Healing Through Fashion: A Second-Hand Shop Supporting Women in Midlife
Integrated into the community fabric of Nairn, Daisy & Stanley is not your typical second-hand shop. It’s a social enterprise with a mission to uplift women facing the midlife squeeze: menopause, caregiving, and mental health struggles.
With a curated collection of affordable fashion and furniture, the shop creates a safe space for women to connect, share, and regain their confidence.
The boutique serves women of all ages, from teenagers to their eldest customer, aged 95. Many are juggling caregiving, menopause symptoms, and career breaks. Daisy & Stanley has become not just a place to shop, but a place to be seen, heard, and supported.
The Vision
The goal is simple yet powerful: to foster inclusion, community, and well-being through sustainable retail. Daisy & Stanley creates:
- Emotional Support & Connection: Customers are met with empathy, conversation, and lived experience.
- Confidence-Building: Styling support and warm encouragement help women feel beautiful and visible again.
- Community Belonging: The shop offers a space where women feel valued, supported, and empowered.
Meet the Founder
Dawn Bartlett, 56, left a successful PR career in London to care for her father in Inverness. The experience, while deeply meaningful, left her struggling with grief, isolation, and professional displacement. Volunteering with local charity shops rekindled her passion and empathy.
Firstport’s assistance
In January 2024, Daisy & Stanley received a Start It grant from Firstport, which played a pivotal role in helping the shop move from a heartfelt idea to a sustainable social enterprise.
The funding enabled them to cover legal advice, registration costs, and essential branding and marketing, including launching their website and developing a more substantial online presence.
Looking Ahead
Daisy & Stanley aren’t stopping at the shopfront. With sustainability and inclusion at the core of their mission, they’re now reinvesting surplus income into free community events such as:
- Upcycling workshops
- DIY classes for widows and single women, in collaboration with local Men’s Shed groups
- Confidence-building fashion styling sessions
- Storytelling circles, where women gather to share life’s milestones
Dawn envisions the enterprise growing into a trusted community anchor across the Highlands- one that offers both affordable fashion and emotional support for women who often feel left behind.
Your Next Step
Visit Daisy & Stanley’s Facebook page to explore their latest arrivals, learn more about their story, or find out how to support their mission.
Firstport’s Start It award helped Daisy & Stanley get off the ground. It can help you, too.