July 17, 2025 • 26 mins
Today, we’re diving into the trends, colors, and must-have styles for the upcoming season just in time for the August WESA Trade Show. Whether you’re stocking for fall, holiday, or early spring, this session with content creator Morgan Nicole is designed to help retailers stay ahead of customer demand, make smarter buying decisions, and show up to WESA with confidence and clarity.
WESA Retail Roundup July 14, 2025:
- Host: Glenn the Geek, Host of Horses in the Morning
- Facebook: Retail Roundup Facebook group
- Guest: Morgan Nicole Zipperlen, visit on Instagram
- Link to WESA PartnerShip
- Presented By: Western English Sales Association
Timestamps:
01:06 - Trends and Styles for the Upcoming Season
07:58 - The Transition to Accessories in Fashion Retail
12:09 - Consumer Spending Trends and Expectations for the Future
19:04 - The Evolution of Consumer Relationships with Brands
23:01 - Preparing for the WESA Trade Show
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Foreign.
You are listening to the HorseRadio Network, part of the Equine
Network family.
Well, hi everybody.
This is Glenn the Geek backwith you and we're here for another
retail roundup on a Monday.
I'm the founder of the HorseRadio Network and host of the Horses
in the Morning daily podcastfor the last 14 years.
(00:22):
And welcome to the WESA Retail Roundup.
The Retail Roundup is your goto virtual hub for all things retail.
Join panel discussions, learnfrom webinars, share your thoughts,
ask questions, and connectwith your community.
We host a virtual event orshare educational content every week
via the Retail RoundupFacebook group.
If you haven't joined thatyet, hop on over to Facebook and
look for Retail Roundup andyou'll find it there.
(00:45):
I want to apologize.
My voice is not great.
I've had a bad allergy weekand I just, I did my show this morning.
Horses in the Morning just gotdone with that and I think I have
enough to get through today, so.
So we're going to make Morgando all the talking today.
Absolutely.
You know, I can do that.
I don't worry about that at all.
(01:06):
Today we're diving intotrends, colors and must have styles
for the upcoming season.
Just in time for the AugustWESA trade show, which my wife Jennifer
and I will be there.
Whether you're stocking up forfall, the holiday or early spring,
this session is designed tohelp retailers stay ahead of customer
demand, maintain, make smarterbuying decisions, and show up to
WESA with confidence and clarity.
(01:27):
Last week we learned aboutinventory management and now it's
time to learn what trends to buy.
Coming up today on the RetailRoundups, one of my favorite people
and one of my wife's favoritepeople, actually.
We're joined by Morgan Nicole,a WESA partner and western fashion
content creator based in Texas.
Morgan is known for herauthentic storytelling and engaging
(01:47):
digital content rooted inwestern and and outdoor lifestyle.
She's also the brand new cohost of the Wisdom by WESA podcast
with my wife Jennifer.
So you two are co. How's itgoing over there?
How you liking being a podcaster?
Well, Glenn, we are having thetime of our lives.
We are definitely laughing andenjoying all the incredible conversations.
(02:12):
It's been an absolute dream.
Well, you know, what did I sayto you after you.
You were on this show beforeand what did I say to you after this
show?
You remember you saidsomething like, you know, we are
really going to reign you in somehow.
And little did I know that I'dbe receiving a phone call.
That's right.
Podcast co host.
(02:34):
But whenever WESA called andthey said, you know, is this something
you're interested in?
I said, work and yapping.
Yes.
I can talk, I can yap.
And really just getting,getting to connect with retailers
and wholesalers, but alsogetting the viewers a chance to listen
(02:55):
into has been really neat.
Well, and you and my wifeactually are good combination because
she comes from.
She has a lot of businessexperience in the retail world and
the wholesale world for that matter.
And you have, you have thisfashion and all of that and the social
media stuff.
So it's a really good.
It's a good compliment, I think.
It really is.
(03:15):
It's an incredible balancebecause like you said, we have two
different viewpoints andaspects, but yet so many common threads.
And it's always great to getanother's insight or view or perspective.
So I've been loving it.
Well, and there's twodifferent age groups, and that's
important too, actually, youknow, because you're covering both
(03:36):
ends of the spectrum there too.
Yes, it really is.
Well, that's not why we'rehere today, but go check it out.
Search on your podcast playerfor wisdom by Wesa and you'll hear
Morgan and Jennifer on thereco hosting that show.
They took over a coupleepisodes ago, so I think there's
two episodes out with thoseguys on it.
So check that out today.
(03:57):
But we have a bunch ofquestions for you about what to buy
come this trade show coming upand colors and things like that.
This is an area I know nothingabout, so I'm learning with everybody
else today.
So what is the trending color palette.
Palette for right now for the upcoming.
I mean, right now we'relooking at really Christmas.
We're looking at the fall,we're looking at Christmas, and we're
(04:18):
actually looking at thebeginning of spring next year.
So what, what are we looking at?
That's a great question, Glenn.
Right now, what we're seeingis a lot of, for fall, a lot of trending
spice browns, rust, teal and olive.
I know we'll get into all thefine print throughout the podcast
(04:41):
today, but what I'm reallynoticing is that the color is driving
the first impression.
And with some greataccessories and pops of color, that's
where we're going to see aquote unquote trend color.
But every Western girly knowsthat the basics are more than basics
(05:03):
and their staples andessentials, but definitely the spice
browns and rust and teal.
