#is to force my mom to buy one on location at the thrift store

[whoa-where-did-the-pancakes-go]

I should probably get a little stand or a pretty box for my cd player to keep her safe. I have to protect her.

[pompadourpink]

hi mom! i'm starting uni in september, i'm moving to a new city so i need to start shopping and all, but also my parents didnt really give me advice and im the eldest so im kinda lost, do you have any advice?? XX

Hello darling,

The ABC:

Uni is scary because your free-will goes from 8 to 90 in two months and freedom is intoxicating. Making up for lost chances can lead to bad choices (spending, dating, partying).

If your family failed to parent you, it is now your job. Autonomy is essential. Learn to cook, budget, clean, be clean, save, be a good citizen, make scary phone calls, keep yourself safe, prioritise.

No one will force you to get up and study, or hire you at 21 when competing with a bright 18 year old. Effort will not betray you (being a grown lazy gifted child will).

Have shared hobbies, from movie Sundays with a girlfriend to knitting with your sister. A social life is a happy life.

Trust your body, it knows. Stomach cramps mean we hate him, daydreaming means try, yawning means bed, not coffee.

The home:

Make a cleaning schedule, be open-minded and reasonable, do not do or say anything your landlord wouldn't like (I fully recommend having roommates once for exposure therapy).

If you have a neighbour your age, introduce yourself. Having that phone number will one day mean not having to sleep outside or getting a package stolen. Thank them with food.

Start documenting problems right away (photos, timestamps, screenshots, testimonies) as you may need to take action later. No emotions, you're just "worried about everyone's wellbeing".

Mould, vermine and leaks are enemies. Act yesterday.

Avoid big purchases. You don't know what the future (location, size, taste) looks like. Go secondhand, neutral, practical.

Avoid silly purchases: streaming, takeout, drinks, fast fashion. You will not regret having a downpayment saved in ten years.

If you ever need to do emergency laundry, put a bin or a bucket in the shower, add water and detergent (+ soda crystal for stains or whitening), wait an hour, rinse, wring, hang.

The shopping:

My grandmother has kept her house clean with a broom, bucket, squeegee broom wrapped in a floorcloth and Marseille soap since the 60s. When something doesn't work, look back.

Must-haves: cleaning (see #1 + cloths, soda, lemons, white vinegar, steel wool), hygiene (scraper, net, shower head filtre, first aid), night (good pillow, plugs, mask) supplies, freezer if possible, water filtre, reusable period protection, winter clothes, long chargers, sunscreen, friend living at home who will lend you tools.

Must-not-haves: anything trendy, collections (even books), a pet - don't let Felix keep you back, sleep over and study in Paris!

Have an emergency kit (+ whatever you need) + a smaller version in the car/at the office (with cash).

Fresh fruit, starches, a few types of frozen vegetables, of cans of legumes, of fresh, canned and frozen protein, a treat, something fun once in a while to experiment + a (bi-)monthly outing.

A couple of formal outfits. Large black dress pants, white shirt, dark grey thin jumper, pencil skirt, blazer, large coat, trench coat, loafers, heels, tall boots. Never slouchy or skin tight, plain.

Craigslist, Facebook marketplace, thrift stores. Spend a few hours making a perfect home board on Pinterest instead of listening to TikTok and taking what Ikea gives you.

The social life:

Make one or two real friends and cherish them forever. Support each other, travel, buy a house together, idk.

Don't be afraid to be/do things alone. You shouldn't be afraid of what your head says when it's not distracted.

Don't miss out on huge opportunities for people. Some are around out of necessity and will ghost you after graduation.

Do not try to impress, especially people you don't like and who don't like you. Do not do or say anything cops wouldn't like. Be a homebody who doesn't drink if that's what you want.

Do not try to educate those who will not learn.

Do not befriend someone who lacks confidence as they will make you pay for their jealousy, nor someone who wants a free therapist. Those relationships will be one-sided.

Befriend a couple of older girls. They will see through the lies of the people (men, classmates, employers) trying to fool you.

The love life:

The thirty-two year old man doesn't find you mature, he finds you inexperienced and malleable. Don't try meth thinking you're special enough to not get addicted.

If a date mocks you and you get mad, either that is who he is or he hates you. If you got mad, he is not for you. Your job is not to pretend you don't care so he can have a girlfriend.

Ask yourself if you would tell your best friend, mother, Taylor Swift, that he (hers) didn't mean it like that. If not, take a break from dating and think about why you think you don't deserve respect.

Don't forgive what you don't want to tolerate.

Don't try to force a relationship with someone who made it clear that he is, for whatever reason, not interested. You will be played like a fiddle until he meets someone he wants.

Don't try communicating with someone who is messing with you on purpose. No one ignores you for three days or sleeps with your friend or breaks your favourite necklace after an argument by accident. Also, your husband would never.

The daily life:

Have a clean e-mail address (firstname.lastname) for official biz and a casual one (f.lastna) for everything else, a solid password (Lanadelrey1984#) - change it yearly - and a list of the usernames and passwords you didn't pick.

If you don't trust your parents, block them off your account or open a new one when you turn 18 before they rob you.

Save a year worth of expenses, don't purchase what you couldn't buy twice now, don't replace what still works, give yourself week-long thinking periods before spending.

Get folders for your paperwork and keep them safe + take pictures for an encrypted Drive (beware of iCloud): diplomas, flat, car, big purchases, work, taxes, health, etc.

Print pics and make albums. One day, the app will die.

Mind your health. Exercise weekly (cardio/strength, ex: runs + weighted Pilates), walk, get more water, sleep, and fibre, take vitamin D, mind your eyes/ears/skin/teeth, stretch, leave.

Only invest energy, money, or time into what is worth it. FaceTime before the date. Get secondhand leather boots instead of replacing plastic. Drop the book after 100 bad pages.

Refuse conversations with people whose lives you wouldn't want, who happily overwork for a mediocre wage and don't know how old their children are. The handcuffs are homemade.

