time I kept thinking it was a good sign they hadn't noticed, means to me the items are in such great condition they could not make the difference.

I'm back

Sort of.
In my mind I'm neither here in the cold north nor there, in the motherland. I expect this state will change as soon as my jet lag is over.
It was sunny and warm, intense, infused with family business and old, true friendships. Hard to find the Self in such circumstances, easy to lose yourself in it.
Now back to business. Please come back with me.

Inconveniences and the New Qoute

Inconveniences are an indispensable and annoying part of our lives, without them we wouldn't have anything to complain about, and that's dangerous.
I'm encountering these days the greatest inconvenience of all: illness. It interrupts everything you can think of in your life. It changes you.
My mother is very ill, and I left the new baby in my life, my lovely, lovable shop, to be with her and help her through an incredibly difficult time.
I hope it will be for the best.
In the meantime, please forgive the inconvenience you may encounter in my shop without me there. I left in the capable hands of my good friend Yoav.
I'll be back - that's my new quote for the week. I think I don't need to tell you who said it.

Me and Mark Jacobs at Fab

On the same page. I sure hope it's not down hill from here.
Check out the news press on Renaissance Man here:

http://www.fabmagazine.com/style/archive/334.html

Can we live on compliments?

It's truly flattering when people say the shop is lovely, that they like coming and all that, it's great for the ego. But I have to say, compliments alone will not keep us alive for too long.
Again, the ups and downs are so challenging, each in it's own way. I find that my moods are now controlled to a great extent by these waves in the shop. Oh, to be not-moody, what will it take?