Mannequins are an excellent addition to any retail space, especially for businesses that sell apparel or accessories. It’s important to appropriately style your mannequins or they won’t be as effective at promoting the merchandise.
If you’re going to use the display fixtures, styling them correctly will ensure their success. Mannequins that look sloppy, dirty or unsightly in some way can have the opposite effect on your customers.
Choosing and maintaining mannequins
When you begin shopping for mannequins, it’s important to keep your customer base in mind. Don’t buy a child mannequin if you don’t sell clothes for kid, and steer clear of headless mannequins when you want to promote your hat selection. Explore all of the options before placing a purchase, but ultimately, your common sense should prevail.
Before you start handling your store fixtures, you may want to wash your hands or even wear gloves. This will keep dirty fingerprints away from the mannequins so they don’t gather stains. You can use a damp rag to wipe your mannequins down regularly, as well as dust cloths for a quick brush-down during closing the tasks.
If the clothes you’re using to style your display don’t fit quite right on the form, avoid using adhesives that will leave a residue on the mannequin or merchandise. Instead, pin the items together.
There are two common ways that these display fixtures become damaged. Firstly, mannequins may lose a limb or two if customers knock them over. To avoid that fate, set mannequins up away from walkways and high-traffic areas. It might be best to style mannequins for window displays rather than in-store arrangements. However, make sure they aren’t being discolored by the sun if it shines into your store. It’s also important that store employees are cautious when changing the mannequins’ outfits. Clothes should be slid on and off without stretching them out or breaking mannequin limbs.
To keep mannequins clean when they’re not in use, cover them in their storage space so dust can’t gather. They should also be tucked away neatly in an area where they won’t be knocked over or stepped on.
Styling synthetic hair
One way to make your mannequins look more realistic is with the addition of hair. There are plenty of options for Mannequin Wigs, in varying lengths, materials and styles. While many of the wigs are made for female mannequins, a few hairpieces for men are available as well.
If you’re going to invest in wigs for your mannequins, you can help them last longer with some care tips. According to WearingAWig.com, synthetic hair is a bit more difficult to maintain and style than human hair. To brush wigs with plastic hair, you need a wide-tooth comb and an oil hair spray for shine. Starting at the top, slowly loosen the hair for a more natural look. For frizzy-looking ends, apply a dab of oil and smooth the hair down. Don’t get carried way with the oil or your mannequin will look like the newest member of Nirvana. There’s one caveat: don’t try to brush curly-haired wigs. This will make the hair become fluffy, lose its curl and potentially break.
It’s important to remember not to use any heat on synthetic wigs. That means avoid blow-drying, curling and straightening the hair, because it could melt.
When you switch out the wigs you have on the sales floor, store your alternate hairpieces in a dry and temperate area. The source suggested hanging the wig up, paying special attention to keeping the strands of hair untangled.