The job:

People will not forget how you made them feel and the world is a small place. Colleagues, clients, bosses will gossip: make sure it is for good reason. Dress and look clean, stand straight, be on time, never ever gossip, even when you were wronged.

Understand the power of sobriety. Be known for the success of your last project, not your bright skirts or temper.

Protect future you so you get the promotion/project/raise. No friends, no enemies. Smile, have neutral answers, make them talk, move on, make your IG private, google your name.

Lie. You don't avoid them, you eat lunch with your nana (hi Paula, no, I forgot about the hairdresser's), weren't unemployed, your father was ill, cannot go out, you have a birthday party.

Act boring with the jealous old woman or the obnoxious man. Take the fake compliment for a real one, don't understand the innuendo, have too much work to chat. Bullies get bored.

Instead of clapping back (see #3), be Cinderella, who ignores the insults and turns to Mr. No nonsense, who has been there twenty years, worryingly asking if Ethel is okay, I don't know what to do (no mention of ego, you're just distraught about her).

Sites to look up: Proton (mail, VPN, drive), Notion.

Love,

Mum

(PS - apologies if the she/he thing doesn't match you, this is a flexible plan for all of my children)

[putthison]

Digging in the Crates: Talking with Brian Davis of Wooden Sleepers

Wooden Sleepers is the kind of store I wish was near me. Brian Davis, the shop’s founder, has been around the menswear scene forever, but first opened his shop seven years ago on Etsy. Back then, he just had simple listings for his vintage finds, which ranged from classic Americana to workwear to Ivy Style items. A few years later, he opened a brick-and-mortar shop in Brooklyn, which has been since become a destination spot for men’s style enthusiasts. Japanese menswear magazines such as Free & Easy have featured the store; GQ called it the best new vintage menswear shop in NYC. 

When Brian opened his brick-and-mortar, he took down his online web shop in order to focus on his physical location. Carefully setting up the interior decor and presentation was a lot of work, too much to also include shooting photos and selling online. Now that Wooden Sleepers is more established, however, they’ve jumped back on the internet. This past month, they launched a fully dedicated online site (although inventory is still being added), and they’re been developing an in-house line of Wooden Sleepers totes, caps, and sweatshirts (we love all of it). They even shot a fall/ winter lookbook. 

I recently sat down with Brian to talk about his store, his history with vintage clothing, and his style suggestions for guys who are are looking to incorporate a bit of vintage into their wardrobe. 

Tell us about how you got into vintage clothing and how you started Wooden Sleepers.

I grew up on the east end of Long Island, skateboarding and listening to punk and hip-hop music. I lived with my grandparents at the time, a long way from any of the shopping malls. Buying second-hand clothes from local church shops was a way for me to rebel against the Abercrombie & Fitch crowd -- this was around the early- to mid-90s, when A&F was big. Looking back, a lot of the stuff I used to rummage through would later influence my taste in clothes as an adult – seersucker suits, oil-stained mechanic jackets, vintage Levi’s, etc. 

Fast forward to 2010, I was working a corporate job and wanted a creative outlet. My girlfriend at the time, now my wife, encouraged me to set up my own clothing shop. This was when heritage and Americana were huge online. There were sites such as A Continuous Lean, Valet, and Put This On; New York City had the Pop-Up Flea; Etsy was just getting started, but was still a fairly unknown thing. So I started listing stuff online for my thrifted finds. We launched on Etsy in 2010 and then opened a brick-and-mortar in 2014.  

That’s surprising because, right around that time, many brick-and-mortars started struggling. Do you find it difficult to do a brick-and-mortar business in NYC nowadays?

The New York Times had a story not too long ago about Bleecker Street, a big commercial area here with global brands such as Marc Jacobs and Ralph Lauren. At some point, the landlords got greedy and raised rents, and now all those businesses have had to move out. Maybe they could have afforded the rents, but it probably didn’t make sense given the amount of business they were getting from the area. And now, when you walk down Bleecker Street, there are a ton of empty storefronts.

My goal as a business was never about being part of that world. When I was looking for a shop space, I was looking for a place with a thriving community of small businesses. We found that in Red Hook in Brooklyn. Our street is very much orientated around mom-and-pop businesses, with great restaurants and small shops. We’ve actually seen our business grow year after year.

But many small NYC clothing stores have closed – Gentry, French Garment Cleaners, Carson Street Clothiers. It’s not just big brands that are struggling, it seems like it’s everyone. People are so used to comparison-shopping online, they’ll find the cheapest price possible for any given item. Do you feel you’ve been able to escape this as a vintage clothing store?

I think so. Although you can still comparison shop with vintage clothes, nothing is ever going to be the same exact piece. If you find something and it’s “the one,” you may never see it again. Sometimes there are idiosyncratic details or nuances that make it just right.

I also think we’re lucky to have a community that supports us. As a consumer myself, I try to support local and small businesses because I know those companies can easily disappear. And that’s not great for the neighborhood. We have many customers outside of NYC, but we’re also lucky to have lots of guys in the neighborhood that enjoy shopping with us. And they’re guys who aren’t going to get on the computer to see if they can find something for ten bucks cheaper.

How do you get your stuff?

No two days are the same. There are wholesale places that sell bales of vintage clothing. So, you go and buy these dirt-cheap lots, sorted by types of clothes – sweatshirts, t-shirts, jeans, etc. But you have to buy so much junk order to get a few gems. That’s how you get these huge vintage stores with a ton of inventory, with racks and racks of stuff.

Our business model is the exact opposite of that. We have a very small store, which forces us to edit. I only want the gems. Which means I have to go out and source things myself, often piece-by-piece. That can mean anything from crawling around an attic to get vintage chore coats to digging around an estate sale. Sometimes I’ll follow a lead I read about; sometimes I network with other pickers around the country. The key is to always be sourcing because out of ten leads, only a few will be good.

You network with other vintage sellers?

Yea, it helps to have people out there who can tell you when they’ve found something, but aren’t in your specific market. I once met an antiques dealer at a flea market who had a stack of old work clothes. I bought the jackets and told him I had a vintage clothing store in Brooklyn. So, we traded info.

