Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Happy Holidays From The Gang at Red Umbrella Consignment

It's a wet wintry week in Northern California, just perfect for cozy Christmas and Hanukkah celebrations. No matter what your holiday plans are, we send all of you our love and blessings for a joyous holiday season and a prosperous new year.

The past month has been a busy one at Red Umbrella Consignment. Lots of new customers and many new consignors have discovered Petaluma's hidden treasure. For some of you, this is your first foray into the world of consignment. The comments we've been hearing have proven to us once again that great shopping values and unique merchandise can be found in our store and consignment shopping can be so much fun. Of course, if you're consigning for the first time, it's always great to put a little green in your pocket. Speaking of green, by reselling, recycling and shopping resale, you are helping to keep our planet a little bit greener by preventing unnecessary dumping in our landfills.

We want to thank you all for your support and patronage and hope that we'll continue to see you in our store for many years to come. You are the backbone of our business.

Be sure to watch for the next e-mail announcing our winter clearance sale. It'll be a big one!

Monday, September 22, 2008

Fashion Trends for Fall

Fall is my absolute favorite season of the year. There is something about autumn with it's warm days and cool, crisp nights that makes me want to cozy up with a good book, sip a spicy mug of tea, go for a walk in the hills, or visit a favorite vineyard during harvest. I'm always happy to pack away the summer clothes and bring out the fall gear.

Many of you have wondered what to consign as we transition from the end of summer to fall. Here’s what are we looking for: long sleeve tops and tees that are suitable for layering with comfy knits, cardigans, pullover and hooded sweaters and vests. As for jeans, dark denim in a slim fit is a big seller. Trouser cut pants and tailored
jackets are "in" for work or casual attire. Lightweight jackets in great condition are flying out the door.

Have you noticed that dresses have made a big comeback this year? If you've visited the department stores or read the latest fashion mags, you've seen the return of the waist in many dresses and pants. Pair a shirtwaist dress with a lightweight jacket for work or even a stroll at the Farmer’s Market with a cute cardigan and leggings.

Ballet flats, shoes with rounded toes and chunkier heels are with us for another season. We’ve been steering clear of those super pointy shoes that ruled the roost these past couple of years. Boots, especially tall ones, will be big this year. Flat boots, boots with heels - dust ‘em off, and bring ‘em in.

Friday, September 12, 2008

New Arrivals






Here are just a few samples of new Fall Arrivals. The hits keep on coming.

Just in this week - Vintage Vanity


If shabby chic or french country decor is your cup of tea, then you'll love this wonderful, freshly painted and distressed shabby chic vanity. A little piece of the past is reflected in this vintage art deco waterfall vanity. It will complement most any style of decorating. Are you looking for that perfect gift for the holidays or perhaps finishing up that last summer decorating project? If so, stop by the shop Monday - Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm.

$190

Friday, September 5, 2008

End of Season Sale

Don't forget to stop by for our End of Season Sale which is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 6 from 10 am - 6 pm. Help us make room for the Fall arrivals that have been pouring in from all of our great consignors. Check out the previous post for a sampling of what's new.

Even though Summer is on its way out, we still have plenty of warm days ahead (witness the past week of 90 degrees or more), and there still is plenty of warm weather clothing and shoes at greatly reduced prices.

Fall Arrivals - Look What's Just in

The past two weeks have been crazy busy with tons of new Fall consignments. Here's a quick list of some of the great things we've been getting.

If you love comfort for your feet and you're a lucky size 39, then you'll love the 4 pairs of Dansko shoes that we've gotten in. 1 sandal (size 37), 1 Margrete(ankle strap) (size 39) 1 loafer style (size 39) 1 pair of ankle boots (size 39.

Jackets, pants, skirts from a lovely Scottsdale, AZ boutique that recently closed. Labels like "Boho Chic" "Kao Tok" "Flair" and more.

Do you love "Lucy"? We received a great selection of brand new winter jackets from this famous women's outerwear designer. Also some new Ann Taylor pants and Lucy skirts.

Premium Jeans
Seven for All Mankind
Citizens of Humanity
Paper Denim Cloth
Adriano Goldschmeid
Christopher Blue

Lots of new sweaters and lightweight jackets

These are just a sampling of what's new. Stay posted and we'll update regularly.

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Making the best of our smoky skies!

I hope no one is experiencing any health problems caused by our out of control wildfires in Northern California. A customer told me last week that although she was feeling fine, she couldn't stand our smoky skies another minute. Staying cooped up in her house one more day was more than she could take so she decided to make a trip to Red Umbrella Consignment. Lucky for her, we'd just received about 200 new items - many summer tops, skirts, and dresses. She was looking for shoes and found 3 pairs, (all brand new)and several tops and shorts for her upcoming vacation to Hawaii. Another happy camper, or should I say, beachcomber?

