What did blogger Ainslie Gordon think about her personal shopper experience at Clothes Mentor West Chester? Find out in this article featured on cincinnatiparent.com:
Mom Style Made Simple at Clothes Mentor
Personal shoppers aren’t just for celebrities!
By Ainslie Gordon
Do you think personal shoppers are just for celebrities? Are you trying to dress trendy and stay within a budget? Well, I have the store for you! Drop the kids at school, grab your girlfriends and head to Clothes Mentor to purchase all the latest styles for less. This is resale at its best — think 70% off retail on gently used designer pieces from trendy to classic. And to make your experience even more fun, register online for your free personal shopper who will make shopping simple and easy.
I have been a lover of clothes since before I could walk. I studied, created and wrote about fashion. My greatest lesson about dressing myself came from my mom: simple but elegant. I have carried this motto throughout my career as a fashion blogger and stylist. And as I begin to style the next generation, my piece of advice will be to leave a little to the imagination.
So, now it’s my turn to be styled by the free personal shopper at Clothes Mentor! First, I filled out the online form to let my stylist know my personal preferences such as size, height, current wardrobe needs, budget, likes, etc. Then my personal shopper, Ashley, called to set up an appointment date and confirmed my fashion needs. I couldn’t wait to see what was in “store” for me!
As I arrived to the West Chester location, I was awed by the friendly staff and the store’s meticulous organization by color, size, season, etc. They truly make finding your perfect outfit easy and affordable. I was introduced to Ashley; and she already had several complete outfits (dresses, pants, shirts, accessories and shoes) chosen from my preferences in my dressing room. Then I began trying on the outfits selected and creating new ones with Ashley’s wonderful eye.
The key to a great personal shopper/stylist is listening and collaborating with your client. Ashley and I got along beautifully. I would tell her about more looks I wanted; and she would find me those and bring back some that I did not even think of. Together, we created several on-trend and classic outfits that can take me from weekday casual/business to weekend trendy. The personal shopper experience was so much fun; I could have stayed there all day.
Plus, I had a $100 budget. With Ashley’s amazing help, I left with three dresses, two pairs of jeans, one sweater, one necklace and one scarf for under budget. And when I returned home, I made even more outfits by coordinating my new pieces with clothes already in my closet. Score!
Shopping for clothes should never be stressful or scary. (Plus, as busy moms, who has time to be at the mall all day?) Let the wonderful staff at Clothes Mentor find your perfect outfit(s) and accessories. Or book your appointment today and let the awesome (and free) personal shoppers do the work for you! After this experience, I will forever be a loyal shopper. To find your neighborhood store, or for fashion events, contact Clothes Mentor.
Clothes Mentor franchisees from across the country answer the frequently asked question: Would you recommend the Clothes Mentor business to others? Find out what they say in this video:
NTY now offers financial incentives to veterans that choose to franchise any of its five resale brands. As part of VetFran, a strategic initiative of the International Franchise Association (IFA), NTY provides a $2,500 discount off of the franchise fee for all qualified veterans that purchase a Children’s Orchard, Clothes Mentor, Device Pitstop, NTY Clothing Exchange or New Uses franchise.
VetFran was created in 1991 as a way of saying “thanks” to veterans returning from the first Gulf War. Today, the network of franchise brands participating in the initiative has grown to more than 650, all voluntarily offering financial discounts and more to veteran franchisees. According to VetFran, more than 238,000 veterans and military spouses have found opportunities in the franchise industry as either franchisees or employees.
According to a study conducted for the IFA Educational Foundation based on U.S. Census data, one in seven franchise businesses are owned and operated by veterans of the U.S. military.
NTY Franchise Company’s resale brands offer a proven, profitable business model with many ongoing benefits—a great business option for veterans. Learn more about each of NTY’s five resale franchise options by clicking the links below.
Capping off a week of training earlier this month, the NTY Franchise Company team came together for a morning of fun and volunteering at Feed My Starving Children, a local charity that ships easy-to-prepare, nutritional dry meals to children in need in countries all over the world. And we even got to keep the hairnets!
Check out all of the great outfits a Philly blogger found at Clothes Mentor Springfield! Read about it below, and see more photos on her blog, And Her Little Dog Too.
Photo from And Her Little Dog Too blog.