A few weeks later, he called me out of the blue and told me he found an old, boarded up mom-and-pop shoe store in Ohio that has been closed since the 1970s. Inside were hundreds of deadstock boots. He wanted to know if I was interested in buying them. 

I was skeptical at first since sometimes things are deadstock for a reason – maybe they’re in odd sizes, for example – but he promised they had a good size range and everything was in great condition. So, I told him I was interested. He ended up driving all the way to NYC from Ohio and we met up at my store at midnight. I bought 150 pairs of boots from his inventory. Had shoeboxes going up to the ceiling that night.

I’m surprised those things still happen. I can imagine finding up an old boarded-up place with deadstock items in the ‘80s, but with the internet, it feels like anyone can offload stuff online. 

I’m as surprised as you are, but those pickers still exist. From a business perspective, you’re getting the best margin. You’re getting stuff that people think is garbage, so you’re getting it for the lowest price, and then you’re able to find specialty collectors or buyers. It takes a ton of work. These people are often waking up at 3am just to find things, driving around searching for old stores, looking for hidden gems. It takes a certain kind of person.

Do you ever get people coming in off the street with an unusual find for sale? 

Not yet, but I once got a call from Richard Press, the former President of J. Press. It was great because I’ve always been a huge fan of the company. He helped broker a sale where I was able to get a bunch of stuff that was in the personal collection of a former J. Press tailor. One that had worked for the company from about the 1960s to the ‘80s. In the collection, there were hundreds of ties, sport coats, trousers, and deadstock shirts. It was so great to see Richard’s face light up, to see how excited he got about clothes. I feel like it’s so easy to get jaded about things, especially in the fashion industry, but Richard had this youthful excitement about him when he saw old things from his family’s store. It was really special.

Are there things you’ve picked up along the way that you’ve decided to keep it yourself?

Well, I always want to give my customers the first crack. I’ve always hated those vintage stores that dangle the best stuff from the ceiling, but only for decoration. That said, I’m an outerwear nut and NYC winters can be brutal, so I was pretty excited to get a Brown’s Beach jacket to go along with the vest. The jackets are rarer than the vest, and I was lucky to find one that fits. My 1940s USN deck jacket is also a favorite. Mine is olive; the navy one is a bit of a unicorn.

A lot of the stuff I wear, however, isn’t that rare. I like madras shirts, old Brooks Brothers button-downs. I like cut-off military khakis, vintage military jungle jackets. Anything from that ‘60s and ‘70s Vietnam War era, in the OG-107 cloth. Some of those vintage military fabrics were made from a cotton-poly blend, especially in the later years, but the earlier stuff was often pure cotton. That’s the stuff you want because it ages in a really nice way. 

As a guy who cleans and repairs things for his store, do you have any tips on how to clean vintage clothing?

A lot of it is common sense. Cotton things can be thrown into the wash; wool items will often need to be hand-washed or dry cleaned. A lot of what I buy is vintage workwear, so they’re things that have been through a lot – a washing machine isn’t going to hurt them. There are some things I leave behind because they’re too raggedy, but there’s a lot you can save with a bit of mending and cleaning.

If you find a vintage item with a musty smell, you can also spray it with a 50/ 50 mix of white vinegar and water. It helps freshen it up a bit. The vinegar smell goes away, and with it, it takes out some of the smell you occasionally find in vintage clothes. 

For readers who are interested in trying out vintage clothing, do you think there are some pieces that are easier to wear than others?

Definitely, go with the classics. A French chore coat or a Levi’s trucker jacket. Unless you’re shopping at the very high-end of the market, buying brands such as The Real McCoys or RRL, you can often get a vintage piece that’s cheaper and cooler than more mainstream items. Even a Levi’s trucker jacket from the 1980s is going to look better than a mainline Levi’s jacket in the same style, but new.

I also really like getting guys into bigger pants. The pendulum has swung so far into the slim-fit trend that guys can feel like it’s a revelation when they wear something fuller. Maybe a pair of fatigues isn’t right for the office, but they’re great for the weekend. For spring and summer, you can wear them with simple, canvas sneakers, such as Jack Purcells or Chuck Taylors. For fall, they look great with brown, plain-toe service boots. For me, the key to wearing fuller pants is that you don’t want a break. Otherwise, they can look really messy. If you roll them up a little, you get a fuller cut without any of the bagginess.

M-65 military jackets are also really easy to wear. 1950s and ‘60s military issue khakis. Denim chore coats. Especially with chore coats, if you’re not a connoisseur, you’re not going to care if a piece is from the ‘40s or ‘50s or ‘60s. The look is the same, which means you can come up on something that looks great, but is reasonably affordable. Again, they go great with jeans, sweatshirts, and heavy boots. They can fit a bit roomy, but I think that’s the charm.

I know what you mean. Sometimes when the fit is too precise, especially with workwear, an outfit can seem too precious. Ethan Newton once told me how he likes vintage leather jackets because they fit in idiosyncratic ways – which is just another way of saying they don’t fit perfectly. I think that can be good with certain looks.

I agree. We’ve spent so much time talking about effortless style, but sometimes guys get too worked up over details. Just put on the jacket and wear it. A lot of this is much simpler than sometimes it’s presented online. It goes back to the first day of school and wearing a jacket that makes you excited, a jacket that makes you feel cool. It can be about a feeling.

Thanks for your time, Brian. 

Readers interested in Wooden Sleepers can visit them in Red Hook, Brooklyn or shop from their new online store. They’re also on Instagram and Twitter, where you can keep up with their daily happenings. 

[pbandjesse]

I'm really tired. I couldn’t fall asleep last night. I was up past 2 and woke up a few times and it was just not fun. But today was still a good day.

I woke up around 830 and reset my alarm for 930. But I didn’t stay in bed that long. I got a message from a guy on tinder and gave him my number but he’s being weird already. But whatever. I got up and dressed and my makeup looked awesome. Got that wing in one swipe and it was awesome.