Wow.
We were bright colors a fewyears ago.
We were.
I remember that it kind ofSeems like it's in every three to
four year cycle, right?
The first year there was, youknow, of the, the three year span,
(05:24):
the first year it's really strong.
Second year, it's still aboutthree fourths of what we're seeing.
And then that third and fourthyear, it's slowly fizzling out.
I've spoken a lot, actuallythrough the last couple of years
on podcasts with trends is,you know, it is great to follow a
trend sometimes, but really myfocus in my fashion is being able
(05:50):
to wear an outfit that I canbe proud of today, five years from
now and 15 years from nowbecause, you know, the trends will
come and go.
But accessorizing is always agreat option.
And you could add color tothat too.
So rust, I got to go back torust for one.
(06:11):
Rust colored breeches came outwhen we had our tack shop many, many,
many years ago.
And that was like a statement.
Rust was like a statementbecause we had white and we had black
at that point.
And then rust came out andeverybody was buying rust colored
breeches.
And then very quickly theywent away.
But rust is back.
It is, it's back.
(06:31):
And I think that this is onethat is here to stay.
And throughout the years it will.
Today I have to just point outthe obvious.
I'm playing coastal cowgirl today.
I'm at the beach.
So don't like can of sardines on.
You, me and my friends.
But typically.
(06:52):
Okay, I gotta explain for theaudio listeners.
You're.
You're wearing a sweatshirtwith a can of sardines on it.
Oh, yes.
She's amazing.
Do you like sardines?
No.
Just for the fashionstatement, Glenn, you should know
that.
But in general, someone in thewestern space is going to have denim
(07:14):
in their closet.
Chambray and rust is somethingthat you can keep in your closet
for a lifetime.
And of course we see, youknow, depending on the piece of clothes,
you're going to see differentcolor trends too.
Right.
Shirts are going to bedifferent than jeans are always jeans.
Right.
So.
But skirts are going to be different.
You know, your dresses aregoing to be different too.
(07:36):
Definitely.
I think like I had mentionedearlier, the accessorizing is so
huge right now, and that alsobleeds into buyer behavior in 2025
and what I think will be thesame in 2026.
But accessories are kind ofpriority right now.
Which ones, which ones arecoming up specifically?
(07:58):
Twillies from fringe scarves,one of my clients.
But dear friends, the twilliesare taking over the world.
I mean, they truly are.
It's a little piece of fabricthat you can tie around your neck.
You can do it on your neck asa bow, kind of like a little knot,
two to the side.
(08:19):
You can do it on a handbag.
You can do them around your wrist.
But accessories like twilliesand, of course, wild rags will always
be around.
Tying them in your belt loopsor even in your hair are a great
way.
And boots, of course, I am aboot connoisseur with 175 pairs and
(08:40):
counting.
Well, you know, one of thequestions when you're a retailer
is obviously you're going toalways carry the base colors, right?
You're always going to havethe denims, and, you know, you're
always going to have thosebase colors.
How do you decide whatinventory, how much of the trendy
fashions you're going to putin the store, and how much of the
base colors, you know, isthere a percentage that you think?
(09:04):
I feel that it's hard to putan exact percentage on it.
But what I will say is whenyou do carry staples in your boutique
or, you know, as a retailer,you definitely want to make sure
that you are carrying strong staples.
Staple pieces that can berestyled, repurposed for buyer behavior.
(09:31):
Right now, we are definitelydoing some emotional buying, but
also being realistic.
If I'm going to buy a blazer,well, I really need to see a blazer
styled three to four ways forme to say, you know what, that deserves
to be in my closet.
Is that a result also of theeconomy and everything else this
(09:52):
year?
It is.
And I think also with themarket being so oversaturated, and
people ask me that all thetime, well, what market is oversaturated?
And I tell them quiteliterally, any and every market,
especially fashion, you know,everyone wants to jump in.
But if you are here to make.
(10:13):
And it's more accessible nowto everybody, too.
It is.
And if you're really here tomake an impact as a retailer, I would
suggest finding that happy,you know, healthy balance of great
staples that you can repurpose.
You can carry them allthroughout the year if someone buys
it and several months later,their friends say, where you still
(10:36):
can, you know, restock those.
But then having theaccessories, I think it's great to
filter those through and havenew arrivals really every for two
to four to six weeks,depending on how much volume you're
doing.
But if you can't offerstaples, it's really hard definitely,
to get those sales up.
(10:57):
But the accessories is whatkeeps your clients coming back and
back.
It's interesting you mentionedthat, because I. I saw a picture
from a tech shop on Facebookthe other day where they took.
They took a blazer and theytook, you know, just a pair of jeans.
They had three separatemannequins with the same blazer and
the same pair of jeans andthen changed everything else out.
(11:19):
So they did accessorize itdifferently, but they had them all
in a row.
So you could see, okay, thisblazer goes with this, this, and
this.
And it was completelydifferent looks.
But that kind of makes theperson want to buy more than, you
know, want to buy two or threeof those different accessories and
shirts and things to go withthe blazer.
Right.
So it was a cool way to do that.
(11:40):
I've noticed that too lately.
And what I'm seeing is thatthe buyer behavior is really focused
on their priorities now.
And the priority kind of cycleis the uniqueness of the product,
then the quality, and ofcourse, the price.
