Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Stylist Card

Our stylists send out a personalized note with each order, here's a sneak peek:


Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Holiday Worthy Outfits

It's that time of year again...time to write a (way too long) letter to your loved ones with an attached photo that goes out in the mail on December 23rd with the hopes that it gets to the recipients by Christmas.  Well, those photos can either look like you took them with a selfie stick at a weird angle OR your holiday photo can look amazingly idyllic thanks to choosing the perfect outfit and the perfect photographer.  Our go-to photographer is Ashley Rostad of Blackwater Studios, she takes candid photos that reflect the season and make each person look spectacular.   Beyond that, you must pick a good outfit (cue Upshift).  Below are 4 easy outfits that will create a great holiday look for you and your family. 



1. Dressy Plush

This dressy outfit looks totally effortless because of all the texture; cable knit, shearling, faux fur, tweed, and wool.  The cowl neck sweater is cozy when layered under the shearling/fur coat and paired with tweed pants.  Top it all off with a wool, plaid scarf and high pumps.  This layered look is ideal for an outside shot.


2. Dressy Glitz

If you want a super dressy theme go with a full skirt in silk with a chiffon top, layered under a floral cardigan.  Wear open toe, strappy pumps with tights (not shown) and a silk scarf.  All are in soft pastels and grey which would be ideal for a holiday soiree in front of a fireplace.


3. Casual Cozy

The comfy, cozy holiday look is the go-to outfit for family portraits.  This outfit has all the key elements; flannel top, fur lined sweater, skinny cords, leather boots, and a knit cap (with little tiny reindeer).  The entire family can dress in this and look so amazing in a winter holiday shoot.


4. Casual Sleek

This is another casual outfit perfect for a holiday photo, but think of this as the polished version of casual.  It's denim-on-denim, which is a huge trend right now and has the added bonus that it's monochromatic and always looks super chic.  Add a chunky scarf and muted shoes to keep this look really sleek.

The Cap Times Article on Upshift

The Cap Times did a wonderful article on Upshift and our newest endeavor, online swapping. Read on and learn more about the swapping system.  Click image or link below for the article.



http://host.madison.com/ct/business/technology/secondhand-swapping-delivered-to-your-door-madison-clothing-shop-set/article_ba316620-e84d-560d-93f8-50e00fe8d41a.html

Monday, November 23, 2015

Thanksgiving

At Upshift we have so much to be thankful for this year!  We launched out online business this week and orders are coming in, meaning more diversity to our inventory.  Spread the word so our online business thrives and helps Upshift grow, www.upshiftswapshop.com

Also, we have decided to close on Thanksgiving to allow our staff and customers to focus all their energy on spending time with family and friends.  Additionally, we are limiting our hours to 12-4pm the day after Thanksgiving.  We'll have mimosas available for those shoppers that are a little tired post holiday or for those that shopped earlier that day. Notice how I avoided calling out what day it actually is, here at Upshift we don't necessarily tsk consumerism, but we think it should be fun, not stressful...so, come and consume good booze and awesome fashion.

Small Business Saturday is November 28th from 10-4pm.  Please support local and come to East Johnson Street and visit all our amazing neighborhood small businesses. It's totally possible to make a full day out of it; brunch, lunch, dinner, and drinks with amazing shopping sprinkled in there (ahem, Upshift).

We also are hosting a giving thanks event on Sunday, November 29th from 12-6pm. Bring 2 canned goods and get $5 off with donated goods going toward Second Harvest.





Sunday, November 22, 2015

Jewelry Event

We love to partner with local businesses and artists, we'll be featuring Ashley Grasmick and her jewelry designs.  Come in Sunday, November 22nd from 2-4pm to view her amazing pieces and have first access to purchase the one of kind items.

Additionally, we are showcasing art by Silus along with complimentary wine!