I wanted to be at the studio by 10. I had to meet with Joel and photograph some pieces and then I had my interview. I started with the photographs. I set up my shelf and tried to light it as best as I could. Heather came over to chat with me. And then Michaela. I like how much people have been around me lately. Its been really nice. Michaela took some pictures of me working. I am very pleased with the photos and hope they look good in my applications.

I wanted to deinstall everything but Michaeala had a studio visit in the gallery so I didn’t want to make a bunch of noise. So I went and set up my mouse trap and tried to start figuring out how to use the lights mom sent me. Joel came and found me and we discussed how our progress is going. We are both in the stage area, me on the stage, him below it. So he wanted to see if we were going to conflict or anything but its all good and we both are happy. We highfived so you know its good.

At noon I headed over to main campus. I got Don to help me drill some holes in the plastic container I got for my thesis mouse. I was worried it would shatter but it was rubbery enough for air holes. I also cut all the wood for the cake stand structure so we can finish it tomorrow. I didn’t have enough time to put it together today though.

I headed to the library for a little to try to edit my photos but after I chose the ones I liked best I tried to open gimp but I crashed everything trying to open to many files at once. By the time I got everything back up and running it was almost time for my interview.

I ran to the bathroom to fix my hair and headed to the office.

It was nice to see Andrew, he’s a sweet guy. We went over to the library to talk. He said he was glad I applied again that they loved having me last year. I was excited and tried to express that as best I could. They changed up the ages to be a little older so I said I would be fine wherever they need me, that I prefer mornings, and that while I might need a second job this would be my priority. I also let him know that if there are other places they could stick me as a TA I would love that so I wouldn’t need to find a second location. He seemed open to that but I wont know for a few weeks. It seems pretty solid that I have the part time at least, and we got a pay increase from last year so that neat.

I headed out after that. Andy was coming in as I was getting my bike and he laughed at me and said that he is convinced I only bike inbetween places anymore because it’s the only time he sees me. literally all week that’s the only time he has seen me. Its really silly.

I got back to the studio and finished taking down my shelf and filling the holes from the scews. I went to chat with Aaron in the basement and then Sam and Michaela and Jacob came to my studio. It was fun to complain about stuff with them. Sam stayed the longest and I told her some problems I've been having and it was nice to just get it off my chest. She offered to try to catch her apartment mouse too since we think that the poison is going to kill the ones I might catch at the studio. Which is nice of her.

Around 3 I went and finished painting the holes I patched. And then I went home.

My causebox came! I don’t love it as much as I loved the winter one but its also a good one! A very pretty home/linen spray, a print, a hanging banner with a positive message, a snack bar??, a very pretty ceramic cup, a gift card that I used to buy a vest (this one I didn’t like, I like the vest but I don’t like being forced to use it at what is essentially a prissy high priced thrift store), and the last thing that I'm going to give as a gift because I think they will like it and use it more then I will.

I decided to order a pizza so I did that and it came very quickly. It was really good and I packaged up the leftovers for meals in the next days. I headed over to family dollar for kitty litter and chaco tacos. And now I'm home. I'm really beat. Tomorrow I'm going to finish my structure and work on my defense presentation. I started it today but not in earnest. Tomorrow I'm going to really hit it. I'm really going to try to go to bed early tonight though. wish me luck because my allergies are making it hard to breathe and my downstairs neighbors are being really loud. Like loud enough that I sent an email to my rental office to make a complaint and I hate doing that kind of thing.

I hope you can all get a good nights rest. Take care of eachtoehr.

[thriftchicago]

REVIEW: Village Discount Outlet (Kimball & Lawrence)

Catch VD* ★ ★ *Village Discount

A supremely claustrophobic and grimy location, the Village Discount Outlet on Lawrence succeeds as a sociological study along the lines of the Stanford Prison Experiment, but largely fails to provide merchandise to consumers that is pleasant to wear. There are flakes of gold on the bottom of this ol’ riverbed, but boy, you’ve gotta sift to find it.

Ahead: Noam Chomsky, bread machines, and avoiding getting stabbed in the sweater aisle -->

MAJOR STRENGTHS:

My brother claims he finds good pants here. Frankly I’ve seen his pants and they aren’t that great. Every time I’ve ever taken a shirt off the rack to see if I like it, it’s been a size XL. So if you’re a womens’ XL and you fucking love denim shirts plastered with appliques, congratulations. Finally, there are never less than five bread machines in the appliances section. Do they work? I don’t know. Buy all five and you’re bound to get lucky.

Eye Spy: Bread Machine edition

MAJOR WEAKNESSES:

In a recent article in the New York Times, Alexandra Lange expounded on an aspect of design that has long fascinated creative people: collaborative architecture. Lange touches on MIT’s legendary Building 20, an unassuming, temporary structure for faculty offices and labs that became the home of some of the most important scientific thought of the mid-20th century. Technically, it was poorly designed. Bathrooms were located at the end of circuitous hallways, offices and floors were confusingly and inconsistently labelled, walls were thin, floors were squeaky. But serendipitously, by forcing people to meet in the hallways as they tried to get from place to place, and by lending itself to creative modification, it became a hotbed of collaborative thought. Noam Chomsky worked on his most important theories in Building 20. Morris Halle invented the field of linguistics in Building 20. Modern nuclear physics were developed in Building 20.

How does this relate to the Village Discount on Lawrence?

While Building 20 accidentally fostered collaboration, this particular Village Discount accidentally fosters conflict. Through its shitty, shitty design.

You enter through a weird vestibule and have to walk deep into the store before you can actually turn into an aisle of clothing. You are effectively consumed by the store. All the aisles look like this:

Does this aisle look just wide enough to fit two carts? Psych. It fits exactly 1.8 carts widthwise, so you have to weirdly shimmy past another person and shove your body and cart up against the clothes to get by, enthwarping yourself in a smelly, soft cave of XL Mossimo flannel.