If you're planning a vacation away or a staycation close to home, drop by Red Umbrella. We have a big selection of clothing and accessories right now. It seems that finding great summer apparel at fantastic prices is catching on, because we have been busy, busy, busy these past couple of months.

We'll continue to consign summer items for another month and will begin the transition to Fall on August 1st. Start sorting. I'll post tips for preparing your consignments tomorrow.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Meet Miss Sunshine!

In case you've wondered who the adorable young woman now working on Mondays is, I'd like to introduce you all to Jenn Newbold. What a doll! Apart from being my nephew's wife and the mother of their darling 16 month old son, Darin, Jenn is a bright,lovely young woman with a sweet disposition, a cool fashion sense and a great eye for design. With a degree in interior design, she brings a trained and artistic eye to displays and fashion. We're lucky to have her.

She's taken to the store like a duck to water. Next time you're in, introduce yourselves to her. We like each of our employees to get to know each of you.

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Three Years Old and Going Strong!

We officially turned 3 yrs old on May 1st! We opened our doors at Red Umbrella Consignment on May 1, 2005, though we actually started accepting consignments several months before. We opened with clothing and accessories for women and children as well as vintage furniture and home accents. After our first 2 years, we decided to focus on women as well as our furniture and home goodies. It was a good decision for us since we have a small store.

We are so grateful for our ever growing group of fabulous consignors (already 1200 strong) and to all of our customers who continue to love the fashions we feature and come back for more again and again.

To celebrate our 3rd birthday, we'd like to invite all of you to our birthday celebration on Saturday, May 31st. Join us for refreshments, door prizes and surprise discounts throughout the day.

The celebrations begin at 10 am and continue til 6 pm. We look forward to seeing you at our birthday party. We'll remind you in a week or so.

Bring a friend.

For the Love of Mothers

Not that we need an excuse to show our love for our mothers... We're full of lots of creative ideas to help make Mom's Day just a little more special. We've got soaps, bath products, jewelry, purses, home accents (vases, knick knacks, towels, place mats etc.) candles, vintage furniture, pictures and more.

Hope your Mother's Day is splendid.

Monday, May 5, 2008

Lost & Found

It's always surprising to see what gets left in pockets, purses, vases,and drawers...how about coins, bills, photos, gum, candy, paper clips, nail clippers, photos, matches, pills and the most surprising lost and found item we've seen was a "joint" in a small jewelry box. Yep, we tossed it - no need to embarrass.

Seriously, check out all those nooks and crannies before you bring us your items. We'll call you if you've inadvertently left something inside.

What's in YOUR Closet?

It's May 5th... Have you finished your Spring cleaning yet? Have you begun? What are you waiting for? Would a little extra cash in your pocket make those staggering gas prices and rising food costs a little easier to take? If so, we're taking Summer items for consignment right now.

Here are a few things we're always looking for: Fun and trendy, classic and unique clothing for women. Tops are always our best sellers and this year, skirts and dresses are hot. Of course, jeans,especially high end ones like Citizens, Lucky Brand, Seven for all Mankind, Red Engine, Earl, Joe's,and True Religion (to name a few) come and go very quickly. Summer sandals and dressy summer pumps for all those weddings you've been invited to are also in demand.

Divesting yourself of your loved and lived-in garments can be oh-so-cathartic and recycling them is great for the environment by keeping stuff out of our landfills.

Besides clothing and shoes, we're always looking for purses, jewelry, and other accessories to round out a summer wardrobe.

You know the drill - everything must be in excellent condition - purchased "new" in the past 2 years - better department store labels(Macy's, Bloomingdales, Nordstroms)or designer, boutique brands.

No dings, no dents, no snags, no rags! Clean, on hangers or neatly folded; do all this and you'll never be scolded.

Come by Mon-Sat between the hours of 10 am and 5 pm - no appointment necessary.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Ahhhhhh Spring!

I love the change of seasons at Red Umbrella. Just when you think you can't take another grey day, the sun pops its head out and everything comes alive. I start thinking kicky skirts, capris, colorful tees and sundresses. Of course, I'm always a little ahead of the real warmth, but it's so nice to put away the dark and heavier clothes of winter, don't ya know!

Just today, I noticed the robins that come every year to build their nests in our awning have returned. Later this Spring, we'll have several new babies, chirping away and greeting our customers as they walk in the door. Keep your eyes peeled!

We've been getting some of the cutest women's clothing in recent weeks. Now that our semi-annual clearance sale has passed, there's plenty of room for those trendy and classic items that you're dying to recycle. During these shaky economic times, a little extra cash in your pocket from the sale of your much loved clothing and accessories goes a long way. Keep in mind, we look for what's cool, what's classic, what's fun, and what's unique. Great stuff means great sales. Bring in your goodies Monday-Saturday between 10 and 6.