Her Closet

‘Empowering Women through Affordable Fashions’

by Michael Barrett

As customers come into her store, DiAnn Sager hands them short sheets of pink paper that proclaim in typed blue script what she and her boss believe about the strength of women: “A strong woman works out every day to keep her body in shape, but a woman of strength looks deep inside to keep her soul in shape.”

Her Closet is, as its name implies, a tiny store, once known as Vale’s Apparel, at 113 E. Fairhaven Ave. in Burlington. It’s a women’s consignment clothing store to complement owner Kay Hall’s Consignment Boutique down South Burlington Boulevard a half mile or so.

“She’s like Nordstrom’s and this is like Nordstrom’s Rack,” Sager notes, paralleling Hall’s two consignment shops with the two national chain stores, the second of which sells marked-down clothing from the first. “They, like us, have the same quality but better prices.”

“My goal is to give women a really lovely place to shop,” Hall states. “It’s a very caring atmosphere. We care about women — all women.”

Her Closet is a tastefully decorated and laid-out store full of all kinds of women’s clothing and accessories, including shoes and some jewelry. Unlike certain department stores, one can actually walk from one end to the other without feeling like a trailblazer through a thick jungle of clothing racks. Music — Kenny G during this visit — plays softly in the background.

“We offer clean clothing, no spots, no animal hairs. We cater to women up to size 26 and the styles are current within four years .” — DiAnn Sager

Sager — an Anacortes native and mother of three sons, who now resides with her husband in Burlington — was looking for a job one day and happened into Hall.

“She blew in like a tornado. She’s one heck of an upbeat lady,” Kay Hall says of Sager.

“We offer clean clothing, no spots, no animal hairs,” Sager declares. “We cater to women up to size 26 and the styles are current within four years.”

A good portion of the Her Closet is devoted to women’s work clothes — pant suits and such — but there are plenty of dresses, shirts, slacks and jeans as well, says Sager.

“We have upper-end clothing, romantic items, clothes for fall, winter, spring, summer and back to school,” Sager continues. “We have single items. Sometimes a woman will find what she wants and come back later for it only to find it gone.”

Sager has taken the lead in running the popular store on Fairhaven, Hall says, and it was she who gave it its theme: “Empowering women through affordable fashion.”

For more information, call 755-5054 or visit the store.