A few years ago my friend Kattie first told me about Shecky's Girls Night Out, a shopping event featuring up-and-coming-designers that tours the country making a couple stops a year in about eleven different cities. For whatever reason, I didn't really give it another thought. But now that I have a little business of my own, I thought I should check Shecky's out in the chance that Pansy Maiden might be a good fit. Shecky's docked at the Cyclorama in Boston's South End this past Wednesday, March 25th through Friday, March 26th so I called Kattie up and we made a date for Thursday.
If you want to attend a Shecky's event, you have to buy tickets ahead of time as they are not available at the door. There are two options, a $10 ticket or a $30 ticket which includes a goodie bag. (Both ticket prices include complimentary beverages.) I opted for the $10 ticket. From the moment Kattie and I walked in, the vibe was "mall-meets-exclusive-dance-club." From the guys carding at the door, to being checked off the "list" after picking up our tickets, to the pumping dance music, to the fashionistas who were roaming the floor with fancy pink alcoholic beverages in hand, I felt like I had walked into a lost episode of Sex in the City.
The vendors definitely offered up some lovely, high quality items and there seemed to be an emphasis on "Shecky's exclusive" discounts, so good deals could be found. Most of the vendors at Thursday's event were woman-owned, small businesses. I'd say 35% were New England based, 25% NYC based, and 40% were based elsewhere. I overheard one vendor say that she actually tours with the event. The emphasis wasn't really on handmade items but there was a nice handmade presence. I'd say about 35% of the vendors, mainly jewelry-makers, advertised that their wares were handmade. One such vendor, NYC based kt collection, is pictured below.
All-in-all, I did have a good "girls night out" with Kattie. We even got a little make-over, sponsored by Maybelline, for free! I'm not really a "girlie-girl." I don't get dressed up to go shopping, I don't go "clubbing," I don't usually drink frilly pink drinks, and I probably spend an average of $20 a year on make-up, but it's good to get out of your comfort zone sometimes. And I always welcome an opportunity to support fellow up-and-coming, lady designers. The one downer of the event, though, was that there were no recycling bins for all those glass (fruit flavored) beer bottles. It made me unhappy to see all that glass thrown away.
If you want to attend a Shecky's event, you have to buy tickets ahead of time as they are not available at the door. There are two options, a $10 ticket or a $30 ticket which includes a goodie bag. (Both ticket prices include complimentary beverages.) I opted for the $10 ticket. From the moment Kattie and I walked in, the vibe was "mall-meets-exclusive-dance-club." From the guys carding at the door, to being checked off the "list" after picking up our tickets, to the pumping dance music, to the fashionistas who were roaming the floor with fancy pink alcoholic beverages in hand, I felt like I had walked into a lost episode of Sex in the City.
The vendors definitely offered up some lovely, high quality items and there seemed to be an emphasis on "Shecky's exclusive" discounts, so good deals could be found. Most of the vendors at Thursday's event were woman-owned, small businesses. I'd say 35% were New England based, 25% NYC based, and 40% were based elsewhere. I overheard one vendor say that she actually tours with the event. The emphasis wasn't really on handmade items but there was a nice handmade presence. I'd say about 35% of the vendors, mainly jewelry-makers, advertised that their wares were handmade. One such vendor, NYC based kt collection, is pictured below.
All-in-all, I did have a good "girls night out" with Kattie. We even got a little make-over, sponsored by Maybelline, for free! I'm not really a "girlie-girl." I don't get dressed up to go shopping, I don't go "clubbing," I don't usually drink frilly pink drinks, and I probably spend an average of $20 a year on make-up, but it's good to get out of your comfort zone sometimes. And I always welcome an opportunity to support fellow up-and-coming, lady designers. The one downer of the event, though, was that there were no recycling bins for all those glass (fruit flavored) beer bottles. It made me unhappy to see all that glass thrown away.
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