Naked Again? The New Naked 3 Palette!

         

Photo taken by Victoria Shieler

  The eyeshadow case embossed with a beautiful rose gold finish and the words “Naked 3” written across, brought a big smile across my face. Urban Decay has done it again by adding another Naked palette to their collection of the Naked line.

            Ever since the launch of the original Naked palette, Urban Decay has now expanded their naked line from eye-shadow palettes to foundations and skin powders.

            The newest arrival of Naked 3 has been a complete sellout. Despite being available on their website, it was sold out in a matter of hours.

             Each Naked palette has a different style by the original Naked is more warm toned, whereas Naked 2 is more cool toned. The Naked 3 palette has more of a rose undertone to each individual shadow.

            The beautiful packaging is similar to  Naked 2 in that the strong tin like case opens and closes with a quick snap. The shadows range from more neutral shades of soft nudes and pinks to more smoky shades of deep brown and a beautiful black with red and gold glitter.

            The Naked palettes have been criticized for being a very shimmery eye-shadow palette with only having a few matte shades and for those who love matte shadows, this palette doesn’t deliver since out of the 10 shadows, there are only two that are matte.

            But nonetheless, this palette at $52 does deliver by getting 10 shadows that are beautifully pigmented and easy to blend.

            This palette is a must for any beauty lover and it also makes for a great holiday gift. You can find the Naked 3 palette on Urban Decay’s website or on any major beauty retailer that carries the brand. 

The True Magic of Macys

Photo taken by Victoria Shieler.
Shoppers looking for perfect gift on Black Friday

 As families and friends gather around the table enjoying their Thanksgiving dinner and their day off, Diane Kroug is walking into work to do her twelve hour shift at Macy’s.

 Employees rush around the store setting up any last minute displays and sale signs. Kroug swiftly makes sure her department is ready to go and holds a quick meeting with her associates.

“Let’s focus on selling today and giving each customer an unforgettable experience,” Kroug says.

 The doors finally open and customers rush in to be the first to get the best deals of the year. The only problem is, Kroug’s department is completely empty.

            For the past 20 years Diane Kroug has been a part of Macy’s.  She has also been the head manager for cosmetics and fragrances for the past 10 years.  Every year the 58-year old manager has routinely worked extensive hours on black Friday.

 The bulk of her day consists of helping customers, setting up displays and making sure her department is reaching sales goals. She is also in charge of hiring new associates and seasonal associates. When it comes to the holidays, she says she wants to make sure her associates are well trained.

 “Since I can’t always be there, I want my associates to feel confident in selling and approaching customers,” Kroug says.

            After a few hours of the doors opening at 5p.m, the beauty and fragrance department really doesn’t have many deals or sales that appear to customers.

 In the fragrance department, if a customer spends more than $75 in fragrances, they get a small sample set of their bestselling scents.

 In the cosmetic department, some brands don’t even have a sale, while others have a gift with purchase after spending a certain amount. The gifts consist of sample products and makeup bags.

A few customers walk through the department and look at a few items then move to somewhere else in the store.

 “I am frustrated that I am missing out on spending time with my family while I just standing around here,” said Suzanne Collins, a grandmother of two and sales associate for Macy’s for more than five years. “It wouldn’t be too bad if we were actually busy, but to be standing around doing nothing makes me upset.”

As the night progresses, other associates in the department seem to become a little discouraged including Kroug.

 “Almost every year this department doesn’t do too well when it comes to the late and really early hours since we don’t have any big sales like some of the other departments,” Kroug says.  “But once the morning comes and in the afternoon, business will pick up.”

            When it comes to perfume and makeup, Kroug  seems to know what she is talking about. She can name every perfume in the store off the top of her head and can also name a variety of perfumes that Macy’s once carried.

“I have always been interested in beauty,” Kroug says. “My mother had a huge perfume collection and I remember when I was a child I would always smell and spray them. I would sometimes spray up to five different perfumes at once and my mother would get upset since I was wasting it.”

Kroug attended a local community college in her hometown of Erie Pa where she studied business management.

 “After college I knew I wanted to get into retail, so I got my first job as a sales associate in women’s clothing at Strawbridges,” Kroug says.  “Over time I moved throughout different departments and finally applied to a fragrance position and got it and I have been here ever since.”

