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.

CLOTHES MENTOR Spartanburg Opens This Month

On the verge of opening her third Clothes Mentor store in Spartanburg, South Carolina, on March 17, franchisee Sadie Cherney talks about spring fashions from Clothes Mentor that are available for hundreds of dollars less than original retail prices.

In addition, Cherney talks about the upcoming Girls Night Out event at her Greenville store, featuring hundreds of Lilly Pulitzer items for spring. Watch the video to learn more about these big events.

 

CLOTHES MENTOR: Spartanburg is the Third Store for Cherneys

Check out an article about Clothes Mentor Spartanburg, which is the third store for Bill and Sadie Cherney in South Carolina:

Bill and Sadie Cherney are owners of Clothes Mentor, a women's resale shop located at 1450 W.O. Ezell Blvd. in Spartanburg. Photo courtesy Tim Kimzey/tim.kimzey@shj.com
Bill and Sadie Cherney are owners of Clothes Mentor, a women’s resale shop located at 1450 W.O. Ezell Blvd. in Spartanburg. Photo courtesy Tim Kimzey/[email protected]

Sadie and Bill Cherney own three Clothes Mentor franchises, with locations in Greenville, Columbia and — as of Jan. 7 — Spartanburg. The Spartanburg location of the high-end women’s resale shop, 1450 W.O. Ezell Blvd., is currently adding inventory from local sellers. Sometime in March, the store will open to customers looking to buy gently-used designer clothes, shoes and jewelry. The business has also established a partnership with Miracle Hill thrift store, which will take clothing the store doesn’t buy so women who need it can find it easily at a cheap price.

Following in family footsteps

Sadie: My parents were in resale before. (Bill and I) were living in Las Vegas. We knew that we wanted to be on the East Coast. We love the Upstate, and we knew we wanted to be in the Upstate. We heard about this concept and felt like it was a really great fit and that it would fill a need. So, we opened our store in Greenville, and that was in May of 2013.

Fashion forward

Sadie: We sell women’s high-end resale. We try to fit every woman. We do sizes 0 through 26. We do maternity, petite, athletic wear. Women can sell items for cash on the spot, which is convenient and easy. Then, other women are able to reuse those items, give them a purpose and restyle them. There’s something really awesome about providing someone with clothing they wouldn’t otherwise have access to. We believe a lot in quality, and that wearing quality garments that can last for a long time doesn’t have to be expensive.

The entrepreneurial bug

Sadie: I’ve always had an entrepreneurial bug. Bill is so good with people. We knew we wanted a franchise. We wanted the structure of a franchise and the support of a franchise. This lets us both kind of showcase what we’re good at.

Bill: Women’s fashion isn’t a forte of mine. But, I’ve taught for over 10 years. I taught at Greer High School for four years. Working in a field that’s primarily populated with women is not new to me. While I’m not an expert on the fashion side of the business, I enjoy learning about it.

The buying process

Sadie: Right now, we’re in a buying process. That usually takes about 8 to 10 weeks, where we amass the inventory from our local sellers, the individuals who sell to us. Then, we’ll have a huge grand opening. We have a soft target date, but we’re not 100 percent sure. Definitely hoping for March.

Small business success

Sadie: Sometimes, with a small business, people get hung up on the ways you can’t compete with a big box (retailer), but at the end of the day, as a small business, you’re mobile and connected to the people that help you and work with you. I know it makes our jobs much more fulfilling, and I hope it does the same for our staff.

Getting ready to open

Sadie: Oh my gosh, our grand openings are bananas. Both of the openings have had easily over 100 people in line. They get there at, like, 4 a.m. We’ll bring them coffee and doughnuts. It’s crazy. It’s nonstop for 12 hours. It’s awesome because it’s like this big party to celebrate everything we worked to build, and a frantic after-party to get everything back out on the floor. In March, if we have that crazy grand opening, we will have merchandise to serve our customers. So that way, in the following day and week and month, they’ll still have fresh product.

