Garish Gal Mobile Boutique |

Garish Gal is TWO!!

Posted on October 1, 2016 by garishgal

Two years of being in business.

I would be lying through this keyboard if I said that statement doesn’t bring tears to my eyes. Owning a business is the best and hardest thing I have ever done. The sacrifices and stress seem to be endless, but then again so do the rewards.

When I started my business, I had really low self esteem. I was coming off of some major life changes and honestly didn’t know who I was or what I wanted. In the back of my head I had this aching feel that I wasn’t smart enough to do this. That I wasn’t good enough & that I was wasting my time and money.

Garish Gal has so proved me wrong in so many ways, but I think this is the most important. Not only has Garish Gal given me confidence I didn’t know possible, but it gives other women confidence. I started the business with the intention of reaching out to the outcast–that person who doesn’t necessarily mesh with what society or a small town says is acceptable. I guess I have always been that person–usually described as weird, or as I like to think, Garish.

I love when a woman comes into Garish Gal for the first time and finds something she loves, but is scared to try. There’s nothing quiet like that moment when she comes out of the fitting room and sees herself for the first time. That moment she realizes she looks great & can rock that which seemed impossible a few minutes before. She walks out of that little enclosed cargo trailer, bag in hand, with a new found confidence in her heart.

That to me, is worth everything.

I want to thank everyone who has made Garish Gal what it is today. I don’t have the capacity to thank every single person in this post, but if I could I SO would.

Allie Ault, I don’t know what I would have done this year without your help! You love my business like I do & that is so incredibly special to me.

Marlee, you little beauty you, I love that I have such a great ambassador modeling Garish Gal clothes on the website. You saved me from having to do it myself (which I HATED) so I am forever grateful.

My Mom, Dad, & Grandpa for being my drivers, stand in help, support, and advisors. The moment I told you all I wanted to start a business, you were there offering any help AND you still are. I demand a lot and you all have an amazing way of meeting those demands no questions asked. I love you all to the moon & back a billion times.

I know I am forgetting people, so I am sorry if I miss you! BUT know I am beyond grateful for you!

LAST, but certainly not least, Thank YOU –all of my amazing customers. There wouldn’t have been a year 2 if you weren’t so supportive of GG! To thank you, use promo code 2CUTE for 30% off all day today. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

Praying for another amazing year of blessings & success! Thanks for allowing me to do what I truly love.

xo-

Phil. 4:13

Fresh For Fall

Posted on August 9, 2016 by garishgal

FALL FASHION IS MY FAVORITE FASHION

In case you can’t tell, I love fall fashion. Shockingly, I don’t love Summer. I hate to sweat and I don’t like wearing shorts–at all. So my Summer wardrobe involves A LOT of dresses.

However, as it is now AUGUST, I am officially allowing myself to reach for my Fall transitional pieces. Yes Ladies, that means fur vests, flowy dresses, and booties. I couldn’t be happier.

So as you could assume, Garish Gal fashion is at its’ best during the Fall. I go overboard with great Fall pieces that can easily transition into Winter. After all, Garish Gal is about great wardrobe staples that you can wear all year around. So let’s dive into some of this Fall’s upcoming trends you MUST invest in.

The Colors: Olive Green & Oxblood

We have seen these colors really start to stick for Fall year after year, which isn’t surprising because these two are great for almost any skin tone. I LOVE olive green (or military green) because it really accentuates my green eyes and tan. Oxblood is a beautiful deep plum color that screams Fall to me. I love how great it looks with tan OR black booties. Both of these colors pair well with denim, which is obviously important. Below are two of my favorite options available at Garish Gal right now.

Olive Kimono $28 Wine Lace Kimono $38

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Open Shoulder Plum Dress $45 Wine Turtle Neck Dress $38

2. (Faux) Fur Vests

I live in Faux Fur Vests from Fall into Winter. I love how a fur vest can dress up an outfit and also add a little edge. I love adding a fur vest to a shift dress to create a shape and break up the straight up and down of a shift. I also love that it keeps me a little extra warm on the chilly days. Garish Gal has A LOT of options when it comes to fur vests. I strongly believe that each fur vest works differently with particular outfits and looks.

The ivory faux fur vest is supposed to look a little more elegant and soft. I had this the first Fall/Winter I was open and it was the first item I ever SOLD OUT of. So I am loyal to this particular style. It looks great dressed up over a dressier dress during the holidays or with a sparkly short for a holiday party.