Since then, Kroug has gotten married, had three children and is now currently a grandmother to two girls.

            While the morning hours starts to approach and after a pretty quiet night in the department, many associates are anxious to start working on their sales goal. It isn’t until around 7 a.m when customers starts to fill the department. Women of all ages search for a perfume to buy for that special someone.

 Kroug begins to sell gift sets left and right and soon lines started to form at the register. In a matter of just a few hours, many gift sets are starting to run low and some even are sold out.  “I knew it would pick up,” Kroug says. “Perfume is always a popular gift item during the holidays.”

            When sales started to pick up, store manager Thomas Stevenson comes by to check in with Kroug to see how the department was doing. Stevenson asks Kroug many questions on how sales are and if anything needs to be ordered for another shipment. He also asks about how the cosmetics department is doing.

 “Unfortunately, our cosmetics department gets hit the hardest during black Friday since items don’t switch as often as clothing or accessories,” Stevenson says.  “But now that many more people are out shopping we should see a significant increase in sales in that department.”

            When Kroug’s shift came close to ending, she pulls aside her assistant Christine Miller to fill her in on how sales were and what they should expect over the course of the day.

Miller, a Macy’s employee for two years seems confident to be taking over the department after Kroug is scheduled to leave.

 “Although this is going to be a crazy day, I feel confident that my associates and I can get the job done,” Miller says.

As for the next few weeks and even going into next year and the years following, Kroug seems to have a positive outlook on her life and her career. 

“This job is not for everyone, especially during the holidays when the hours and shifts can seem like forever and the work can be overwhelming, but that is what I love about this job,”  Kroug says.  “I don’t plan on retiring anytime soon. I love to keep busy and over the years I have built relationships with customers and associates that cannot be replaced. I would say my next step is to continue down this path because this is what I love.”

           

            

           
           

            

Issue of Anorexia in America

Photo courtesy of pink-iron.com

“I hated the way I looked,” said Katie Walsh, a current junior at Millersville University studying business management and former victim to anorexia. “I hated going to school since I knew I would be bullied about how my clothes fit or just my weight in general.”

            At the beginning of her freshman year, and in just a few short months, she lost more than forty pounds. “After losing that much weight, I felt great but I wanted to lose more,” said Walsh. “That is when things got out of control. My clothing would look huge on me and my face sunk in. And the scary thing is I still thought I was the weight I started at.”

            Walsh would barely eat anything all day. She stated that she would have maybe half a carrot and a glass of water per day.

            Walsh was just one of the many teens who suffered from anorexia and having a poor body image.

According to the Anorexia Nervosa And Associated Disorders Association (ANAD), “95 percent of those who have eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25.”

The definition of anorexia according to the ANAD is, “A relentless pursuit of thinness and unwillingness to maintain a normal or healthy weight, a distortion of body image and intense fear of gaining weight.”

According to Doctor Methis M.D, expert in eating disorders,  “Anorexia is common with adolescents and during this time, young people are supposed to be putting down the critical bone mass that sustain them through adulthood. Since they are not supplying their bones with the nutrients they need, this leads to bone loss and is irreversible. But the heart is the most damaged. Circulation is slowed down and blood pressure drops significantly. The cardiac tolls are acute and significant, and set in quickly.”

Doctor Methis M.D also stressed that anorexia is a multisystem disease that virtually no part of the body escapes its effects. “It leaves the individual with so many health risks of having a low immune system and low white blood cell counts,” She said.

Anorexia and other eating disorders have been increasing with teens and young adults over the years from the media and also having society create this idea of beauty that is unnatural and unattainable to reach.

According to authors Michael Levine and Gemma Lopez-Guimera of “Influence of Mass Media on Body Image and Eating Disordered Attitudes and Behaviors in Females” Doctor Frank Cheng, physiologist and graduate of Stanford University, “conducted a survey of 548 preadolescent and adolescent girls found that 69 percent acknowledged that images in magazines had influenced their conception of the ideal body, while 47 percent reported that they wanted to lose weight after seeing such images.”

Since teens follow the media, whether it is with music, movies, or celebrities, they are shown what is considered beautiful. Since most girls are not stick thin, this can lead to depression which is one of the leading causes of anorexia and other eating disorders.

