Wear Pink – A Sign of Solidarity

October 16, 2013

A Kaiser head shot XSmall

 

 

 

 

By stylist and blog writer, Annette K.

Tonya Pink Blazer

This October, Goodwill Keystone Area employee Tonya Hollinger rocks her pink hair, pink glittery nails, pink jewelry and clothes to celebrate three years of recovering from breast cancer.

“Pink is the quintessential female color,” says Margaret Welch, director of the Color Association of the United States. And for breast cancer patients and survivors, pink is a happy place – a place of hope, healing, femininity and pride.

During National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, pink becomes a sign of solidarity for women and families fighting this terrible disease. Pink has become a sort of non-verbal signal sent out to breast cancer patients saying, “I support you, and I’ve got your back.”

Men wear pink ties, shirts or lapel pins. NFL players wear pink socks, wristbands, and shoes. Women dye their hair, paint their nails, and wear pink clothing and accessories.

It’s wearing pink with a purpose…it’s here, it’s now and it’s Goodwill!

This month, join Tonya and others in wearing pink to show your support and solidarity in the fight against breast cancer. Visit your local Goodwill store and find your pop of pink. Wear it with purpose and wear it with pride.

And one more thing, last year Tonya added a permanent accessory…a pink “Hope” tattoo.

 Tonya Dual Image

 

Tatoo Hope

 

Accessories and clothing were taken from the racks of the Goodwill stores in Bensalem, PA and Lancaster PA-Lincoln Hwy E. Thank you, managers and staff!

Special thanks to Tonya Hollinger for sharing her story with us.

For comments and blog suggestions, please contact Annette Kaiser at akaiser@yourgoodwill.org.

Link to the History of the Pink Ribbon.

Homecoming and Goodwill—Fit for a Queen!

October 8, 2013
By stylist and blog writer Annette K.

It’s homecoming season, a time when adults reconnect with old friends and share collective memories and when kids connect and begin creating their own.
Whether you’re a woman going to a high school or college reunion or a girl primping for the homecoming dance, Goodwill Keystone Area stores have everything you need to look and feel like a Queen.

Ladies – When deciding what to wear for your outdoor reunion, leave the lined windbreaker and mittens behind. Instead, create an image of sophistication by layering with blazers, scarves and sweater dresses. Paired with leather riding boots or booties your classic style will leave a lasting impression.

Girls – When choosing your dress for the homecoming dance, remember to consider fit first, then accessorize. Your dress should be a reflection of who you are and should move with you instead of vice versa. Accessorize with statement pieces like chunky bracelets, silver shoes, or a brilliant signature necklace to add that exclamation point to your look.

Whether dressing for a dance or a reunion, visit your Goodwill store where racks of endless possibilities await. Homecoming offers the girl a chance to look older, and the woman a chance to look younger. What Queen could pass that up?

homecoming1_rev

homecoming2_rev

For comments or fashion blog suggestions, please email Annette Kaiser at akaiser@yourgoodwill.org.
Thanks to the staff at the Bethlehem Goodwill Store and to models Jodi and Jillian McSwegan.
 

Red Carpet—Color Trends for Everyone

October 1, 2013

And the big winner from this year’s Emmy Award Red Carpet Showcase is… You!

While you may not have gone to the Emmy’s in your limousine, you can immediately add elegance and style to your wardrobe from this year’s red carpet color palette.

The Pantone Color Institute – known as the international authority on color – identifies 4 colors that are universally flattering to everyone despite hair, skin or eye color or tone. These four colors–Mellow Rose, True Red, Indian Teal and Eggplant–appeared over and over again on Sunday’s 65th annual Emmy awards.universal-colors

Whether looking for formal, business or casual wear, these colors will flatter everyone. No more second guessing.
Universal colors-they are in, they’re hot and at Goodwill Keystone Area stores.

Emmy photos, www.hollywoodlife.com.
Thanks to models Ashley and Sarah- Parkland High School.
For comments or fashion blog suggestions, please email Annette Kaiser at akaiser@yourgoodwill.org.

Fall Fashion – Long Skirts Are Back

September 23, 2013

Among the psychedelic patterns and exotic looks unveiled at Fashion Week in New
York City, was an old comfortable standby. The long skirt. It made a comeback last
week on runways, but it never left the Goodwill Keystone Area stores.

“We usually have a large stock of all kinds of skirts”, said Phil Koch, manager of
Goodwill Keystone Area’s Bethlehem, PA store.

The long skirt never really goes out of fashion because it adds a hint of femininity to any woman’s look. Worn at any length from knee-cap to maxi, longer skirts can be accented with any variety of belts or scarves, or dressed up or dressed down with blouses or tee shirts, blazers or sweaters.

The three skirts shown below were all taken off the racks at a Goodwill store just last
weekend.

Worn with a long tunic shirt, chunky belt and ankle boots, this long skirt is the hot look for a night on the town.
Worn with a long tunic shirt, chunky belt and ankle boots, this long skirt is the hot look for a night on the town.
With a knotted tee and high strappy sandals, this corduroy skirt is perfect for those warmer days and chilly fall nights.
With a knotted tee and high strappy sandals, this corduroy skirt is perfect for those warmer days and chilly fall nights.
This long rayon skirt is appropriate business attire when worn with a cropped jacket, turtleneck and ankle boots.
This long rayon skirt is appropriate business attire when worn with a cropped jacket, turtleneck and ankle boots.

