This season, say “forget you” to junk and focus on gifts that will last

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Did you know smart phones are designed to be replaced every couple years or so? Think about it. They release new phone models every year with the hope that we as consumers will replace our old models with the new ones. This is a real thing and it’s called planned obsolescence. A policy of doing business where the design of the product has its obsolescence built in, meaning the product will be obsolete (not usable, neither in form nor function) before long. This principle pervades many companies in many industries, even fashion! Crazy, right?

Now we don’t want to bore you (or enrage you for that matter) with economic policies such as this. We simply want to open your eyes to the fact that this happens, and it happens a lot. At some point in your life you’ve come across a pair of cheaply made boots or purses that fell apart in a flash, no? Or maybe those same boots or purses even went out of style too quickly. That’s not by accident.

In an age where products in both fashion and technology are intentionally built to be replaced within a matter of years we at The Stockist have always aimed at securing the highest quality, long-lasting brands in our store. To stock brilliantly made products is an honor. In fact, that’s one of the tenets we were founded on.

Take Red Wing for example: they’re a proud and iconic brand that we carry in store. And they got that way by producing quality bootwear for over a hundred years. After you’ve worn your Red Wings every day for years on end, and after countless summer camping trips and myriad winter hiking excursions along the way you can rest easy knowing that even if your boots are starting to show a little wear and tear just send them off to Red Wing, Minnesota for careful restoration.

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Then we’ve got Baggu, a fast-growing bag and accessory brand – based out of San Francisco and Brooklyn – known for its simple, timeless aesthetic. And believe it or not it all began with one bag back in 2007: a classic, clean nylon tote styled after a plain ol’ grocery bag.

What do they have now? They’ve got everything from leather purses, clutches and backpacks to ripstop nylon and canvas versions of the very same. Simple designs and quality construction ensures Baggu bags stand the test of time both in fashion and durability.

We’re in the thick of the holidays. We know it’s easy to get caught in the mindset of buying a gift just to buy a gift. But think about it for a minute first. If we purchase well-made, environmentally friendly products then that puts these kinds of products in higher demand. Simply put when you’re gifting this season, take your time, and get to know the brand you’re courting. Or in other words opt for a bag o’quality, not a bag o’junk.

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Another brand you’ll want to know is Aesop, a company with a firm focus on skin, hair and body care. While products like these aren’t built to last, at least not in the same way as a pair of boots should, they still last. (C’mon, we’re talking balms and conditioners here; they have to run out someday.)

Still Aesop is a brand built on sustainability and the importance of self-care. More than that they listen to you. Many times over they’ve developed new products for skin, hair and body simply out of genuine response to their customer’s needs. In other words, they do their research people. What’s safe. What’s effective. What’s needed. These are all important objectives for them in the development of their complete body care line. If you throw an Aesop product in someone’s stocking they’ll know you really, really care about them.

Wow, does time have a tendency to creep up on us or what. It feels like we just barely laid out our 2016 summer collection but here we are talking about the holidays. Before we know it it’ll be spring. But that Baggu purse or those Red Wing boots you got your bae for the holidays will still be in tip-top shape. And your skin and hair and your dog’s fur (we sell Aesop wash for your animals, too) from those stocking stuffers you got will be marvelously lush for the oncoming warm.

There are plenty more brands in store that equal the caliber of the ones described above, too. Though it’s nearly impossible to sufficiently describe the greatness of all the wonderful brands we carry in one blog post. It’s honestly better to just come in and explore the shop yourself, to see the quality gifting possibilities right in front of your very eyes.

Oh and to put a little spring in your step this holiday season we’re putting on a festive party/pop-up trunk show this Saturday, December 17th. You’ll get 10% off throughout the store plus there will be delicious food to eat and tasty drinks to imbibe. So come mingle and celebrate. And remember that Helen, Brett and the rest of the team are always here to help you pick out a gift that will last.

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What time is it? It’s two-year celebration time at our new-ish shop location featuring a Nixon sale.

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You’re rushing around trying to get ready for that important interview you really don’t want to mess up, or that super special night out on the town with your friends you haven’t seen in a while or even that holiday work party you’ve been looking forward to (yes, the holidays are right around the corner).

Before you head out the door you check yourself in the mirror. Everything appears to be looking good but something’s still amiss. What is it? What could you be forgetting from your seemingly immaculate outfit? Think. What’s the one accessory that could absolutely complete your look? Does your wrist seem a little bare? Ah-ha! A watch.

Setting aside its utilitarian nature, what a watch says, nay, shouts is I am fashionable! Forget all the tech companies shelling out their monochromatic smart watches. Snagging a watch that’s all your own is something that will never go out of style. It adds personalization to your character. It exemplifies your undying commitment to quality workmanship in your everyday wear. It shows your want to hold on to something real and tangible in this increasingly digital age.

You see timepieces are perennial, both in fashion and in history. Name a time in the last 500 years when watches weren’t worn for both form and function. You can’t, can you? If you find the right one it will last a lifetime. Beyond that, too – it can span generations if you’d like. You can pass it on to your kids and in turn they can pass it on to their kids.

Watches truly signify something that cell phones, tablets and computers never can, style and nostalgia. And let’s be honest, watches are not designed for planned obsolescence (look it up) as the technology of today often is – so you’re guaranteed tried-and-true craftsmanship that will last you for years to come.

Nixon tops the list when it comes to quality. They’ve been making custom watches since the late 90s with a supreme focus on style. In fact, the founders started the company after an unsuccessful attempt at finding a watch for themselves that accurately reflected their individual styles. So you can see that there’s a heavy bent on creating a master timepiece that doubles as a fashion statement – not to mention it’s designed for the active lifestyle in mind.

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Flashback some years earlier to the 90s and you’ve got two young bucks – Chad DiNenna and Andy Laats (the founders of Nixon) – taking on an old industry in a new digital age. What provoked them to do so? They simply had a fascination with well-crafted watches. They left their comfortable jobs behind to take on an ostensibly insurmountable adventure. What they accomplished was amazing.

Starting out with the idea that they wanted a stylish and intimate yet affordable watch that stood the test of time (no pun intended) in regards to durability, they eventually created a humble empire. And the sole guiding principle? You guessed it, form and function. They wanted a watch that could suffer the ocean waves yet could still dance the night away hours later.

And the founders didn’t go it alone, either. They had the likes of pro-skater Tony Hawk, and pro-surfers Rob Machado and Lisa Andersen to help along the way. Because Nixon represents that active lifestyle, they wanted active individuals to guide their design.

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One of their ambassadors, Olympic snowboarder Todd Richards, even said to them that a watch doesn’t need to do much except, “Tell time, look cool, and not break.” It seems like simple words, but when it comes down to it that’s what everyone wants in a watch. So Nixon took that sage advice and ran with it.

Today, Nixon is in over 70 countries and they’ve since long-established themselves as a lifestyle watch brand. It’s respectable that these two humble guys built this monster of a brand simply because they wanted a functional, niche, fashionable watch. They’re still a small business at heart always craving to be the best on-the-move watch designers. Simply put, there’s a whole lot that goes into making a watch and Nixon nails it.

In honor of The Stockist’s second year at our new-ish spot we’re holding a Nixon Trunk Sale Show this Friday, the 7th of October (that’s just crazy, it’s October already!). You’ll get access to tons of best-selling watches at an up-to-20% discount in our shop (some exclusions apply). Plus there will be complimentary champagne and of course, great vibes. So go ahead and check out the flyer below for more details then feel free to pass the word along to your friends and family. We’re excited to see you!

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