Then there are two versions that are meant to look more like fur without actually being a real fur. One is a cropped version, which I love over flowy dresses or rompers. This version is going to look super cute without being overbearing or too much. It also looks great with a flowy top and denim.

Finally, the third faux fur vest is a longer-real looking fur. This longer version is great for leggings or denim! I love how you can wear this version so casually every single day (don’t judge me if you see me do this!).

Figure out which look you are going for and check out the below options. These faux furs are low maintenance and great quality so they won’t look ragged like cheaper versions. Invest in quality like these and you will be able to wear for years to come.

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Ivory Cordova Vest $52

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Loree Cropped Vest $52 Screen Shot 2016-08-04 at 11.23.02 AM.png

Belting Fur Vest $54

3. Plaid

I love the deep, dark, rich colors in the Fall plaid’s for Garish Gal. I don’t do a whole lot when it comes to plaid with GG, because plaid will be all over in every store. That being said, I do like to make sure they are special pieces–like the plaid long maxi. I love that it is a great transition piece and looks amazing with booties. This is the ultimate Fall look to me. Screen Shot 2016-08-04 at 11.30.41 AM.png

Carraway Plaid Maxi $68

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Fremont Plaid Shirt $48

4. Pleather

Have I mentioned how much I love Fall Fashion? Pleather is another MAJOR FAVORITE of mine. I wear pleather/leather all year around. Whether is is pleather shorts in the Summer, (P)Leather leggings in the Spring, or a (P)Leather jacket for Fall & Winter, I am always wearing and adding to my collection. I love the edge it adds to my look, it gives me a confidence I can’t really explain. Essentially, it is a way to wear my sassy without having to be sassy all the time. When it comes to pleather, I am always looking for the best quality, so you will only find the best pleather in Garish Gal. If you want to be able to wear something for years to come, a good pleather is necessary. Otherwise you will find yourself buying new pleather jacket to replace the old instead of buying a new version or color.

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Feeny Dark Elm Pleather Jacket $68

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Roddy Pleather Legging $54

5. Geometric Prints

Geometric prints are a great way to add a little pattern to your look. If you’re like me, you usually stick to the basics and solids. I love adding this vest over a pair of leggings to make my look a little more fun. I REALLY love this intarsia geometric aztec wide body sweater is AMAZING with leggings! This is one that I am REALLY excited to wear ALL Fall/Winter long–so sorry in advance. Finally, this reversible intarsia cape is EVERYTHING. I love that you can wear it more than one way with more than one look. If you get tired of one side, just flip it inside out and wear the other version. SO you actually have 2 capes for the price of 1. This will be another Fall/Winter Staple for me as well. The quality with these geometric print sweaters and vests is GREAT. Have fun with these prints and bring some vibrance to your look!

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Belatrix Geometric Vest $58

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Neville Geometric Sweater $58

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Severus Cape $72

Obviously there are a lot more Fall trends I could touch on, but these are my favorites that are available in the Garish Gal Fashion Truck RIGHT NOW!

You can shop 24/7 at the online Garish Gal Boutique!

x0-

Service Saturday

Posted on December 12, 2015 by garishgal

Today for Service Saturday, Garish Gal is teaming up with Project 117 to bring Christmas to their students & staff! Their Christmas boxes are $15 for a single box and they are still in need of 30+ boxes!

Today only- when you spend $60 at Garish Gal (online or in the mobile boutique) Garish Gal will donate a Christmas Box to Project 117!! So make a difference today by grabbing your girlfriends and Shopping Garish Gal to give Christmas to the amazing children at Project 117 that are truly deserving of a great Christmas!!

Feeling the pull to do more for these kids? Find out how to sponsor a classroom at Project 117 here!

x0-

IUK + Garish Gal

Posted on December 11, 2015 by garishgal

Indiana University Kokomo Collegiate Management students selected Garish Gal for their Business Analysis project. It was fun to sit down with the students and talk about the Garish Gal business. The point of the project was to perform a SWOT Analysis (if you weren’t a business student and this concept wasn’t drilled into your head- SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, & Threats a business may face) of the business and make recommendations!