With there being so manythings on the market right now, you
(12:02):
really have to either becreating a product or carrying a
product that has thatuniqueness factor and of course,
the quality to make thepurchase worth it, in a lack of better
words.
So do you think people rightnow, and you see this, you know,
talking to people and beingout doing your job, do you think
(12:22):
people right now are spendingmore on accessories and less on the
big purchase items, the, youknow, the $400 blazer or jacket,
Are they.
Are they spending more on thesmaller stuff to go with what they
already have?
Yes, I think with usspecifically being in July, someone
might be listening in a latermonth, but right now, so speaking
(12:45):
live, we are in July, and Ican say as a consumer that, yes,
I rather spend my dollarsright now on a lower price point
of an accessory or something,because summer means quantity.
You know, we're all traveling,we're going to different events.
(13:06):
It's fun to experiment withdifferent things.
And then for retailers andwholesalers, our time is coming up
for those big value items,like 400 to 1200, whatever that bigger
number is.
It's definitely coming up inthe cards with rodeo season and the
(13:27):
nfr as the NFR is a big moneymaker for us.
But I can definitely speak onright now.
You know, I just bought a newhandbag the other day, so I might
splurge through the spring andsummer and get one big piece, but
then I'm definitely going forthose lower ones until.
The fall with your, with yourclients and things.
(13:49):
What are we looking for?
What are we looking at forthis Christmas?
Because, you know, it is kindof a weird year, right?
It's been a weird year or what?
You know, what are you lookingfor for this Christmas?
Would you be stocking up onmore of the smaller pieces and less
of the larger for Christmas?
So I would say kind of backingup a smidge, if you don't mind.
(14:11):
I would say that October toNovember is your heavy hitters.
Stock up, spend the money onthose higher priced items.
Because the girls are shoppingin October, November, last minute
nfr, Thanksgiving family, youknow, Christmas card photos, they'll
(14:32):
take those in November.
So October and Novemberdefinitely spend the money there.
When we're already inDecember, you know, the NFR is happening
really early in December.
I would almost say get thoseGrab and Go accessories, get those
Grab and Go gift sets.
(14:53):
Get some of those tank topsthat they might fit small mediums
and then medium larges.
And that way it's easy anddigestible for Christmas shoppers.
If anyone is shopping andthey're really into rodeo, but are
even attending or part of thenfr, we are looking for easy grab
(15:16):
and Go gifts.
So if you are carryingclothing items, maybe something that
someone can say, oh, you know,I don't know what size she is.
Let me get something thatmight work.
So what about, I mean, we'realso looking at next year.
We're also, you know, nowthinking about buying in for, you
know, the winter end ofwinter, next year into spring.
(15:38):
Because we're thinking ahead.
What do you see there right now?
I think that set, I know this.
Is fortune telling at thispoint, but you know, we are going
to see it out there.
Well, the great thing aboutfashion is we typically get to see
a small little snippet, kindof a quick glance and then it will
resurface.
(15:58):
And I think what will reallybe hot is sets and flowy items and
always layering for upcoming,you know, spring and summer of 2026.
Having some short sets withmaybe like a sweater top or something
that's matching in bold printswill always be fun too.
(16:22):
Coming into a new year, do you.
Realize this is a side notefor all of us that are my age, do
you realize that we are closernow to 2050 than we are to 2000?
That's a little scary.
I know.
We are, we're closer now to2050 than we are 2000.
That's crazy.
(16:43):
I graduated from TCU, theNeely School of Business, last May.
And I'm looking at thecalendar now and I'm like, are you
serious?
I've been graduated for over Ayear now I'm married.
A house.
You have a real girl, A biggirl job.
Yeah.
I have people listening towhat I'm yapping about.
(17:05):
Crazy.
So what?
So let's go there.
Your age group.
How are they different now?
What are they buying?
What are they doing?
Are they tending to spend alot of money?
Are they holding back or know or.
Or, you know, where are theyat it really?
I kind of feel like that'stwofold and maybe I can share some
(17:27):
of my personal experience.
So it is no surprise that I ama shopaholic.
I have been since I was alittle girl.
I started working really earlyon and started several businesses
and different ventures toquite literally fund my shopping
addiction and my shopping lifestyle.
(17:50):
And I think of.
I have personally grown.
And when I say grown, thiscould be something.
I don't know.
You are wearing a can of sardines.
Let's go.
Maybe the fashion has gottento a low point.
Okay.
Hey, But I still have somejewels on.
It's all about balance.
But what I've seen in my own.
You wear your sardines well, Iwill say that.
(18:12):
Thank you.
Thank you.
What I've seen with myself isthat there's kind of spurts and moments,
right?
90 to 120 days ago, I wasbuying all the little things.
This, that, and the other.
And then there's moments whereI might just want to go buy a new
Louis Vuitton and say, youknow what?
(18:33):
I'm gonna.
Wait a second.
Then I might stumble across acouple great pairs of denim, and
I have to have it.
So my age demographic rightnow, I think speaking for all this,
we're figuring it out.
You know, some days it'sspend, spend, spend.
Some days it's hang tight.
But again, that emotionalbuying is huge right now.
(18:56):
Consumers are wanting apersonal connection to the brands
and the companies they'rebuying from.
And that's why.
That leads me to my next question.
