Today's Highlights

• It takes an e-community
• This 'n that
• Marking a milestone

NEWS

Lija takes top honors

Lija is voted "Best Ladies Apparel Brand" by readers of The Hackers Paradise in the Web site's "Golfer's Choice Awards."

Briefly

Rory Sabbatini wears the Hollas line from Canada's Second Skin Garment Co. en route to winning the HP Byron Nelson Championship. Sabbatini wore a pink plaid XFC Hollas shirt and trendy solid white Hollas pants in the final round.

FASHION

It takes an e-community

By Janice Ferguson
GPA Writer

We all know the saying, "When times are tough, the tough go shopping."

Even in these toughest of economic times for retail, as everyone is tightening financial belts, we're not going to quit shopping altogether, but we are going to shop smarter, and that includes using the convenience of the Internet.

That's exactly what Allison Dorst was thinking when she launched Pinks and Greens (PinksandGreens.com) in April - an e-commerce site for women's golf apparel and accessories. Tired of seeing golf clothes she liked in magazines, but never being able to find them in pro shops, boutiques or online, Dorst set out on a two-year R and D trek to pattern Pinks and Greens after other fashion Web sites she liked, and thought were more comprehensive than what currently exists.

"I guess that I took the old adage of 'if you want it done right, do it yourself' to its extent," Dorst said. "When I shopped for golf clothes online, most sites showed flat images of the pieces, and you can't really see how the item fits in that format. I want to see multiple views on a model with full feature descriptions, and be given ideas on what to wear it with, or additional things a shopper might also like on the product page."

Dorst, a 31-year-old Auburn University graduate who started golfing when she was 14, spent nine years as a finance recruiter in New York City until she decided to strike out on her own to fulfill a perceived void in the Internet golf apparel industry. But isn't it a little crazy to be starting a new business in a recession?

Yes and no, according to Dorst.

"It is very difficult or impossible to get a small business loan from a bank these days, so, yes, you need to be willing to risk some of your own capital to get started," she said. "But things will turn around, and when they do, I will have Pinks and Green positioned right where it needs to be as an established, well-known online source for golf clothes shopping."

Currently Pinks and Greens carries the Tehama, EP Pro and Lija apparel brands, as well as Ame & Lulu golf accessories. More will be added over time, and Dorst believes there is a large untapped international market for internet shopping in places like Europe and Asia.

"There are many great golf brands out there that allow women to look chic on and off the links, and Pinks and Greens was created to help the end consumer discover them," Dorst said.

In addition to a much-needed, boutique-oriented destination for women's golf apparel, Dorst believes that creating a source or community that connects women who love golf is an important aspect of her business plan.

"Our blog, The Back Nine, will be a place where women can trade ideas, golf tips, fashion ideas, anything golf," Dorst said. "We will also feature a newsletter that you can sign up for to receive product updates, golf tips, upcoming events and other useful bits of news. As our community grows, you will be able to link up with other women in your area, find great deals on vacations and clinics, hear about new research and classes - next thing you know, you will be running late to your tee time because you just can't tear yourself away from the site."

It takes a community to accomplish a lot of things - including kicking this recession to the curb.

You can connect to Pinks and Greens on Facebook, and can follow on Twitter. Start by visiting www.pinksandgreens.com, and don't miss the 10 percent off first order offer, and free shipping over $150.