Indie shopping made fabulous

Jena Coray's shopping site Modish makes buying independent quick and painless

By Anna Breshears
Published: October 17th, 2006 | 8:08pm

A recent explosion in crafty goods offered online has introduced shoppers to a dizzying array of fab purses, jewelry, t-shirts, belts, toys, home-wares, and stationery far more unique and modern than anything available in a chain store. The web has empowered talented folks to set up shop and sell their handmade items to a large community and buyers, in turn, can support independent artists and retailers. Enter Modish, Jena Coray's indie style blog. "I am not interested in the mass-produced or mass-marketed," she proclaims in her mission statement. "I am for the independent craftsperson, designer, shopper, creator, and artist." Day after day, Coray sniffs out the most creative, fresh, and, frankly, cutest stuff around for us so we can spend our extra time reading celebrity gossip.

"I usually find shops by following link lists on sites that I already know and love and by trolling consignment stores and checking out the different designers that they carry," explains Coray. “I also check out all the ads in Venus, Readymade and Bust where many indie shops advertise... I frequently feature designers that have introduced themselves to me via email or that a reader suggests. Readers also help keep me informed about upcoming craft shows, events and new sites. I rely on them as much as they rely on me."

The response to her site indicates her picks are right on. Modish was recently chosen as a "Typepad Featured Blog" and its weekly newsletter has over 1000 subscribers. Coray gives readers a damn good reason to sign up: a monthly giveaway featuring many of the items she covers on her site. "I've been overwhelmed with the incredible amount of great response I've received... Also, almost everyone I write about is super excited and grateful to find out they've been featured on Modish... I seem to have created a supportive and sought-out community for indie business owners who have been able to use Modish as a way to spread the word about their business and advertise very inexpensively," she says.

As this frequent reader is well-aware, the only downside to reading Modish is the impact on one’s wallet. "My blog has made me spend more money than I may have wanted to. I really have to curb my spending if I ever hope to quit my job and do Modish full-time," she notes. Coray goes a step further than most style bloggers and strikes deals with many of the artists featured on her site so that Modish readers often receive 10 to 20 percent off their purchases.

A jewelry designer herself, Coray found it difficult to produce her own Curio J line while managing Modish and a full-time job. However, creating and maintaining a community of designers is a bigger job than simply being one and Jena is on a mission: "I wanted to present the wealth and variety of handmade goods as a viable alternative to mass produced ones, and show that you don't have to rely on the local mall or chain stores to outfit you and your home."

For daily recommendations on everything from earrings and scarves to magazines, paper goods and even the occasional record review (M. Ward and Thom Yorke are favorites), visit Modish at modish.typepad.com.