The aisles are also weirdly long and seem to never end. This store ranks #1 for thrift stores where I’ve encountered moms and teenage daughters arguing about tube tops. Another time, a guy came in and made a verbal bomb threat while I was checking out (”I should bomb this place,” he said). The cashier rolled her eyes and continued to bag my sweaters and nobody did anything.

When I went back to this store one more time to make sure it was truly as awful as I remembered, one of the cashiers was loudly talking about her co-worker, an “old Indian man” named “Archeerio” (I highly doubt this was actually his name) to another cashier.

“Could you talk to me for him?” she said. “Do you speak his language?”

“I think he speaks English,” said the other cashier.

“But could you talk to him in his language for me?”

Good god.

Let me qualify, this building is surrounded on all sides by pleasant locations that are a credit to the neighborhood. Albank! Several taquerias of excellent repute! The very nice Cafe Chien! But for some reason, it’s just a smouldering pit of the very worst that humanity has to offer.

CLEANLINESS:

This is the shoe aisle of VDO Lawrence on a good day. 

“The Lone Ugg”, 2017

“Shattered Dreams,” 2017

QUALITY:

Maybe the VDO on Kedzie gets all the good donations or something, because most of the merchandise here is uniformly of poor quality. Even a trip to the dumb white tag section (”better” clothes) yielded mostly Forever 21 and some overpriced bullshit.

I don’t care if “CHAPS” made it, I will never in my life purchase something from a VDO for $48. Also, I checked the tag: it’s faux. PRICING:  The typical VDO $2 to $10, with the typical VDO inconsistency in pricing scheme. There will be Banana Republic linen button-ups (not in your size, of course) priced at $3 and Forever 21 t-shirts priced at $5. None of it will make any sense.

WILDCARD FACTOR: The wildcard factor at this store is that people might try to fight each other in the parking lot. Exciting!

I have heard that good things can be found here (from someone who is my kindest and most forgiving friend, to be fair). Personally I have rarely experienced this, but I believe that at any thrift store there are good things to be found if you’re patient.

SALES & SPECIAL BARGAINS: The usual VDO rules apply: all items have coloured tags, and 2 to 3 colours are at 1/2 price every day. The store publicizes its’ holiday 1/2 price sales pretty well and they happen at least once a month, so keep your ear to the ground, but not literally the ground of this store because you’ll get an ear infection and probably a family of spiders living in there.

MY BEST FINDS:

I think I got my favorite sizeless Bass penny loafers at this store:

I do love them dearly, so that’s something good to be said .

And back in the day I owned a pair of black/grey zip-legged skinny jeans from Avril Lavigne’s clothing line (ABBEY DAWN!) that came from VDO Lawrence.

Honestly, part of me fears that I’ve found the worst thrift store in Chicago and rated it too high. At this point someone would have to stab me in the sweater aisle of a thrift store for me to have a one-star experience (stabbed in a thrift store is also 100% probably the way I’ll die).

But I’m sure there’s some nasty treasure trove of horrors lurking somewhere, in, like, Chatham, just waiting for me to hate it.

[juliandmouton30]

Designhounds KBIS at Las Vegas 2019: Meet the team

We are proud to announce another first for KBIS 2019 in Las Vegas, the inaugural #DesignhoundsKBIS tour replaces our beloved BlogTour since the world of social and digital media has changed and we realize that KBIS deserves to be covered from different angles via blogs but also via Instagram and other important social media platforms. You’ll meet our group of bloggers and design influencers below and we would love for you to follow their individual platforms and #designhoundsKBIS . To join all we do with #designhounds simply follow and use that hashtag as well and we’ll keep you updated on all the things that make us go WOOF, year-round.

Chanda Seymour Design (CSD) is a full-service interior design studio, providing timeless and functional environments for today’s lifestyle. Chanda Seymour is a California native, and an interior designer with over twenty years of experience. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design, and is certified by both the National Council for Interior Design Qualifications (NCIDQ) and the California Council for Interior Design Certification (CCIDC). Chanda founded CSD in 2003 after working with award-winning architecture firms in Boston and San Francisco, on projects as diverse as university, biotechnology, medical, retail, and residential spaces. Founded on the belief that successful design is not only beautiful, but also functional, CSD is dedicated to providing innovative solutions that are efficient, safe and aesthetically pleasing. Each new project is a collaborative journey with the client to provide spaces that meet their needs and exceed their expectations.

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Veronica Solomon is an award-winning interior designer whose work has been featured in numerous publications including The ASID Texas Gulf Coast Chapter magazine, Houston House & Home magazine, Katy magazine, and national blogs such as Apartment Therapy. She has been named as one of The Top Ten Emerging Designers To Watch By Black Interior Designers Network. She has established herself as one of West Houston’s most highly acclaimed interior designers and lifestyle experts. She has created unique and memorable interiors for a wide variety of residential, homebuilding and commercial clients over her 11 year career as the CEO and Principal Designer of Casa Vilora Interiors. She is the region’s only designer who practices the art of creating luxurious and fresh, yet practical interiors for a busy family to live in and enjoy. Veronica provides her clients with distinctive, cutting-edge furnishings that are not readily available at retail stores. She travels across the nation to major furnishings markets to obtain the most unique and innovative furniture and accessories, while keeping up-to-date on the latest trends. Veronica is a mother of two amazing children and a feisty chiweenie named Rufus. Her Jamaican heritage of staying grounded, hard-working and dedicated to her craft, not only shows in some of her colorful interiors, but allows her to service her clients with an intentional system of satisfaction by design. She is a mentor to young designers and design students about to embark on entrepreneurship in the design industry. Veronica is actively involved in local charitable organizations such as The Houston Furniture Bank D.I.V.A.S., and founded The Solomon Project Pregnancy Help Ministry that provides a beautiful and comfortable space for a deserving young mom to bring her baby home to nurse and nurture.