I had expressed to the group that one day I would like to open a brick & mortar store either in Kokomo or Carmel. They did a thorough analysis of both locations and cities to see which they would suggest as my best option. Then they presented their findings and recommendations to their class as well as some additional local business owners. It was great to see their perspective and hear what they had to say.

They handed me a copy of the presentation and as I read through it I noticed something that really struck me. “Young, sophisticated, and fashionable, these three words can mean different things to different people, but to Maggie Talbert these three words describe her life. The biggest strength of Garish Gal is Maggie herself.”

Instantly after reading those words, I welled up with tears (yes, I know I’m always doing that). When you are running a business by yourself, working seemingly endless hours, and stressing out about certain aspects of business you forget that you are good at your job. You forget that you do what you do because people believe in your abilities. Those two simple sentences from people that met with me for a few hours pointed out something I had become blind to.

I am so glad Garish Gal was able to be apart of this project and I am grateful for the group members who reminded me that I am able and strong enough to run this business! Thanks Aaron Benner, Rachele McQuern, Dale Janssen, Walter Spitznagle, & Jennifer Louthen for giving me some much needed confidence and for doing such a great job presenting Garish Gal to fellow IUK students!

Check out the Trailer Today at Mike Gardner’s Show at Elite Banquet & Conference Center from 6-8pm and then check out the show!! Purchase Tickets Here! Show your ticket while shopping the fashion truck and receive 20% off your purchase!

As always, Shop Garish Gal!

Xo-

Garish Gal Family Photos

Posted on December 10, 2015 by garishgal

I wanted to share some of my family photos that were take by local Indiana Photographer Halee Betzner! She is insanely talented!

My sister, mom, and I wore Garish Gal clothing for the pictures-kind of by force, kind of not! I loved that each of us could find something that we felt comfortable & looked good in! That is what my aim is for Garish Gal-any age, any style, & any body type can find something they love!

I hope you enjoy our family pictures and I want to wish you a Merry Christmas from my family to yours!

Merry Christmas ❤

I am so looking forward to my favorite time of year with my favorite people! #familyfirst

Shop Garish Gal

xo-

Style Suggestions: Clothing Care

Posted on December 1, 2015 by garishgal

I get asked a lot about how to properly care for the goods purchased from Garish Gal. Personally, I am very specific about how I care for the clothing I buy. When I am paying a little more for better quality, I also understand that these items may require special care.

First, I always check to see what the washing instruction. If is a dry clean only item, then I know that is a piece I will never risk washing (be honest some of you do it anyways!). If it is a “hand wash” item, I always wash it on the delicate cycle without detergent and then lay flat or hang dry. Don’t hang dry items that will “grow” on the hanger! Items like this include sweaters, viscose t-shirts, or other softer materials.

Pay attention to the materials you are working with! Spot clean only with suedes and pleathers! Never wash pleather/leathers it will break down the material and completely ruin it.

Second, when it comes to hanging items pay attention to the fabric. I almost never hang sweaters. Sweaters in nature tend to “grow” on the hanger. By grow I mean that they expand and become longer. I always fold my sweaters in order to prevent growing. I am also cautious about hanging items that are made of viscose (most soft t-shirts are made of viscose) because these items tend to dog ear at the shoulders from the hanger. I recommend making sure the item is completely dry before hanging. If the material is really soft, then I do not hang the shirt.

Third, I almost never dry any of my clothes. I have worked on the wholesale side of the clothing industry. I used to have to work with the design team and create a care and content sheet for our major accounts. Care and content sheets tell you what the items are made of and how to care for the items to have the best possible longevity. Most of these materials really aren’t meant to withstand the heat of a dryer over and over again. If the item has elastic, the heat of the dryer breaks down the elasticity over time (this is especially true with your underwear-just a little heads up!). I have found that the best way to make my clothes really last is to air dry everything! I know this sounds annoying, but it really doesn’t take very long and you get more bang for your buck!

I hope that this helps you when you are buying new items and washing for the first time! Think about how long you want the item to last and look it’s best!

As always, Happy Shopping!

x0-M

Tuesday Trailer Transformation

Posted on November 24, 2015 by garishgal

With the trailer finally in my possession, My grandpa and I immediately started working hard on turning it into a fully functioning mobile boutique. Of course like any remolding or renovation process, it took much longer than expected, cost more money, and had minor stress inducing problems arise. However, I am happy to announce the trailer is officially completed on the inside! The outside vinyl wrap will take about 3 more weeks to have fully completed, but trust me it will totally be worth the wait!

