pssst..you're gonna wanna get in on this

Secret spring push of inventory...check it out:

Digital Newsletter - March 2015

Take a minute (literally a minute and a half) to check out our new digital newsletter.

Event March 5th

All day event from 12-8pm at UpShift!  Bring a friend and she swaps for FREE! We have hundreds of new items and of course complimentary wine!

It's supposed to be sunny all day (yeah, a little chilly, but we do have heat).

Check out this video for some details and a few new trends!

We have the best of the best wine.  Truth.

We even reuse paper to make cute signs.

Here's a legit marketing piece that the owner made  - legit event tomorrow.

Clothing Lifecycle: Global impact of mass produced fashion

Every garment of clothing in every closet has a lifecycle.  The length of that lifecycle is determined by many factors and in turn also determines its carbon footprint.  According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary carbon footprint is defined as the amount of greenhouse gases and specifically carbon dioxide emitted by something (as a person's activities or a product's manufacture and transport) during a given period. Mass produced fashion items in our modern era have a longer lifecycle with a larger carbon footprint than in the past due to globalization.  Items with a more limited lifecycle such as handmade items have less of a carbon footprint.  The lifecycle of clothing has an impact on our resources and the earth, but the good news is we, as responsible consumers, can do specific things to shorten or alter the lifecycle to have a lighter footprint.

 The typical, mass produced clothing item begins with raw goods such as cotton which are processed into fibers then shipped to a facility for the creation of fabric cloth.  These fabrics are shipped to factories and used for fashioning garments which are typically created outside the United States.  In fact, according to book Overdressed by Elizabeth L. Cline, as of 2011, 99% of footwear and 98% of apparel is made outside of the United States.  This statistic proves that creating and shipping these goods to the United States creates a deep and large carbon footprint.  Once the garments are made they must be shipped here and transported to distribution centers and retailers across our large nation.  According to Eileen Fisher, a retailer that sells garment and wants to lessen the burden on our resources through fashion, just one of their yoga tank tops traveled over 17,000 miles from cotton seed to retail store (that doesn’t even include the precious gas and miles the consumer logs from store to home).  The lifecycle isn’t done once it hits the consumer’s closet.  A typical garment will be worn several times and either donated or tossed out.  If donated it will travel to a local thrift store and ultimately on to another closet, or in some cases it may be donated to countries that are in need of clothing for the less fortunate.  If not donated it’s tossed out and will end up in a landfill.  Our clothing consumption has a complicated lifecycle that can have both a positive and negative outcome but without question creates a large carbon footprint.  We can lessen this impact on a personal and local level through some small and easy steps.

The complicated lifecycle of a garment makes it so that we, as consumers, can intercept it to make alterations that suit our personal, sustainable goals.   In the early stages of a lifecycle steps can be taken to cut down on the carbon footprint made by shipping raw goods, fabrics, and garment overseas.  There is a movement toward sustainability that involves consumers making their own garment even going so far as   processing fibers and yarns to keep the carbon footprint to its most minimal by creating the garment literally from scratch.  Even creating a garment from already-made fabric has a significant impact on the carbon footprint.  However, a typical fashion consumer may find it more suitable to make an impact on the later part of the lifecycle of a garment versus the beginning.  Once a fashion trend makes it to a consumer’s closet, despite the footprint that was made to bring it there, the choices include recycling, repurposing, swapping, or rummaging.  Recycling includes donating to a local store such as consignment, thrift store, school, or church.  Keeping donations local ensures that the carbon footprint is kept to a minimum. Repurposing can be done by creating something wearable or useful for personal use such as a throw pillow or using the garment to create rags for use in the garage or housekeeping.  Swapping is a growing trend that ensures your garment will be used by a friend or a person in your local community and has an added bonus that swapping guarantees that both swapping partners get goods in return that don’t end up in a landfill.  Rummaging is when the garment is sold at a garage sale and used as needed by the person that purchases it.  Any of these steps can halt or divert the lifecycle of a typical garment and can create a positive impact that would otherwise be created by the supply chain of clothing.