Another huge factor that contributes to eating disorders is shopping for clothing. Recently popular clothing store Abercrombie and Fitch was criticized after their CEO Bruce Weber stated that they don’t offer larger sizes since they only want cool teens to wear their brand. It has also been told by store employees that if clothing isn’t sold after a period of time, they are told to burn them.

            The scary truth about eating disorders is that the idea or love of being thin starts as young as first graders.

            According to a study conducted by George Collins, a psychologist and nutrition expert found that, “42 percent of first to third grade girls want to be thinner and 81 percent of ten year olds are afraid of being fat.”

            Although young girls are affected by our image of beauty, college students are also affected by this negative message and cases of anorexia have increased over the year with college students.

            According to ANAD, “A survey of 185 female students on a college campus, 58 percent felt pressure to be a certain weight, and of the eighty three that dieted for weight loss, forty four were of normal weight.”

            Nowadays colleges and high schools are noticing how common these disorders are among students and are encouraging to seek and offer help to students suffering from depression or eating disorders.

            Although today our society is still silently enforcing weight loss, more celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence have refused to lose weight just for a part or character. Lawrence believed that losing weight will send the wrong message to her fans and believed that her character Katniss Everdeen from the Hollywood blockbuster “The Hunger Games” should look like the everyday girl. From this decision, she has gained a huge following and more respect among fans.

            Since the issue of anorexia and eating disorders has become more and more relevant, media like magazines and online blogs have embraced this new idea of beauty that believes that everyone is beautiful. One does not have to be a size two or have a perfect frame to feel beautiful. Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes and everyone is encouraged to embrace who they really are.

            “After almost a year of my anorexia, I weighed about seventy seven pounds and I ended up in the hospital from passing out,” Walsh said. “After that, my parents sent me straight into rehab.”

            After six months of attending rehab, Walsh eventually took notice on what she was doing to her body and switched to a healthier lifestyle. Six years later, she is still practicing good eating choices and getting enough exercise.

            “I won’t lie and say that it has been easy. There are still days where I feel heavy, but looking back and seeing how I looked when I was sick, I never want to turn into that again. I looked like a walking skeleton,” said Walsh.  “With the love and support from my family and friends, I am happy of how far I have come and I probably would not be here because of them.”

           
           

            

Falling For Fall Beauty

 Photo Taken by Victoria Shieler

Nordstrom of King Of Prussia held an exclusive beauty trend show on November 2^nd. The show was to showcase fall beauty trends and to promote new holiday collections.

 Many regional makeup artists came in support of each brand. The event was a huge success, bringing in around 200 people total.

Guests received a complementary tote bag filled with samples and also had the opportunity to meet with sales associates and makeup artists for whatever their skincare or beauty routine needed. Many brands also had a gift with purchase deals.

 The gifts would be a small makeup bag filled with samples.  There was also a beauty fashion show that took place to showcase trends.

 Popular looks on the runway were the dark vampy lip, a soft smoky eye, and having a flushed look of dark blush paired with a darker lip. The show was also about showcasing fall fashion trends as well.

Models walked the runway in black leather, comfy sweaters, and colorful coats. “This is my third time coming” said Gina Lewis, mother of two and nurse. “I never miss this show. I look forward to it every year.”  Guests also received complimentary breakfast and coffee before and during the show.  

            At 7 a.m., guests were welcomed inside the store to walk around and to enjoy their breakfast and coffee. It wasn’t until eight when the fashion show started.

 The show was not like a traditional fashion show. While the model was walking down the runway, a professional makeup artist stood on stage as well describing the overall look and explaining who this girl is and where she is going.

They covered a variety of looks from casual “no makeup makeup”, to dramatic evening looks. Once the model was done walking the down runway, she would stand beside the makeup artist, and from there the artist would go into further detail of the look describing the specific products used, and the different techniques.

 The show lasted an hour and the actual beauty events didn’t take place until 10a.m. So between that hour, guests walked around the store, or went out into the mall to either shop or grab some more coffee.

The beauty event was laid out in a specific order based on a person’s everyday makeup and skincare routine.

Every half hour you would have another appointment with another associate or brand to continue on your routine. You first started with skincare, then makeup, then fragrance.