Now that the trailer is finally finished on the inside, I have been able to breathe a sigh of relief. There were moments I doubted the design and colors, how it was coming together, and I reached a point where I hated everything. However, once I finally filled the trailer with the clothes my doubts were put to rest. I just sat on the floor taking it all in and crying. Lots of hard work, long hours, and stress finally started to prove to not be futile! I am SO proud and excited about how it has turned out. I think you all will love it too!
Below is the transformation! Check it out and see how amazing it is!

You have to shop the boutique to check out what it looks like fully loaded!!

Black Friday the Fashion trailer will officially be out and about in the Weber Speakers Parking lot (405 E Southway Blvd Kokomo, IN 46902) from 1-5pm! Come Shop!

Small Business Saturday I will be teaming up with Patty Thatcher of Spray Tan Patty and Morgan Henn of Rebellious MakeUp at their location for amazing deals. November 28th from 2-5pm!

Everything will be 30% off in the boutique from Black Friday through Cyber Monday!

Happy Shopping!

Xo-M

The Garish Gal Promise

Posted on November 22, 2015 by garishgal

As the holidays approach, we see more and more companies that are offering ways to help out different organizations. A lot of readers are just learning about Garish Gal for the first time and aren’t aware of the premise of why I started GG.

I started Garish Gal because I had always dreamed of starting a clothing boutique, but after a trip to Haiti I realized I wanted GG to be more than just a place to shop. I wanted to be able to help out the kids that I had met in Haiti with Garish Gal. These kids had SO little, but their lives were so full of happiness. I haven’t seen smiles so bright and so wide since my last trip. My friend Curtis had started a school in Haiti known as Project 117 which provides hope through education for the children in the local village and orphanage. They were elated to be able to go to school.

With Garish Gal I originally decided to donate $25 of every $150 customer purchase to Project 117. However, I wanted an easier and more common way to donate to P117. So effective January 1,2016 Garish Gal will donate 10% of profits to P117!

Garish Gal donates to a life changing organization regularly-not just at a certain time of year. I want you to know that your purchase ALWAYS helps make life changes without having you donate extra, just simply purchase a top that you love or necklace you’ve been lusting after! It is that simple.

Below is one of the little girls I fell in love with on my trip. Her name is Swenslie. Her story is SO tragic and unfair. Her little eyes showed the hurt, fear, and uncertainty she had experienced in her past. After arriving at the orphanage she was enrolled in school at Project 117. Now, she is thriving better than ever! Her eyes match the wide beautiful smile that is constantly spread across her face. When you shop with Garish Gal, you help fun P117 activities that make this little girl’s life better!

You create fashion with a future when you shop Garish Gal!

Happy Shopping!

MAJOR GARISH GAL NEWS!

Posted on September 1, 2015 by garishgal

Hey All!

I wanted to FINALLY share with you some MAJORLY EXCITING NEWS about Garish Gal!

A week ago Monday, I officially purchased a cargo trailer in order to make Garish Gal a mobile Fashion boutique.

AKA GARISH GAL IS GOING TO BE A FASHION TRUCK!

I am insanely excited about this expansion and am going to share this adventure with you all every step of the way.

Although, I had always intended for Garish Gal to be an online only boutique. I found that my clients wanted the personal interaction that you receive with a boutique. I also missed interacting with people and helping them find the perfect outfits.

I had a decision to make: Brick and Mortar store or something else.

My good friend called me one day with the idea of creating a mobile fashion boutique and I instantly loved it.

I had found the something else I was looking for!

I liked the idea of not being confined to one specific space, but rather meeting people where they are.

After doing a lot of research, I decided I wanted to use a cargo trailer instead of an actual truck.

I found the perfect trailer and ordered it about a week ago!

Hopefully, I will have it up and going by the middle to end of October!

I am teaming up with my grandpa to create the perfect mobile boutique that fits the needs of my customers and stays true to the Garish Gal brand.

On October 1st, I will also be launching a new website for Garish Gal that will be cleaner and easier to use.

It will feature a place where you can book the boutique and you will also be able to use the calendar feature to check out where the boutique will be (different events, farmers markets, first Friday events, etc).

I will keep the blog updated as I progress on the boutique!

Stay tuned 🙂

xo- M