Clothes Mentor Fargo Reveals What’s Hot Now

Check out this fashion-forward article along with several amazing photos from inforum.com, which showcases some of the latest trends in women’s apparel and features tips and outfits from Clothes Mentor Fargo.

Clothes Mentor fashion outfits

These fashion staples will transition from summer to fall

By Alexandra Floersch

Keeping up with ever-evolving fashion trends can be hard, especially as the seasons change. Just when you feel you’ve finally mastered the spring look, summer gives way to 80-degree temperatures and a whole new world of creativity. But collecting a closet full of fashionable pieces isn’t always easy.

“Trends are scary,” says Shantelle Peterson, store manager at Clothes Mentor in Fargo. How does the average Midwesterner know what works in our conservative neck of the woods? How can one manage to stay on trend without breaking the bank, considering how quickly summer gives way to fall?

The key is to spend most of your clothing dollars on pieces you’ll use often — staple items.

“Never invest (too much) in trendy pieces. If you’re going to invest in things, make sure they are staple pieces and buy your trendy pieces on the cheap,” Peterson says.

Summer lends versatility, according to Samantha Hayes, store manager of Kittsona in downtown Fargo. “You can wear skirts, tank tops, T-shirts, long sleeves, kimonos and rompers, rather than just the big, chunky sweaters and jeans,” she says. “There’s just a lot more to play with in the summertime.”

This summer, like many before, florals have been especially popular. The bright pops of color in a tank, dress or skirt can liven up an outfit. Hayes says feminine, intricate details such as lace and embroidery are also trendy. When it comes to jewelry, turquoise is the color to have.

When it’s all said and done, fashionistas must start somewhere. If you’re looking to buy just a few pieces, start with some of these staple items:

Denim dresses

“Denim will never go out of style — any variation of it: colored denim, denim vest, denim jacket, denim shorts,” Peterson says.

This season, denim dresses and skirts are a must-have. Hayes says one way to wear a denim dress is with ankle booties, a watch, layered necklace and sunnies.

For a quick transition to fall, pair it with knee high socks and booties or with tights and a long jacket or sweater.

Off-the-shoulder tops

According to Hayes, off-the-shoulder tops in beautiful, vibrant florals are both trendy and versatile. Paired with white jeans, a statement necklace and wedges, the top adds a feminine flair.

For fall, simply swap the white jeans for darker denim and add an army green cargo jacket over the top.

High-waisted skirts

For a more business-formal look, Peterson and Sam Muzzy, assistant manager at Clothes Mentor, say to add a high-waisted skirt to your collection. The versatile bottom can be paired with a crop top, tassel necklace and bright colored clutch.

For fall, slip on patterned tights, a moto jacket or blazer, gladiator shoes and bold accessories.

Blocked heel ankle booties

Summer fashion allows for much more versatility in shoes. “You can wear flats, you can wear a wedge heel, you can wear a square heel — it’s very wide open,” Peterson says.

In addition to a simple sandal, Hayes says blocked heel ankle booties are making a splash and the conversion from summer to fall to winter is an easy one. They can be worn with a dress, skirt or even shorts in summer and, in fall — to add warmth to otherwise bare legs — slip on knee-high socks or tights.

Bodysuits

Though bodysuits are one of the trendiest items, many consumers are confused over when, why or how to wear them.

Hayes says not only do they appeal to every body type, “they’re more form fitting. You don’t have to constantly tuck them in or pull them down. It stays in place.”

A bodysuit can be worn under many garments, including high-waisted denim or as an extra layer under a dress. Hayes suggests pairing it with a tapered cotton pant, blocked heel and choker necklace — a ’90s fad that made its way back in 2016.

For fall, throw on pants and an oversized denim jacket or long sweater to complete the look.

Kimono

Kimonos are perfect for summer in that they’re lightweight as opposed to a chunky sweater. When paired with denim shorts, cold-shoulder top, a long necklace and fringe booties, they embody a flowy, boho look.

While vibrant summer colors may not transition as smoothly into fall, a darker colored kimono paired with a chambray button up and high-waisted jeans will do the trick, Peterson and Muzzy say.

Layered necklace

Jewelry can dress up even the most seemingly casual outfits; it can even play up a tee. Hayes says a layered necklace, specifically, is a great piece to have. This year, turquoise and tassel details are in.

