Happy New Year 2026

Levi's Denim Stack

Last year, 2025, at my Etsy shop Perennial Vintage was the best year I've ever had, as far as sales and profit are concerned. 

Do I know why? No. Not really. I believe it was due to a variety of things. It may perhaps be dumb luck, but when I really think about it, I believe it was due to hard work and these things:

• more quality items (Quality over quantity.)
• fewer items overall (Less is more.)
• running more sales (The most eye-opening action I've taken.)
• learning as I go for the last 15 YEARS! (A lot of trial and error here.)
• listing what people truly want (They want denim and sweaters.)
• taking advantage of advertising on Instagram and Etsy (Small investment = Big Reward.)
• writing blog posts (Seriously, these posts help Google searchers find my shop.)

So, what didn't work this year? I'm finding that as much as I love dresses, they don't sell well - if you look at thrift stores, there is always a glut of dresses. Twice or three times as many of them as any other item.

It isn't that women don't love dresses anymore. We do, but we don't wear them daily the way we used to up until the early '70s. We wear them for special occasions, rather than a daily uniform.

So, I will be listing fewer dresses in my shop this year to see how I do (and try to sell the rest that I have). But when I do list one, it will be amazing, as in cut, era (1940s), or quality. It will be exceptional.

Instead, I will be listing more of what I love to sell: sweaters and outerwear. I'm super excited about this. As you know, I love sweaters and cardigans. I've made extra room available for them in my spare bedroom closets (now that my two sons have fled the nest) and have bins in place ready to store them until I sell them.

There's always a need for them (minus a couple of months in summer, and even then, people are always looking ahead), so having a larger portion of those items has been the big seller for me this winter and what I'll be doing more of in 2026.

Of course, denim, as in jeans, jackets, and shirts, will always be a staple for my shop and is equally one of the biggest sellers alongside sweaters and outerwear. I also sell a ton of belts. I love and wear belts all the time, and last year, I made it my mission to up my belt inventory. I'm happy to say, I've done it. I have over 100 belts listed, of all shapes and sizes. Visit my shop to see what I have!

I hope you have a fantastic January. Thank you for following me alongside my vintage journey, and I wish you the biggest and best blessings for 2026.

-Heather