$5 off swap fee
November 22nd 2-4pm


Thursday, November 19, 2015

Open Letter

This is an invitation to be part of something huge while getting weekly sustainable fashion.  We're seeking a female public figure; celebrity, reality star, famous blogger, comedienne, politician, television star, model, rock star, socialite, talk show host, newscaster, or self proclaimed celebrity. We aim to partner with someone that shares our values of sustainability, not your typical form of sustainability, but a proven sustainable method.  We will send a weekly package of clothing and you wear our clothes from Upshift Swap Shop and let people know where your amazing new trends come from.  All you have to do is hashtag #upshiftswapshop and tag us in any social media.  It's a win/win, you get free clothes and we garner a following all in the name of sustainability. We have professional stylists that choose items from our meticulously curated inventory of clothing.  We are a swap shop where women send in their gently used goods and we then custom-choose items from our inventory to ship back items to them, that if practiced for all consumable goods creates a sustainable market not ever practiced before.  Until now.

You, as a featured celebrity, would not have to send us clothing (unless you want to), we will ship to you a weekly selections of clothing and you wear it however you so choose.  The items would be custom picked to fit your lifestyle and body type.  Have your personal stylist send us your lifestyle and sizing information and we will ship out immediately (to a private and undisclosed address, of course). Email us at upshiftswapshop@gmail.com.

Thank you and we look forward to sending amazing fashion your way!


Lindsay Leno
Owner
Upshift Swap Shop
608-628-9525
836 East Johnson Street, Madison 53704
upshiftgswapshop@gmail.com

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Premium Stylist Advice

This is a call out to our Madison customers, as you may know I teach at the Madison College in the Fashion Marketing program and my students are doing a client stylist project. We need a woman that is willing to come to MATC Truax Building on Monday, November 23rd at 10am to get a FREE stylist analysis from my Fashion Analysis class. We'll ask you questions regarding your lifestyle and offer style advice on what items to incorporate into your life. You'll gain access to premium information regarding fashion trends that work for your lifestyle.

Email me at upshiftgear@gmail.com
First come, first serve

Can't wait to work with you!

Lindsay

Sunday, November 15, 2015

Friday, November 13, 2015

What the HECK is going on with Plus

We have toyed with the idea of having a plus collection since August 2014.  We can't fit it in our small 500 sq ft space at 836 East Johnson Street so we opened it in our underground location.  It was touch and go with keeping it open due to weather and scheduling conflicts.

We are in the process of expanding the business (we're making an announcement on Saturday, November 21st at 2pm at One Barrel Brewing Company in Madison's Eastside) and felt like this is a good time to put our Plus inventory in holding until we can get all our sizes 0-24 under one roof in the future.

Soooo, plus is not available for now, but will be soon enough.  However, based on our announcement you may have an option to access it.  If you're curious come see us at One Barrel on Saturday, Nov 21st at 2pm for our big announcement.

Everyone involved in Upshift has been incredibly supportive during our 2 years and all the twists and turns.  Your patience will pay off soon enough!

Lindsay

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Holiday Event 2015

We are so excited to be a part of this event happening in our neighborhood.  Jam on Johnson is an amazing event put on by the city where we have beer tastings and music at each business on East Johnson Street.  November 13th from 4-8pm.

Bonus, we'll be having $5 off our swap fee from 4-8pm with apps and snacks!




Wednesday, November 4, 2015

New Loyal Customer

Below we feature a new and totally fabulous customer that I met last week at the boutique.  Her name is Ashley and we actually met because she reached out to see if we'd feature her handmade jewelry (and we are on November 22nd from 2-4pm, mark your calendar).  She just emailed this shot of some of the amazing items she got at the shop (along with a wonderful quote).  I wanted to share and let you all know you are more than welcome to send us pics to feature on this blog. We love getting images and feedback.  Send to our email and don't forget to share on social media, word of mouth helps us grow and get new, daily inventory through our swap system.

"Recycled everything.  This is what happens when you trade and shop locally.  These are all designer goods.  Friends who live in Madison, I urge you to check out Upshift.  This place feels like a well kept secret and I want to spread the love."

Thank you Ashley!