Leslie Morgan has a mission to empower women, and she does it through sustainable fashion, operating Closet Connection, a women’s upscale resale boutique located at 713 S. Leggett Drive in Abilene, Texas.
Opened in June, by Morgan, her husband, and daughter, Closet Connection serves as both a resource to help women through purchasing clothing items and as a place to purchase upscale, affordable fashion.
“The whole thing is to empower women,” said Morgan. “Buying clothes from [women] gives them money, helping us make money. So it’s our family helping other families, give or take. And we just added a little fashion in with it.”
Women can stop by the shop with clothing they no longer want, and the store will sort through the items and then provide an offer on the pieces they select. Women then have the opportunity to accept or decline the offer. And if clothing is sold, it gets cleaned, pressed, priced and added to the floor.
“We try to pick items that we feel are going to look good on you,” said Morgan.
The shop also serves as a sustainable place for women to clear out clothes, rather than throwing away items that can still be worn.
“They’ve still got life in them, so you don’t want to just throw them away,” said Morgan.
When clothing is not selected to be purchased by Closet Connection, the owner has the option to donate the clothing, and Morgan will drop the items off at Love and Care Ministries.
“They have a special place in my heart,” said Morgan. “I love that it stays here in Abilene, and they help people right here.”
The shop has a wide collection of items ranging from business wear and casual wear to formal and prom dresses, all in a variety of styles and sizes.
“We’re not just for teen girls. We want to be multi-generational,” said Morgan. “Any woman who wants to walk in and wants to try on things, or try something new, or they’re looking for something specific, I’m like, ‘I got you, girl. I got you.'”
Morgan also offers a very personal shopping experience, offering customers help with selecting items for specific events and fashion advice, or she just serves as a personal cheerleader when they’re trying on clothes.
“I love to interact with my customers,” said Morgan. “I have girls come in, and they’re like, ‘Girl, I’m going out. I need something flashy.’ And I was like, ‘Tell me your size? Let’s go look for it, let’s go find it.’ And we just have fun with it because a lot of people get scared with fashion.”
Closet Connection is open from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and also features an online shop that can be accessed any time at www.closetconnectionabilene.com.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Abilene’s Closet Connection empowers women through fashion
Reporting by Lauren Dossey, Abilene Reporter-News / Abilene Reporter-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