When you were on before, wetalked about storytelling, because
that's kind of your thing, right?
You're the storyteller.
Uh, so how can.
How can.
And you're right now planningstories for fall and for Christmas.
(19:19):
They should.
We should be.
Anyway, we have to startthinking about that ahead of time,
especially if you want yoursocial media to work.
You really have to start kindof start planning.
And you talked about that lasttime you were on.
So what are we looking at forthis Christmas and storytelling?
What do you think?
Are we.
Are we tugging at theheartstrings or what are we doing
in telling those stories.
(19:40):
I think what we're doing nowis really opening up the brands to
their core, as some viewersalso know, listening.
I'm not only a podcast cohost, but I am a Western fashion
content creator.
But really, you can think ofme as a brand representative.
(20:01):
And what I am seeing in mybusiness field is that we are really
diving deep to the core andthe center of who the companies are
and bringing it to the surface.
We're going back with familyhistory and lineage of the company.
One of my clients is RobinHack Hoffman with Lovely Ranch.
(20:24):
She will also be at all thetrade shows.
But something really neatabout her story is that her family
has been in the textileindustry for over 100 years.
And so with Robin right now,we are literally going into the archives
of her family's warehouses,pulling up prints, and then Robin
(20:47):
showing us how she is, youknow, transferring and then bringing
those to life in dresses and cardigans.
So for Christmas, we'rehitting the heartstrings.
We're showing the history, andwe're showing the why.
Because right now, the why is everything.
And we're here forsustainability and longevity, not
(21:10):
fast fashion.
So the why is really crucial.
And it's interesting what yousaid that ties into what you said
about people wanting to have arelationship with the brands that
they're buying now.
They feel like they know themand they want a deeper relationship.
It's kind of why podcastsbecame so popular, because people
listening, you know, I. I havea saying that I do use it all the
(21:31):
podcast shows when I speak, and.
And the first thing I alwayssay is they come for the content,
but they stay for the hosts,you know, so.
And that's true of stuffthey're buying, too.
They may come because theyliked your product initially, but
they want to like the company, too.
And I think that's more sothan ever in the past.
It really is.
I don't think I cared when I30 years ago who the company was,
(21:53):
because they're, you know, wedidn't have the.
We didn't have the landscapethat we do now.
Exactly.
And now it's so much more meaningful.
And again, I'm putting myselfback into the consumer position because
I could sit here and talk allday from a professional aspect of,
you know, the industry, butreally just boiling.
(22:16):
Boiling it down to the basicsof being a consumer.
It means so much more to mewhen you can compliment me on my
little gun necklace here andsay, wow, Morgan, I. I love that
necklace.
It's really you.
Who's it from?
And I can sit here and I cantell you that it's Sunwest Silver
and it's native made, but Ican even tell you the stories that
(22:38):
I've been able to swap withthe owners.
So it just gives thatsentimental touch.
And it's word of mouth, too.
I know my best friends and I,when we're talking about clothing
and fashion and boots, if theyhave a personal connection, I naturally
want one too.
And so it really just tieseverything together.
(23:01):
What else would you say as faras the seasons coming up for you
know what, what other advicedo you have for.
For WESA?
For one, we're walking aroundwith 5,000 booths at Dallas.
Yes, I would definitely saythat for WESA trade show prep specifically,
ask vendors, you know, askthem for their best sellers and what's
(23:23):
kind of their exclusive itemsthat are on the line sheets right
now.
Do they help provide digital assets?
What is their story?
Because you will be able toreally weed out and really find that
perfect match when you canconnect with the vendor on their
(23:44):
story.
And let's be honest, it reallyhelps in marketing on the back end.
You know, yes, you can promotea shirt all day long, but when you
can talk about the rayon andhigh thread count and the wholesaler,
it really helps you there too.
So what I would say is walkinginto Westa, I always suggest several
(24:06):
days, go in there with a freshmind and ready to be a sponge and
soak it up.
Come in there with a blanknotepad and walk around and just
start forming thosefriendships and relationships.
And as you're asking themquestions, write down the best sellers
on your journal.
(24:26):
Maybe even talk about past sales.
Hey, what did you see lastyear out of your line that sold the
best?
That's what I want.
You want the heavy hitters.
Very good.
There's just so much to choose from.
It's so hard when you go tothe trade shows because you know
there's 5 million items there,you know, and you want to carry them
all in your store and you can't.
(24:47):
Right?
It's so hard.
It is.
It's so hard to choose.
But what I will say, and evenfor a quick tip for both of the retailers
and wholesalers, everyoneneeds to keep their eyes out for
the hot displays.
Because if someone is going totake the time to make their booth
(25:08):
look good and their mannequinslook good and really bring that full
visual, you really want toexplore that more.
Your phone agrees.
My phone agrees.
It had to chime in.
My apologies on that.
She just couldn't keep silent.
It happened.
Funny though.
It was perfect timing.
(25:29):
It was.
Where can people find you, Morgan?
People can find me onInstagram and TikTok.
It's underscore.
Underscore, Morgan, Nicole.
And you can find me on theWisdom by wested podcast every 15th
and 30th of the month.
Look at you.
Congratulations on that.
(25:50):
Thank you.
God is good.
Thank you for joining us againand thank you for everybody being
here today.
If you missed part of this,you can catch it all on the audio
version.
Just head over to Wisdom byWesa podcast and these retail roundups
show up on that feed as well.