The Clothes Mentor Experience
A little while ago I was invited to the Clothes Mentor store in Springfield, PA to visit and shop! If you aren’t familiar, Clothes Mentor is a women’s clothing store that buys and sells gently used name-brand and designer clothes, shoes, and accessories. What makes them unique is the fact that they offer cash on the spot for items, meaning that you can be paid immediately just for cleaning out your closet!
I was so excited to partner with Clothes Mentor – obviously I love to shop and share my style on the blog, but I also love to get a great deal! And if you shop here, you will get just that! So many items at incredible prices, so many never even worn! I also love to clean out my closet and this was the perfect excuse to do that – I’ve had 2 babies in the past 3 years and have so many different sizes of everything, felt so amazing to have an excuse to pass along things that just don’t work for me anymore. I brought with me a massive bag of clothes to sell and they treated me to a gift card to do some shopping as well!
When I first got there, I met with my amazing contact – Erin, she and her team had pulled an amazing selection of clothes for me to try on. { I had sent my sizes beforehand} and I was treated to a fun little style session! I can’t remember the last time I was in a store without the littles, just taking my time, trying on clothes, having a blast – it was so much fun! I got to have a little style session and a mini photo shoot of some of my favorite looks!
Photo from And Her Little Dog Too blog.
I love this top – Navy is one of my favorite, go-to colors. The cute little tie in the front is really sweet and it’s an easy piece to wear with a tank layered under or on its own. It’s also super soft – I see myself wearing this all the time now that the weather has cooled down and it finally feels like Fall!
I totally kept this, it was $10 and I know I will wear it all.the.time!
Clothes Mentor is a national franchise with local owners. Chris Barnett is the owner and operator of a few of the stores in the Philadelphia area. She is a full-time entrepreneur, a small business owner, a mom and wife. She has a strong commitment to every woman being able to feel stylish on a budget–as a lift to self-confidence–and she loves resale because of both the frugality and it’s environmental benefits. I’m so lucky I got to meet her in the store during my time there and I look forward to working with her and her team again soon!
If you are in the market to clean out your closet, spruce up your wardrobe and make a few bucks while you are at it, you totally need to check out Clothes Mentor – I had such an amazing experience there, and you can bet I will be back!
In this article from huffingtonpost.com, see the many reasons why you should choose Clothes Mentor and resale over fast fashion:
Photo by Kara Hackett, from huffingtonpost.com.
You Quit Buying Fast Fashion, So Now What?
By Kara Hackett
When you decide to quit something, one of the first things you have to do is replace that habit with something else.
It’s basic quitters knowledge, and having attempted to quit many things in my life, I’ve learned my lesson well. Replacing old habits is important, otherwise you revert right back to them.
So when I decided to quit buying fast fashion, I’d like to tell you I replaced my old shopping habit with something inspiring, like helping children in orphanages, or going on spiritual retreats and taking yoga classes.
But let’s be honest. The only real substitute for shopping is shopping.
So as a recovering fast fashion addict, I set out to discover what it takes to be an ethical consumer, and so far, it’s way more complicated than boycotting H&M and Forever 21.
Defining the terms
First, there’s confusion about what the term “fast fashion” actually means.
It originated in the 1970s, and it loosely refers to any brand that takes trends from the runways to our closets as quickly as possible.
Doesn’t sound too bad, right? But the pressure to produce fashion fast has developed into a system of high inventory turnover, and that’s where the trouble comes in.
We used to have two to four fashion seasons every year. Now, stores like H&M, Forever 21 and Zara have made it so we have 50 to 100 micro seasons a year, increasing our need to buy new things constantly, and it’s changing the way the fashion industry works.
Instead of developing relationships with consistent manufacturers and monitoring ethics, brands are outsourcing production to megasuppliers who help them churn out the latest trends as quickly as possible—whatever it takes.
All the work is done by middlemen, dividing production among multiple factories and suppliers. So the problems with fast fashion are woven into the entire fashion value chain. Most brands don’t even know who makes their clothes, and determining the ethics of individual stores feels impractical at best, and impossible at worst.
Is it “safe” to shop at the Loft or J.Crew? What about department stores like Macy’s that carry multiple brands?
If you want to avoid fast fashion, where do you even begin?
Addressing the obvious
Of course, the most obvious way to be an ethical consumer is to start buying fewer, nicer things from companies that specifically support ethical practices.
There are some amazing brands out there that are doing everything they can to change to the way the fashion industry works and produce beautiful clothes with fair practices.
But as the average fast fashion shopper, the world of sustainable clothing is still a foreign place to me.