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Patricia Hoyna, founder of Studio Hoyna is an intuitive designer and artist with a simple mission to create unique homes that make sense for the people who live in them. With a background in Fine Arts (MA hons) Patricia approaches design with passion and curiosity for all things beautiful and understanding of modern day living. Working creatively and collaboratively Hoyna’s style blends several key values that have little to do with fashion: understated elegance, contemporary character, tactile and visual comfort. Each project is approached with emphasis on unique identity of their clients.

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Hello! I’m Michelle Gage! I am a Philadelphia suburbs-based interior designer. I fell in love with interior design at an early age. My trusty Lisa Frank notebook was always at my side, full of floor plan sketches and decor ideas. I opened it up at every house I entered. Whether you wanted it or not, I was always there to offer a friendly floor plan fix.As years passed, that passion stuck with me and ultimately led me to study at Virginia Tech, where I received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Interior Design. Upon graduation, I moved to Philadelphia to work as a home merchant at Anthropologie HQ, buying everything from art and antiques to lighting and decorative textiles. I’ve worked with wonderful partners from all over the globe, buying antiques from French dealers and producing lighting with Asian vendors.Fast forward a few years to where I am now – creating magical spaces that are a true reflection of you, your family and your lifestyle. My work has been featured by Domino, Design Sponge, Apartment Therapy, HGTV Magazine – just to name a few. Currently, my husband, rescue pups and I reside right outside of the City of Brotherly Love, where we are busy renovating our forever home. When I’m not designing, you can find me at flea markets, thrift stores and estate sales. I’m always on the hunt for a glorious vintage find. I seek out the best markets while traveling. I’ve shopped The Paris Flea Market, The Brimfield Antique Market and The Rose Bowl. Many of the one of a kind goodies I find are available through The Early Bird Vintage on Chairish. I take joy in creating homes that appear curated over time, combining the things you love with my artful eye. Every space I create is a true collaboration of visions.

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Jana Donohoe is the founder and principal interior Designer of Jana Donohoe Designs. Known for her signature design aesthetic of “casually tailored living”, Jana specializes in blending luxury and practicality to deliver sophisticated living that stands up to the rigors of everyday life. She is skilled at pushing creative boundaries in ways that both respect and redefine timeless design aesthetics.The result is a twist on the traditional style with a modern edge that, while visually impressive, remains comfortable, highly functional, and above all else livable. A consummate design professional, Jana is a member of ASID. When Jana is not designing interiors she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, baking and enjoying all things chocolate and coffee.

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Megan Bachmann Interiors specializes in full service residential interior design. A former fashion buyer turned interior designer, Megan loves creating beautiful and functional spaces. Megan Bachmann Interiors is located in Burlingame, in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area.

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Shavonda Gardner is the Designer, Blogger, and Social Media Influencer behind the Interior Design and Lifestyle blog, SG Style. After serving in the military she discovered her love of design and thus began her pursuit into interiors. She is passionate about small space living and believes that just because you live small it doesn’t mean you can’t have big bold style. She believes every space needs something black and something a bit unexpected, but ultimately she believes that spaces should bring joy to those who inhabit them. Everyone is different and our homes should be a reflection of those who live in them.

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Since 2000, Tamara Stephenson has been busy creating beautiful interiors for clients. She has fine-tuned her aesthetic, which refer to as”sophisticated cottage.” Since graduating from both Castleton University then Parsons School of Design, she has worked as a residential interior designer, author of popular design and lifestyle blog, Nest by Tamara, and more recently as creative director/co-owner of textile and wallpaper company, root cellar designs. Tamara’s interiors are a medley of modern furnishings, accessories and eclectic art which she combines with antiques and vintage finds, and they are layered yet well edited to reflect the client’s personality. As a well known expert in the industry, Tamara is regularly invited to speak at design industry events about interior design, entertaining and the international design markets. In spring 2015, Tamara joined forces with long-time friend and fashion designer, Susan Young to create home collection company Root Cellar Designs LLC. Currently, they have eight fabric and four wallpaper collections which are sold exclusively to the design trade in several showrooms around the country with ready-made pillows, table linens and fashion accessories sold in exclusive home shops around the country.

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Rachel Moriarty is a leading home style expert, best selling author, speaker, brand ambassador, product designer and cohost of the popular Design+Style podcast. Recently, named one of “2018 Most Influential People” in Real Estate Staging, Rachel is also an award-winning designer with more than 13 years of experience redesigning the houses, vacation and investment homes of successful professionals in and around San Diego County and nationwide via her online services. Her work as a photo stylist has been published in home furnishing catalogs and industry and shelter magazines. A treasure huntress since the age of 12, her specialty is elevating spaces by incorporating her clients family heirlooms and is known for her use of playful patterns, bold strokes of color and serious style. Rachel’s current projects include a new tile line with Elegant Mosaics, the design and launch of The Design Network’s new eDesign platform and the renovation of three homes for a new HGTV series scheduled to launch in early 2019.

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Angela Todd, Principal. I am a live wire full of creativity, passion, drive, and enthusiasm. I never felt like I chose interior design as a career; I felt it was revealed to me. It is exactly what I am supposed to do.I love beautiful spaces, interesting stories, history, and architecture. I approach interior design more in how spaces feel, rather than what one can define in a formula. A great interior to me is about weaving a story into the fabric of the design. We may not realize it, but for most of us the life experiences we have, coupled with our personality, give someone like me a distinct vision of a beautifully finished interior.I am a bit of an irreverent soul. I live to juxtapose raw with refined, as well as sophistication with spontaneity. I like to use color and pattern to set a mood in a space which tells visitors something subtle about my clients. At our core, we believe our job is creating memorable backdrops that tell the story of fascinating and intricate lives. I work and reside on the east side of Portland near Mount Tabor in a 1916 foursquare with great bones, a story, and a heart. I am lovingly restoring her to glory. In my free time, I love to entertain, enjoy music, laugh, and travel to places with soul and profound histories.