And we, you know, you can goto Wisdom by Wes, so you can go to
(26:10):
the wesatradeshow.com websiteor retail roundups on Facebook.
That's where we announce allthese things and what's coming up.
We do these every Monday.
We'll have another one for younext Monday.
And we really appreciate allof you joining us today.
And we'll see you all.
Less than a month now.
Yeah.
Less than a month in Dallas.
(26:31):
Countdown is on.
Thank you for having me, Glenn.
Foreign.
You are listening to the HorseRadio Network, part of the Equine
Network family.
Well, hi everybody.
This is Glenn the Geek backwith you and we're here for another
retail roundup on a Monday.
I'm the founder of the HorseRadio Network and host of the Horses
in the Morning daily podcastfor the last 14 years.
(00:22):
And welcome to the WESA Retail Roundup.
The Retail Roundup is your goto virtual hub for all things retail.
Join panel discussions, learnfrom webinars, share your thoughts,
ask questions, and connectwith your community.
We host a virtual event orshare educational content every week
via the Retail RoundupFacebook group.
If you haven't joined thatyet, hop on over to Facebook and
look for Retail Roundup andyou'll find it there.
(00:45):
I want to apologize.
My voice is not great.
I've had a bad allergy weekand I just, I did my show this morning.
Horses in the Morning just gotdone with that and I think I have
enough to get through today, so.
So we're going to make Morgando all the talking today.
Absolutely.
You know, I can do that.
I don't worry about that at all.
(01:06):
Today we're diving intotrends, colors and must have styles
for the upcoming season.
Just in time for the AugustWESA trade show, which my wife Jennifer
and I will be there.
Whether you're stocking up forfall, the holiday or early spring,
this session is designed tohelp retailers stay ahead of customer
demand, maintain, make smarterbuying decisions, and show up to
WESA with confidence and clarity.
(01:27):
Last week we learned aboutinventory management and now it's
time to learn what trends to buy.
Coming up today on the RetailRoundups, one of my favorite people
and one of my wife's favoritepeople, actually.
We're joined by Morgan Nicole,a WESA partner and western fashion
content creator based in Texas.
Morgan is known for herauthentic storytelling and engaging
(01:47):
digital content rooted inwestern and and outdoor lifestyle.
She's also the brand new cohost of the Wisdom by WESA podcast
with my wife Jennifer.
So you two are co. How's itgoing over there?
How you liking being a podcaster?
Well, Glenn, we are having thetime of our lives.
We are definitely laughing andenjoying all the incredible conversations.
(02:12):
It's been an absolute dream.
Well, you know, what did I sayto you after you.
You were on this show beforeand what did I say to you after this
show?
You remember you saidsomething like, you know, we are
really going to reign you in somehow.
And little did I know that I'dbe receiving a phone call.
That's right.
Podcast co host.
(02:34):
But whenever WESA called andthey said, you know, is this something
you're interested in?
I said, work and yapping.
Yes.
I can talk, I can yap.
And really just getting,getting to connect with retailers
and wholesalers, but alsogetting the viewers a chance to listen
(02:55):
into has been really neat.
Well, and you and my wifeactually are good combination because
she comes from.
She has a lot of businessexperience in the retail world and
the wholesale world for that matter.
And you have, you have thisfashion and all of that and the social
media stuff.
So it's a really good.
It's a good compliment, I think.
It really is.
(03:15):
It's an incredible balancebecause like you said, we have two
different viewpoints andaspects, but yet so many common threads.
And it's always great to getanother's insight or view or perspective.
So I've been loving it.
Well, and there's twodifferent age groups, and that's
important too, actually, youknow, because you're covering both
(03:36):
ends of the spectrum there too.
Yes, it really is.
Well, that's not why we'rehere today, but go check it out.
Search on your podcast playerfor wisdom by Wesa and you'll hear
Morgan and Jennifer on thereco hosting that show.
They took over a coupleepisodes ago, so I think there's
two episodes out with thoseguys on it.
So check that out today.
(03:57):
But we have a bunch ofquestions for you about what to buy
come this trade show coming upand colors and things like that.
This is an area I know nothingabout, so I'm learning with everybody
else today.
So what is the trending color palette.
Palette for right now for the upcoming.
I mean, right now we'relooking at really Christmas.
We're looking at the fall,we're looking at Christmas, and we're
(04:18):
actually looking at thebeginning of spring next year.
So what, what are we looking at?
That's a great question, Glenn.
Right now, what we're seeingis a lot of, for fall, a lot of trending
spice browns, rust, teal and olive.
I know we'll get into all thefine print throughout the podcast
(04:41):
today, but what I'm reallynoticing is that the color is driving
the first impression.
And with some greataccessories and pops of color, that's
where we're going to see aquote unquote trend color.
But every Western girly knowsthat the basics are more than basics
(05:03):
and their staples andessentials, but definitely the spice
browns and rust and teal.
Wow.
We were bright colors a fewyears ago.
We were.
I remember that it kind ofSeems like it's in every three to
four year cycle, right?
The first year there was, youknow, of the, the three year span,
(05:24):
the first year it's really strong.
Second year, it's still aboutthree fourths of what we're seeing.
And then that third and fourthyear, it's slowly fizzling out.
