Here Come the Dresses

Being a buyer for retail stores has been a bit interesting over the last year. When everything hit the fan, we had already placed fall 2020 orders and signed on the dotted line. There was no canceling – what would be, would be. Most brands also saw the writing on the wall and had limited production as well. They had limited capacity at factories and warehouses, and the vendors they use (fabric mills, tanneries, and even button manufacturers) couldn’t deliver the goods they needed to produce items. It was a trickle-down effect for sure.

Ironically, that helped someone like me. Every time a pair of heels or a dress was canceled, I would breathe a sigh of relief. I was determined not to cancel any orders, but I really needed to have less inventory on my books than I had ordered. It actually all worked out as well as I could have hoped in the end.

When the resort season came along to order in June, none of us knew what to do. I think there were hopes that parties would happen over the summer, and maybe we bought some aspirational things but clearly, that didn’t work out. I did decide to buy all the loungewear, slippers, and tracksuits around. I did it a little too much, in retrospect. The other day I walked in and thought, “Lord, I over did it.” I think that happens when you have a lifelong personal commitment to fancy sweatshirts and tracksuits. When my favorite trend hit big, I swung for the fences.

I was working the Veronica Beard trunk show last week, and you want to know what everyone wanted? Dresses. I think we are all ready to have something new and pretty in our closets. As the Covid numbers go down and the vaccines go up, we all see a light at the end of the tunnel. Warm weather and being outside is what we all crave, and a new dress is the retail therapy we all need!

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Elizabeth Todd

owner | The Hive | The Shoe Hive

https://theshoehive.com

info@theshoehive.com

703.548.7105

I spent the first part of my career as a copy-writer who helped elected officials brag about their support for entrepreneurs. Then I decided to get off the printed page and do it myself. The Shoe Hive made a splash on the fashion scene in Washington, and was named the region’s best shoe store in its first year. Fourteen years later, I have tripled the store’s size and also opened a sister store, The Hive. At The Hive, we offer clothing lines that are sophisticated and approachable like Rag & Bone, Tibi, Raquel Allegra, Ulla Johnson and Veronica Beard. We have tried to fill our racks with clothing you will want to wear all the time, elevated basics that are worth the investment.

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Heard the buzz? The Shoe Hive & The Hive are a pair of luxury boutiques in Old Town Alexandria. Featuring both big name designers like Rag & Bone and Stuart Weitzman and smaller brands like AGL and L'Agence, our unique selection and impeccable service are what set us apart.

www.theshoehive.com

The Shoe Hive                         The Hive
127 S. Fairfax Street               301 Cameron Street
Alexandria, VA 22314              Alexandria, VA 22314

703.548.7105                          703.548.7110