Welcome to Mission: Perfect Accessory
I love accessories. You know, those special items that personalize you, that make everything about you unique. Whether you wear them, display them in your home, whether they are functional or decorative, they identify you and invite others in. Accessories add the spice and personality. They give you the opportunity to be flexible and change it up whenever you want. They help you create an experience and share your history and who you are with others. Accessories are a part of my soul and I have a long relationship with them.
Why am I so passionate about accessories? Some might say, it’s just stuff. It can be just stuff, but to me, each accessory has a story and reminds me of a moment in time. It’s a treasure that I hunted for or stumbled upon on vacation; I wore it to a milestone event or received it as a gift from someone special; or it was passed down to me from generation to generation and is part of my family.
The definition of accessory is: “a thing which can be added to something else in order to make it more useful, versatile or attractive.” Accessories enhance my life. They raise the bar, take my basics to the next level and help me shine and sometimes sparkle! This isn’t about shopping; it’s about creating meaning and joy. It can be the flowers I pick from the garden and place throughout my home, shells I’ve collected from beaches I’ve visited or jewelry I’ve designed and made from beads I’ve searched for in my travels. It’s my experiences and memories, my present, past and future. It’s my creativity and my inspiration. It’s who I am and what I love.
So exactly when did this love affair with accessories begin? I have been trying to figure that out. I know for sure that my first legitimate job after grad school was selling and merchandising fashion accessories for Liz Claiborne, Kirk’s Folly and a few other independent designers. I did that for 15+ years, as an entrepreneur building a sales organization, having a showroom to display the vendors I represented, and creating experiences for others in over 200 plus stores filled with hair accessories, scarves, belts, handbags, small leather goods, jewelry, hats, socks, and so much more. For sure, that cemented my understanding and love of fashion accessories, it taught me how to create experiences for others and it how to connect with them. But I think why that came so naturally to me, and how I was chosen to take on that role, was my passion and preparation.
From the time I was a young girl, my mom, an expert shopper in her own right, took me with her on “her hunt for the perfect accessory, clothing or home décor” in Filene’s Basement in downtown Boston. It was a training ground for truly hunting through mounds of stuff that was designer and now for sale on tables and racks at discounted prices. Shoppers would have piles of stuff they grabbed and with the help of friends or family, (you could never go alone) be trying them on in front on any mirror or space they could find. It was an experience like no other for sure! This wasn’t an annual trek, this could be a weekly trek depending on whose merchandise was on sale that day or week. You had to be quick, know your merchandise and have a sense of what would work for you. You had to be ready to grab it or ask someone who was trying it on if they were going to take it or not! (you’d actually stalk people trying on things you liked!) My mom was a true expert at this, and I think I picked up her skills at a very early age.
The thrill of the hunt and being on the mission to find the perfect accessory is no less exciting today. It’s all about the experience. I’m still the ‘look for less’ woman and know my merchandise as I comb the racks at today’s version of Filene’s Basement – Tj Maxx, Marshall’s, Homesense and more. Although, these stores are a lot more organized, when I am on the hunt, the experience of the chase is what its all about. It’s not just accessories that I love, it’s the experiences you create hunting for them and then the joy and memories you develop sharing them.
It’s also about the people I meet while out hunting. I am an entrepreneur and its important to me to support small businesses. I have met so many women who are entrepreneurs and small business owners. They are working hard to keep their stores open and continue to offer their communities a great selection of products and services. It’s critical to the health and vibrancy of our towns and cities to have these business owners keep their doors open during these challenging times. Empowering women and small business owners is part of my personal mission. My desire is to have Mission Perfect Accessory highlight and share their stories, and the impact they have on their communities. Additionally, there are so many great accessories that are produced by companies that have a mission as well. They are sustainable, green, give back to a cause, empower the women and men that create them and so much more. I hope to spotlight these companies along the way.
That’s why I’ve decided to take you along on Mission Perfect Accessory and share my experiences with you. At my core, and in my daily life and business, I am an architect of experiences and connections. And I love to share resources, and help others find what they love and need – professionally and personally. How I envision Mission Perfect Accessory, and how it will actually evolve will be based on all of you. You see, it’s mutual inspiration. I hope that my experiences will inspire you and I know you will inspire me and everyone in this community with your stories, videos, and sharing of your missions and experiences. And I am hoping we will challenge each other with missions while helping to empower women. You see, the perfect accessory is different for everyone, there is no right or wrong, its all about what you love, what speaks to you, what makes you come alive and fills you with joy. It’s about treasuring the experiences and the connections they create by sharing them with friends, family, and your communities. I’m ready to share my journey and experiences with you and will be honored to have you be part of this community.
Let’s go on our first Mission Perfect Accessory together and explore some of my favorite local spots.