I've spoken a lot, actuallythrough the last couple of years
on podcasts with trends is,you know, it is great to follow a
trend sometimes, but really myfocus in my fashion is being able
(05:50):
to wear an outfit that I canbe proud of today, five years from
now and 15 years from nowbecause, you know, the trends will
come and go.
But accessorizing is always agreat option.
And you could add color tothat too.
So rust, I got to go back torust for one.
(06:11):
Rust colored breeches came outwhen we had our tack shop many, many,
many years ago.
And that was like a statement.
Rust was like a statementbecause we had white and we had black
at that point.
And then rust came out andeverybody was buying rust colored
breeches.
And then very quickly theywent away.
But rust is back.
It is, it's back.
(06:31):
And I think that this is onethat is here to stay.
And throughout the years it will.
Today I have to just point outthe obvious.
I'm playing coastal cowgirl today.
I'm at the beach.
So don't like can of sardines on.
You, me and my friends.
But typically.
(06:52):
Okay, I gotta explain for theaudio listeners.
You're.
You're wearing a sweatshirtwith a can of sardines on it.
Oh, yes.
She's amazing.
Do you like sardines?
No.
Just for the fashionstatement, Glenn, you should know
that.
But in general, someone in thewestern space is going to have denim
(07:14):
in their closet.
Chambray and rust is somethingthat you can keep in your closet
for a lifetime.
And of course we see, youknow, depending on the piece of clothes,
you're going to see differentcolor trends too.
Right.
Shirts are going to bedifferent than jeans are always jeans.
Right.
So.
But skirts are going to be different.
You know, your dresses aregoing to be different too.
(07:36):
Definitely.
I think like I had mentionedearlier, the accessorizing is so
huge right now, and that alsobleeds into buyer behavior in 2025
and what I think will be thesame in 2026.
But accessories are kind ofpriority right now.
Which ones, which ones arecoming up specifically?
(07:58):
Twillies from fringe scarves,one of my clients.
But dear friends, the twilliesare taking over the world.
I mean, they truly are.
It's a little piece of fabricthat you can tie around your neck.
You can do it on your neck asa bow, kind of like a little knot,
two to the side.
(08:19):
You can do it on a handbag.
You can do them around your wrist.
But accessories like twilliesand, of course, wild rags will always
be around.
Tying them in your belt loopsor even in your hair are a great
way.
And boots, of course, I am aboot connoisseur with 175 pairs and
(08:40):
counting.
Well, you know, one of thequestions when you're a retailer
is obviously you're going toalways carry the base colors, right?
You're always going to havethe denims, and, you know, you're
always going to have thosebase colors.
How do you decide whatinventory, how much of the trendy
fashions you're going to putin the store, and how much of the
base colors, you know, isthere a percentage that you think?
(09:04):
I feel that it's hard to putan exact percentage on it.
But what I will say is whenyou do carry staples in your boutique
or, you know, as a retailer,you definitely want to make sure
that you are carrying strong staples.
Staple pieces that can berestyled, repurposed for buyer behavior.
(09:31):
Right now, we are definitelydoing some emotional buying, but
also being realistic.
If I'm going to buy a blazer,well, I really need to see a blazer
styled three to four ways forme to say, you know what, that deserves
to be in my closet.
Is that a result also of theeconomy and everything else this
(09:52):
year?
It is.
And I think also with themarket being so oversaturated, and
people ask me that all thetime, well, what market is oversaturated?
And I tell them quiteliterally, any and every market,
especially fashion, you know,everyone wants to jump in.
But if you are here to make.
(10:13):
And it's more accessible nowto everybody, too.
It is.
And if you're really here tomake an impact as a retailer, I would
suggest finding that happy,you know, healthy balance of great
staples that you can repurpose.
You can carry them allthroughout the year if someone buys
it and several months later,their friends say, where you still
(10:36):
can, you know, restock those.
But then having theaccessories, I think it's great to
filter those through and havenew arrivals really every for two
to four to six weeks,depending on how much volume you're
doing.
But if you can't offerstaples, it's really hard definitely,
to get those sales up.
(10:57):
But the accessories is whatkeeps your clients coming back and
back.
It's interesting you mentionedthat, because I. I saw a picture
from a tech shop on Facebookthe other day where they took.
They took a blazer and theytook, you know, just a pair of jeans.
They had three separatemannequins with the same blazer and
the same pair of jeans andthen changed everything else out.
(11:19):
So they did accessorize itdifferently, but they had them all
in a row.
So you could see, okay, thisblazer goes with this, this, and
this.
And it was completelydifferent looks.
But that kind of makes theperson want to buy more than, you
know, want to buy two or threeof those different accessories and
shirts and things to go withthe blazer.
Right.
So it was a cool way to do that.
(11:40):
I've noticed that too lately.
And what I'm seeing is thatthe buyer behavior is really focused
on their priorities now.
And the priority kind of cycleis the uniqueness of the product,
then the quality, and ofcourse, the price.
With there being so manythings on the market right now, you
(12:02):
really have to either becreating a product or carrying a
product that has thatuniqueness factor and of course,
the quality to make thepurchase worth it, in a lack of better
words.
So do you think people rightnow, and you see this, you know,
talking to people and beingout doing your job, do you think
(12:22):
people right now are spendingmore on accessories and less on the
big purchase items, the, youknow, the $400 blazer or jacket,
Are they.
Are they spending more on thesmaller stuff to go with what they
already have?
