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Long Time Coming–Imelda's Prepares to Launch Online Store

It's hard to say how many calls we've fielded from out of town customers in the past couple of years asking how they can shop with us. There are many people who were loyal visitors in the past and have since moved out that want to continue to browse and buy from afar. To many the obvious solution is to open up an online store, and we're proud to say, after (and a bit before) a lot of deliberate and involved work, we plan to do exactly that. We will be launching our new online store this spring, which will feature a uniquely Imelda's and Louie's vibe, and lots of the shoes, handbags, jewelry, and accessories that made you love us in the first place.


Want more juicy info? Here's a little fake Q&A, just like those cheesy TV store commercials...
What took you so long? I've been forced to order my shoes from Mega-Huge Corp!
Good question! The actual planning work on this site began over a year ago, and it has been in discussion since well before then. The main reason is that we wanted to get it right. We wanted to make sure that shopping our website felt just like shopping our store, and that we had plenty of time to learn how to buy for, operate, and provide great customer service for our online customers. Jumping into it too soon could have left you feeling that we... well, jumped into it too soon.

What products will you carry on your website?
Tons of stuff. The actual availability of products will always vary, just as it does in the "brick-and-mortar" store. But it's safe to say that you will find the whole range of goodies you love to shop for online. We will do our best to choose the items that we feel will interest you, and of course if you can make it into the store, we would prefer to see you there, the best selection will always be found in our shop.

What will it look like?
It's gonna be pretty. You'll see.

How do I find out when you go live?
Another great question! As is the case with almost everything I&L related, our mailing list subscribers will be the first to know. You can sign up for Email announcements here. We don't bug you too often, and we promise not to share your info with anyone else.

We are excited for this new adventure, we hope to see you all soon!

Pretty Pretties and the Unfortunate Ones

There's only one day left in 2009, so lets ring out the old and bring in the new. I think this calls for another list! I love lists, and like to employ them as often as possible in my life (sometimes unnecessarily). Go organization! So, lets use this one to name all the trends from 2009 that we loved, and those we do wish would disappear in a poof of pink smoke.


Things to love, love, love!

1. Lace: Who doesn't love lace? Reminiscent of candlelit parlors and shaded strolls through manicured estates, lace is the textile of yesteryear. It is a delight to mix in with modern pieces, spreading a little softness wherever it goes.

2. Riding Boots: In the Pacific Northwest, rain is a constant part of life, and wet ankles are so unpleasant. I love my riding boots (though I have only ridden one horse in my life). They are cute and I can walk for miles in them.

3. Vampires: I love dramatic black clothing, I wear red lipstick, and I turn very pale in the winter. So, naturally, I am very excited to find a trend so suited to me. Plus, eternal youth, think of all the shoes I could collect!

4: Wide Belts: Yay for the return of the waist! Wide belts emphasize curves and add definition to any outfit. I particularly love belted dresses with swishy skirts.

5: Mad Men: Yes, men and women can both be fashionable! I am personally fond of curve hugging dresses and full skirts. However, give me a man in a well made, close-fitted suit and I'll be putty in your (strong yet manicured) hands.


Pretty please, go away!

1. Uggs: Unless you are spending lots of time in the Arctic Circle, where it is actually below freezing much of the time, there is no need to own this footwear. And, Uggs as fashion, puh-lease, please leave this place.



2. Hammer Pants: Really, I understand fashion is cyclical, but was it really necessary to try to bring these back? Oh, and styling them as an offshoot of the harem pant didn't fool anyone.

3. No Pants: Lady Gaga can pull off the look of an outfit without any substantial (or insubstantial) bottom half, but please don't be fooled, it will not look good on you or me.

4. Greenwashing: Looking and sounding like you care about the Earth is hip. There are too many companies that attempt to look eco-friendly, but don't actually make any attempts to change their impact on the environment. It's time to step up.

5. Blake Lively's Sternum: I love Gossip Girl, and I think Blake Lively is a very attractive women, and I'm sure she has lovely shoulders and clavicles, but I don't know, because she loves her sternum too much, and shows it off at every opportunity.


Now, it's time to look forward to all of the joy and agony fashion will bring us this year! Yay!

Rockin' around the Christmas Tree.....