While tassel necklaces can add flair to the most simplistic pieces, you must be careful not to overdo it. Choose an outfit where the “other two pieces are subdued so you can go bold with the necklace,” Peterson says.

Makeup

Peterson says another fun thing about summer is that women can experiment with makeup. “You can wear a lot more bright colors as opposed to in the winter time,” she says.

Lipstick is especially popular. Hayes says deep purples — like black cherry and berry — are trending as well as browns and nudes, which go with almost any outfit.

Come fall, those same colors in darker tones such as dark plum, chocolate and shades of red will be trending. Metallics like gold will also make a breakthrough when the trees change color.

NTY’s Online Resale Plans and More Featured in Franchising USA

Online sales, loyalty programs and other high-tech offerings from NTY Franchise Company’s resale brands were recently featured in the July issue of Franchising USA. Read about it now:

July 2016 cover of Franchising USA featuring Chad Olson
July 2016 cover of Franchising USA.

Resale Retail Company Wants to Use Technology to Rule Industry

Although it’s in the business of selling gently used products, one Minneapolis based franchise is hoping to bring something new to the resale retail industry in the form of technology.

NTY, which stands for ‘New To You’, is a company that owns the franchising rights to five brands in the resale retail industry:

  • Clothes Mentor, which buys and sells used women’s fashion;
  • Children’s Orchard, which buys and sells children’s items;
  • Device Pit Stop, for purchasing and reselling electronics;
  • New Uses, which specializes in buying and reselling items for the home; and
  • NTY Clothing Exchange, the company’s teen and young adult resale retail brand.

With its largest brand, Clothes Mentor, the company wants to introduce an online store so people can shop for used items online the same way they would shop for new items on the internet, NTY’s chief operating officer Chad Olson said during a recent interview from the company’s headquarters in Minneapolis.

A lot of new websites have popped up online over the last several years that offer the service of reselling used items to customers, Olson noted, which has changed the online resale retail landscape. With this change in the landscape comes opportunity for Clothes Mentor, which will start rolling out its online store in baby steps.

First off, customers will have the ability to ‘click and pick,’ meaning they can make a purchase at their local Clothes Mentor store and then pick it up at the physical store. From there, the online store will expand until it is an integral part of the business.

Clothes Mentor also has an app that will allow the brand to push messages out to customers, allow customers to check their loyalty program points and give them electronic receipts so they don’t have to hang onto the paper ones in case they want to return something. Eventually, Clothes Mentor’s online store will also be available through the app, but that is a ways off as the brand is just getting started with its online store.

“This is a pretty big shift in our business model, so we’re going to make sure we do it right,” Olson explained.

Clothes Mentor isn’t just using technology to give customers a better experience, though. It’s also using technology to give its franchisees a boost, too. Specifically, it’s collecting more data on customers so franchisees can give them more personalized marketing. Recent generations like Millennials appreciate this more personalized marketing, Olson observed.

Across all five of the company’s brands, it has 193 stores open with another 56 in development. Clothes Mentor, NTY’s flagship franchise, claims the majority of those locations.

“Our number one goal is to offer the customer what we refer to as ‘Ultra high value retail’,” Olson said. “The stuff that we’re selling at the store level is at a much deeper discount than anywhere else they can find it because it is gently used.”

Aside from giving people the opportunity to save money, NYT also offers people the chance to recycle their items and receive cash in return, Olson mentioned.

In the Beginning

Clothes Mentor was founded in Columbus, OH by a local couple in 2001. Aside from the Columbus store, Clothes Mentor had a licensed store in Canton, OH. Olson and his father, Ron Olson, decided to go into business together, both having retail franchising experience with another company.

When they began looking at what opportunities were out there for their own business, they found out about Clothes Mentor and noted the two stores were doing quite well. From there, the father and son negotiated the franchising rights to that brand in 2007 and have been adding to the NTY family ever since.

Energy

NTY’s franchisees come from all walks of life, from kindergarten teachers to former professional bull riders. Regardless of their background, though, NTY wants franchisees to have a strong work ethic and enthusiasm.

“We would like them to have general business acumen, but more importantly, is that they have the energy, the drive, the motivation to be entrepreneurial,” Olson said. “We’re looking for people that want to be their own boss, but who have experience in one facet or another. We want them to bring their own skill set to the company.”

