A GIRL'S GUIDE TO VINTAGE SHOPPING IN NEW YORK CITY

 Photo courtesy of Kat Harris

I can remember the first time I set foot in a vintage store in NYC.  I was in college and I popped into a cute store near campus on 25th street.  I was completely enamored and instantly fell in love with the assortment of interesting patterns, silhouettes and individuality of the pieces before me.  I particularly acquired an appreciation of vintage costume jewelry.  Every weekend I would peruse the booths at the Chelsea Flea Market to locate an amazing treasure.  I was hooked.  

Just about every day I am asked where I purchased a piece or where my favorite go to vintage shops in the city are so I decided to share them with you.  Happy hunting!

NEW YORK VINTAGE{117 W. 25th Street}I became familiar with this jewel of a store while I worked in the windows at Bergdorf Goodman.  From time to time, we would incorporate various garments and/or accessories into the displays.  This shop houses some of the most well curated pieces from an assortment of decades.  Upstairs is a vintage collectors dream.  Mugler, Halston, Lanvin...they amongst many others reside here to be utilized for editorials, stylists and displays.  They also house some of the most interesting pieces of jewelry and millinery.  Chances are you've seen some of these in your favorite fashion magazine or on a celeb.  Website link here.

EDITH MACHINIST{104 Rivington St.}Hands down this is my go to favorite for accessories.  They have one of the most well edited selections of boots and handbags I've ever seen.  The added bonus is that everything is in mint condition.  There is also a great selection in clothing as well as a small men's accessory section.  Website link here.

LOCAL CLOTHING{328 E. 9th St.}This shop is a lot of fun.  It's quaint and isn't overwhelming.  The selection skews towards the 70's and 80's and offers cool prints, the perfect ankle boots and handbags to name a few.  Website link here.

STELLA DALLAS{218 Thompson St.}I have found some really amazing pieces here.  I always see a party dress or boot I love on every visit.  A lot of what hangs on the racks is from the 40's and 50's but there is a nice mix of other decades as well, particularly in the fantastic selection of boots.  

10 FT. SINGLE BY STELLA DALLAS{285 N. 6th Street}Prepare to have your blown by this shop.  This location requires an afternoon to experience everything it has to offer.  Racks and racks of goodness at every turn.  Need a great romper? They've got it.  How about a cool suede fringe jacket? They've got that too.  Some of the items for sale here can be a bit pricey but most of what they have won't break the bank.  

CHELSEA FLEA MARKET{W. 25TH STREET BETWEEN 6TH AND BROADWAY}While the flea market at the garage that I used to frequent is no more, some of the vendors have now migrated to this outdoor location down the street.  I have scored some of my favorite pieces here.  There is never a shortage of great 1960's costume jewelry here.  Last year I acquired an over sized metal bird necklace that has continued to be my favorite.  If jewelry isn't really your thing there's plenty more treasures to peruse in the form of clothing, antiques and other collectibles.  See something you like? Better grab it as soon as you see it as things are bought quickly.  I'm still regretful to this day of an over sized tassel necklace that I came back by to get and discovered it had been sold already.  Website link here.

HELLS KITCHEN FLEA MARKET{W. 39th St. and 9th Ave.}The selection here is pretty impressive.  Lots of costume jewelry, clothing and antiques.  There is even a guy who has leather jackets in an array of colors that he makes and sells for under $100. Website link here.

BROOKLYN FLEA MARKET{50 Kent Ave.}This is the flea market of all flea markets in New York.  Some would even say it's a magical experience.  Here you will find great art, furniture, clothing, jewelry and lots of collectibles.  If you need a break from the shopping, there are amazing food trucks on the premises so you can refuel.  I once purchased a pair of frames Vanity Fair spy prints for $50 here which is a steal! Website link here.

SHAREEN VINTAGE{13 W. 17th St.}I was first introduced to this shop in LA but was excited when a location arrived in NYC.  No boys are allowed here so grab a few girlfriends and shop way(look for a red dress hanging from the fire escape).  Each week the shop receives a mix of garments ranging from the 50's-90's and even better than that are the prices.  The average price is $38!

ALL EYES ON...JAMIE ALSABROOK

From "The Losing Game", 2012

From "The Losing Game", 2012

Untitled fashion, 2011.  A collaboration with makeup artist Jonathan McKeeman.  Photographed at Retro Den.

Untitled fashion, 2011.  A total off the cuff shoot with model/actress Olivia Jordan.  She has since been runner up in the Miss California USA Pageant and placed in the top twenty in the Miss World Pageant in Bali.

Untitled fashion, 2011

Untitled fashion, 2012.  Test shoot with model Lisa Avery

Untitled fashion, 2012.  Test shoot with model Lisa Avery

"Fury", 2012.  Part of a two-photo series depicting the 2012 Oklahoma wildfires in West Tulsa.  This one represented the fury of fire.  The second represented the earth's devastation.

 From "Mother Don't Worry", 2012

From "Mother Don't Worry", 2012.  A series shot in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina.  Jamie wanted to feature Tessa Chesser, one of her best friends. They created the featured dress from lots of tulle fabric.  Jamie's favorite thing about the photos from this series is that a first glance, most people think the background is the ocean when it's actually nothing but dreary atmosphere.

Untitled, 2013.  Photographed for a Darling Magazine intellect piece.  This image was photographed at the Tulsa Garden Center and features set decorating by Stacy Suvino.

From a currently untitled series(sometimes referred to as the "haunted series") that is set to premiere in February this year.  The series deals with fear and the possible reactions to perceived emotional distress through the filter of a girls dream.  A dream that visualizes her fears as she stumbles upon and explores an abandoned house.  The series will officially premiere at Living Arts in Tulsa, Oklahoma on February 7th.  The exhibit will show each image  of the series and feature a corresponding installation designed by Stacy Suvino.