I want to learn more about it. But it’s going to take time to fully commit to only buying ethical brands.
Clothing made the right way costs a lot more than fast fashion does, and while I can afford to splurge sometimes, telling a fast fashion shopper to buy only one or two expensive items a season is like telling an alcoholic to quit cold turkey and lead the first AA meeting.
Sure, it would be really cool and inspiring if that happened and just worked. But chances are, it’s going to take smaller, more incremental steps to get there.
So in the spirit of sustainable solutions, one of the first, small changes I’m making is buying vintage and resale clothing first. Then slowly integrating ethical brands into my wardrobe when I want to buy investment pieces.
Let me start out by saying this route isn’t for everyone. People like my mom would never want to slum it at places like Goodwill or Salvation Army when they want to buy new things.
But for me, resale shopping is the most natural replacement for fast fashion because I already love doing it, and the process reminds me of shopping at Forever 21.
You still get the hunt, the good deals, the thrill of sorting through racks hanger-by-hanger, and seeing what you’re buying in person instead of ordering online.
If you think about it, the prices at thrift stores are about as cheap as fast fashion, too, and the quality is usually higher, so technically, it’s a better deal.
But the biggest reason I’m interested in buying more second-hand clothes is because it takes the conversation about fast fashion a step further—beyond the realm of where we shop and into the realm of what we’re doing with what has already been purchased.
Rethinking resale
If you’re like me, you’ve probably assumed that most people who buy a lot of clothes also donate their old clothes to charity, and that makes it excusable.
It’s like, the more we buy, the more we can give away, so we’re helping people who can’t afford to buy things full priced.
But that narrative is flawed in a lot of ways—starting with the fact that most of our clothes don’t even make it to charity in the first place.
Actually, only about 15 percent of all used clothes in America end up in resale stores. The other 85 percent are thrown away by consumers and go directly into landfills.
Today, we throw away up to 21 billion pounds of textile waste per year in the US alone.
So most of our used clothes aren’t being worn by the homeless guy down the street or the children in Africa; they’re rotting in dumps. And even the meager 15 percent that do make it into charities are way more than our resale stores can handle.
Remember how I said in my last blog that, as a society, we’re buying 400 percent more clothes than we bought even 20 years ago?
Well, all of our used clothes are cycling back into the resale system faster than other people are buying them.
Shops like Goodwill only sell about 20 percent of their clothing inventory in store. The rest is bought out by textile recycling companies that either ship it to people overseas or shred it into insulation and rags because there’s just too many clothes in the world, period.
So for the time being, I’m replacing my fast fashion shopping habit with buying used clothes, and who knows? Maybe I’ll even start a resale shop of my own to make the process more approachable for people like my mom who don’t want to do the dirty work of thrift shopping themselves.
Whatever happens, one of my first revelations about life after fast fashion is that when you quit buying the cheapest, most convenient stuff, you start to get creative, and that gives me hope that there’s something to this ethical consumer idea, after all.
We might not be able to shop ourselves into a better fashion industry. But we can shop ourselves into less waste and different ways of thinking about what we buy. And that’s a start.
I constantly get asked the question, “How do you keep buying all these clothes and still have money to afford anything else?” And every time that someone asks, I simply laugh and continue on, never actually answering the question.
But I’m here today to finally share my shopping secrets. I’m here to let everyone know how to get the closet that they want without breaking the bank.
Let’s start from the beginning:
Before I ever started shopping the way that I do now, I used to rack up a huge bill. I wanted the brand name clothes from my favorite stores such as Nordstrom, J. Crew, Loft, and more, but every time that I went shopping, I left the store with three pieces of clothing and a bill over $100. That just wasn’t something that I could afford.
Then it all changed. I started shopping smarter and wiser.
One of my trade secrets is shopping at stores such as Clothes Mentor.
Clothes Mentor is a women’s clothing store that buys and sells gently used brand-name and designer clothing, shoes, and accessories. When shopping, you can find mostly any brand and designer that you are looking for.
Recently, I shopped the Clothes Mentor in West Chester, PA and was stunned by the service and the amazing selection of clothes that were provided to me. Yep, I said it. Provided to me. Other than selling great clothing, Clothes Mentor also offers the opportunity for you to work with a personal shopper to help you find exactly what you’re looking for.
But let’s not get too much into that. You’re trying to figure out what I bought and how I saved so much money.
