For the Love of Clothes...

As I write this post, I'm on a plane to Las Vegas to celebrate Valentine's Day with my husband the usual way- we're off to Market to discover the latest & greatest in Men's apparel. 'Vegas is home to some of the largest apparel markets and conventions for retailers in the U.S., with bi-annual shows in February and July.

The annual shows are actually a stressful time for Jeff (my husband and C.F.O. of ForTheFit.com) and I. Why? Because we are not your average menswear store. We are a specialty retailer- specializing in Short Mens Clothes. We head to market in search of the best labels, up to date styles, quality casual and professional attire- proportioned to fit shorter men. The problem? Shopping industry markets is not much different from shopping your local department store- options can be limited for those with slimmer builds, short inseams, or overall shorter in height (i.e. under 5'9").

The frustrating thing is that we estimate that there are at least 14 million American men who fall into this category and want attractive clothes to wear. So for them, I pass up a real Valentine's Day every year and walk the endless men's market mazes housed within the various Las Vegas convention centers. I consider myself to be their personal shopper- seeking out brands that cut their wears to the right proportions for smaller men, convincing popular labels to make special size runs for us, and finding other quality manufacturers to do our custom work. Sounds easy enough, right? If only! But it's worth it because we've been at it for nearly 3 years now and I frequently receive messages from customers excited that for the first time, they are enjoying great fit and style- right off the rack. Love that. The stress of forcing change in a pretty static industry… not so much.

So if it is so stressful, then why do I subject myself to this mission every year? For the love of clothes, (and my business partner, of course,who keeps me laughing even in the most stressful of times!). Though our job is not an easy one, I would be lying if I said that we don't have any fun at market. There's a certain thrill to the "Sneak Peek" at what's coming to stores near you (and online!) in the upcoming months. There's an even greater thrill when I score these same styles and the best brands for my customers. I look forward to reporting back soon on our market finds and things to look forward to in the world of short men's apparel for Spring '08. Happy Valentines Day to you all,

Connie