Summer Vintage

I have an on again off again love affair with vintage. Sometimes I want something shiny & new, but other times I find joy in teaching old clothes new tricks! Today is one of those days — I’m wearing a look that’s nearly all vintage from head to toe.

Some of my favorite pieces in my collection are vintage like this Moschino bag I wear nonstop, my ~~kelly~~ Courtney green clutch (in this post), this little black dress and my trusty cross body picnic basket. When I lived in AZ I would go treasure hunting in the Melrose district with my mom and Waffles almost every weekend. The coolest thing we ever found were giant, metal letters from an old store, we mixed & matched to make them spell “Lounge” then added a coat of paint before hanging them in our living room — I wish I had a picture to show you (what’s wrong with me) because I’m still really proud of it!

This straw bowler was another vintage win from AZ. I can’t really pull off hats, especially really round ones like this guy, but I loved it so much that I made an exception. Side note — If you too have a crazy round face and chubby hamster-esuqe cheeks (sexy) like me, you might generally fear round hats like this one. My trick? it’s all in the hair! Swoop your locks into a side bun with loose pieces or try two messy buns like mine, which was inspired by Kaley Cuoco in the Big Bang Theory (also love her hair here) it will distract from the general round-ness going on in the facial region. Anyways with the Panama Hat having such a big moment this year, I have been dusting off this straw bowler more and more, I love touching upon a trend but making it my own, and vintage gems like this hat help me do that!

This romper is also Vintage (surprise, surprise) from an awesome new online find, Thriftwares !! All the fun of vintage shopping right from your computer yay! Sometimes I like to make a day of vintage shopping, but there are those days when I want to shop from the comfort of my couch with Waffles nesting his way into my nook (currently happening) and thriftwares is the answer. I also snagged a super cute poppy skirt (don’t worry, I’ll share it soon) and love this floral pencil skirt!

Speaking of rompers, aren’t they the perfect summer piece?! But I bet you didn’t know they can even work for fall (I know guys, it’s right around the corner ba-nanas!). You can pair some romps with tights, booties & a boyfriend cardie or turn it into a top by wearing a full skirt over the shorts! However you rock it, here are some of my hand picked favorites:

Thanks to thriftwares, and Keiko Lynn (I got lost in her archives over the weekend, she’s just so stinking cool) my love of vintage / thrifted pieces have been revived! I’m now inspired to pick up some more treasured items. nothing makes a girl feel special like having something that none else really does.

AZ thrifting spots:

My Sisters Closet – When I’m in AZ I shop the melrose district for vintage finds and my sisters closet for resale goodies and designer finds (like my Moschino and the Saks 5th avenue black belt in today’s post). They have a few locations in AZ (the chandler one is the best for frugal finds, but go to Scottsdale for designer pieces) and can also shop online here
Merchant Square – If you have a few hours to kill, spend it getting lost in merchant square, full of little “boutiques” each with their own theme and flair!
Modern Manor – We snagged a few letters for the Lounge wall from Modern Manor and waffles made a new best friend, their shop frenchie, Remy! They also have some of the most amazing furniture finds.
Sweet Salvage – every 3rd Thursday of the month this warehouse space turns into a boutique filled paradise all in theme! My favorite was the Alice in Wonderland theme, full of tea cups, playing cards and red roses. It reminded me of this birthday bash

NYC treasure hunting:

I strongly recommend a little after-brunch treasure hunting to clear the mind and clutter the closet, it’s something you can easily work into your Sunday routine. There are SO MANY amazing vintage destinations in the city, but I like to keep it in the village so I can walk off my brunch before indulging:

Starstruck village – Your classic, little vintage shop! I did some Christmas shopping damaging here last weekend (it’s dangerously close to my apt). The haul included a Burberry scarf for $30 and a cashmere Lascoste sweater for $15!

Metropolis Vintage – great prices & great finds! I love this gem of a shop!

Liza Sherman – usually out of my price range but still fun to look, I treat it like a free museum.

Club Monaco – random, I know, but Club Monaco on 5th ave has a cabinet full of perfectly curated vintage finds including Channel, Hermes and more drool-worthy designers. I always have to check out their little vintage sections because it’s forever changing and always drool-worthy. Plus they plan on continuing the hand-picked boutique feel come fall when they introduce their line of accessories from small designers around the world. I chat more about it here.