"Things ain't what they used to be and probably never was." ~Will Rogers

I always was a nostalgic kind of child. I liken it to moving a couple times in grade school. I was always pining for the comforts of familiarity while struggling to make my way in a new community. As I have grown, I have come to appreciate living in the now and my nostalgia for the past has waned. But nothing brings out my mushiness more than the holidays. From the moment the first notes of Christmas carols pipe into the air on Black Friday, memories start flooding back of Christmases long ago. Now I must admit that I have a love/hate relationship with Christmas music. I love the songs but hate how overplayed they get during the holiday season. In retail we love to have a festive environment for the holiday shopping season, and for the last 10 years this desire has put me on a quest to find new and fresh Christmas music. So here, I present to you, my favorite picks of Holiday tunes for you to enjoy (be sure to click on the song titles as they are links):

• "Santa Claus is Coming To Town" by the Jackson 5 - This is a joyous rendition done by the Jackson 5 on their 1970 Christmas album. I remember belting this song out as a kid in music class at Ledgeview Elementary School! Little Michael's angelic voice, backed by the sublime harmonies of the rest of the Jackson 5, makes for a fun and mostly traditional take on this tune. This track can also be found on the awesome 1999 compilation A Motown Christmas. Which leads me to my next choice...
• "Someday At Christmas" by Stevie Wonder - Wow...this song, written in 1967, could not be more appropriate for our current times! Stevie gives me chills when he croons, "Someday at Christmas there'll be no wars/When we have learned what Christmas is for/When we have found what life's really worth/There'll be peace on Earth."
  
• "Xmas Curtain" by My Morning Jacket - Well...if you know me AT ALL, you would of course know that My Morning Jacket would appear on this list as they are my most favorite band in the WORLD!!!!! Originally on At Dawn, "Xmas Curtain" is also the opening track on their holiday EP, My Morning Jacket Does Xmas Fiasco Style. Do yourself a favor and get this album (well really, both albums).
• "White Christmas" by Otis Redding - The genius of Irving Berlin meets the genius of Otis Redding. Everyone is familiar with Bing Crosby's iconic performance of this song (it is officially the second best-selling single worldwide). Otis' soulful voice brings out the longing in the lyrics. Gone too soon from this Earth Otis Redding, and thank you for recording this version.
• "The Peace Carol" by John Denver & The Muppets - So this is where nostalgia really rears its head in my world. I was 4 years old when this Christmas special debuted on TV. I am not sure how many years it was run, but it is a very solid part of my childhood Christmas memories. My sisters and I received the vinyl from Santa and it has been played in our family to this day (I can't believe we didn't break or warp the record over the course of 30 years). I have to admit, it was hard to pick a favorite off this album. My family knows all the words to every song and it brings us together in a weird (Muppets, people, we are talking Muppets), but lovely way.
• "What Can You Get a Wookiee For Christmas (When He Already Owns a Comb)?" by The Star Wars Intergalactic Droid Choir and Chorale - Ummm, yes you did read that right! Santa started a family tradition when he brought us Christmas in the Stars: Star Wars Christmas Album LP on Christmas Day in 1980. Rhino re-released this rare gem in 1996 (only 150,000 copies of the LP were pressed and the second pressing never came to fruition), so I suggest you check this out if you are a fan of Star Wars/80's nostalgia. Oh, and one little bonus fact about this album, it features the very first professional recording of one Jon Bon Jovi (no joke)!

Happy Holidays everyone!

Tis the Season to shop local?

The first night of Hanukkah is 3 days away, Christmas is 16 days away, and Kwanzaa runs 12/26-1/1....have you started shopping yet?

I have, and as I have done every year, I try to keep my dollars local. I walk up and down Hawthorne Blvd looking for the great selection of gift ideas this neighborhood has to offer. I walk from Kids at Heart and Greg's to Powell's Books, across the street to Peet's coffee, Global Exchange and Jackpot records. I find some of the treasures I know my family and friends desire. I head west and survey the Pearl District and gather a few of the treasures it has to offer(Hannah Anderson and and a gift certificate to Isabel's to name a few)and I am pleased with my efforts.

If you didn't know "for every $100.00 spent in independently owned stores $68.00 returns to the community through taxes, payroll, and other expenditures...."(Visit 350project.net for more details). I typically value the experience in the local shops vs. the big box retailers. More importantly, I know someone down the street, a family at my daughter's school,or the barista at Stumptown lives will be enhanced by my shopping efforts. I hope to avoid sounding preachy but as a local retailer your shopping dollars allow me to provide jobs AND health insurance for 12 employees..not a small feat if I do say so myself.

There were a few items on my daughter's wish list that I couldn't find locally and had to order on the internet...the must have sock monkey hat and a specific peace sign t-shirt. I Googled these items and hoped I could find a good local resource but no luck and since Hanukkah was fast approaching I felt compelled to put aside my local shopping efforts and order online! So is there a contradiction to my prior statements? Yes, but at least I can say I tried my best. It is clear that the internet has provided the world a feeling of local because all that we need is at our fingertips, just not always down the street.

All that being said, Imelda's Shoes and Louie's Shoes for Men will be launching an e commerce site this spring! So for our old customers who have moved away or those working late across town, I have to ask "Is local where you live or a state of mind.......?"

Pink Sparkle Kittens!