Training and Support

Training involves flying new franchisees out to Minneapolis for the company’s comprehensive three week business training program. NTY trains them in finding and leasing a location, plus business plan training.

“We basically prepare them in that training to go to a bank to obtain financing,” Olson said. “So we create a three-year profit and loss and cash flow statement. So, they leave here after that first bit of training prepared to find and obtain a location and obtain financing for the business.”

Once they have a location and financing, franchisees come back to Minneapolis for two weeks of operations training, where they are taught all aspects of how to operate the business. At least one of those weeks is spent in a real store environment.

Once the new franchisee is set up, they can expect NTY to visit their location a minimum of three times throughout their first year. Once will be prior to their grand opening and will include additional training. Subsequent visits will be during the grand opening and then again 90 days after the grand opening. Each visit is to ensure new franchisees get off to the best start possible.

Franchisees will continue to get visits from the company at least once per year for business consultations, Olson added. In between visits, the company offers monthly support calls.

“The ongoing support is fairly extensive because obviously in the franchise business, if our franchisees aren’t successful, then us as a franchisor will not be successful making money,” the COO said.

Expansion

All of NTY’s brands are open to expanding anywhere in the United States. Currently, the company has a presence in 30 states and is relatively well spread out, although a tad thin on the west coast, Olson noted.

“There’s lots of franchising opportunity available, especially on the west coast,” he explained.

For entrepreneurs who embrace technology, NTY, and Clothes Mentor in particular, offer a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor of something new and exciting in the resale retail industry.

See more from Franchising USA.

Clothes Mentor is Catching On: Must Read for Entrepreneurs

Clothes Mentor was recently featured in an article from The News & Observer about lesser-known franchises that offer big opportunities to today’s entrepreneurs. Check out excerpt from the article below and prepare to be inspired. You can also read the full article on newsobserver.com.

Clothes Mentor logo horizontal

Beyond fast food: New franchising ideas draw entrepreneurs

They’re not household names like McDonald’s or The UPS Store, but small franchises beyond the usual restaurant groups and retailers are attracting buyers who want something new or different and see greater challenges and opportunities with lesser-known businesses.

[…] Adam Scott looked at several relatively small companies before deciding on Clothes Mentor, which has nearly 140 shops in about two dozen states that sell women’s used clothing. Scott, who previously owned a franchise that shipped packages, was looking for a team atmosphere that he felt huge franchises with thousands of locations didn’t offer.

“I wanted a certain culture,” says Scott, who lives in Knoxville, Tennessee. “I could tell they really have an interest in the success of their franchisees.”

Scott asked other franchise owners about their experience with Clothes Mentor, something that’s recommended anyone do before buying a franchise. What he heard persuaded him that even though Clothes Mentor isn’t on the tip of consumers’ tongues, it was a good fit for him.

“I have to feel that I’m going to like who I’m in business with,” he says.

Highlights from the 2016 Clothes Mentor Conference

The ninth annual Clothes Mentor conference was a success! Franchisees and store managers from all across the nation gathered in Minneapolis last week to network, learn about new programs and initiatives for the brand and, of course, have a lot of fun! Check out the following snapshots from the opening session, which included fashion shows featuring Clothes Mentor’s plus-size and millennial customers, the welcome reception at SkyDeck in the Mall of America and the closing event at Aria in Minneapolis.

2016 Clothes Mentor Conference

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VP of Clothes Mentor Says Store Design Tells Your Story

NTY Franchise Company’s VP of Clothes Mentor Ted Manley talks with NCR Silver about how to tell your story through store design. Check out the article below or read it on ncrsilver.com.

Clothes Mentor store front

Designing a Store to Create an Exceptional Customer Experience

Experts in retail design and branding share secrets to maximize your retail space.

by: Deborah Nurmi

As a small business owner you are aware of how challenging it is to attract the customers you want to serve.

According to Pam Levine, president of Levine Luxury Branding in New York City, all good retail design is based on one premise: Retail shoppers desire an enjoyable and memorable experience.

She offered the following 5 tips for designing a winning store space:

Branding matters

Think of your store as an opportunity to develop your “Brand Culture.” Brand Culture, part magic and part lightening strike, is the totality of your relationship with your customers.

