Not much gets done over the end-of-year holiday / new year getting-back-into-it stretch.  So by the second week of January I was itching to get my size sample run back from the manufacturer.  I decided to have them make the size run, xs-xl, in the various prints I’ve selected so potential customers could see the end product.  I know it’s hard for people to visualize an all over pattern when they are trying on a white shirt for size.  So, I took the extra step in getting sample yardage printed.  Now I can use this size run to test the fit and get feedback on the prints.  

Honestly, when I received the box of samples, I couldn’t even look in it until the next morning.  After all the research and development, designing and investment, I feared a bunch of samples with quality control issues, wonky seams and three arms.  Once I had a quiet moment to myself and no one was around, I started to take out each shirt, one by one and hung them up.  No third arms and I was getting giddy.  They all looked great and ready to try on!

I decided to take them to the barn where I ride because I had planned to meet my friend Courtney and I could give her a sneak peak for some honest feedback.  It’s hard to expose myself to everyone all at once.  

My plan derailed when I arrived at the barn and saw just about all the adult riders had decided to take advantage of the sunshine.  It’s been cold and crappy outside, so yeah, that made sense.  I left all the samples in my car and went to ride.  And then I mentioned to Courtney that I had them.  I asked a few others if they would be willing to take a look.  The impromptu trunk show began and all my ideas about a future controlled focus group with a feedback survey sheet basically went into the muck bucket.  

Actually, once I got over myself, I felt extremely lucky that I ride at a barn with so many wonderful ladies.  They took the time to look over the shirts, try them on, give me feedback, and offer their thoughts on what they like in riding clothes.  In the end, it was a huge sigh of relief.  I begged them to tell me honestly, the good, bad and the ugly.  They had so much positive feedback about the designs and patterns.  The “constructive criticism” was immensely helpful too, because I need to know what patterns and colors excite people and why some don’t work as well.  It was also key to have people try the shirts on so I could see how the sizing worked and what adjustments need to be made.  These are summer shirts and it was pretty cold at the barn, so kudos to the ladies who tried on these super thin and vented shirts!

This Spring 2019 Launch is still on target and I’m hoping I can get my own shirts to wear once the weather warms up!