Bill: We always try to put out hundreds of new items every day in all of our locations. We want people to come back and be excited about what they’re going to see and what they’re going to find.

Written by Zach Fox for GoUpstate.com

CLOTHES MENTOR: Ardmore Store has Treasures for Everyone

Photo courtesy Mainline Media News: Clothes Mentor Ardmore Owner Sharon Nagy poses with a poster of an article featuring  herself at 7-years-old selling Kool-Aid from a cart her father made. She hopes to raise money for medical research into the disease that took her father's life.
Photo courtesy Mainline Media News: Clothes Mentor Ardmore Owner Sharon Nagy poses with a poster of an article featuring herself at 7-years-old selling Kool-Aid from a cart her father made. She hopes to raise money for medical research into the disease that took her father’s life.

Check out the Mainline Media News article about the soon-to-be-open Clothes Mentor store in Ardmore, Pennsylvania:

Clothing has the power of transformation. A new little black dress, shiny red heels or a tailored coat can make a woman feel like a million bucks. Yet, why spend most of a paycheck on expensive clothing? Clothes Mentor, a franchise of stores based in the U.S., buys and sells previously owned designer clothing at 70 percent off the original retail value.

“Clothes mentor is unlike consignment, we do pay cash, on the spot. It’s a resale shop like you’ve never seen before. It’s not a thrift store, it’s not a step up from that, it’s really a concept where the modern, fashion-conscious woman can come in and be outfitted in something that’s new, fresh and exciting,” Sharon Nagy, owner of Clothes Mentor Ardmore, said.

The store, at 50 Greenfield Ave., Suite 56C, is set for grand opening on Thursday, Feb. 4 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. During the grand opening event, the first 25 customers in line will receive mystery gift cards, ranging in value from $10-$25 dollars.

Photo courtesy Mainline Media News: A glimpse into the Clothes Mentor store at 50 Greenfield Ave., opening Feb. 4.
Photo courtesy Mainline Media News: A glimpse into the Clothes Mentor store at 50 Greenfield Ave., opening Feb. 4.

Stepping into the store is equivalent to opening up a fashionista’s dream closet, full of rows of color-coordinated clothing, designer handbags, heeled boots, vibrant scarfs, and sparkling jewelry. The pieces range from items from well-known department stores to high-end designers.

“When you come in and you find a Calvin Klein dress that sold for a hundred dollars and it’s thirty in our store, they feel really pretty in it and they are equipped for whatever is out there, whether it is an interview, meeting friends or going out for dinner with their husband,” Nagy said.

The store has treasures for everyone at every budget.

Nagy explains, “We have costume jewelry, we even have some Tiffany pieces and David Yurman. We have in the store everything from Old Navy, Target, Kohl’s, Penny’s all the way up to Dior, Gucci and Christian Louboutin.”

The inventory is created by the community. Anyone can stop by and bring in new or gently used woman’s clothing, shoes, accessories and handbags. Clothing must be laundered and brought in without hangers. People can take advantage of curbside service where they drop off their items and call the curbside number so that they do not have to carry items from their cars.

“We do an inspection, and then we put it into our very sophisticated matrix system that we have that is supported by our franchisor and it tells us the price,” Nagy said.

Clothing that meets requirements will be placed in the store and the previous owners will be paid a portion for the clothing, about 30 percent of the resale price.

However, Nagy explained that for handbags that are mechanized for $50 or more as well as garments mechanized at $200 or more, previous owners will receive half of the resale price. They may also choose to receive store credit which adds an additional 35 percent of the sale to their credit.

Clothes Mentor has items for sizes 0-26 and is looking for more items, especially plus and active wear. “We are setting the store for spring so I’m looking for more summer items that have been in the stores the last few years,” Nagy said.

Opening the store is a lifelong dream that has been in the works since Nagy was a little girl, living in North Carolina. Nagy worked as a nurse up until five years ago. She also has a passion for theater and has performed in 15 shows in both the local community and city since moving to the area over a decade ago.