 Consumers don’t often think that a simple garment bought from their local retailer has a lifecycle that includes travelling sometime thousands of miles from beginning to end, however acknowledging and understanding the lifecycle makes it easier to take simple steps to divert or halt the process at key points.  The complicated concept of a garment lifecycle is due to globalization, and using the globalization of the internet to research ways to create our own fibers and garments as well as seeking out resources for recycling, swapping, and rummaging garments in order to cut down on the impact clothing has on our resources can make a huge impact.

Take a Tour

Sneak peek of our adorable boutique and amazing trends created by fabulous merchandiser (humble opinion).

Check it out:

We're Sponsoring Madison Story Slam 2.27

Madison Story Slam is this amazing community event that combines an open mic (anyone can enter) format with a comedy platform of themed stories (this month's is worst job, madness will surely ensue) and places all this in a a venue that is cozy and communal (think 50's era underground bar) all with complimentary PBR and craft brew (first come, first serve or just BYOB) and this is all FREE!  We're this month's sponsor, meaning we are ensuring that it stays free and open to the public.  We'll also be handing out $5 off coupons throughout the night.

Details:
Friday, February 27th
Sign-up 6pm, show at 7pm
Located at Wil-Mar center at 953 Jenifer St., Madison

If you've never been than this is your chance to just show up and watch (did we mention it's FREE), you'll be hooked and want to tell your own crazy tale!

Basically show up to have a great night of beer, story telling, and making connections.

Magic of our Trends

This is how we create our trends:

Top Ten Transitional Items for Spring 2015

We're about to hit that weird time of year where the weather and fashion don't sync up....and most importantly your brain plays a big role because it's saying, "I'm so over winter and ready for spring, but my office/communte/movie theater/house is still freezing cold but I sooooo want to start wearing spring clothes because the sun is FINALLY shining."  Ok, maybe your brain isn't saying all that but mine is and so I have this huge dilemma about what to wear during this transitional period.

Well, I'm here to help you take the guess work out of it all and tell you that there are 10 key items or styles that will help transition into warmer months (ahem, any day now *fingers tapping table*).

Here's a short 1:21 minute video (video not your thing, scroll down for still shots).

1. Cardigan
This one is an open front perfect for layering which can be easily taken off if you warm up.  Go with a great neutral such as grey, cream, or black.

2. Light weight sweater

It's all about layering your outfit between seasons, so going from winter to spring you need light weight pieces that feel springy, but keep you warm.

3. Fashion top

This means any top that strays from being basic.  We went with chiffon (for that airy feel) in animal print (so trend-on) and can be layered up (see a theme here?!). 

4. Printed Skinnies:

Bold denim in bright colors or a nice subtle print like this will put a bounce in your step and help you shake the winter blahs.  If it seems too risky for your taste be sure to tone it down with neutral layers on top. 

5. Bright Tones

I believe we can collectively as a whole decide winter is over by boycotting dull shades.  Let's put the power back into the people and start a revolution by ending winter by starting to wear bright, bold shades.  Ok, that got a little too preachy, but seriously it's proven that people feel better by wearing cheery shades.  Go dig out some neons or even rosie shades of bright pink and you'll inspire a spring vibe.

 

6. Bold Plaid

Gingham is the talk of spring, but for the sake of getting to warm weather wear any bright bold plaid. This staple is great for laying under a bold sweater (ahem, above) and adding a big bold necklace or scarf.  It's like you'll be strong-arming winter into giving up because you'll look so vibrant.

7. Florals

This piece is in a simple shape but is in a really bright print!  Watercolor floral is perfect for pre-spring and can obviously be layered over just about anything.  

8. Chiffon Dress Top

A light weight top in pastels is the ideal top for winter to spring.  This color works all through winter and definitely works for spring.  Obviously you know I'm going to mention layering.  It can layer under any sweater or blazer for a dressy vibe.  Button it all the way up and put on a bold necklace.

9. The Blazer

This piece is the miracle piece. It can be dressed up, dressed down, and layered up.  Any single item on the list can be mixed and matched with this blazer.  Seriously, scroll back up and you'll see what I'm talking about.  

10. Pencil Skirt

I'm not gonna lie, I put this on the list because it's fabulous.  It's a vintage 80's leather pencil skirt.  It's so classic it can be worn fall through spring and made to look professional or just cool and edgy. Any pencil skirt will work for this season, but take a moment and enjoy this fine piece.

