The Goods!: New York Gets The Goods...It's Been Too Long! Shopping and food are a perfect combo! Here's the selection the ladies had to shop from.

It seems like forever!!! Six months to be exact, but I finally made it out to New York last week and JUST missed the snow!! YAY!! I had seven days to visit my cobbler and tailor, host a potluck and shopping party with the one and only Kerin Rose, have multiple meals out with my friends, a little bit of shopping and of course bring The Goods! to my accounts. I had the great pleasure of meeting Pamela Castillo of Market Publique and chatting vintage. A brief stop at the Nina/Delman Shoes offices to chat about their Delman exhibit at FIT: Scandal Sandals and Lady Slippers. Sadly I missed out on dancing but it was an intense work week, so work it was!

The Goods!: New York Gets The Goods...It's Been Too Long! Our very own, Kim gets The Goods! Here she models her "Prowling Ass Outfit". Jungle dress and bitchin' boots!

Make sure to check the gallery to see The Goods! available at Marmalade Vintage, Daha, Narnia, Zachary’s Smile and Portia & Manny! PLUS some nails did!

These final days of winter seem to be giving us a run for our money, but better they leave our streets- and not our pockets- dry once they’re gone…

HALF OFF ALL VINTAGE CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES (yes girls, this does include boots)

Today through Sunday- in hopes of willing those to, in fact, be the last days of winter.  Just think how warm you’ll be breaking into a sprint to be the first to get in here…so, I’ll see you sneaky lil lasses on your lunch breaks, ’sick’ days, after work, before dinner, post brunch, you know- the usual…

Portia & Manny | 198 Elizabeth Street btw Prince & Spring | 212.219.6400

Tues- Sat 12-7:30 | Sun 12-6 | closed Monday

The Goods!: Friendship + Vintage Clothing = Wanderlust Vintage. From The Wanderlust On-line Collection: Purple leather high waist trousers and color block body con dress.

Sounds like an excellent recipe if you ask me! What came first, the friendship or the business? Well in this case, Zarie Mueller and Jen Armstrong, are two friends that made their love of vintage clothing, fashion and travel, their business. And once it was decided that their love and passion for these things should be something greater they gave it a name…Wanderlust Vintage.

The Goods!: Friendship + Vintage Clothing = Wanderlust Vintage. More of my favorite picks from the Wanderlust on-line store: Givenchy Couture dress, Robert Clergerie loafers, bling blazer and Christian Dior Boyfriend jacket.

They had no idea how well things would go. They set out on roads trips through North America, gathered up goodies, brought them back to NYC and opened a Pop Up Shop to sell their finds. The shop was decorated with a travel theme using old suitcases as props and vintage photography to decorate and give shoppers a sense of where the items traveled from. They knew they had something good but what they didn’t expect was for things to go so well and as would luck would have it this one-off idea became a full on business. Now, these gals are no strangers to the business world. Jen is part owner of The Dove Parlour and Zarie as former co-owner of the Lower East Sides, LeeLush. These business minded ladies followed their hearts to create a world of the things they love. Enjoy exploring the world of Wanderlust.

This past weekend I had the opportunity and pleasure to venture down to Santa Monica and present a collection spanning over 100 years of fashion at the Vintage Expo. This event is serious. Each dealer specializes in an era or genre of vintage, from children’s to high-end designer. If you are looking for something specific and are serious to step up, you will likely find it at the Vintage Expo.

The Goods!: The Santa Monica Vintage Expo. From the Margaret Curby Collection, Vintage Gown Circa 30's/40's.

I shared a booth with the fabulous Kelley of eBay’s My Fabulous Closet. Together we had a collection of apparel and accessories from the teen’s through the 90’s. I was showcasing for the first time, the collection of my dear friend Margaret Curby. Margaret has been collecting for decades and decided it’s time to go! I am so grateful to have had the opportunity for her fabulous finds to enter my world and at the same time help them find their proper place. And that I did, sending items home with Ester of Golyester, the mother-daughter duo of 1860-1960, NY Vintage, costume designer Debra McGuire…just to name a few.

