Friday, 6 June 2014

Nasty Gal - Wearable Vintage Online

I love thrift shopping and searching for over sized jumpers and 60's style dresses in vintage shops. I particularly love a good rummage through various outlets on Brick Lane, and I'd quite happily get lost for hours there on a weekly basis. However in this day and age, time doesn't allow this remotely often enough, so I'm very thankful for my handful of favourite online retailers, who have buyers with impeccable taste!

With that in mind I wanted to post about one of my latest online obsessions - Nasty Gal. It features both new and vintage collections from a range of designers, and not only are there some great wearable vintage styles, the story behind its founder is fascinating too. Founded by Sophia Amoruso in 2006, it's a real rags to riches story. Sophia built an empire from an Ebay shop called 'Nasty Gal Vintage', a name inspired by Betty Davis. She did this by selling her prized vintage possessions, sourced from a secondhand shops (a thrifty lady after my own heart). She went from photographing and uploading her own stock, spending hours by herself meticulously making sure everything was perfect, to a huge staff team and revenue of $24 million by 2012, which made Nasty Gal the fastest growing online retailer. Her story really resonates with a girl like me, who has big dreams and an entrepreneurial flare.

Here are just a few reasons why I'm happy to have stumbled across Nasty Gal,

1) First and foremostly, I love the clothes! From the wearable, quirky vintage designs to tasteful choices from other designers and retailers, I love that I've found a website where I want a whole host of items from their collections, and actually have to restrain myself when buying. Believe it or not, I'm actually a very picky shopper. I recently bought the sherbert jumper, above, and the metallic dress on the left, and am eagerly awaiting their arrival. My only complaint is that as a US based company, I live so far away I have to wait a few weeks for it to reach my doormat!

2) I run an enterprise centre that supports young entrepreneurs, and I love a success story in business, especially when there is so much fear of failure about. Don't get me wrong, businesses CAN and do fail, but you never truly fail if you learn, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and try again. Real entrepreneurs take knock backs as a learning opportunity and just persevere.

3) Looking around the office, pretty much 100% of the businesses set up and working from the centre are male, and that's not from lack of trying on my part to encourage some female entrepreneurs to move in. Now I'm not a multi-millionaire, I've merely dabbled with a few business ideas so far myself, but where are the young women that are getting out there and making a go of doing their own thing? I know there are lots of girl bosses out there, and I'm just reflecting on one start up unit, in one area, in the UK, but across the board it does seem a little male dominated. It's not a mans world, and powerful women like Sophia who have made their own fate really prove that. I hugely respect those who go against the grain, set a goal, dream big, and just make it happen. Sophia Amoruso recently published her story under the title #Girlboss, which looks like an inspiring tale - I can't wait to read it, and hope that it inspires other fiesty and creative women to get out there and make their mark.

I'm running a giveaway with fellow blogger, Tara over at the Penniless Socialite right now for a $50 Nasty Gal gift card, which is perfect for a wardrobe update. You can enter through the Rafflcopter links. I hope you love Nasty Gal as much as I do! I'm also co-hosting Tara's 'Favourite Fashion Friday' link up, join the fun below :)

NOTE: This is not a sponsored post, Nasty Gal are in no way affiliated with me - I'm just a fan.

Do you have any latest fashion obsessions? Please do share them with me!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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