 Once it was time, people split up into whatever brand they chose as their skincare. Many were treated to facials, scrubs and special anti-aging treatments. Many brands also took this time to showcase new skincare collections.

 Lots of people took part in treating their skin and lots walked away with lots of samples to try.  Once their half hour was up, people moved into makeup.

 Many people came in search for a new foundation or favorite lipstick, while others came to get their makeup done for the day.  Makeup artists showcased new products and gave advice on how to apply makeup correctly and effectively so it will stay all day.

 “I find this to be the best part of my job” said Amber Hamilton, regional makeup artist from Bobbi Brown. “I love helping people find their new look. I love making people feel more confident and beautiful.”

 From there, many moved into the fragrance department.  Although not as many people showed up for this part of the event, many did enjoy smelling the new fragrances, and others took part in the limited edition holiday gift sets.

“If there is one time to buy perfume, get it during the holidays” says Christine Greggors,  a fragrance sales associate at Nordstrom. “You can almost always get a better deal, especially with the holiday gift sets.” 

After they completed the three steps, many customers stuck around to check out the new holiday collections. Many brands had great gift sets that one couldn’t beat anywhere else.

 By around 2 p.m., many collections were low in stock or out of stock.

 “I have a lot of friends who love makeup, so every year I always stop by to grab a few holiday goodies for them and of course for myself!” said Meredith Lyfe, a mother of three and a teacher of high school English.

Many left with bags over their arms filled with goodies and new products.  Overall the event was a success, bringing in lots of sales, but it also brought beauty lovers together to celebrate the beauty of fall. 

Finding Out The Meaning Of Artifact

Photo courtesy of artifact

I recently sat down with Lauren Merkel at a Starbucks to discuss her shop called Artifact located in the

heart of West Chester.

Merkel is a graduate of West Chester University, and has always dreamed of opening an affordable yet

fashionable clothing shop for college students in the area.

Ever since it's opening four years ago, the store has been doing well. Artifact is suited for teenagers and

young adults, carrying everything from big statement necklaces to simple sweaters.

Merkel said she is passionate about what she does and strives everyday to continue growing her brand and

branching out to new customers.

Q: When did you decide that you wanted to open your own clothing shop?

A: When I was in college, there were really no boutiques in the area that were suited for college students.

Everything was either a thrift shop or something that was suited for older women. I thought that opening a

shop close to campus and making the clothing affordable and fashionable, I could get a good amount of

business

Q: How did you come up with the name Artifact for your clothing store?

A: I wanted a name that was simple yet still carried that charm I wanted the store to have. I thought Artifact

was perfect since it has kind of a rustic feel to it.

Q: Would you say your theme to your boutique is rustic?

A: I want my boutique to feel warm and welcoming to customers. I wouldn't say it's classic rustic since the

inside is all white but my clothing items give a rustic and classic feel to them

Q: Do you get a lot of support from your family?

A: My parents were super supportive of my decisions. Of course, we were all a little nervous since opening

up your own business is a huge risk. Also right when the shop opened, it was in the heart of the recession.

But now, business is good and my mom is a frequent visitor!

Q: When you opened, did you see other boutiques go under after the recession?

A: Yes. There was one not far from us that shut its doors shortly after we opened.

Q: How did it make you feel to be a brand new shop and seeing others close?

A: I was terrified that the same would happen to me. I put my life savings into this store and the thought of

closing down still gives me the chills.

Q: Who are the types of shoppers that frequently come into your store?

A: We get everything from local college students to moms. We have something for everyone.

Q: What current trends are you loving this season?

A: I am totally loving black leather. It is such a great statement piece to have in any wardrobe and can

toughen up a look. I am also loving chunky knit sweaters, a classic fall favorite!

Q: What would you say the average shopper looks for when coming to your store?

A: Dresses for sure! Recently since homecoming has been going on for local high school students, lots of

teenagers have been coming in to find that unique dress that will stand out among the crowd. Another

popular item people love to look for is jewelry.

Q: Tell me about the different styles you carry in your store.

A: We always have new arrivals coming into the store weekly so our styles change frequently. We carry an

array of styles that will attract lots of different types of customers.

Q: How do you keep your store up to date with trends?

