Why ModCloth Fans are Angry -- And Why That Matters

Those of  us in the world who embrace all things vintage know the name ModCloth. It is a company that has been the center of my vintage-inspired lifestyle for years now. As you may have heard, ModCloth's owner announced the sale of the company to Walmart last Friday. This move has angered casual shoppers and diehard fans alike.

You can say, "Well that's just business." And there's the problem for fans of the brand. ModCloth wasn't just a store. It had a life and personality of its own--it was the type of dream branding most companies never achieve. It provided a space for all shapes and sizes to not only get awesome clothes and accessories, but for many of us to embrace our love for 20th century style, weird obsessions and general geekiness. It was the modern shopper's ideal of what a great store that cared about its customer base should look like.

I must admit that I didn't make purchases from ModCloth very often, but when I was able to make a purchase I was taking on as much as a 25% markup on the products I bought. I knew there were places I could get it cheaper (often directly from the brand of a particular item). I happily paid up because I knew I was supporting a business I believed in. And when I wasn't able to shop, I stayed engaged with the brand and its message.

What loyal customers can't reconcile with is who they did business with. ModCloth could have sold the business to almost anyone and you wouldn't have gotten this kind of reaction. Target? Sure! Department stores like JCPenney or Macys? Absolutely. A high-end company that would have jacked up the prices to an astronomical level? As a last resort, maybe. But not the scourge-of-the-earth Walmart.

You can't search for news about Walmart without running into the terrible practices it perpetuates. People stuck working for them (particularly women) have to deal with a lot of misery for little benefit. It is in direct opposition to the brand mission of ModCloth. That's why fans are angry, and that's why no one knows what to do with this move aside from saying sayonara.

Before anyone calls me a hypocrite for talking about Walmart, please let me be the first one to call myself out. Yes, I shop at Walmart. I can't help it--it's literally in my backyard. I live in one of those areas of the Midwest almost completely devoid of independent businesses because of Walmart's presence. There are a couple of restaurants in this town that aren't owned by conglomerates--that's it. I have little option but to shop there, as much as I don't like it.

This sale has proven that you can do anything you want because this is America--including doing something that's not in the best interest of the people that made you a success (see also: politicians). I'm sure that ModCloth weighed the pros and cons of the sale and knew that there would be an exodus of customers. But to think that they will get the same level of loyalty and engagement with a new set of customers is ridiculous. The dream is over, ModCloth. It was nice while it lasted.

Hello 2016!

It's officially the New Year, so I'm excited about what's coming up in my writing career. A lot of it is still in the planning stages, but I'm trying to find a way to keep myself accountable for daily word counts and give myself reasonable deadlines to get things done. I need something between a day planner and a robot that smacks me when I stop writing. I'll keep working on that...

As usual, I take a little bit of time at the beginning of each year to reintroduce myself to any new readers of this blog that have jumped on this wild ride. I'm all over social media if you want the latest up-to-date information (last year's post is still relevant, so I won't repost all of that). I'm working hard on making my other blogs just as interesting and fun as this one, starting with Showered in Beauty. If you want to see the side of me that gets all nerdy about makeup, fashion and food (99% healthy, of course 😉), then please stop by regularly--or better yet, go ahead and follow the blog so you'll never miss a post.

And I've saved the best news for last: the haiku collection Unfolding Life has been officially uploaded and is available through the Kobo store. So if you own a Kobo and want some poetry to read, go for it. You'll be glad you did.

I hope 2016 is starting out on an amazing note for everyone. I know mine is!

Love to Golf? Get a Deal on Sustainable Golf Fashion

Get 50% off sustainable golf fashion from Tomi Otee!

Ooh!

Another new article for all you fahsionistas out there: The Best Leather Handbags. I can't believe that I've been writing about fashion lately. I really don't tend to keep up on trends as far as high fashion goes. but with accessories, I know my stuff. It's about the only "high fashion" items that I can afford... um, and fit into. But that's another story. Enjoy!

ClosetMix: Now with Shoes!

ClosetMix is probably one of the coolest sites I have found recently. And now they have the option to mix and match shoes too! For those who have never been to ClosetMix.com, you will want to go and check it out. It is a website where you can mix up great new outfits from some of the top brands, such as Candies, BabyPhat, Charlotte Russe and more. Before, all you will able to do was mix tops and bottoms. But not with the addition of mixing shoes, this site has gone from good to great. Check out this little all Candies number I put together.

 

Candie's® Ruffled Eyelet Babydoll Top Candie's® Plaid Convertible Shorts Candie's® Lynet Open-Toe Shoes Click to mix this outfit with other clothes - even your clothes using www.ClosetMix.com.

Neat, huh? And you can do this all day long. Really, it does get addictive, but it is so much fun. Now you can turn into your own fashionista and show everyone the style that you have. You can even embed your creations into blog posts or your MySpace page, just like I did.

Try it out - mix shoes and clothes together on ClosetMix.com

With over 750 million possiblities for outfits, there is hardly a chance you will ever get the same outfit twice. And these just may give you a heads up on what to get the next time your go shopping with your friends.