“Consider everything you say as your brand message, everything you do as brand engagement and everything you present as brand visual merchandising. See it all as an opportunity to communicate and engage with your shoppers,” Levine said.

Know your customer

Know what makes you different from your competitors and what your customers are seeking.

“Ask yourself what is important about your services or merchandise that will mean something to your customers?” Levine said.

Give your shoppers what they want then help them share it.

“Millennials and others will want to share a good experience, cool product or new store discovery with others. Encourage shoppers to photograph, tweet, use Pinterest, social media and more while inside your store,” Levine said.

Interaction is key

Harry Selfridge is the father of modern marketing, and his most important question was “Are you being served?” Use Selfridges’ philosophy and make shopping an experience.

“Hospitality and pampering goes a long way – respect your customer,” Levine said. “Interest matters. Invite them in, personalize the experience. Make them feel at home. Serve coffee, cookies or wine,” Levine said. “Remember names and get to know your customers.”

Visual marketing is your silent salesperson

Store design is all about visually stimulating your customer.

“In order to attract customers and keep them shopping longer, store owners must learn how to effectively communicate visually. If possible, hire a pro,” Levine said.

Use the concept of visual storytelling. “Remember, your product is the hero,” Levine said.

Ted Manley, vice president for soft-line products at NTY Franchise Company, believes all visual marketing is storytelling.

“Effective visual merchandising is the ability to communicate to your customer by allowing your product to be a series of storyboards to excite your customer,” Manley said.

Storytelling with visual merchandising is a four step process:

Preparation: Understand what your product mix will look like for the display you are planning. What products are best sellers or hot right now? Spend time looking at your competition and other stores’ displays.

Advertising: What products, events or promotions is your store planning? “Decide how you want to communicate that, and then decide how you want to carry that theme into your store,” Manley said.

Development: Start with the store front. Your goal is to express the story you want to tell your customer. “Think of your windows or entry way as a billboard. You have 2­3 seconds to look at it and understand what that display or product is trying to tell you,” Manley said. Move inside and plan out your feature areas and endcaps and their stories. Consider color. “Color is the most dominating aspect of visual merchandising,” Manley said.

Execution: Your signage helps communicate key aspects of your visual story. “Signage is an art not a science. Be careful not to “over sign” your store, but don’t be afraid to tell the obvious in a sign,” Manley said. Next create in­-store displays. “Demonstrate how an arrangement of merchandise can enrich a room or home. Help the customer envision the items in their homes or wearing a great outfit on vacation or at an event,” Levine said, “but don’t overdo it. Less is more – keep your presentations simple and uncluttered.

Visual marketing is an ongoing process. Be willing to review and change as often as needed. This will depend on your traffic pattern and how often your best customers visit your store. “Customers love newness, change and stimulation. A good visual merchandising program will deliver in sales,” Manley said.

Consider all customer touch points

Customer touch points include every contact a customer has with your brand from beginning to end. These may begin with seeing an advertisement for your shop or finding your website and continue through shopping and customer feedback. Touch points create a cumulative experience for your customers, so consistency is key. Service is imperative.

“Enthusiasm, care, sincerity and authenticity touches people on an emotional level. It’s key to building brand loyalty and is positively contagious,” Levine said.

Click here to see more from NCR Silver.

CLOTHES MENTOR Makes Franchise of the Day!

Clothes Mentor customer looking through rack of colorful tops
Photo credit: Shutterstock

Clothes Mentor was recently named Franchise of the Day by Entrepreneur. Read the brief write-up here, or check it out at entrepreneur.com.

Franchise of the Day: Up Your Style With Some New Duds

When it comes to style at a low cost, Clothes Mentor has got ya covered.

The chain isn’t the first resale franchise founders Lynn and Dennis Blum opened. Previously working on two others, Once Upon a Child and Plato’s Closet, the duo sold them to Grow Biz International (now Winmark Corporation).

Clothes Mentor opened its doors in 2001 offering a place for women to buy and sell shoes, purses, clothing and other delightful duds. It caught the eye of Grow Biz co-founder Ronald Olson, who had left the company in 2000. He began franchising Clothes Mentor in 2007.

Today, the franchise is ranked as No. 260 on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list for 2016.

