5 Trends For Spring 2021

Say Hello To Colorful, Bold & Oversized!

I get so excited for this time of year because the fashion trends always seem to become so bright, fun, and exciting! The weather's warming up so of course our outfits need to also. I've broken down my top 5 favorite trends I've seen so far this spring and paired them with some of my favs from The Hippy Edit! Check it Out!

1.) Head Scarves

I'm a sucker for this 50s/60s era trend that's making its way back around this spring! I love how versatile this look can be. Wrap a bold geometric print around your head to keep your hair looking sleek or even loop a floral scarf through a ponytail for a flirty and girly look. The possibilities are endless!

2.) Pastel Color Tones

Nothing says spring quite like those light, pastel color tones! This trend is timeless for this time of year. These soft colors compliment almost every skin tone and feel effortless as the weather warms up! From baby pink to minty green, there's sure to be a color for everyone. This adorable yellow, pearl-button cardigan we have at The Hippy Edit even hits another 2021 Spring trend, Peasant Sleeves!

3.) Oversized Blazer Jackets

This trend is straight out of the 80s! I love playing with the silhouette of outfits and these oversized blazer jackets are such a great way to do it. Snag a jacket with some shoulder pads to add a little more structure to your look! I love how you can go casual or dressy with this look too!

4.) Bye, Bye Skinnies!

Just in case you haven't been on TikTok, or the internet, skinny jeans have been kicked to the curb this season and swapped out for wide-leg cuts and more relaxed fits. I can't say I'm disappointed, but I'm definitely being forced to completely reevaluate my wardrobe (and personal identity... am I a millennial because I like my side part??). Luckily, we have plenty of adorable, relaxed denim styles available at The Hippy Edit!

5.) Checkerboard

It's time to break out your old checkerboard slip-on Vans because this bold pattern is back baby! From bright and colorful streetwear to small, professional checkerboards, the ways to rock this trend never seem to end! Personally, I love it as an added pop through accessories like belts and jackets!

Sources

https://www.forbes.com/sites/sboyd/2021/03/01/the-biggest-fashion-trends-of-spring-2021/?sh=5a41a9f62679

https://www.thetrendspotter.net/fashion-trends-spring-summer-2021/

Managing Inventory As A Reseller

With Help From List Perfectly!

I live in a very small, two-bedroom apartment with my boyfriend. We're both entrepreneurs that work from home so we share our little second bedroom/office space. He's been gracious enough to give me all but one corner of the room, but storing over 300 pieces of inventory in this space still presents plenty of challenges!

It's taken me over a year to get my inventory system to a place I'm happy with. When I started reselling, I had maybe 20 listings and shared a bedroom in my sorority house with a roommate. I eventually got my own room but was still storing all my pieces in two big bins under my bed. Now that I have an office space, I FINALLY have the room to properly organize and store all my inventory!

Where's It All From?

I'll start by breaking down where I got all my storage supplies. The cube shelves and bins that hold all my clothing listings are from Target! They have tons of options, but I've collected several over the last few years and decided to just stick with what I had. There are three shelves stacked on top of each other for a total of twelve little cubby spots. Anything too bulky to fit in the bins, like sweatshirts and coats, gets hung in the closet!

My shoe rack is from Amazon! I LOVE this rack so much. It has space for many pairs of shoes, including tall boots! I wanted to make sure I got one with plenty of space because I absolutely love sourcing shoes (even when I may not necessarily need to lol). This rack is made of metal and has held up really well!

Inventory that hasn't been processed yet, otherwise known as my death pile, is stored in a big metal basket I got from Target a couple of years ago. At this point the basket is so full you can't really see it, but I promise it's there! The plan is to not go sourcing again until I've worked through every single item in my death pile. We'll see if I can hold strong and stick to that!

How's It All Organized?

Each clothing bin has been assigned a letter (Don't judge the fact that half are missing their labels! I just moved!). They all have about 15 items that have been assigned a number, and labeled, given a SKU, according to that number and the bin they are in (i.e. A1, A2, A3, etc.). Shoes have been assigned the SKU SR#, which stands for Shoe Rack, and the items in the closet are assigned the SKU CL#.

I use index cards and painter's tape to label each item so that the SKU cards are reusable! All I have to do is pull it off the item when it sells and save it for inventory processing day. A new item will take the place of the one that just sold!

Each item is assigned a SKU when it gets processed. I spend one day a week processing inventory items, but only when I have SKUs available (meaning only when I've had sales). That way, I know I have space for the item and I'm not getting too overwhelmed with too many pieces.

What's Inventory Processing Day??

Processing Day starts by creating a listing in List Perfectly, the AMAZING software program I use to help me manage inventory, crosspost, and do about a million more things. I love List Perfectly because they allow me to assign SKUs to my items within their system, and because I'm on the Business Plan, I have access to their downloadable CSV files and Sales Analytics, virtually eliminating the need for my old and bogged down google spreadsheet. They also let you add unlimited products to your catalog so I never have to worry about running out of space or paying to upgrade to more space!

