Callie, 26, Interior Designer

Got Her: Walking through Union Square on her lunch break during this almost-Fall day.

Stalked Her: Because we’re a sucker for really great embroidery and we loved that her outfit matched, without being matchy-matchy.

Shot Her: Because nothing’s better than looking supremely comfortable and chic at the same time. Plus, we’re super jealous of that oversized leather clutch. Aviators, bangles, and pink polish don’t hurt either.

She Said: “I love color and flea market finds. I tried on a bunch of outfits this morning and after twenty-five minutes, settled on this one.”

We Say: Our office could use a makeover?

Alison, 23, salesgirl

Got Her: Working at Amarcord Vintage (best store ever!) in Williamsburg.

Stalked Her: Well, actually, we were taking a shopping break…

Shot Her: It was the purple heels and the neon nails.

She Said: “I try to dress down so people pay more attention to the clothes in the store than to what I’m wearing. But I do love accessories! They’re an easy way to add spark to my outfits.”

We Say: Sparks are flying.

—AMANDA JEAN BOYLE

We’ve had Ossie Clark (though of the vintage variety) on our minds lately, after Emma Watson showed up in what we considered just about the perfect Ossie dress at the HP premiere in London.

Now comes word via WWD that the company, which relaunched most recently in 2008, will close yet again due to “market conditions.”

We can’t say we’re completely surprised, as nothing could ever quite compare to the original.

But at least we have places like Decades to keep the ’60s and ’70s classics in play.

Today is a rough one.

Fun wedding weekends in Cape Cod are awesome (congrats again Jenna and Ivan!) The Monday after - not so much, especially when it involves a 5 am wake up call and a six hour bus ride.

But this little nugget I found over at Vogue Daily just brightened my day: 1stDibs.com is going to start carrying clothes later this week.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the site, it’s a treasure trove of antique awesome-ness.

The furniture is to die for and they’ve been carrying jewelry and watches. But now they’ll also be offering selections from the best vintage shops in all the land.

We can’t wait…but we’re pretty sure our checking account can. Sigh.

Hiba, 31, law student

Got her: She was looking for lunch on Broadway, we were looking for her.

Stalked her: Because of that print.

Shot her: Because when we got closer, we noticed the gorgeous earrings, too.

She said: Her mother’s American and her father’s Saudi Arabian, so she likes a mix of east and west and a mix of vintage and modern. She calls her style “sort of hippie with 1930s flair.”

We said: Dressing like that while studying for the bar? We’re impressed.

—AMANDA JEAN BOYLE

Simon Doonan’s one of our favorite New York fashion figures and we hardly ever turn down a chance to hear him speak.

Especially when he’s talking with someone of Stefano Pilati’s caliber.

The two will sit down to discuss the launch of YSL’s “New Vintage” Collection at Barneys’ Madison Avenue flagship tonight from five to seven. When the collection was first announced, we scratched our heads over what “New Vintage” would mean exactly.

Turns out it’s a selection—exclusive to Barneys—of classic YSL pieces cut from the unused cloth left over from recent seasons. It’s pretty much the chicest sort of recycling we can imagine.

The two’ll talk fashion on the second floor—see you there!

—AMANDA JEAN BOYLE

If you’ve never shopped the basement of Jill Stuart’s Soho store, we think you’ll probably start now.

The floor is entirely devoted to vintage, all in keeping with Jill’s style. While it may not always be packed with old Gucci or other big names, we don’t think you’ll be disappointed with the label-less pieces. We sometimes prefer them.

What we didn’t know up until recently is that Jill herself literally hand-picks each and every one of those vintage pieces.

So if you’re looking to get your hands on the best of the designer’s eye for vintage, here’s your opportunity. She’s throwing a party (open to everyone!) to celebrate summer and bubbly champagne - two of our favorite things.

Get down to the Jill Stuart store on 100 Greene Street from 6 - 9pm on Wednesday, May 20th.

We recommend RSVPing to 212.343.2300 ASAFP because the champagne will surely go almost as quickly as the flirty summer dresses, and you don’t want to be left standing outside.

—CARSON GRIFFITH

Britt has a pair of extremely holey black jeans and yesterday, a guy on the street told her that his mom could sew up the rips if she was interested.

The other day, my brother asked if my vintage Lagerfeld earrings get satellite reception. Last week, I wore shoulder pads and my friend said I looked like a line-backer.

Everyone has different style - that’s what makes fashion so fun. But sometimes commenting like a bitch - regardless of the good natured joke at the comment’s heart - can leave the trend setter on the defense no matter how confident they might be.