Stylish College Student and Blogger Tries Clothes Mentor Wexford

Check out a post from Sarah, a Pittsburgh college student and style blogger, who recently tried Clothes Mentor Wexford. She was delighted with the selection and created three amazingly stylish outfits on the cheap. Keep reading to see what she found. Or check out the post on Sarah’s Pittsburgh & Pearls blog by clicking here.

A MORNING AT CLOTHES MENTOR WEXFORD

All college girls love a great deal. Free pizza? I’m in. Even if it means attending a meeting for a club that I’m hardly a part of. I was beyond excited when Andrea from Clothes Mentor Wexford asked me to visit her store and shop around. Mention the words “J.Crew” and “Kate Spade” and “discounted” in the same sentence and I’ll try and be there as soon as I can.

Clothes Mentor focuses on buying gently used better brand-name fashions and accessories, and their selection is fantastic. Some of my favorite finds were pieces from J.Crew (shocker, right?), Kate Spade, and Banana Republic. Not to mention that everything in the store is in great condition. It’s perfect for college girls who want to incorporate trendy and high-end products into their wardrobes without having to deal with the prices that usually follow. Trends may come and go and wardrobes are always changing anyways, so why spend the full price when you can experience high-end resale?

Andrea proposed that we try a challenge: to see how many fabulous outfits we could put together for about $100 — we ended up picking out 3 ensembles (dress, shoes, & accessories) that are perfect for spring events.

Clothes Mentor mention in Pittsburgh & Pearls blog with blogger in black dress and red handbag

Look #1: Little Black Nanette Lepore Dress

Guys, I am absolutely OBSESSED with this entire outfit. I actually ended up buying the dress and heels since it took me a little too long to stop twirling around in them. My go to trick for styling little black dresses has always been to incorporate a pop of red, usually with red lipstick and shoes. In this case I decided to switch up the pop by using a bold pattern in the same neutral color palette as the rest of the outfit with my choice of shoe.

The Betsey Johnson choker statement necklace was also a really bold move for me since I usually opt for simpler accessories with this kind of neckline. I loved how edgy and young it made the dress feel, while remaining extremely classy.

Dress : Nanette Lepore – $45

Necklace : Betsy Johnson – $35

Shoes : Nine West – $24

(bonus: Dolce & Gabbana handbag)

– – – – – – – – – – – – –

Total : $104

Clothes Mentor Pittsburgh & Pearls blogger wearing a yellow dress and white handbag

Look #2: Blue & Yellow Eliza J

I fell in love with this dress from the second I walked into Clothes Mentor. I usually don’t opt for pieces that are incredibly bright, or yellow, but when in Rome, right? Inspired to create a look that was bold for spring, I contrasted a royal blue necklace and matching suede shoes against the lemon color (a little hard to see, sorry!) I also really loved the texture in the dress, which made it feel incredibly appropriate for spring and summer. I also fell in love with these heels, which have a navy pleather accent on the toe and felt like a modern take on a vintage design.

Dress: Eliza J – $14

Shoes: Ralph Lauren – $24

Neckace: Talbots – $10

Bracelet: Nordstrom (x2) – $6 each

(bonus: Lenvin handbag – $750

& Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses – $99)

– – – – – – – – – – – – –

Total: $60

Clothes Mentor Pittsburgh & Pearls blogger wearing pink dress and holding pink handbag

Look #3 – All Pink Kate Spade

My dream world is entirely Kate Spade everything. I seriously wish I had a lifestyle where I could wear their dresses everyday. I was so excited to have found this dress as it combines a few of my favorite things; Kate Spade, tweed, and the color pink. It reminds me of Elle Woods or Jackie O, and the second I tried it on I felt so chic. Adding all pink accessories, including the Kate Spade handbag made me feel like Barbie, and I loved every second of it.

Dress: Kate Spade – $85

Heels (not pictured, but here): Julianne Hough – $24

Bracelet: Talbots – $12

(bonus: Kate Spade Handbag – $40)

– – – – – – – – – – – – –

Total: $113

I ended up leaving with the Nanette Lepore dress, two pairs of heels and two bracelets for exactly $100! I was beyond excited, and can’t wait to style these pieces with my own wardrobe for you in the future!

For more information on Clothes Mentor Wexford, you can follow them on Facebook and Instagram, or visit their website at http://www.clothesmentor.com/stores/wexford/

See more from Pittsburgh & Pearls.