Hippie Skirts and Sleeveless Bargains

August 23, 2013

A New Generation of Thrift Store Shoppers

My daughter has become a thrift store shopper like me. On two recent trips to Goodwill, she went back-to-school shopping and she was excited to find a number of outfits – black camis and ‘hippie’ skirts.  She has her own sense of style and found exactly what she was looking for. Of course she did, she was shopping at Goodwill.

Hippie Skirts at Goodwill
(Photo credit: Emily Bateman) Making a donated item your own hip, current style is what thrift shopping is all about.

She’s a college student looking to differentiate her style from the crowd. When I saw her trying on outfits, I knew she’d struck Goodwill gold.  When you are shopping for your style, you often find exactly what you are looking for at Goodwill. Better yet are the bargain prices.  The skirts and shirts were both just $3.50 a piece.

Save More with Goodwill Rewards Card

Sleeveless Tee and Hippie Skirt
A young thrifter finds a great skirt and cami at Goodwill for $7.

With a Goodwill Rewards Card, shoppers can save an additional 25% on daily specials, which in this case was $6. Total bill – just over $25 with tax. The money saved helped pay for lunch.

Goodwill Sales Funds Job Programs

It’s also good to know that her purchases and support of Goodwill  fund job training programs.  Sales of gently used donated items benefit people with disabilities.  Bargains fund opportunities.  It’s a win win.

Goodwill Vintage Clothing Inspires Canine Couture

August 8, 2013

Guest Blog by  Annette Kaiser, Goodwill Keystone Area

You never know what you’ll find at Goodwill Keystone Area’s Tilghman Square store in Allentown, PA. Two regular customers at the gently used clothing racks are fashion designers Maribel and Jana Nieves, a mother-daughter team who own a studio called Bel Bijoux Couture in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Bel Bijoux Couture
Maribel and Jana Nieves, a mother-daughter team, in their studio.

While their shop looks like any other design studio — with spools of brightly colored thread and coat trees draped with rich textures and fabrics — the design pages and patterns folded neatly in rows of hangers are in miniature. That’s because this couture isn’t designed for humans, it’s designed for their pets.

The Nieves specialize in one-of-a-kind pet coats and were recently featured on NAT GEO WILD’s “Spoiled Rotten Pets.”  Their  favorite place to shop for material is the Goodwill store in Allentown,  because the selections of vintage clothes and modern fashions spurs their imagination and gives them endless choices for fabrics, buttons and other accessories that go into their line.

“When we work with a customer, they tell us what colors and type of fabric they would like,” said Jana Nieves. “We go to Goodwill, browse all sorts of pieces from skirts to jackets, from coats and pants. Once we find something that meets the description, we’ll take a picture and send it to them. You never know what you will find at Goodwill.”

Dogs Modeling Custom Coats
These fashionable dogs had their custom outfits created from Goodwill finds.

Jana Nieves says she can design and create up to three pieces from one Goodwill garment.  Unlike the “sleepy” bolted fabrics found on the shelves of retail textile stores, “the pieces we find at Goodwill have a certain life to them that transform into beautiful pieces.”

For more information on Bel Bijoux Couture, visit t www.belbijouxcouture.com.  Custom coats start at $55 and are guaranteed to fit your life, your style and your pet.

Fashion is Never Finished at Goodwill

August 7, 2013

Style is How You Define It

One thing great about style is that trends ebb and flow, so what was once cool, may go out of style, but it tends to come back in style sometime in the future, reinvented, considered new. Fashion is never finished.

Goodwill Outfits for Less
Corinne found her style at the Goodwill Runway Show.

This is why thrift stores like Goodwill are so fantastic to frequent.  New donations come in every day, meaning many new chances for new styles. 

Why We Do What We Do

With the proceeds from these donations, people who need job training can receive it, people with disabilities can receive care and socialization they need and older, lower-income people who seek opportunities can find jobs that suit them. Goodwill is a nonprofit organization. We invest 84% of what we take in to help people with disabilities and other barriers to independence.

Some Like the Thrill of the Hunt

We organize our clothes by color, so if you know what colors suit you, which are your favorites, you can start there.  Like most stores, shirts and pants are racked together, but unlike most stores, they are all the same price.  Jeans are $6. Pants are $4. Shirts are $3.50. Tee-shirts are $1.50. And so on. With our new Rewards Card, you can save even more on select items.

You might even find that thrifting makes you a fashion trendsetter. Sometimes just choosing to wear clothes you love is all you need to be fashionable.

Leave Your Electronic Book Reader at Home

June 13, 2013

Get Your Hands on a Real Book for Less

Bestsellers at Goodwill
Hardbacks, trade paperbacks and children’s books are all available at Goodwill for less. From biographies to classics to thrillers, get it at Goodwill.

You might want to leave your Kindle or iPad at home when you go to the beach. Sand and electronics don’t mix. So buy a hardback or paperback for less at Goodwill. 

Whether your vacation spot is a backyard barbecue, a nearby beach or distant mountain, nothing beats a book you can open and read while you relax or when you are on vacation.

Our hardbacks are inexpensive and we have an ample supply of paperbacks,  juvenile and children’s books for even less.

Books at Goodwill
The Lightning Thief is a great book, which was made into a movie. So many Stephen King books have become movies. There’s even fitness books to be found just in time for summer.

Readers will always be able to find something to read at Goodwill.  Save your money and add to your summer reading list at any one of our Goodwill Keystone Area stores.