November 2015 Shop

Personal Style

“Personal image doesn’t just matter, it’s good business,” says Susana Perczek, cofounder (with Jill Sperber) of Style Rescue, a Marin County-based personal styling and wardrobe consulting business that helps professional women find, define and refine their personal style. “So many women have these set ideas about what they can and can’t wear. They’re often so hard on themselves—and they’re also often confused,” Perczek continues. “We help break down some of these beliefs and show them how to dress stylishly and confidently—no matter their age, size, lifestyle or profession.”

It starts with a closet audit, during which Perczek helps a client decide what to keep and what to get rid of. “We talk about what they have—what shapes and colors flatter them, what accessories work for their lifestyle—and what they need.” The result is a list of pieces and styles that would best combine with the existing wardrobe to create a custom look.

With an eye toward keeping the budget down and finding what they need, Perczek then pre-shops at multiple stores before meeting the client for a shopping session. “When they come to the store, I’ve already chosen pieces for them. All they need to do is try them on; together, we make decisions.”

The final step is outfit creation. Based on the client’s needs, Perczek puts together between 25 to 50 options and takes a picture of each for the client to reference. She also provides a chart of colors, patterns and shapes for clients to reference when shopping on their own.

For Perczek, it’s a service everyone can benefit from: “You hire a trainer to get in shape and an accountant to manage your money. I can help people look and feel better while taking away the stress of making style choices for themselves,” she says.

All’s Fair

In October, Santa Rosa was declared a Fair Trade Town, joining Healdsburg in the designation. Fair trade is an effort to empower consumers to vote with their dollars for fair prices, better working conditions, environmental stewardship and brighter futures for the people who make the high-quality products we buy every day. 

The Fair Trade Towns USA campaign raises consumer awareness, increases the availability of fair trade products, and drives sales in an attempt to lift more than 1.2 million farming families out of poverty. To become an official fair trade town, applicants must build retail availability and show that fair trade products are available in local stores as well as in institutions like places of worship, schools and offices. Additionally, the town must have a vibrant coalition that meets regularly and plans interactive events that promote awareness, advocacy and engagement with fair trade. The city council must also pass an official resolution or sign a proclamation in support of fair trade, with plans to implement that support in concrete ways.

For more information, visit www.FairTradeTownsUSA.org.

E-tail Not Retail

Here’s a look at the most popular online shopping resources, according to Statista one of the the world’s largest statistics portals.