Well Folks, it's nearly Turkey (or Tofurkey) Day, and that means time to count our blessings. While it is true that I have a wonderful life and am very grateful for the many amazing people in it (my husband, Tyler, really is the cat's pajamas), I think it's time to count the frivolous blessings. You know, the everyday phenomena that make life fun, goofy, pretty, and cozy. So, here goes:

1. Sparkly eyeshadow! I love makeup, and predictably, I have quite a bit of sparkly eyeshadow, pink or otherwise. The highlight of my last trip to New York was shopping at Sephora at midnight near Times Square. Why are there no cosmetic or beauty shops open late in Portland? I think we could all benefit from a bit more sparkle.


2. Kittens! I don't really think this one needs any explanation. Who wouldn't love a basketful of sleepy, wiggly kitten-love? For some reason, whenever I think of kittens (and it really is too often to be healthy) I imagine them to be lumbering and narcoleptic. Ahh, kittens...


3. Pink! If there was a color to express how I feel most of the time, it's pink. No, I don't mean soft or baby pink. I'm talking about bright bold pink, that looks so happy you just have to smile, because it's so gosh darn pretty. My winter coat and umbrella are pink, as are the streaks in my hair. I even have pink ink in my fountain pen, and my notepad at work is the same blessed color. It really is sublime.


4. Joss Whedon! This love/obsession is all thanks to my friend Camille. From her, I learned the wonderful ways of Whedon, and I've never looked back. I've watched and loved Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Serenity, Dollhouse, and Dr. Horrible. Oh Joss, how I love thee and thine media. Anyone who can inspire love and supreme annoyance simultaneously is genius. Thank you for making strong women popular, and reminding us that we can still be girls (or vampires) and kick a little butt, too.


5. Shoes! Shoes are perfection. They can be stunning, fascinating, supportive, shocking, comforting, and a myriad of other qualities. But above all, for me (who owns at least 50 pairs) they are a necessity. Shoes can and often do make life better. No matter your sadness or stress, your shoes will always love you. Plus, they never talk back :)

So, now I've finished my list. I'm off to prance about in my pink high heels and watch some Buffy while holding a sleepy kitten. (I'm already wearing sparkly eyeshadow.) Toodles!

I think this world wide web thing just might catch on

Time was I used to be the only kid in town with internet access. Literally, nobody else. My dad signed up for CompuServe's $2/min dial-in plan one day and after that some of my best moments were spent waiting for that 14.4 Smartmodem to connect and bring us tomorrow's weather forecast. Things have changed a bit since then. In less time than it would have taken that blinking box to stop squawking and squealing you can get the forecast, check the radar, view live traffic cams, watch 6 episodes of Family Guy, and order a year's supply of pills that promise to grow or shrink the body part of your choosing. Thing is, until a few years ago, the internet hasn't really changed, it has only become faster and flashier. So what's new? Only everyone's favorite new catch-phrase: social networking.

It's important to note that people my age and younger hate it when people my age or older talk about social networking. To new generations Facebook and Twitter aren't some revolutionary new form of communicating and socializing because they are the ones who created it. The internet was never a new and exciting thing for today's youth, they were born into it, it has always been a part of their life, and it evolved to meet their needs. Conversely, those who were around before the birth of the internet just can't stop talking about it. Everything is an invention to them, it's all amazing and slightly mysterious. While I'm sure none if this is news to anyone, it does explain my complicated relationship with all of this. I have been around long enough to see the introduction of the internet to the household, but not long enough to really remember what life was like without it. It's old and it's new. I love it and I hate it.

The difference between the internet as we used to know it and the new social networking model is that our usage is now based on interaction with other users. What's not to love? You see a shoe you like on the Imelda's website (shameless plug, anyone?), you show it to your friends, they show it to theirs, and so on. Everyone gets to share what they love, and we get to make money. The other positive side to the new model is the fact that more people are communicating with each other than ever before. We all have access to instant, non committal conversation with one another, and because it's so cheap, we give it away freely. But it's the same reasons that make social networking so great that also make it so terrible. If all businesses realize the power of this free word-of-mouth tool how long will it be before our conversations become over-saturated with pitches and promotions? (One could site the downfall of Myspace and say that it's already happening.) And if people rely on digital communications as their primary way of interacting with one another, could we be turning into a society that socializes more than ever, but isn't at all social?


Thankfully my bi-polar approach to these questions also allows me a certain level of complacency. I'm really not all that concerned because I think that all of the above will happen at some point. Yes, advertising will bloat the system until it chooses to evolve again, and yes, people will become less social for a while (it happened in a big way with the television), but it will also connect us with old and new friends, forgotten relatives, and common interests. And... yes, we will make a buck or two. Be it a fad, trend, or cornerstone of society, social networking is here now, so we might as well use it. You can start by following us on Twitter and becoming a fan of our Facebook page.