I take all photos on a separate day because they're both such time-consuming and tiring tasks. I start by uploading all photos of the item to List Perfectly. I then take measurements, fold, and bag the item. Finally, I pull a card from my SKU cards and attach it to that item. I also take this time to fully complete the listing in List Perfectly, so it's ready to get listed that week!

List Perfectly recently relaunched their add/edit product page and I am LOVING the updates! The flow is great and the provided fields help keep me so organized! I love having sections to keep track of the Cost of Goods, enter a SKU and so much more.

When an item sells, all I have to do is go into List Perfectly, search for the item, mark it sold, and it's deleted from all marketplaces it was listed on! Then, since my SKU is in List Perfectly, I can easily pull my sold item from my storage bins, package it and ship it out! I also delete the SKU from List Perfectly's system once the item is packaged so it's freed up for a new listing!

SKUs are also how I decide to relist, another List Perfectly feature I'm obsessed with. I can sort my catalog items in List Perfectly by SKU, and to relist, I follow the order that the items are in, in storage. This keeps me from relisting the same groups of items over and over again, and ensures that nothing slips between the cracks.

With over 200 active listings, it's easy to lose track of things if you're not keeping it all organized. The system I've created, and List Perfectly, provide me with a little bit of a security net. Before I started with List Perfectly, I was using a Google Spreadsheet to keep track of my inventory, sales, and profit margins. It was nearly impossible to actually keep it all updated and organized.

Now, I have access to downloadable CSV files that also have image links and sales analytics that even tell me what my top performing platforms are. I've just recently started diving into this side of List Perfectly and I wish I had started sooner. It's been beyond helpful to have all my information all in one centralized place and to not have to do too many calculations on my own!

If you're interested in trying out List Perfectly for yourself, I have a coupon code! Just plug in THEHIPPYEDIT at sign-up and you'll get 30% off your first month! You'll also get a free three-day trial so it's completely risk-free! I recommend starting with the Business or even Pro Plan because they both give you access to bulk cross-posting and the Downloadable CSVs & Analytics! I'm currently considering upgrading to the Pro Plan myself, so if/when I do I'll be posting about the awesome features you get access to with that plan!

Eco-Friendly Packaging On A Budget!

Making Sustainable Swaps

Making sustainable business choices can be hard and expensive, especially when it comes to packaging. With all those plastic poly mailers in cute patterns that cost less than a penny apiece, and profit margins that are tight enough, why would you choose to package with eco-friendly materials that can cost five times as much, at least? Well, I've got some ideas for keeping your orders looking great while also staying sustainable at the same time!

1. Reuse Boxes & Mailers!

This one is pretty self-explanatory, but reuse all those boxes and mailers you get from your online orders! We've all been ordering online a lot more because of the Pandemic, so put those boxes and mailers to good use again and use them to package all your awesome orders! This is my stockpile and I LOVE having it on hand. I have boxes in every size you could dream of and tons of mailers in case I run out of my pretty ones from EcoEnclose. I've never had a customer complain when I choose to use twice-loved packaging material either! It's not a perfect solution but it definitely helps keep waste out of landfills for much longer!

2. Save Those Clothing Tags!

I recently ordered from ChicEndeavors on Posh and not only did she use twice-loved packaging, but she also had the cutest idea for a thank you card. She saved a tag from a clothing item she must have purchased for herself, and used the blank side to write the sweetest note! This is definitely something I'll have to keep in mind for the future because I love adding in a more personalized note for returning customers!

3. Order USPS Priority Boxes!

USPS offers priority shipping supplies through their website that you can have delivered right to your door for absolutely FREE! I love the boxes because their made from post-consumer waste and can be recycled again. They have so many different sizes to choose from and the boxes are really nice quality. My personal favorites are the Medium Flat Rate Box, which is perfect for shoes, and the Mailing Boxes, which come in a variety of sizes and are great for bundles or home goods!

4. Recycle Old Bed Sheets & Other Fabrics!

Another idea courtesy of an awesome Posher I ordered from, TheStripedFox! I purchased a bundle from her and it came tied up in a strip of recycled fabric. I loved the material and had to learn more so I did a deep dive on her Instagram and found out that she purchases sheets, blankets, curtains, and other large pieces of fabric when she's thrifting and tears them into strips to use for her orders! You can get these items for under $10 most of the time and you'll have plenty of material to use!

5. Make Affordable Sustainable Swaps Where Possible!

If you have the budget, EcoEnclose has some great options for making your packaging cute while keeping a certain budget! My biggest recommendation is their biodegradable cello packing tape. It's made from plant materials and has a natural rubber adhesive, so it can break down even if it goes to a landfill. At only $6.75 a roll, it's a great option if you're looking to start making sustainable swaps but on a tight budget!