A: I am a major subscriber to lots of different fashion magazines. I get my inspiration and my ideas from

there. I also want to include pieces that are more basics because they never go out of style and are essential

to every wardrobe.

Q: What magazines are you subscribed to?

A: Of course the classics like Vogue and Elle, but I also love reading Marie Claire and Glamour.

Q: How do you try to branch out your business by reaching other customers outside of West Chester?

A: There is a website for the store where people can order our pieces online and we ship throughout the

country. But for more local customers, I make sure to be part of social media like Facebook and Twitter

because I think it is so important for small business to reach out online. It really can change anyone's

business dramatically in a good way.

Q: Since you have such a close connection with West Chester University, do you give current students any special discounts?

A: We do! If you are a current student with West Chester, all you need is to bring your student ID for proof

and you get 10 percent off of your purchase!

Q: Besides doing the student discount, do you have any other sales or promotions?

A: We do have a sale rack and from time to time especially when it comes to changing of the seasons, we

do a further price reduction on sale items. Every now and then we also do buy one get one half off jewelry.

Q: I read online that your Marketing Manager Lauren is your best friend. How does it feel to work together?

A: I absolutely love it. She has such a great work ethic and puts 100 percent everyday. And of course it's

always fun to work with someone you get along with!

Q: What is your marketing manager in charge of?

A: She is in charge of a lot of stuff, but she does a big part in trying to make sure the store more well known

with customers. She also does a lot of the business side of tings like calculating totals, payments, and

deposits.


Q: And what would you say is your average day at work?

A: I like to get involved on the floor helping customers and doing transactions. I do spend some time though

in my little office paying bills, checking inventory, hand selecting new merchandise, and answering phone

calls.

Q: You said you hand select new merchandise. What does that mean?

A: I go through our brand's new merchandise and hand select items. I decide what the store carries. I do a

lot of research on what items sell well in our store and try to continue buying items similar. I also love picking

unique pieces that will grab customers attentions and make us stand out amount other stores.


Q: Since you have been open for a few years now, when does your store do its best in sales?

A: During the holidays we do very well. People love to buy unique clothing items for their loved ones. We

also do very well during the school year since students love to shop on the weekends.

Q: How have your sales been so far for 2013?

A: 2013 has been a great year. We did really well during the spring and for back to school. We get more business once classes started back up for West Chester.

Q: How are your sales on your website?

A: Over the past year, our sales online have done really well. We also have a blog on the website where

readers can get close up photos of specific clothing pieces. We also do posts about fashion advice and

talking about trends.


Q: Do you think customers enjoy reading your blog?

A: I think our customers can get to know us on a more personal level when reading our blog. Since it is

written by Lauren and me, we add our own personalities into each post and give the customers different

viewpoints of the clothing. I also enjoy blogging about current trends, fashion advice and tips.

Q: Do you believe that there are areas of improvement with your business?

A: Of course. If someone said no then they are clearly lying. I would love to have more sales and more

merchandise, but for now I am doing the best I can.

Q: What type of jewelry are you interested in selling more of?

A: Right now the rend is having big statement piece necklaces. But I would like to include more dainty and

simple type jewelry because not everyone is into statement pieces.

Q: How would you say Artifact is different than other boutiques in the area?

A: Artifact is a store that carries trendy and fashion clothes without breaking the bank. Nothing in the store

costs over sixty dollars. We have friendly associates, affordable prices, a clean and organized store, and of

course our items are one of a kind!

Q: So looking back into your college years, did you plan on starting a clothing shop?

A: No not at all. Until I got a little older I realized that West Chester needs a clothing store that is

fashionable and yet affordable. That is when I started thinking of creating my own store. And of course

meeting Lauren, helped further the idea since she was interested as well.

Q: What would you have done if Artifact didn't work out?

A: I would probably be doing something in fashion whether it be working for a larger brand, or possibly be

managing another small boutique or clothing store.

Q: Do you have future plans with your boutique?

A: Right now, I am just focused on improving my store. Although this store is small and we only have three

employees, it is a lot of work. I would love to later on build another location, but for now I want to focus on

getting this store the best that it can be.

Q: Would you consider yourself a successful business woman?

A: Yes. Although there were some rough times during the beginning I have learned so much. I love my job

and I wouldn't change it for anything.