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Susan M. Jamieson, ASID is the founder of Bridget Beari Designs, Inc. where she works primarily on high-end residential interior design projects in Virginia as well cities such as Atlanta, Chicago, New York, Florida and internationally in Costa Rica and Mexico. Her work has been featured in national and local magazine such as Traditional Home, Southern Living, Virginia Living, Rhome, Washington Post and Richmond Magazine. Susan’s projects have also been featured on HGTV and TLC. Her daily blog Bridget Beari gives interior design and lifestyle tips as well as insights into her design business and travels. Susan is a regular in giving advise for the local newspapers and magazines. Her design philosophy is simple: “ Good design comes from the ability to visualize the potential in every space.”  Follow Susan here: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest .

Award-winning Baton Rouge-based interior designer and blogger Arianne Bellizaire bases her distinctive aesthetic on creating just the right amount of tension between clean and fresh, and bold and colorful.On her popular blog, Inspired to Style, Arianne connects with design enthusiasts and industry peers, sharing decorating tips, curating design inspiration, and reporting on the latest design trends, as well as offering a behind-the-scenes look at her own latest design projects.With bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communications and a decade-long career in PR prior to launching her design firm in 2013, Arianne is a seasoned pro at bringing the topic of interior design to life in her own content, at industry speaking engagements, and in a litany of collaborative efforts with top brands and influencers. Among Arianne’s many awards and achievements in her design career, she has been named a High Point Market Authority Style Spotter (2015), Perlick Ambassador of Cool (2017), Villeroy & Boch Color Challenge Winner (2017), Modenus Blog Tour invitee (2016 & 2019), and Modenus DesignHound (Spain and London 2016, Surfaces 2018).Her blog is a two-time nominee for the Amara Interior Blog Awards (2016, 2017) and is currently listed as one of the Modenus Top 100 Influential Blogs.Her work and expertise have been featured in Rue Daily, House Beautiful, Good Housekeeping, Editor-At-Large, and USA Today.

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Wendy Woloshchuk is the principal designer and owner of Details Full Service Interiors, based in Monson, Massachusetts. She works with clients both regionally and across the country. Her scope of work ranges from full kitchen and bathroom renovations to accessorizing a living Wendy believes in creating comfortable, personalized, and memorable spaces for busy clients who want to make the most of their time and resources. Her work has been featured in several print and online publications. She is the author of numerous interior design guides. Additionally, she shares her practical design and decorating advice on The Daily Details – her daily live show on the Details Facebook page.Wendy started Details Full Service Interiors, a Western Massachusetts interior design company, over 10 years ago after completing design school. She stays current by attending multiple industry events annually.

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At Julie Schuster Design Studio, the focus is on creating spaces that nurture and support the people that live in them. Our specialty is uniting both the physical as well as the emotional well-being of your environment. Our holistic style does this collaboratively with each and every client by taking the time to “coax” out the desires and vision that each of us has for the spaces we all want to live in. The results are “invigorating interior spaces for people to live and function in.” Julie is a contributing writer, published in Designers Today and Kitchen & Bath Business, as well as serving on the Editorial Advisory Board for Kitchen & Bath Business.  She is currently a Brand Ambassador for Robern Cabinetry, as well. Julie is a nationally sought speaker on the subjects of Interior Design and Feng Shui, as well as Universal Design and Multigenerational Designing. Julie holds a BS in Business, as well as a degree in Interior Design from New York School for Interior Design.  She is a Red Ribbon Certified Feng Shui Practitioner with The International Feng Shui Guild.  Additionally, she holds the certification of “Certified Living in Place Professional (CLIPP); who’s focus is on environments safe and accessible to those with physical limitations.

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From seaside homes to luxury condominiums in Boston’s Back Bay, award-winning interior designer Pamela Copeman is noted for her posh panache and timeless designs that unite classic style with a modern, often colorful twist.With over 20 years of experience designing exceptional living spaces for a variety of clients,  Pamela prides herself on keeping up with the latest and greatest products and trends in interior design. By working collaboratively with clients, Pamela ensures that each space she designs is a true reflection of the people who live in it.Pamela has been recognized by her peers in the design world, national publications, as well as locally.  Pamela is the recipient of multiple design awards including a 2014 Design Excellence Award from ASID New England.  She has also been featured in South Shore Living magazine, The Boston Globe, and Traditional Home.  Pamela authors Posh Palettes, an Interior Design and Art blog and has been part of several prestigious design blogging panels including Modenus’ BlogTour of Venice and Milan and Brizo’s “Blogger 19”. Additionally, Pamela is an accomplished oil painter and mixed media artist.  Her art work is showcased locally at La Petite Maison in downtown Hingham as well as local art festivals.  Describing her artistic style as classic, colorful, eclectic and loose, Pamela paints with a designer’s eye and a firm belief that inspiration is everywhere.

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Stephanie believes that your house should reflect who you are and the way you want to live.  Her passion is creating spaces that are beautiful and inviting, while functioning effortlessly in your day to day life.  By listening to her clients, she creates a personalized vision for each and every space and then works in collaboration with tradespeople to execute the final design.  Whether your style is traditional, modern, or a little bit of both, Stephanie will work with you to create a fresh, timeless interior that speaks to you. S Squared Interiors specializes in turn-key interior design, including space-planning, renovations, and new construction in both residential and commercial applications. Stephanie graduated from Meredith College with a BS in Interior Design and is a professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers.  In 2007, she realized a professional goal by becoming an NCIDQ certified Interior Designer.  When she’s not working with clients, she enjoys spending time with her husband, eleven-year-old twins and two dogs.

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Anna Gibson is an AKBD certified kitchen and bathroom designer.  Hailing from Israel, she has been based in Reston for the past 18 years.  Growing up with a civil engineer dad, Anna is no stranger to hard hats and construction sites.  With over 15 years of her own hands-on experience in residential construction, coupled with a natural ability for design and architecture, Anna provides a wealth of knowledge and creativity to her customers.  Keeping up with her international upbringing Anna loves to travel around the world to collect new ideas that help inspire her design work.  Anna works across the full spectrum of projects ranging from multi-unit condominiums to multi-million dollar custom homes.  Anna’s biggest passion is kitchens as she strives to create spaces that enhance her clients’ lifestyles.  Anna recently won the Blue Ribbon award from NVBIA for best features in new custom construction in Northern Virginia, her kitchens are featured in Home and Design Magazine, she has been selected as a featured speaker as part of the “Voices of the Industry” at the 2018 KBIS Conference and she continues to grow with the industry to provide the best for her clients.