Yes, I think with usspecifically being in July, someone
might be listening in a latermonth, but right now, so speaking
(12:45):
live, we are in July, and Ican say as a consumer that, yes,
I rather spend my dollarsright now on a lower price point
of an accessory or something,because summer means quantity.
You know, we're all traveling,we're going to different events.
(13:06):
It's fun to experiment withdifferent things.
And then for retailers andwholesalers, our time is coming up
for those big value items,like 400 to 1200, whatever that bigger
number is.
It's definitely coming up inthe cards with rodeo season and the
(13:27):
nfr as the NFR is a big moneymaker for us.
But I can definitely speak onright now.
You know, I just bought a newhandbag the other day, so I might
splurge through the spring andsummer and get one big piece, but
then I'm definitely going forthose lower ones until.
The fall with your, with yourclients and things.
(13:49):
What are we looking for?
What are we looking at forthis Christmas?
Because, you know, it is kindof a weird year, right?
It's been a weird year or what?
You know, what are you lookingfor for this Christmas?
Would you be stocking up onmore of the smaller pieces and less
of the larger for Christmas?
So I would say kind of backingup a smidge, if you don't mind.
(14:11):
I would say that October toNovember is your heavy hitters.
Stock up, spend the money onthose higher priced items.
Because the girls are shoppingin October, November, last minute
nfr, Thanksgiving family, youknow, Christmas card photos, they'll
(14:32):
take those in November.
So October and Novemberdefinitely spend the money there.
When we're already inDecember, you know, the NFR is happening
really early in December.
I would almost say get thoseGrab and Go accessories, get those
Grab and Go gift sets.
(14:53):
Get some of those tank topsthat they might fit small mediums
and then medium larges.
And that way it's easy anddigestible for Christmas shoppers.
If anyone is shopping andthey're really into rodeo, but are
even attending or part of thenfr, we are looking for easy grab
(15:16):
and Go gifts.
So if you are carryingclothing items, maybe something that
someone can say, oh, you know,I don't know what size she is.
Let me get something thatmight work.
So what about, I mean, we'realso looking at next year.
We're also, you know, nowthinking about buying in for, you
know, the winter end ofwinter, next year into spring.
(15:38):
Because we're thinking ahead.
What do you see there right now?
I think that set, I know this.
Is fortune telling at thispoint, but you know, we are going
to see it out there.
Well, the great thing aboutfashion is we typically get to see
a small little snippet, kindof a quick glance and then it will
resurface.
(15:58):
And I think what will reallybe hot is sets and flowy items and
always layering for upcoming,you know, spring and summer of 2026.
Having some short sets withmaybe like a sweater top or something
that's matching in bold printswill always be fun too.
(16:22):
Coming into a new year, do you.
Realize this is a side notefor all of us that are my age, do
you realize that we are closernow to 2050 than we are to 2000?
That's a little scary.
I know.
We are, we're closer now to2050 than we are 2000.
That's crazy.
(16:43):
I graduated from TCU, theNeely School of Business, last May.
And I'm looking at thecalendar now and I'm like, are you
serious?
I've been graduated for over Ayear now I'm married.
A house.
You have a real girl, A biggirl job.
Yeah.
I have people listening towhat I'm yapping about.
(17:05):
Crazy.
So what?
So let's go there.
Your age group.
How are they different now?
What are they buying?
What are they doing?
Are they tending to spend alot of money?
Are they holding back or know or.
Or, you know, where are theyat it really?
I kind of feel like that'stwofold and maybe I can share some
(17:27):
of my personal experience.
So it is no surprise that I ama shopaholic.
I have been since I was alittle girl.
I started working really earlyon and started several businesses
and different ventures toquite literally fund my shopping
addiction and my shopping lifestyle.
(17:50):
And I think of.
I have personally grown.
And when I say grown, thiscould be something.
I don't know.
You are wearing a can of sardines.
Let's go.
Maybe the fashion has gottento a low point.
Okay.
Hey, But I still have somejewels on.
It's all about balance.
But what I've seen in my own.
You wear your sardines well, Iwill say that.
(18:12):
Thank you.
Thank you.
What I've seen with myself isthat there's kind of spurts and moments,
right?
90 to 120 days ago, I wasbuying all the little things.
This, that, and the other.
And then there's moments whereI might just want to go buy a new
Louis Vuitton and say, youknow what?
(18:33):
I'm gonna.
Wait a second.
Then I might stumble across acouple great pairs of denim, and
I have to have it.
So my age demographic rightnow, I think speaking for all this,
we're figuring it out.
You know, some days it'sspend, spend, spend.
Some days it's hang tight.
But again, that emotionalbuying is huge right now.
(18:56):
Consumers are wanting apersonal connection to the brands
and the companies they'rebuying from.
And that's why.
That leads me to my next question.
When you were on before, wetalked about storytelling, because
that's kind of your thing, right?
You're the storyteller.
Uh, so how can.
How can.
And you're right now planningstories for fall and for Christmas.
(19:19):
They should.
We should be.
Anyway, we have to startthinking about that ahead of time,
especially if you want yoursocial media to work.
You really have to start kindof start planning.
And you talked about that lasttime you were on.
So what are we looking at forthis Christmas and storytelling?
What do you think?
Are we.
Are we tugging at theheartstrings or what are we doing
in telling those stories.
