SPRING INTO EASTER

     Tomorrow is the first day of Spring and Easter is just around the corner on Sunday, March 23rd.  If you grew up in my household on the north east coast of the United States, you would know that on Easter Sunday we could start wearing white shoes and by the time we finished celebrating Labor Day in early September those same white shoes were put away for winter. Apparently the rule seems to be different depending on where you are from. There are some people who say you cannot or should not wear white until after Memorial Day in May and then not again after Labor Day. Yesterday morning Meredith Vieira on the Today Show did the most dreadful thing, she wore white pants. This apparently started quite a controversy regarding the true fashion rule, “ When is it appropriate to wear white?”  

        The www.wisegeek.com notes, “There are several theories about the rule which governs people who wear white after Labor Day. The first and most sensible is that it reminded people not to wear summer weight clothing during the Winter. By not wearing white shoes after Labor Day, people can ensure that they don’t end up with soiled, cold shoes. It is also conceivable that the rule not to wear white after Labor Day was adopted as part of a larger movement to “educate” the nouveau riche. Older society families were concerned about the fashion etiquette of more recent additions, and established a complex code of fashion rules to guide them.”

        If you had the good fortune to grow up in a warm weather climate such as the Sunbelt or California you may be totally unaware of this fashion rule. Furthermore, if you pay attention to the designers who rule the fashion industry you will note that most have white on their runways and in their new clothing lines no matter the time of year. Never the less, this simple rule lives ingrained in those of us who were the recipients of tradition passed down from generation to generation. So whether it is the first day of spring, Easter Sunday or after Memorial Day weekend, those white shoes can and will be adorned.

        My advice to you is to let Easter be your springboard to color in your life and your store. Take this time to enhance the showroom and outdoor living spaces with accessories that shout out to you and make you feel like it is spring. Put on those white shoes, so to speak, in your vignettes and alongside the old and new products of this season. Decorate with spring colors to provide distinction to a particular setting. Don’t be ordinary or plain and try not to take the easy safe approach to decorating. Instead embellish your outdoor living showcases and spaces to show your sense of style and to entice the attention of your customer. This will help persuade them into buying something new so they can replicate the creative inspiration that you have succeeded in producing.

        White is fresh and new, color is invigorating and stimulating, use one or both and see what you can come up with.

        These are my Outside Views, I would love to hear what yours are and when you plan to wear your new white shoes? Simply add a comment below and let me know?

    Marcia Blake

   
Punch up your showroom with Spring Color & Flowers

White shoes are they for Spring Time or some other time?
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