Hello my NCA Friends,
Terry Sinopoli
It’s hard to believe that just as we are warming up to thoughts of summer fun, we are starting to prepare for Back to School.
I often post on our socials in the fall and in the spring about “Sudden Historical Costume Dilemmas.” It stems from a meme I saw several years ago that says “Have kids so they can tell you at 11 PM on a Sunday night that they must dress as a historic figure tomorrow — like your wardrobe is packed with timeless classics from the 1800’s.”* As the mom of a 14-year-old and a 17-year-old, I have seen many historical days at school.
It is our job to make sure that our stores and websites are packed with historic classics — not just from the 1800’s but Renaissance, Medieval, Revolutionary War and even modern favorites like the decades of the 20th century, too. This helps make the jobs of parents and teachers so much easier.
How do we do this?
Contact your NCA vendors who offer historic and scholastic costumes and accessories. Learn about their offerings and order according to your needs. Ask your vendors for samples so that you can share your new styles earlier than your competition.
Develop partnerships with local teachers and schools to learn about their programs ahead of time. We have a middle school nearby that does a decade dance following each lesson starting every fall. An elementary school we work with has Colonial Days every April and another does a mini Renaissance Faire every May. Being familiar with their programs and helping their teachers plan ensures that dozens of students and their parents and teachers contact us for costumes and DIY accessories. You can even offer a teacher’s night with a class, fashion show and/or sip and shop to introduce your scholastic line.
Keep in mind that teachers, students and even some parents in “larger” sizes will need to dress, as well. Teen and adult sizes are a wise investment.
Promote your scholastic line on your socials and website. Get the word out that parents (and teachers) are not alone in their search for the perfect historic costumes and accessories.
This is a great way to build business during a time that may not be as busy. It will keep your store top of mind leading into Halloween and again in the spring, depending on the time of year your local events occur.
Fall school plays are also a big part of Back-to-School excitement for just about every age group. Preparing with student makeup kits, costume plots, props, and show-specific costumes and accessories is essential to preparing for a successful show season.
Reaching out on your NCA social media pages or contacting experienced NCA members who have designed your particular show before is a great help if you are stuck for ideas or need specific items to complete your show.
Back to School is a time of transition for everyone. We as costumers can help parents and teachers make this time of year fun and exciting for young scholars.
We hope that you have an enjoyable and relaxing summer.
Terry Sinopoli, President
National Costumers Association
terry@arlenescostumes.com
Arlene’s Costumes
Rochester, New York
*From a page called Sarcastic Mommy