Nagy, joking about how she was able to explore the glitzy world of theatre before embarking on her business, said, “So then I got that out of my system and now I was like, “OK, now what do I want to do when I grow up? I think I’ll have a store.’”

Nagy was inspired by the mission and concept of the Clothes Mentor franchise.

“When I discovered this concept, where they pay cash and it was for women, and it’s supported by a franchise, it’s not something that I had to do totally on my own. It’s nationally known but locally owned and operated…It’s a concept where we get the support of marketing, advertising and training from the franchise. They helped me get this going but it has been a dream of mine forever.”

Photo courtesy Mainline Media News: Christian LouBoutin heels with the trademark red-lacquered soles and Prada boots
Photo courtesy Mainline Media News: Christian LouBoutin heels with the trademark red-lacquered soles and Prada boots

Helping others score amazing deals and find beautiful items that can have a second life is also a thrill for Nagy. “I always had resale in my blood, growing up finding that treasure and loved the concept of consignment shops and resale shops,” she said.

Nagy was an entrepreneur from a young age. At 7 years old, her father built her a Kool-Aid stand and she sold the fruity refreshment for a penny. A local reporter took a picture of her, proudly sitting at the stand, which she found in the archives and created a poster of the article.

“I played store a lot as a little girl, I used to put price tags on everything in the house and make my parents shop,” Nagy said.

Her father’s Kool-Aid stand inspired her to open her own business. She hopes to give back to her father and plans to use some proceeds from the store to fund Penn Medical Center’s research.

“I’m going to implement a one cent [buy one, get one for a cent] sale to raise money for a particular disease that my father had. He built this Kool-Aid stand for me, he was terminally ill. I’m going to use this to raise money to study the very rare diseases that he had.”

In this new business venture, Nagy combines her compassion for her family and community.

“It’s all about helping each other, I guess that’s the nurse in me, too,” Nagy said. “I still have that desire to help people feel better about themselves, and that’s what this is all about.”

During the year, Nagy plans to have several exciting events including a “Girls Night Out” partnering with local vendors as well as events for teachers and private parties.

Clothes Mentor Ardmore will also be developing a Personal Shopper program down the line. Eventually, customers will be able to fill out a form online and “the personal shopper [selects] items for them based on their style, their color their preferences, sizes, their lifestyle, what they have interest in.” The program will be free of charge.

Nagy is also looking for talented people who are welcome to apply online to be part of her team in the store. Her vision for the store is a place where the customers and store team thrive together and make the Ardmore location a staple in the community.

“I want it to be a place where people can come and hang out. Every day it’s a new store because things are flying in and flying out. People are excited to bring new things and stop by and see what’s the latest and greatest. But just to be able to say, “Hey how’s it going?” and see your team members making friends with the community and just be a warm atmosphere.”

Nagy is thankful to everyone in the community who has contributed to making her dream a reality.

“The community feels a little ownership of this, I love that… They’re so supportive. We have such an eclectic demographic area around here, it’s great. We’ve got all kinds of folks. Just to see what they were going to help me create in the store, and seeing the team, the excitement, it’s a contagious excitement,” Nagy said.

For more information, visit the Ardmore store website.

Article by Jessica Paradysz, Correspondent for Mainline Media News

CLOTHES MENTOR: Franchisee Talks About Her Stores

Thinking about opening a franchise store? You’ve got to listen to this radio piece from 97.5 BEN FM featuring multiple Clothes Mentor store owner Chris Barnett of Pennsylvania. She’s passionate about the brand and her community, and it shows in the success of her stores. Click on the icon below to listen.

Speaker icon illustration

Check out Barnett’s West Chester and Springfield stores.

Clothes Mentor franchisee Chris Barett of Pennsylvania featured on NTY Franchise's LinkedIn page. Check it out.
Chris Barnett was recently featured on NTY Franchise Company’s LinkedIn page as a Franchisee Spotlight. Click on the image to go to the page, and don’t forget to follow!