Doing it for the Glam

It’s an amazing feeling to be able to share your passion with others. For many small business owners, this feeling is what keeps them working every day, even when times are tough. Having a support network of loyal customers and fans can help motivate one to keep doing what they love—and why it’s so important to build up and cultivate this base.

Ciara Barrigas recently created merchandise as a way to represent her makeup business and to return the love and support her clients have been giving capecodglam over the years. What began as a love for makeup work paired with an Instagram account turned into an entire wedding business! capecodglam started out more than four years ago when a hairstylist reached out to Ciara on social media after coming across her makeup selfies. The two teamed up to tackle weddings across Cape Cod that summer, during which Ciara picked up the skills to manage her own business. After going back to school and receiving her esthetician license, Ciara launched capecodglam and began putting in the hours to build up her customer base. Thanks to these customers, capecodglam won a Couples’ Choice Award on Wedding Wire in 2021!

Showing off the slick back design of capecodglam’s custom Gildan Midweight 50/50 Crewneck Sweatshirt.

It was clientele like this and a passion for her business that inspired Ciara to create custom products for capecodglam. Even as a one-woman operation, it was still important to Ciara to share her passion and legitimize her work through custom apparel. Said Ciara, “I know a lot of people may think to themselves ‘I am way too much of a small business to order custom gear…’ No, you are not! You have a passion! Never stop sharing this passion—why not make it come to life with a physical product that can spread your passion to others and make others feel good?”

Making sure her clients felt good was of utmost importance to Ciara, which is why she looked at the sweatshirt options at Custom Ink. “This pandemic has made loungewear huge. I wanted a one-size-fits-all, baggy, breathable, comfy-but-still-makes-a-statement type of sweatshirt—that’s exactly what I got,” Ciara said, describing the Gildan Midweight 50/50 Crewneck Sweatshirt. “The feedback I have gotten has been great—people love the design and the fit of these sweatshirts.”

With help from a local Massachusetts graphic designer, Ciara created a left chest CCG logo for capecodglam that was simple and elegant, with lines around the text to evoke the outline of a lip. The back of the shirt featured abstract lineart that resemble a face and a plant, which represented beauty to Ciara. “I wanted something simple. It’s quirky, it’s different, but it is simple.”

The front of the capecodglam sweatshirt, complete with the CCG capecodglam logo.

The simple-yet-effective design for capecodglam’s sweatshirt, making sure wearers are always out there ready to #doitfortheglam.

Playing off of the phrase ‘do it for the ‘gram’ involving the process of taking unique photos for one’s Instagram account, Ciara added the text ‘#doitfortheglam” underneath this art. The sweatshirts were unique and stylish, and helped Ciara express herself and her business. “Nike advertised “Just Do It” to motivate you to be active or accomplish your goals and so forth. I’d like to think that ‘do it for the glam’ is similar. Women feel guilty for spoiling themselves or treating themselves…why? I want them to do things for themselves and to not think twice about it. If something makes you feel good, you need to do it for the glam, with absolutely no shame.”

After the success of the sweatshirts, Ciara ended up ordering a variety of products to promote capecodglam. With the Hanes EcoSmart 50/50 Pullover Hoodie, clients could stay warm and cozy yet rock a more casual look while keeping conscious of the environment.  For warmer weather, the Hanes Authentic T-shirt in both adult and youth sizes meant that people of all ages could represent capecodglam when temperatures rose.

Capecodglam’s custom gear helped realize Ciara’s passion for bringing out the best face in her clients, and helped her show this passion to the rest of the world. Explained Ciara, “Custom gear for my business has helped me express myself and my ideas even more. It has shown how much love people have to give and how people who believe in you will support you. It has made my clients excited and happy to represent something that makes them feel good, and in return how awesome this makes me feel to make someone happy.”