Whether you’ve shelled out major cash for your outfit or scoured vintage stores to build it, if it’s not jeans and a t-shirt and you’ve made an effort to look semi-stylish you’ll probably elicit colorful comments.

For some, like Britt, it’s easy to ignore the haters. (Ed. note: I didn’t take the line as an insult, but maybe I was supposed to?) For others, like me, insulting my Louboutins is like insulting my [future] offspring. You just don’t go there.

Do you have a fall back comeback to insults? Or are you totally immune?

—CARSON GRIFFITH

Julia, Architect

Got Her: Dans les Tuileries yesterday afternoon.

Stalked Her: Because if we wore fur, we’d wear it like that - had to ask where it came from.

Shot Her: Because she’s an architect who fit in perfectly with the Parisian fashion crowd and that is quite a feat. Aside from Lagerfeld, she’s working on sets for Ungaro and Costume National. Plus, we’re obsessing over black and navy as of late.

She Says: “I have always loved fashion but it turns out I’m good at architecture so I found a way to do both! I think they are very similar, you’re just designing space but on very different scales”

We Say: You might’ve mastered both.

Scoring vintage Betsey Johnson is only half the battle of thrift store shopping - trying to find what you love in your (actual) size is usually the part that turns a good shopping trip into just a bad trip.

So good news: Betsey feels your pain, and Opening Ceremony knows an incredible deal when they see one, so they’ve paired up to introduce a new-ish range from Betsey, the Betsey Johnson Archive.

Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like: Re-makes of 35 of Betsey’s best vintage designs to launch at Opening Ceremony in NYC and LA (and some Betsey Johnson stores) this Fall.

In the meantime, you can try to hold yourself over with the vintage page on Betsey’s site. But we’re just going to send the Opening Ceremony people telepathic messages all afternoon - “Please host an 80’s dance party for the launch!”

News:

What Comes Around Goes Around is moving their famous vintage archive, so they’re having a sale to lighten the load of 100,000+ pieces. So bust out your Sharpie:

13 -17 Laight Street, 5th Floor, Buzzer # 28, 212.274.8340.

Wednesday, February 4 - Tuesday, February 24, Seven days a week 11am - 7pm

Up to 75% off (more details), new items added weekly, ridiculously deep discounts during the last week - incredible.

And yes, we’ll remind you on the 3rd.

Listen up Londoners.

This weekend you must get yourselves to Frock me!, the vintage fashion fair founded by Matthew Adams.

Adams says, “It’s quite simply London’s hottest vintage fashion event, held several times a year at the Chelsea Town Hall in the King’s Road and now also in Brighton at the Sallis Benney Theatre. All the top vintage dealers in the country come to sell.”

So if you’re in desperate need of 1920s Flappers, Fifties glamour or burlesque basques I suggest you make your way there.

And if the thrill of authentic vintage for a just a few pounds isn’t a big enough draw, Miss Moss’ been spotted wandering the fair in the past. Sometimes even her closet isn’t enough inspiration for an entire Topshop line.

You know, just saying.

—Br(it) Boy

There’s been a lot of discussion, on this site and others, about the popping price bubble with luxury goods.

It hasn’t happened yet, even though fewer people can buy designer products right now, and even though $1,000 for shoes is more ridiculous than hunting moose in the White House.

But those seeking Chanel and Gucci on a budget may still be in luck, at least in one department: vintage clothing.

Though Burberry trenches still hover at $1,000 at Barneys, and Rodarte gowns go for $5,000 at Bergdorf, we’ve seen near-plummeting prices on bags, shoes, and dresses at second-hand stores around New York City. This weekend alone, we spied a Botkier bag for $80, a Chanel jacket for $200, and various starlet jeans for $20 - $40 each. Hunting around eBay for Luella and Anna Sui shows a similar trend - as in, you might actually be able to buy it.

Those of you in small towns are like, “So? I bought a Pucci dress at a second hand store this week for $3!” And for that, we will always envy you… sigh.

On Halloween, the Times reported that Goodwill is trying to change its image into more of a consignment shop rather than a place of “charity” by hosting fashion shows online, and promoting good deals on the blog DC Goodwill Fashionista.

And now, the Wall Street Journal says consignment shops as a whole are doing incredibly well right now, with about 66% of resale and thrift stores watching their sales climb, and about 85% reporting an increase in new customers. Meanwhile, more and mroe high-end stores are trying to figure out their place in the current economic climate and we’re witnessing more sales than ever, even at the good shops.

