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Retailers' picks: What's selling, what's not?
January 19, 2010
An interesting thing happened when I solicited retailers' picks for January's annual In & Out list — I 
received about three times as many "Ins" as "Outs." Is it the result of better inventory management? Positive thinking? Or, in these recessionary times, a sort of "Stand by Your Manufacturer" loyalty? As in years past, the results represent a variety of geographic areas, store sizes, merchandise categories and price ranges. They also reflect a variety of tastes — for some, blue is definitely out while others are selling it in every shade; some retailers say shine and metallics are flying off the shelves, other shops are shunning sheen.
Take a look — if there's anything you'd like to add or debate, feel free to do so in the comments section.
In
- Red
- Purple, in all hues
- Primary colors
- Bright colors and combos, especially green and blue
- Muted tones, such as browns and grays
- Orange, red, brown and blue combinations for textiles
- Pillows with bling in stitching, beads and/or fringe
- Plum and light blue replacing brown and blue color schemes
- "In the new year, our products will focus on what we saw at market — gold, yellow, teal and brown, plus black and white combinations"
- Greenery that leans toward natural garden and spice variety
- In florals: Burnt orange, bright to arid yellows and golds, deep reds and burgundy
- Mixing old with new
- Character
- Pairing upholstery covered in natural fabrics like linen with rustic, old (or old-looking) case pieces
- Understated chic, comfortable, well-priced goods.
- Homey, "we've-had-this-old-expensive-thing-forever" looks
- Candles
- Throws
- Pottery
- Small artwork, like canvases and framed prints
- "Repurposed, reclaimed, recycled furniture and accessories."
- Monkeys
- Bling Western styles: soft leather lampshades with gemstone beads, barbed-wire chandeliers with crystal embellishments
- Cozy, warm chenille throws in all price ranges and colors
- Crosses, religious items, inspirational sayings, motifs, words
- "We are in a coastal community so everything nautical.
- Crosses
- Nature
- Animal prints
- Animal prints in non-traditional colorways
- Large scale floral prints
- Fleur de lis
- Butterflies
- Honeybees
- Bird themes
- Geometric repeats
- Facets
- Barware
- Chrome
- Silvery blues
- Metallic and embellished wallpapers
- Mirrored dining table pads
- Bedding
- Metallic leather
- Cashmere blankets
- Crystal ... everything!
- Tone-on-tone damask
- Original artwork purchased as investment
- Americana
- Mediterranean
- Antique chairs upholstered in modern fabrics
- Photo frames
Out
- Red
- Blue
- Brown
- Quantity over quality
- Anything too shiny
- Showy labels
- Formality
- Firm pricing
- Tea accessories
- Over-the-top ornaments
- Antique gold
- Matchy-matchy bedding ensembles
- Exaggerated arms on upholstered seating
- Fussy floral arrangements
- Equestrian/hunt themes
- Black lampshades
- Mass-produced artwork
- Tuscany
Posted by Susan Dickenson on January 19, 2010 | Comments (2)