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Laurel Bern is an award-winning interior designer and blogger from Bronxville, New York. Through her popular blog, Laurel Home, she has drawn a large following due to her candid style of writing, useful information and warm community of readers.Laurel’s interior design work has been featured in national as well as Westchester County, New York shelter magazines. She is known for a having a young-traditional aesthetic and is one to buck many of the current trends unless, they happen to be classic favorites.For two years running for 2018-2019, she has come in first place out of some 200 design bloggers/social media influencers nominated for Modenus/Design Hounds Influencer of the Year. In addition to her design work and blogging, Laurel has authored four helpful online interior design guides, for professionals and design enthusiasts alike.

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Michele Alfano Design LLC is a collaborative design studio located in Hudson Valley, NY. With formal architecture training and experience, Michele Alfano brings a distinctive bold and modern architectural approach to interiors, furniture and product design. Alfano refers to her design style as “a tailored emotional intelligence,”- Livable Modern spaces that are both eye-catching, highly functional and inspire well-being. It’s her disciplined yet edgy detailing which brings spaces to life by beckoning its users to touch, to emote and to challenge them to think. Alfano has received plenty of attention from brands, publications and media for her work. She was selected for the DXV Design Panel 2017 to re-imagine the modern movement; the bathroom design was featured in such publications as the New York Times T Style, Luxe, Interior Design, Elle Decor, Vanity Fair, Metropolitan Home, Metropolis, and Architectural Digest. Michele received accolades from the 2017 BLANCO by Design contest and been an invited speaker on design panels at KBIS and Wanted Design. She has received honors in the industry, including KBDN Top Innovators 2018 in the Kitchen and Bath industry, the 21st Interiors Award for Best Public Space, and has appeared on BlogTalkRadio. In her design blog MOD Design Guru, Alfano’s modern voice explores new innovations in the industry and investigates how lifestyles evolve alongside design trends.  MOD Design has been recognized by the JDR Industry Awards and the Modenus Top 100 Interior Design Blogs and Influencers, and Alfano has been invited to travel and write for brands such as Tile of Spain, Miele, Mr. Steam, Brizo, Zephyr, DXV, Du Verre, the NKBA, Modenus, and Axor. Michele feels strongly about the importance of giving back and has, since 2012, participated both as a designer, steering committee member and Brand Ambassador for DIFFA’s Picnic by Design and Dining by Design.

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Jill Seidner is a Los Angeles based Interior Designer specializing in commercial & residential interior design. She is active in the design community & also the original Los Angeles blogger for the Material Girls Blog, in addition to her own blog and social media following. She is an alumni of two Blog Tours, London and NYC as well as co-hosting a design walking tour for a past Blog Tour LA group.

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Jennifer Moreau’s early passion for the arts has led her to a 10+ year career in Interior Design that has become second nature.  Drawing inspiration from her clients’ lives and the home’s surroundings, while creating a gorgeous and liveable environment has become her signature as the principal at Moreau Designs.  She believes it really is how you feel in a space that matters, whether it’s comforting, inspiring or grounding, your home should be your haven.  She is always striving to become more connected to client’s needs and creating the lifestyle the client desires even if they don’t know it initially.  Jennifer keeps active in her community through public art and charity events and has made appearances on CTLive, Connecticut’s premier lifestyle tv show.  Supporting local and global artisan’s is a platform and practice in her designs near and dear to her heart.  You can find her blog at www.moreaudesigns.com where her humor is obvious, she likes to keep it real online and in person.

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Mitzi Beach A.S.I.D. C.A.P.S. is an award-winning Interior Designer, Author, and Baby Boomer Marketing & Lifestyle Specialist. Mitzi, armed with 30 years experience and a masters degree in interior design, she is one of the Design Hounds top 100 influencers 2018, selected as a member of the prestigious Style Spotters High Point market in North Carolina, as well as High Point Market Design Bloggers Tour,  quoted in The Wall Street Journal as an expert in the emerging Aging in Place (AIP) trend. Along with designers across America, her home is featured in the 2018 “Christmas by Design” book.

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I started my career as a graphic designer, gaining a solid grounding in all elements of design including colour, proportion, shape and size. After having been a stay-at-home-Mom for 19 years, I went back to school to become a certified Interior Decorator. I launched my initial business in 2009 to provide Interior Decorator and Design Consultant services in the Ottawa area. I quickly realized that the elements of design I had been taught as a graphic artist, seamlessly translated to Interior Design and Interior Decorating.My personal interest in small space design has become an integral part of my business. I experienced downsizing first hand moving from a large family country home, to a smaller city home, then finally to a new condo build in the heart of downtown Ottawa.I love designing smaller spaces as they require attention to design detail while also mastering the practical matters of function and form. However, smaller spaces, out of necessity need to be well edited to ensure you are still surrounded by the things you love, regardless of design trends.I have been published in Style at Home, Ottawa at Home Magazine, Ottawa Magazine, and The Ottawa Citizen. I have been honoured with an award from the Canadian Decorators’ Association (CDECA). My passion for working with colour led me to become certified as a True Colour Expert/TCE through colour guru Maria Killam’s excellent colour courses.“I am passionate about helping clients enjoy an organized, curated and functional life filled with beauty and a touch of luxury. ”

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Lauren Pearson Rivera has passionately pursued Interior Design interest since a young age. Her lifelong dedication to design and her artistic talent is used to provide comprehensive and personalized design services. Her time spent studying and traveling throughout Europe has instilled in her a diverse foundation in design concepts, inspiration and practices. Lauren graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design with a BFA in Interior Design.

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from Julian Mouton Updates https://www.modenus.com/blog/interiordesign/designhounds-kbis-to-vegas-2019