Bonus: Footwear

Keep your boots for colder days and once the snow melts start rocking your heels again.  Once the sun is shining it's time to wear flats and show some ankle.  Warm weather calls for open-toe shoes and go perfect with any type of bottom.

Bahhh! New Items!

Our savvy customers know to come in the day after our events because we get in such amazing new items.  Today we had our accessories event...meaning all new items (hundreds) available tomorrow!

Check it out:

Award Season

We love award season: red carpet, speeches, glamour...a reason to drink champagne on a Sunday night.  The Academy Awards are notorious for the red carpet fashion, however we need to take a look at the nominees and their street wear.  In this clip we show the 5 women nominees for best actress and recreate their style with UpShift garments....and you can do the same  with items from your closet and our swap system.  Enjoy.

Out with the Old and In with the Better Looking Old

In this post we take what has been cast-off by the fashion world (it is fashion week and of course they're taking stock) and make it look new again.  Meaning you don't have to get rid of your favorite trends just because the fashion world says so, you get to hang onto it and make it look great...and wear it with zero shame, in fact, wear these trends with pride cause you look amazing!

(pssst, outtake video at the end of this post)

Patterned Leggings:
Recently there has a been a back lash to the idea of leggings as pants (and although there is a nugget of truth to this), there are appropriate ways to wear any style of leggings.  This idea certainly includes printed leggings.  We see people of all ages and professions wear leggings as pants, and most make it look great as long as this slim-fitting staple is balanced with a longer top and the appropriate shoe (think tall boot or spiffy flat).

Rounded Toe Shoes:
If the trend of finger nails is any indication, pointy is trending.  Rounded toe shoes are so stinking adorable that we say there is definitely room for this trend.  Wear it and wear it in a cute way and you'll still be trend-on.  Along with this trend we show a way to wear the high waist, crop top combo that is all over the celeb circuit.  Here is a pencil skirt paired with a boxy cropped jacket, keep this look tame with a button up top and of course little rounded pumps.

Animal Print:
This trend has been around for so long it's hard to think it will ever go away.  We don't think it will, at UpShift we see so many amazing silhouettes in animal print that it's almost become a classic. Also, the fashion world can get snobby so with this trend they're just picking on this sophisticated oldie but goodie.  Here we keep it  classic with cropp black bottoms and make sure to showcase the peplum because we think that's also a key trend (see below).

Peplum:
The peplum is a little flare added to the bottom of a top adding a feminine flair by creating a glasshour figure.  Apparently the fashion world gets sick of a new trend pretty quickly, this trend just hit mainstream and they're saying it's over.  We say it's still an important trend for this figure flattering top.  This one is a sweater which gives it more depth and we pair it with a skinny dark denim and a chambray button up.  Layers upon layers of gloriousness, the peplum is often portrayed as really dressy, but here we keep it nice and casual.  You should too.

Wedge lace-up shoe:
This trend just hit it's stride (*pun*) and so we know you aren't ready to part with your favorite casual/height inducing shoe.  Neither are we.  Keep this trend and keep it cute by pairing with skinny casual pants and a cutesy print top (this has palm trees...hello, spring) along with a slim fit little military coat.

Outtake video that didn't make the cut for final UpShift Short

Accessories Event

Bring accessories as part of your swap and pay only $10

Swap and sip wine February 22nd 2-4pm

At this event (one of our most popular gigs) you'll get to swap while sipping wine for half price!  Yahoo!  Sift through all your old duds....and most importantly your old accessories (jewelry, handbags, shoes, scarves, hats, etc).  We go through accessories so quickly and always need a new selection of goods in this area.

See you Sunday!

www.up-shift.webs.com

Stylist Event February 2015

Here is our adorable guest stylist (stepping in for our fabulous Mary B who will be back later this month).  Check out Sonni's spring advice:

Fashion Flash

We run these fashion flashes on our webpage, but wanted to share them here!  Scroll through and enjoy!

Stylist Event February 15th

Here's a sneak peek of some stylist picks for our upcoming event this Sunday, February 15th from 2-4pm.  $10 swap fee and complimentary wine as always!