What's Selling
Debbie Dickinson reckons city folk just don't know how to dress their country counterparts.
"The big labels get it totally wrong," the boutique owner quips. "We're a little bit more modest - we want to look fashionable but not too fussy or over the top."
It's hard to argue with a woman who's successfully run her own store in rural Leeton for more than five years. Dickinson, who owns and operates Deez boutique in Pine Avenue, says the key to earning the country dollar is quality, price and simple styling.
Sourcing most of her labels from Sydney and Melbourne, the self-admitted "fussy buyer" avoids ordering items on an indent basis and has a preference for classic labels like Wet Seal.
"I think in a country town you also need the add-ons like jewellery, bags, sunnies and eveningwear so that you can get all kinds of customers," she adds. "But you have to keep it simple and at the right price - dresses at around $80 and jewellery at about $20."
But that's not Dickinson's only gripe with expensive, big-city fashion. The boutique owner believes that when it comes to sizing, the brands have it "all wrong" by offering stylish designs to smaller sizes and "old-lady" styles for more voluptuous clientele.
"It's very hard to find a label that is both fashionable, has bigger sizes and is okay price-wise."
Fortunately for Melinda of Darto's Apparel, this is not an issue for her store. Catering for both men and women of all sizes, Melinda says the biggest challenge for Darto's is battling the big retailers at the other end of Leeton - Target, Miller's Fashion Club and Best and Less.
"With the way the weather is going, people are a little bit more careful with how they spend their money," she explains. "There's a shopping centre that's just opened up as well so it's getting a bit harder."
That's why the retailer has decided to stock a wide variety of merchandise ranging from sportswear labels such as Quicksilver, Rusty, Adidas and Canterbury to eveningwear lines such as Mr K and Dusk.
A formula she believes is working well.
"It's good to stock the well-known brands across the board."
Agreed, says Dickinson, as long as they're not too trendy. Or small.
Lowdown
Location:595km west of Sydney
Population:6300
Stores:Darto's Apparel, Deez
Brands:Mr K, Dust, Wet Seal, Rusty, Quicksilver, Canterbury and Adidas