Out & About for 20 years!
Twenty twenty one marks the 20th year since Out & About Clothing first began…and haven’t we come so far. When I first started my little business 20 long years ago, I had never contemplated Out & About Clothing still being here 20 years later let alone being privileged to have the outstanding reputation that we have worked hard to acquire throughout those 20 years!
I never had a plan on where I wanted Out & About clothing to take me. At the time it was a hobby. I liked to sew and it appeared that others liked what I was making; It gave me a buzz; It gave me a sense of purpose. In 2001 I was 20 years old , newly married and pregnant with my first child. (I Know…..I packed a lot into the 2 years after I finished year 12) I had finished work to begin my new little family and was looking for something to do with any spare time.
For the next 10 years I dedicated my time to my growing family and used a spare room and any spare time I had to hone my sewing skills and produce rugby tops. My motto was always to choose one thing and to do it well. And that is what I’d like to think I have done. Rugby top manufacturing was, and is still the core of my business. Over the years we have added a few other products to the range but our bread and butter product will always be our unique rugby tops with their bright contrasting collars and trims.
20 years on
- I am turning 40
- I have shifted my business out of home and into a shop space in my home town of Keith, SA where we have combined a boutique store shopping experience with a small factory setting where all our garments are manufactured.
- We have more than 600 ready made garments hanging in our boutique store and waiting for their new homes.
- I have a little team of talented women that assist me in the making of the garments.
- We are using the same patterns we started with and we know that our customers appreciate this consistency
- We have a website that allows customers from anywhere in the world to shop the Out & About Clothing range.
- We have the contact and size details of thousands of customers allowing us to personalise their shopping experience and make a product just right for them
It has blown me away that some customers have been buying Out & About Clothing for the whole 20 years and for this I feel truly blessed. I feel lucky that word of mouth has brought many of my customers my way and I get a real buzz from everyone that makes a purchase. Lucky for me, I am still enjoying the ride and I thank you all for your support. I am proud that Out & About Clothing is becoming so widely known and that we are able to continue to manufacture all garments in Australia!