By Bob Cox
The
next time you spend an evening watching an old movie, chances are
good that you’ll notice a few significant differences in the way
people looked and dressed back in the day. The vast majority of
people from the first half of the previous century were not only
amazingly thin but also extremely well dressed.
Over
the past several decades, we’ve taken the fashion of casual comfort
and dropped it down the rabbit hole of sloppiness. Just when the
fashion bar seems to have sunk to a new low, we find a clever way to
lower the dress code a little more. Casual Friday seems to have
devolved into frumpy Friday. What’s next, slovenly Saturday?
While
I’m not suggesting that we’ve become a nation of unsightly slobs,
I will say that enhancing one’s wardrobe doesn’t have to mean the
demise of the comfortable clothing we all enjoy. Cathi Hayter, the
owner of Khaki’s, a retail store that carries comfortable, casual
and classy lines of unique clothing for women, has also observed the
precipitous decline in the way people of all ages are dressing.
Here’s how our conversation went.
Q: What are the biggest
changes you’ve seen in style since you’ve been in the business?
A:
I think it’s sad that people don’t dress up anymore. I used to
sell dressy dresses for Christmas and New Years but people don’t
even dress up for parties anymore. Also, when I go to the theatre,
people don’t dress up anymore, not at all. To me, that’s part of
the fun!
Q: Do you do anything
special or unique in your personal life to make a fashion statement?
A:
Yes, I have two good friends and we go out once a year to a really
nice restaurant, dress to the nines and people are blown away. Then
on Halloween, we all wear witch outfits and go out to a nice
restaurant. There are six of us and we go beyond with our costumes
and they’re not just cheesy little costumes. We plan it all year.
Q:
How did you get involved in the clothing business?
A:
Before we were married, my husband worked in a ski store and they
asked me if I wanted to go to work there. I took the job and I just
loved it! It’s what I should’ve done all my life. I like to be
around people a lot and that’s what I liked most about it. I worked
into a full time position and got involved in buying. After that, I
was offered a job at Sierra Outfitters as a buyer and was there quite
a few years.
Q:
Did that background help prepare you to own your own clothing
boutique?
A:
Yes. The people that started Khaki’s in Modesto wanted to open a
store here as well. Because I knew them from the ski business, they
offered me the job as the buyer and manager of Khaki’s. When they
decided to retire, I bought it from them. Khaki’s has been around
for 20 years and I’ve owned it for 11 years.
Q:
Why did they name the store Khaki’s?
A:
Khaki’s means casual. They just wanted it to be one word and easy
to remember, but it can be confusing as men often come in here
wanting to know if we have khaki’s.
Q: What makes Khaki’s
different for other clothing boutiques?
A:
I really try to find items that are unique so you won’t see
yourself coming and going. It doesn’t matter what age you are, you
can still look hip without looking ridiculous by trying too hard to
look young!
Q: What have been the
biggest changes in your industry?
A:
Almost everything used to be made here in America, but now they’re
very hard to find. Also, there was no internet and very few catalog
sales.
Q: What are some
advantages to shopping here versus going online?
A:
Customer service and individual attention. You can try it on right
here, which means you don’t have to wait to get it in the mail and
then send it back when it doesn’t fit. You save time and all that
wasteful packaging, which leads to more pollution. Also, I’m very
honest with giving feedback. It’s probably cost me some sales but I
will not lie to make a sale.
Q: What do your customers
love most about Khaki’s?
A: People have told me they like
that we carry lines that are unique. They also like the personal
service.
Q:
Is there a certain style that’s a hot trend?
A:
Well, leggings seem like they will never seem to go out of style and
everybody likes them because they’re really comfortable. Girls that
wear leggings usually need longer tops.
Q:
You have a couch in the middle of your shop, which I love. What was
your thinking behind this?
A:
The couch is comfortable and its fun. I just don’t think it looks
homey when there are just racks everywhere. Plus the men like it when
they’re with their wives. I also have my book club meetings here
and other book clubs meet here as well.
Q: What advice would you
give people to live life to the fullest?
A:
Don’t stop doing things. Stay busy and active. And you have to have
really cute clothes! For me, cute clothes make me feel really good. I
know for some people it’s not a really big deal, but I think when
you care about how you dress and how you look, you will care more
about everything.
Q: What’s been the
greatest challenge you’ve faced and what action did you take to
resolve it?
A:
I lost my husband of 35 years when I was 60. I needed to make enough
money to make a living, so that’s when I decided to buy the store.
I realized that it saved me to keep busy with this business. At the
same time, I also learned how to dance the tango. I used to go out
three nights a week for tango lessons and I went to tango festivals.
I met new people and stayed very active, which saved me from
wallowing in grief.
Editor’s
notes: For more information about Khaki’s, visit their store at
2600 Fair Oaks Bl., #105 in Sacramento or call (916) 481-2204.
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