On Dream Jobs and J Crew

Several years back, when I was in working-mom mode, my official title was Director of Retail/Buyer. The core duties of this job included doing the buying for several shops at a resort, and staffing and managing each shop. But my favorite part of the job was the merchandising. This was my love. It was actually the part of the job that I could have hired out...and I did a few times, borrowing the talents of a couple of girls from Crate and Barrel...but all in all, I took this part of the job on out of sheer enjoyment.

When The Boy was a baby, I would tuck him in his little papoose, and head to one of the shops either before of after hours to merchandise. I'd often bring with me my rip sheets from magazines...ideas about a story or scene I wanted to create...and I would work for hours trying to create the picture I had in my mind. Often times on buying trips to New York, I would spend hours window shopping (especially at Saks) to gather ideas. The windows at Saks are true masterpieces...especially at holiday time. One glance at them, and you immediately want to enter the store. This is the mark of terrific merchandising....the ability to tell a story and get your customer to understand it and buy into it.

Yesterday, my beloved J Crew catalogue arrived. I had been expecting it because Beloved Niece had warned me that it was out. She and I share a love for anything and everything J Crew. When the catalogue arrives, I generally stare at the cover for a few hours before I let myself open it. You see, this catalogue is a merchandiser's dream. Whoever styles it is brilliant. After all these years...my dream job would be to merchandise the J Crew catalogue. It's a lofty dream...but one that makes me happy...and also gives me ideas to write about...a winning combination.

The catalogue has come up with a page called "Jenna's Picks". Jenna is suppose to be a style editor who picks 10 or so items that she deems "important for the season" I happen to know that Jenna actually exists, because I read an article about her in Vogue. Jenna has my dream job. Not only does she pick the items, but she puts them together in a creative way...and then picks a location to photograph them in order to create her story. This season's story takes place on the beach in California. It all has a very victorian/cozy yet modern/ vibe.

With apologies to my male readers, and anyone who hates this sort of thing...we will spend tomorrow analyzing Jenna's picks for fall. Because this is my true love...and if i can't actually do it...then I can at least write about it.

I would also like to add that Big Sister has inherited similar genes, because the key to many of her sales on www.thelittlejewelrybox.blogspot.com, is her ability to tell a fashion story...

So until tomorrow, when I we will take a stroll through the catalogue and see what we wish we were buying for fall...