The Goods!: The Santa Monica Vintage Expo. From the Margaret Curby Collection, vintage teddies and silk chiffon dresses.

I have a great appreciation for all eras of fashion but Kelley and I dubbed the items I had “high maintenance”. It takes a skilled hand to care for such delicate items. Dried out fabrics can shred under extreme heat or cold, the oils on your hands can be damaging and many modern day cleaning techniques are just too harsh. So it was a great relief to find the people skilled and willing to revive life back into these pieces. The wealth of knowledge the dealers and collectors have at these events is priceless. I urge you to go and get schooled! The Vintage Expo is multiple times a year in SoCal and San Francisco and on the East Side there is the Manhattan Vintage Show.

The Goods!: The Santa Monica Vintage Expo. Myself with Sandra of Debutante Clothing and Mary of Zuburbia.

I met so many fabulous people! Including (FINALLY!) Sandra Mendoza-Daly of Debutante Clothing and Mary Kincaid of Zuburbia. Read Mary’s write-up on “Tip’s for Vintage Fashionista’s” on the Huffington Post. Ladies, seriously have a read, there are some very important facts, esp. respecting the garments while shopping and trying on!

The Goods!: The Santa Monica Vintage Expo. Jessie's Threads, vintage children's clothing.

Since I was sooooo busy selling I couldn’t get away much to snap photos. I did get to chat with my friends of Mercy Vintage and meet John, the owner of Jesse’s Threads, a three year old company dedicated strictly to children’s vintage and lovingly named after his son, Jesse. And of course a few choice shots of The Goods! that got away…pieces from Ms. Margaret Curby’s collection. Who knew that early wool swimsuits would be so HOT!

The Goods!: Vintage Shopping Guide Tells You Where To Go.

I get a lot of questions in my line of work. The most asked? Where to go vintage shopping! I constantly have people asking where my favorite spots are in New York, San Francisco, Portland, L.A. and The Bay. And while I will let you in on some of my favorite spots across the country, VintageShoppingGuide.com can guide you across the US of A to many a vintage hot spot. VSG is run by the lovely, Malie Bingham, and as the sites name states she offers a guide to vintage shopping locations and websites, events, sales and interviews on vintage industry folks…something I had the pleasure of being apart of! You can view an interview with a treasure hunter on VSG. Ok, totally side tracked, sorry!

Back to the business! Where to get the goods? Well VSG can help and on-the-go too, as they recently launched the mobile site for “web enabled smart phones”. The mobile site is search enabled by city or state and “provides directions using mapping technology to more than 500 vintage stores across the country.” Genius! no more google searches for “vintage shops” when you’re in a rush! I would also suggest grabbing the VSG Walking Tour Map of NYC if you don’t have a “web enabled smart phone” or as a gift for the vintage shopping lover in your life.  And if you’re on the other side of the spectrum and shopping is not really the path you should be taking and selling/downsizing the wardrobe is the road best traveled then grab VSG’s “How to Make Money Cleaning Out Your Closet” book…follow the steps, make some room, make some money then start the process all over again! Really, who are we kidding, right?

Ok, the part we’ve all been waiting for…some of my favorite vintage spots across the country. For thrift stores I love Savers/Value Village (the name changes depending on which coast/state you’re in or if your hunting in Canada). They are the “Thrift Department Store” and have treated my kind over the years. For vintage shops…When I’m in L.A. I always go to Squaresville.  They have an amazing selection, totally reasonable prices and the best, most accommodating, nicest staff I’ve ever encountered. They are also a buy/sell/trade, so you can unload and reload at the same time, WIN WIN! In San Francisco The Painted Bird is a fav, a tiny shop, but full of current vintage trend gems and also a buy/sell/trade. Heading over the bridge to The East Bay, do yourself a favor and stop in The Pretty Penny, another buy/sell/trade with great prices and a really friendly staff. You might find a genuine Chanel purse but you’re surely guaranteed to score the perfect flannel or cute pair of booties. Heading up North to Portland, Xtabay Vintage is another must stop when I’m in town. Beautiful vintage frocks mixed with designer selections. And in Money Making Manhattan pop in the No Relation Vintage and Village Style…be prepared to dig but you will be rewarded. Ok, there you have it, a few of my fav’s. Don’t say I never did nothing nice for ya