Shopping at Clothes Mentor is an experience within itself. On every rack there are pieces that are must-haves and they look practically brand new. Even the shoes looks barely worn. And if I bought shoes from there, then they were pretty much brand new because I hate other people’s feet.
After picking up so many pieces, trying them on, and loving every single one – I had to stop myself because I realized that I had over eight pieces in my collection. My mind immediately went to the thought that I had racked up at least $300. But I didn’t. That’s how great the prices are at Clothes Mentor.
At the end of my shopping experience, I walked out of the store with three bags filled to the brim. And I only spent $150. And you may be thinking that I had gotten a crazy amount of discounts and special treatment, but that’s not it at all.
Here’s my breakdown:
J. Crew Grey Sweater – $22 // originally $89
Anne Klein Long Sleeved Top – $12 // originally $69
Dress Barn LS Animal Top – $6 // originally $36
INC Top – $12 // originally $60
J. Crew Blue Blouse – $18 // originally $78
Anne Taylor Loft Top – $10 // originally $60
BCBG Dress – $22 // originally $115
Zara Basic Dress – $16 // originally $70
Banana Republic Sweater – $18 // originally $69
The Limited Sweater – $15 // originally $60
New York & Co Petite Pants – $11 // originally $60
Aldo Floral Print Heels – $20 // originally $150
It’s quite a bill that I racked up, and considering the original price, I save a whole lot of money.
And if you’re like me and enjoy recycling your closet every once and awhile, you can sell your gently worn clothes to Clothes Mentor and use the cash on the spot that you receive to make your purchases. Nothing better than using the money to make off of your clothes to buy more clothes. That’s recycling at it’s best.
Recycling clothes this way is one of the ways that I save money, because a create budget for myself for buying clothes and use the money that I make when selling clothes to buy new clothes. Therefore, I’m always staying within my budget and my closet only gets bigger.
So there you have it. Those are my tips for saving money and going on a shopping spree for $1,000 worth of clothes but only spending $150.
Clothes Mentor has now become my new go-to place to get the clothes that I want in the brands that I absolutely need. It’s a match made in heaven for a budget shopper like me.
Check out this great article from Herlife Magazine, which features Clothes Mentor Lee’s Summit as well as the Tiffany Springs and Overland Park stores:
Photo by Lauren Frisch Pusateri
Effortlessly Update Your Wardrobe at Clothes Mentor
By Cindy McDermott
It shouldn’t cost a fortune to have great designer clothing hanging in your closet. If you shop at your locally owned Clothes Mentor shops in Overland Park, Tiffany Springs and Lee’s Summit, it doesn’t have to!
Clothes Mentor is a women’s resale store focused on clothing in sizes 0-26, petites, plus sizes and maternity. The shops buy and resell better brand name and gently used items that are in style and in good condition. Business and casual, smart and stylish apparel, shoes, purses and accessories are stocked in easy-to-access, clearly organized segments to make your shopping experience superb.
Many Designers, Many Choices
“You’ll find all of your favorite brands in one place at Clothes Mentor,” shared Lee Gardner, owner at Tiffany Springs and Lee’s Summit. “Our customers don’t have to go to the mall and shop countless stores. We have many designers and, incredibly, our offerings are always changing. And we sell items 50 to 70 percent off from the original retail price.”
“At Clothes Mentor, we understand your life is always changing and those changes bring new needs for your wardrobe,” stated Phyllis Lord, owner of the Overland Park Clothes Mentor. “We help you meet your everyday lifestyle changes by growing and adapting your wardrobe in the most cost-effective way possible at Clothes Mentor.”
Each of the Clothes Mentor shops welcomes customers with brightly lit interiors and clothes and accessories arranged for easy view. You’ll look forward to stepping through the doors at Clothes Mentor, not only for the experience, but for the great-looking stock offered at great prices.
“Every customer is warmly greeted and welcomed when they visit Clothes Mentor,” advised Lee. “If this is your first visit, we’ll explain the process to you and set up an account. If you’re selling clothes, we’ll give you a time frame that we’ll need to review the clothes. We’ll either pay you cash on the spot or give you customer credit, which can include a bonus. Details can vary, but we’ll explain what’s being offered that day at that location.”
“Every day we pay you cash on the spot to purchase your better brand-name gently used women’s fashions and accessories,” promised Phyllis. “Unlike a consignment shop where you may wait weeks to receive payment, we pay you immediately for items that we buy.”
