PLUG 5: MOD CLOTH

I don't do a whole lot of plugs here because I am usually busy going to concerts or making bad Photoshops or doing the laundry, but I get excited when I see something as awesome as Mod Cloth. Mod Cloth is an e-retailer of women's clothing from independent designers -- very cool and fresh stuff and VERY affordable. Hand-picked vintage wear, shoes, fun accessories and home items are tossed in the mix as well, making Mod Cloth a unique place to shop. Susan and Eric Koger have figured out how to make a successful, growing business out of Susan's teenage thrift-store jones and Eric's youthful take on marketing, and they seem to be having a whole lot of fun with it, too. From Mod Cloth's press kit:

• ModCloth was founded in 2002 when Susan and Eric were only 17
• In 2 years, ModCloth has grown from 3 to 105 employees (and growing!)
• Over one million unique women visit ModCloth.com each month
• More than 150,000 Web pages on the Internet link to ModCloth.com
• ModCloth is the #1 result in Google searches for: Indie Clothing, Retro Clothing, & Vintage Outfits
• 70% of ModCloth’s employees are female
• ModCloth has more than 12,000 followers on Twitter (and growing)
• ModCloth has more than 20,000 fans on Facebook (and growing)

Mod Cloth is doing so well because they make it so easy to LOVE THEM. Their sense of style is spot-on -- a great mix of classic vintage designs and trendy fun pieces that are flattering, different, interesting, and very compatible with just about any budget.Every day, their site is updated with new items (the vintage pieces sell as fast as they put them up), and are easily accessed. It's a kick to see what will show up, and it gives you a reason to keep checking in frequently -- let's call it the "Diarrhea Island Frequency Model." Mod Cloth also has an interactivity not found elsewhere -- they very actively ask for customer opinions on items currently on sale, new designers, and they even have a "Be The Buyer" page where you can vote on samples in consideration for sale. Mod Cloth makes fashion flat-out fun.

I'm not in their core demographic of women ages 18-30, but it doesn't matter. There are so many great pieces at Mod Cloth that will work for any age woman, which is one reason I am spreading the word here. Another reason, especially if you are not a clothes-happy goofball like me or you are a man, is to examine Mod Cloth's savvy use of social networking. Every business on the planet wants to tap into the power of Twitter, Facebook, etc., but few seem to have any clue whatsoever of how to do it effectively. Mod Cloth does, and their smarts are worth you business-peeps checking out.

Good value and good business still can happen in a struggling economy. It's heartening to see Susan and Eric make something work by doing what they love anyway, and we get the benefit, too. WTG!