Not Just Vintage | 1256 BEDFORD AV. | BROOKLYN | NY | 11216

I Love Your Style by Amanda Brooks

I love books. It doesn’t matter what kind, but if the topic is something I adore equally, like fashion, then that combination can’t be beat. Most of the fashion books that I have are on a particular designer (namely Chanel – I’ve got a nice little collection growing) or on particular time periods. I rarely gravitate to the “how to” books because since I’m in the industry, I feel like I may not need that sort of help. When I received I Love Your Style, How to Define & Refine Your Personal Style, by Amanda Brooks, from Harper Collins, I was a bit weary. After reading it, I feel refreshed and excited.

I’m six months pregnant so I’m not dressing up the way I used to. My body is changing everyday and I find myself looking at clothes differently – in a longing, I wish I could still wear that sort of way. I was a streetwear kid for some time – I couldn’t escape it – I had my own women’s line! My uniform would consist of tees, jeans and kicks. Before the pregnancy I started going more preppy and trying to dress a bit more “my age.” Now, I’ve started looking at my pregnancy as a metamorphosis. I’m in the cocoon stage right now, and after the baby arrives and the pounds go, I’ll be ready to re-define my new style. Reading I Love Your Style is making that all possible.

Amanda Brooks is no stranger to fashion – she’s worked with the likes of famed fashion photographer Patrick Demarchelier, was the creative director of Hogan, muse and creative director to the designers of Tuleh and is currently a fashion writer and consultant. If her name sounds familiar, it’s probably read her name on the pages of Vogue.

In I Love Your Style, Brooks breaks down different types of looks and explains why they are enduring and what key pieces make up that look. She breaks up styles into 2 groups “definable” (classic, bohemian and minimal) and “indefinable” (high fashion, street, eclectic). She tops it all off with tips on how to shop – from vintage shops to designer boutiques, from cheap & chic trendy pieces to basics.

After reading I Love Your Style, I feel invigorated and excited about the prospect of getting a new wardrobe – a benefit I’m rewarding myself with for sacrificing my waist line for the family. I don’t think my main style will change – I know what I like and that hasn’t changed. But by having a guide and a more clinical way of looking at things, I feel better prepared to embark on this exciting endeavor. Not your typical “how to” book, I consider Brooks’ I Love Your Style an essential manual for all fashion lovers – from novices to mavens. You can purchase I Love Your Style on Amazon.com.

*M.I.S.S. received a promo copy of I Love Your Style to review from the publisher.

Eyes To The Sky, Ears To The Streets: The Hotness & The Hot Mess 2009

2009 proved to be a wild ride for most. With the economy in a state of craze, the “Recessionista”  was born and fashion savvy ladies were challenged to get creative and spend wise, perhaps looking towards one of the million high-low collaborations that launched this year or going green with vintage. We welcomed new style icons from lady-like First Lady Obama to the polar opposite goo-goo get-ups of Lady GaGa. Ed Hardy continued to bring shame to the House of Swarovski (crystals) while our favorite no-pants-wearing New Yorker Kerin Rose dazzled us with bling-blam-BONG! eye wear and her line, A-morir, bedazzling done proper. Green became the new grey in the world of nails diding and Minx made the Midas touch a reality. Gals all over the globe went TKO for OTK boots and the motorcycle jacket secured it’s place as a fashion staple. Why Linsay Lohan was appointed Artistic Advisor of anything, namely Ungaro, is beyond me. And let’s PLEASE leave “Jeggings” in 2009.

What will you take forth in 2010 and what will you leave behind?