(19:40):
I think what we're doing nowis really opening up the brands to
their core, as some viewersalso know, listening.
I'm not only a podcast cohost, but I am a Western fashion
content creator.
But really, you can think ofme as a brand representative.
(20:01):
And what I am seeing in mybusiness field is that we are really
diving deep to the core andthe center of who the companies are
and bringing it to the surface.
We're going back with familyhistory and lineage of the company.
One of my clients is RobinHack Hoffman with Lovely Ranch.
(20:24):
She will also be at all thetrade shows.
But something really neatabout her story is that her family
has been in the textileindustry for over 100 years.
And so with Robin right now,we are literally going into the archives
of her family's warehouses,pulling up prints, and then Robin
(20:47):
showing us how she is, youknow, transferring and then bringing
those to life in dresses and cardigans.
So for Christmas, we'rehitting the heartstrings.
We're showing the history, andwe're showing the why.
Because right now, the why is everything.
And we're here forsustainability and longevity, not
(21:10):
fast fashion.
So the why is really crucial.
And it's interesting what yousaid that ties into what you said
about people wanting to have arelationship with the brands that
they're buying now.
They feel like they know themand they want a deeper relationship.
It's kind of why podcastsbecame so popular, because people
listening, you know, I. I havea saying that I do use it all the
(21:31):
podcast shows when I speak, and.
And the first thing I alwayssay is they come for the content,
but they stay for the hosts,you know, so.
And that's true of stuffthey're buying, too.
They may come because theyliked your product initially, but
they want to like the company, too.
And I think that's more sothan ever in the past.
It really is.
I don't think I cared when I30 years ago who the company was,
(21:53):
because they're, you know, wedidn't have the.
We didn't have the landscapethat we do now.
Exactly.
And now it's so much more meaningful.
And again, I'm putting myselfback into the consumer position because
I could sit here and talk allday from a professional aspect of,
you know, the industry, butreally just boiling.
(22:16):
Boiling it down to the basicsof being a consumer.
It means so much more to mewhen you can compliment me on my
little gun necklace here andsay, wow, Morgan, I. I love that
necklace.
It's really you.
Who's it from?
And I can sit here and I cantell you that it's Sunwest Silver
and it's native made, but Ican even tell you the stories that
(22:38):
I've been able to swap withthe owners.
So it just gives thatsentimental touch.
And it's word of mouth, too.
I know my best friends and I,when we're talking about clothing
and fashion and boots, if theyhave a personal connection, I naturally
want one too.
And so it really just tieseverything together.
(23:01):
What else would you say as faras the seasons coming up for you
know what, what other advicedo you have for.
For WESA?
For one, we're walking aroundwith 5,000 booths at Dallas.
Yes, I would definitely saythat for WESA trade show prep specifically,
ask vendors, you know, askthem for their best sellers and what's
(23:23):
kind of their exclusive itemsthat are on the line sheets right
now.
Do they help provide digital assets?
What is their story?
Because you will be able toreally weed out and really find that
perfect match when you canconnect with the vendor on their
(23:44):
story.
And let's be honest, it reallyhelps in marketing on the back end.
You know, yes, you can promotea shirt all day long, but when you
can talk about the rayon andhigh thread count and the wholesaler,
it really helps you there too.
So what I would say is walkinginto Westa, I always suggest several
(24:06):
days, go in there with a freshmind and ready to be a sponge and
soak it up.
Come in there with a blanknotepad and walk around and just
start forming thosefriendships and relationships.
And as you're asking themquestions, write down the best sellers
on your journal.
(24:26):
Maybe even talk about past sales.
Hey, what did you see lastyear out of your line that sold the
best?
That's what I want.
You want the heavy hitters.
Very good.
There's just so much to choose from.
It's so hard when you go tothe trade shows because you know
there's 5 million items there,you know, and you want to carry them
all in your store and you can't.
(24:47):
Right?
It's so hard.
It is.
It's so hard to choose.
But what I will say, and evenfor a quick tip for both of the retailers
and wholesalers, everyoneneeds to keep their eyes out for
the hot displays.
Because if someone is going totake the time to make their booth
(25:08):
look good and their mannequinslook good and really bring that full
visual, you really want toexplore that more.
Your phone agrees.
My phone agrees.
It had to chime in.
My apologies on that.
She just couldn't keep silent.
It happened.
Funny though.
It was perfect timing.
(25:29):
It was.
Where can people find you, Morgan?
People can find me onInstagram and TikTok.
It's underscore.
Underscore, Morgan, Nicole.
And you can find me on theWisdom by wested podcast every 15th
and 30th of the month.
Look at you.
Congratulations on that.
(25:50):
Thank you.
God is good.
Thank you for joining us againand thank you for everybody being
here today.
If you missed part of this,you can catch it all on the audio
version.
Just head over to Wisdom byWesa podcast and these retail roundups
show up on that feed as well.
And we, you know, you can goto Wisdom by Wes, so you can go to
(26:10):
the wesatradeshow.com websiteor retail roundups on Facebook.
That's where we announce allthese things and what's coming up.
We do these every Monday.
We'll have another one for younext Monday.
And we really appreciate allof you joining us today.
And we'll see you all.
Less than a month now.
Yeah.
Less than a month in Dallas.
(26:31):
Countdown is on.
Thank you for having me, Glenn.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.