Tell Me Everything
My Thoughts on BFCM, Small Businesses to shop, a new to me ceramics brand, & The Eras Tour!
Hi Friends!
It’s hard to believe next week is Thanksgiving and that we’re only a month out from Christmas. I feel like with the election, the holiday season really snuck up on me! That and it being 85 and sunny everyday in Naples. :)
Earlier this week I finished Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout and then I immediately went over to the Happier podcast to listen to the book club episode. It was my first Elizabeth Strout book, but certainly won’t be my last. It’s the story of ordinary, or as she calls them, unrecorded lives. Lives like yours and mine. It’s really all about connection. The way we’re all interconnected, the way our stories connect us, the way we see ourselves in each other’s stories, the way we are craving to be known, even by our own selves, and the way we each play an integral role in the world - each as important as the next, whether you’re Taylor Swift or you or me. On the podcast Elizabeth Strout said something along the lines of, “listening is the way we connect.” Usually we think of conversation - talking as the way we connect, but she’s so right. Listening is how we connect because it’s how we understand another person’s point of view or experience. And wowweee the world needs a lot more listening. It’s how we heal divisions and disconnectedness.
It’s a great read - let me know if you’ve read it or if you do read it. I’d love to hear what you think!
Speaking of Taylor Swift…my sister and I are going to the Eras Tour tomorrow night!!! I’m praying for no delays on my flight so I make it in time for the show. I am SO excited! If you’ve been to the Eras Tour - give me all your tips!!!
A Few Thoughts on BFCM
This time of year is so nuts for retailers and shoppers alike. It’s sale season and it can feel so urgent to buy while you can get a great deal. As a small business owner, I can tell you these couple of months can make or break a year. But even so, I’ve also decided to opt ABBY ALLEY out of doing BFCM sales. It’s just too much. It’s too much noise. It’s too much pressure put on a few days. It’s too much emphasis on things I don’t believe in. At ABBY ALLEY we believe in pricing our products fairly (without the excess margin built in for deep discounts), reflecting the ethos and value of our products and people who make them.
As a shopper, here are my personal BFCM guidelines. You may have similar or different guidelines, but either way, I think it’s a good idea to have a plan in order to avoid stress and impulse buying.
I don’t buy anything I wasn’t already going to buy. In other words, I don’t make up a need for something just because it’s a deal.
I only support small, ethical brands, unless it’s something tech/electronic, like a new vacuum (which I got last year).
I try to shop in person at small, local boutiques all year, but especially during the holiday season and especially for gifts. (keep reading for a list of some of my personal favorites.)
In that vein, here are a few small, woman-owned brands having sales that have already started:
OZMA: if you are in the market for a gorgeous sweater this is a great option. I included a couple on my Knitwear Guide last month. I also love their silk products (especially tees and dresses). 25% off almost everything - discount automatically applied at checkout.
Freda Salvador: if you are in the market for new shoes this is a great option. My picks are these for winter weather boots, these for fashion boots, these for everyday, and these for thinking ahead or if you live in warm weather. USE CODE: FREDACYBER for 25% off sidewide.
Sold Out NYC: if you need to stock up on a couple high quality basics - this is a great deal to shop. My favorites are the cashmere turtleneck and the linen tee. 25% off - no code needed.
On Shopping Small/Local
I saw this post on Instagram a couple days ago and it really resonated with me. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want my cute neighborhood shops and restaurants to turn into just Chipotle, Starbucks, and Lululemon. I LOVE going in to a well curated shop and discovering something I love, chatting with the shop owner, and then popping over to the local coffee shop for an oat milk latte. Our purchases are SO incredibly powerful in determining the kind of world we want to live in. I’m going to list some of my favorite shops from all over the country, many of which have online shops, but if you’re local - go stop by. You’ll be so glad you did. Shopping at your local small businesses this holiday season may quite literally keep them in business!
These are just a drop in the bucket and I’m sure I’ve forgotten so many. Spread the love! Drop your favorite local shops in the comments!!
CHICAGO:
Embellish (North Center)
Winifred Grace (Andersonville)
p.45 (Bucktown)
Felt (Logan Square)
Fleur (Logan Square)
Lost Girls Vintage (Logan Square)
Sunday Standard (Logan Square)
Wilder House (Wicker Park)
Humboldt House (Humboldt Park)
Virtu (Bucktown)
The Mustard Seed (Lake Forest, IL)
House of 423 (Geneva, IL)
South Carolina:
Goldbug
Vincent James
Jane Pope Jewelry
NY:
Michele Varian
Kaight Shop
Eleven Six
Lingua Franca
The Covet Collective
Colorado:
Dona Forta
Strut
Patterns & Pops
Modern Nomad
California:
Alchemy Shop (Newport Beach)
Tejido (Carmel)
RLT (LA)
Thread Spun (SD)
The Goods (Mill Valley)
Annapolis, Maryland:
Mango + Main
Indiana:
The Mustard Seed Market Place
Michigan:
AP Shop
Sojourn
Portland, Maine:
Zane
Naples, Florida:
Patina
Simply Natural
A Mano
Omaha, Nebraska:
The Mix
Massachusetts:
WKND
Last, but not least, I recently discovered Stephanie Dawn Matthias - an LA based ceramicist. I totally fell in love with her work. Now I just need to decide which piece(s) to get! I love the croissants!