Which kind of makes this new Goodwill perfectly positioned for this new predilection towards good clothes that’s cheaper just because it’s been worn. Though we wonder about the supply of clothes there possibly dwindling for the people that shop there out of necessity rather than trends - and yes, what about all those hipsters who love to brag over their $2 Goodwill tees? Will they react to the trend by taking their dollars elsewhere?

So many questions.

I have a pair of Chucks that I adore. They cost me $80 and I got them at a vintage shop after a 12-hour work day assisting a photographer. The $100 bill he handed me lasted for a whopping six hours before I pulled these beautiful black, high top Converse sneakers onto my feet. I love them, but they’re kind of bothering me. I feel like they’re not really mine.

I mean yes, I paid for them from my hard work, but these shoes are worn in, deliciously and beautifully beat up and special, not through my own hard wearing, but through somebody else’s. This might sound crazy, but I feel like I’ve stolen someone else’s coolness.

The truth is, I wouldn’t have bought them if they’d been brand new. Their discoloration and wilted state were part of their appeal, all thanks to the street pounding of their first owner, the length of their life (and my mother’s would-be reaction) be damned.

I’m not sure if this has to do with the fact that they’re shoes (insert proverb here) or the fact that I receive so many compliments on them whenever I wear them (my standard thought: “They’re not really mine!”), but I just feel like a phony wearing Converses I didn’t beat up myself.

Have you ever experienced guilt at not having worn in your vintage shoes? Or is my existential shoe dilemma totally unfounded?

—LEAH MELTZER

Lily Cole just made us feel really bad about our socks.

Because in her forward for the book, Green is the New Black, by Tamsin Blanchard, she explains how exactly your socks might have caused some undue damage to the world, and well, we’ll let you read all about it for yourself after the jump.

On a side note, it’s nice to read something from Smarty Miss Model that holds up to her reputation as the intelligent one, no?

Because we have to say, we were impressed.

To: Britt@fashionista.com

From: sandra@iheartvintage.com

Hello Fashionista ladies!

I write debutanteclothing.com, a blog about vintage clothing and runway style. I wanted to fill you in on a juicy bit of copyright infringement.

I found an exact replica of Anna Sui’s beaded bag she showed for Fall 08, only this bag is the original vintage inspiration. Though “inspiration” is quite generous since the bag Sasha carried down the runway is exactly the same as the vintage original - no thinly veiled changes, nothing!

I actually know the original owner of the bag and wasn’t surprised to learn the vintage piece was purchased by one of Sui’s assistants. I’ve tried emailing Sui’s studio to find out if the original bag was used for styling, runway inspiration or if it’s actually been put into production. No word yet - but i’ll keep you posted!

Best,
Sandra

By now, we’re all well aware that our economy is in the toilet. Well all of us, that is, except for ASOS, who reported a 95% increase in sales this past June. And they aren’t stopping there either. The online store announced plans to beef up their site with, as well as several other minor improvements, a second-hand goods market place for shoppers to buy and trade their vintage and used items.

That’s right, the people who brought you “as seen on stars” want to be your new online vintage boutique. And that’s not all - eventually other small boutiques and labels will be able to upload their products directly onto the site allowing all ASOS customers to purchase their unique duds.

We’re wondering if this means they’ll stop sketching out whatever Miu Miu or YSL Kirsten Dunst sports on the red carpet and start selling the designers’ vintage items for less, because that would be awesome. Either way, ASOS just made digging through a dingy thrift store sound a whole lot more archaic. They could just be our new favorite site.

—HAYLEY PHELAN

Our offices are in Soho, and Fashionista’s focus is unapologetically on New York - much like most of the American fashion industry.

But we know there are style addicts from every corner out there, and we do try to spotlight you whenever possible.

With that in mind, we present a new favorite website: The Closet Blog of Boston.

Founded by Newbury Street vintage boutique The Closet, the site chronicles what’s coming and going inside the store - Will Dior pumps sell faster than Moschino ones? Will Lilly Pulitzer prints outstrip Pucci’s?

You can find it all here, along with designer eye candy that totally beats eBay. And bonus: No fake Chloe dresses.

www.closetboston.com/blog

Confession:

We are smitten with the Forever 21 dress at right, inspired by two things at once:

The first, of course, is the famous Composition series by Dutch artist Piet Mondrian.

The second is a YSL sheath dress from 1965, currently housed in the Met Museum’s archives.

“But it’s a copy!” you say, and we’re like, yeah, we know, but it’s a copy 43 years in the making, or 80-something years, since Mondrian began painting his most famous series in 1922. (We still don’t plan on actually purchasing it.)

Is it wrong to hope next, Forever 21 makes a sheath with giant soup cans all over it?

(Yes, yes, we know, very wrong…)