Many people ask where and how I get my clothes? I am laying out the truth on this subject applying to me right now! Don’t worry – it is nothing bad.
Most of the clothes in my closet have been purchased by me. I feel so much better getting that off my chest =)
Shop the post:
Many times I will repurpose older clothes and make them on trend with the current season. The key is to have versatile pieces of clothing that can speak to any occasion and translate well with other staples in your closet. Now my clothes range from affordable to designer. I often get asked how I can afford this side of my brand. Well, keep in mind that I need clothes to live. haha. Second, some clothes are older and in great shape. Last, good fashion does not have to cost a million bucks to be stylish.
Another question I get is do people gift you clothes? Yes! I get gifted items to share for with my community.
The brands will reach out and ask for my size and color preference and then send me product. As a result, I will share via stories, ig, or blog if that was negotiated in the terms of our relationship. If not, I simply will wear an item and tag that brand for exposure or use in their marketing campaigns.
Do brands let you borrow clothes for your posts? Yes, they do!
Most retailers like the advertisement. They encourage you to take pictures and share their products. Bottom line, they will make money on the sale regardless. The only time you don’t see this sentiment is if someone works on commission. Stores will tell you to come in and borrow clothes for the pr. They will tell you to do try on hauls in their dressing room or use fun props within their store. Some will even send you product and a return label to send clothes back. I personally will do try on hauls and shoot photos. It is easier and not as time consuming to return etc.
Do you ever return your clothes after taking a picture? Yes and No.
I don’t often return clothes. If I do it is typically a scenario like this…my mom and business partner will buy product for me. I will put it on take pics and see how the clothing looks. There are times where I do not like the overall comfort of the product and will return. There are other times where the product does not fit and I will swap sizes. There are also times when something is purchased and it looks fabulous on the hanger and awful on me. These are generally the only times items are returned.
One last question I get is what do I do with all of my clothes?
I do many things with old, gently worn, or discarded clothes. I will gift to family members, I will sell online through one of my channels, or I donate them. Luckily I have a family member that is a similar size that loves my clothes. She loves receiving packages when I clean out my closet =) There are a few online communities that I sell items as this is more time effective for me. I can list it and people will pick it up from my porch. That eliminates a postage fee which helps save money. The items donated are good for my business to show a loss plus I like to share the love when possible.
Now I am thinking of creating an online space to purchase my products. Would you prefer a Facebook group or IG page?
That is just a quick snapshot of the truth of my closet obsession =) There are a lot of factors to take into account in the influencer industry. It nevers hurts to ask a question to learn the truth about the business. Another rule of thumb is to not assume everyone runs their business the same way. Each brand is different and does what is best for them and their audience.
Well, that is all for now. I am off to actually clean my said closet. Wish me luck!
xo,
Vanessa
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