THE MORNING AFTER THE PORCH SALE

Well, the porch is quiet again.

The racks are put away. The clothes are back where they belong. The coffee girls have gone home.

And I can finally sit down and say it.

What a day.

Saturday’s Fall on the Porch sale was such a success, and I’m still smiling about how the day turned out.

So many of you came to shop, visit, have some coffee and spend part of your Saturday with us. After all the planning and preparation that went into it, seeing that porch full of people made every bit of it worth it.

But when I think back on the day, the success of the sale really isn’t the first thing I think about.

I think about the people.

Owning an online boutique can be strange sometimes. I see orders come through. I recognize names. I see who comments on posts and who always seems to like the same things I do.

But most of the time, there’s a screen between us.

A porch sale changes that.

Suddenly I get to see you walk up to a rack and reach for something I picked out months ago.

And I have to tell you, that is still one of the coolest parts of owning Edge & Ivory.

When I buy for the boutique, there is always a little bit of guessing involved.

Will anyone else love this as much as I do?

Did I order the right colors?

Should I have bought more?

Did I buy too many?

And then there are the occasional pieces that arrive and make me think, Joanna, what exactly were you thinking? 😊

It happens.

But Saturday reminded me why I love doing this.

I loved watching women try things on.

I loved seeing someone come out wearing something she probably never would have picked for herself and hearing everyone say, “You HAVE to get that.”

I love that moment.

Because sometimes another woman sees something in you before you see it yourself.

And clothes are funny that way.

Something can look completely ordinary on a hanger and then the right woman puts it on and suddenly it makes sense.

The woman makes the clothes. The clothes don’t make the woman.

I think owning Edge & Ivory has taught me that more than anything.

I’ve also learned that women are much harder on themselves than anyone else in the room.

We notice the part of our body we don’t like.

Everyone else notices how great we look.

We say, “I could never wear that.”

Then we put it on.

And sometimes we can.

Maybe that’s why I enjoy these in person days so much. It’s not just about shopping. There’s talking and laughing and opinions flying around.

And coffee.

There was definitely coffee.

After everyone left Saturday and things finally got quiet, I looked around at the porch and felt really grateful.

Edge & Ivory started as an idea.

Then there were boxes.

Lots and lots of boxes.

Then came a website, pictures, posts, orders, mistakes, lessons and more boxes.

And now there are women showing up at my house on a Saturday to shop something I created.

I don't ever want that to feel ordinary to me.

So thank you to everyone who came Saturday.

Thank you to the people who helped me.

Thank you to Prestinn’s Coffee for keeping everyone caffeinated.

And thank you to those of you who follow along online, even if you've never been able to come to a porch sale.

You’re part of this too.

Now, I think I deserve one day without moving a clothing rack.

Maybe two.

— Joanna

Edge & Ivory Boutique