When I started Amara’s Closet the best advice I was given was ‘keep it local‘.

I’ve been an EBay shopper for years and had watched sellers like Style Sequel, Frockdrop and Shonamac build reputable businesses that I purchased from regularly. I loved the idea of being able to own an authentic designer item, from a true designer lover, for a fraction of the price. Half the fun was reading the listings that professed undying love for the very item that was to be sold!

Overtime I realised that I too wanted my own store, EBay or otherwise. I have a nose for a bargain, love quality labels and I’m frugal to a fault. The first thing that stumped me was ‘where’ to find stock. A lengthy search online only produced the kind of items that everyone else was selling and I didn’t fancy buying ex-catalogue stock to compete on price, a never ending war if you now business behaviour! Then I stumbled across an EBay seller who gave some invaluable advice;

“keep it local”.

I understood what he was getting at. It was highly unlikely that items that I could find in local boutiques would appear frequently anywhere else… if I worked smart. My only trouble, I believed, was living in the shire counties of the UK where nothing happens (including fashion).

How wrong I was.

Yesterday I came upon a pair of Chloe stacked heels. I wrestled with the idea of buying them for almost a non0-second. I’m still wrestling with the idea of keeping them for myself!

Through walking the streets (legitimately of course) and hunting for secret treasures I’ve built an inventory of designer clothes that I’d happily keep for myself, lottery willing. All unique, handpicked and authentic. It’s not been as easy as finding an online distributor and running a dropship service but it’s brought me so many hours of shopping pleasure I wouldn’t have it any other way! Ultimately the joy of discovering a coveted designer item that’s unique to my store, loved by me and the potential owner, is priceless.

…and now for some gratuitous Chloe finds from my LYST.

Bliss.