Social Media Alerts
Because the stock can change at a moment’s notice, the Clothes Mentor locations rely on social media tools to immediately alert customers to new items or specials. “We have a strong use of social media, and we’re constantly posting on Facebook or Instagram about new items that are coming in. If we get a nice designer item, we’ll post it. But you better move quickly because they will be taken fast,” shared Phyllis. “Texting is also important, and we offer VIP texting. We use texting to market specific sales in the store or give gentle reminders about special offers.”
“Our social marketing is dynamic. Every store has a Facebook page to post new products or share news of special events,” commented Lee. “It’s a great way for customers to see what we have in the store.”
Clothes Mentor also offers personal shoppers, a service that’s very popular with the customers who use them. “Customers love our personal shoppers. They fill out a questionnaire online to tell us about their body type and the type of clothes they want: business, casual or special occasion. Or maybe they’ve lost weight and don’t know what to wear,” remarked Phyllis. “Our personal shoppers will help them find the clothes that fit their needs. Sometimes they’ll bring in an article and ask us to match it up for a special occasion. This service is absolutely free for our customers.”
“People are surprised by how enjoyable the personal shopper experience can be. The shoppers are focused on them, working one on one,” said Lee. “They can have outfits pulled together for them when the customers arrive.”
Quality for Customers
Clothes Mentor also offers a loyalty program, featuring points for purchases. Savings off of the entire purchase or highlighted items may be featured. Check with the location to learn all of the details when you sign up.
“Clothes Mentor offers fantastic value because of our great prices and quality. We have stringent buying requirements for the items we purchase to resell to you. Our goal is to always provide excellent customer service,” said Lee. “In addition, we’re an environmentally friendly business because we’re keeping clothes out of the landfill.”
“You’re going to find great bargains on the great brands we carry at Clothes Mentor,” shared Phyllis. “We’re always willing to help a customer find something they need.” No matter if you’re searching for a new outfit or making some money on clothes you no longer wear, the staff at your friendly Clothes Mentor locations are there for you and your closet.
Wonder what it would be like to own a Clothes Mentor store? How about several Clothes Mentor stores? Peruse our new owner testimonials videos to get answers to you frequently asked questions and more!
Michelle Vaudrin is the Senior Director of Operations for Children’s Orchard and Clothes Mentor. Before joining Children’s Orchard in 2016, she worked in leadership roles for Burlington, American Eagle, and Macy’s.
Michelle attended the University of Wisconsin-Stout with a Retail Merchandising and Business Administration degree. She brings an extensive background in training in strategies, merchandising, customer service, and multi-unit store operations to the team.
Jenny Mann
Vice President of Operations | Executive Director of IT
Jenny Mann is the Vice President of Operations for Clothes Mentor and Children’s Orchard. In January of 2020, Jenny also took on the role of Executive Director of IT, overseeing BST, our Point of Sale system, and the e-commerce platforms for both brands. Prior to this, Jenny was the Director of Marketing for NTY Franchise Company since January 2013. Jenny started with the NTY Franchise Company in 2008 with Clothes Mentor and has held many roles, including; Store Manager, New Store Opener, and Regional Operations Manager. Before joining NTY Franchise Company, Jenny worked for Old Navy (Gap, Inc.) and Target in management roles.
Chad Olson
Chief Operations Officer
Chad Olson has been Chief Operations Officer of NTY Franchise Company since January 2007. From May 1994 to December 2006, he held various positions for Winmark Corporation (f/k/a Grow Biz International, Inc.), including Field Operations Manager for the Once Upon a Child concept from 1999 to 2002, and Regional Operations Manager for the Plato’s Closet concept from 2002 to 2006.
Sean Marrs
IT/Tech Administrator
IT/Tech Administrator
Marissa Stacy
Jr. Graphic Designer
Jr. Graphic Designer
Ashlyn Aarness
Social Media Specialist
Social Media Specialist
Ashley Huebner
Director of Marketing
Ashley Huebner oversees Children’s Orchard’s marketing and advertising efforts to drive sales, build brand awareness, and lead the planning on how to market the brand effectively. She leads creative initiatives by driving the brands’ vision in aesthetics, tone, and trends to elevate our brand position as a leader in the resale category.
Ashley joined the Children’s Orchard team in 2015. Ashley has 10+ years of Graphic Design experience. Ashley holds a strong background in design, user experience, and a passion for creativity. She holds a BA degree in Advertising and Art.