Each week I do an outfit post set in beautiful and interesting places.  The artist responsible for these gorgeous and cinematic images is my friend and fine art photographer Jamie Alsabrook.  This past year Jamie's work was published in Darling Magazine as well as Okiemama Magazine and in February, she will put her new series on display at Living Arts in Tulsa.  With an exceptional eye for detail, thought provoking imagery and the ability to create emotion with her images, Jamie is an artist on the rise with a very bright future.  I thought it would be fun to share an interview I conducted with her recently to provide an insight to her work.

SS: Where are you From?

JA: Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Born and raised.

SS: How long have you been a photographer?

JA: Roughly four years.

SS: Which photographer(s) influenced you, and how did they influence your thinking, photographing and career path?

JA: The first time I was ever moved by a photograph was in 2006.  It was the cover art for an album called "The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me" by a band called Brand New.  The image, "Untitled 44", shows two men wearing knee-length reaper Halloween costumes, jeans and fuzzy blue slippers on the porch of a small, worn down, white colonial-style house.  Around the corner, unbeknownst to the two figures, a young girl stands wearing black tights, a plaid skirt and her arms pulled inside a blue fur coat.  It perfectly visualized everything the album expressed lyrically.  Innocence and corruption, good and evil, simple and complex, curiosity and disinterest...and not necessarily applied to the expected subjects.  The other twenty five images in Nicholas Prior's series "Age of Man" cunningly and eerily follow suit.  It examines the psychology of childhood as a complex item and as something that an adult removed by time cannot understand.  I had always known I wanted to be an artist, but this series made me want to be a photographer, a psychological photographer.  I was able to gain much more insight and advice over a three hour lunch with him in February last year in NYC.  The images say so much that I, to this day, understand at first glance but find hard to explain.  This is the goal in my own career-to evoke in others as much complex thought and wonder as he did in me, even in fashion work.  This career path seems to be the least traveled in the realm of photography, near invisible even, so advice from him and others has been quite helpful, that advice being "shoot what you love".  I am influenced by the photographers around me and the different ways they approach the medium.  Other photographers I like are Steven Meisel, Sarah Hobbs(recommended by Nick Prior), Kyle Thompson(Chicago), and Alex Prager.

SS: Exactly what is it you want to say with your photographs, and how do you get your photographs to do that?

JA: Most of the concepts that I get tend deal with exploring corruption in situations.  Even my fashion work has a sad look.  So far, I have dealt with corruption in relationships the most because it's what I have the most experience in.  For instance, I did a series titled "Losing Game" wherein the goal was exactly that-to highlight different problems in relationships.  One image showed distance by having the characters stand facing each other on each side of a bed,a sort of literal symbol(these words seem contradictory) of a relationship.  I aimed at showing literal and emotional distance simultaneously.  I tried to make the emotional distance/anger/exhaustion felt in the space between them share the space on a bed, a space where love should be made.  I get lots of comments on this photo in particular telling me one can feel the emotion very strongly from the characters.  That always makes me happy because the couples faces are basically blank and emotionless.  In the future I would like to show corruption or sadness in different areas such as adolescence, political systems, friendships, parent/children, etc.

SS: What was your career path? How did you get from being an aspiring photographer to becoming one?

JA; I used to have a job in health care which is not where I was supposed to be. I always took pictures as a hobby but one day I read something that made me take the leap of quitting health care and pursuing learning and working in photography along side different photographers-at first with Zane Yost, who taught me about cameras and photoshop.  I learned quite a bit from Nathan Presley on the possibility of dreaming, the importance of doing what you love, and the art of aesthetic.  I continue to learn everyday  from Jeremy Charles on motivational, artistic, and technical levels I couldn't begin to list out! Along the way, as a photographer in my own right, people have started to come to me for my artistic vision. 

SS: Do you have a certain technique you prefer to use in your photography? Do you have a certain camera/equipment you prefer?

JA: I've been all over the shop as far as technique.  When it comes to lighting, I try to mimic natural light and possibly highlight certain key objects.  I also prefer a dark image.  Also, no technological preferences as far as brand...I like a full frame camera.  I enjoy both film and digital as there are pros to each format-digital allows one to perfect and composite images, and film teaches one to be a better photographer.  It also, especially in a darkroom setting, has a more craft-by-hand feel that I love.

 SS: What does your creative process consist of?

JA: I always have the same process.  I'll get an idea of what I would like to explore psychologically, think about it, ask others about it, research it, gather visual cues, and then story board.  Then it's plan, shoot, edit and reveal.

SS: What motivates you to continue taking pictures economically, politically, intellectually or emotionally?

JA: Mostly just to execute complex ideas in concise ways.  Always creating statements or visualizing psychological ideas.  Becoming much more politically motivated the older I get as there is so much corruption for me to visualize there!

Photography by Jamie Alsabrook

ALL EYES ON...YOANA BARASCHI

The designer in her beautiful office. Not only is Yoana a gifted designer but she has a wonderful philanthropic spirit (more on this later).

Daytona Grid Frock in Neon Mango

Floating Iris Embroidered Halter in Storm Blue.  This dress features Yoana's beautiful signature embroidery.

Beauty in the details

Heaven's Gate Party Dress in Crystal White{my personal favorite in the collection}. This dress features Edwardian cording embroidery over lace and cotton netting.

Silver Magnolia Party Dress in Sky

Daytona Racer Jacket and Daytona Racer Shorts

Ombre Tennis Stripe Column Dress in Black/White

Saint Tropez Denim Short in Indigo

An inspiration and fabric mood board

The color range in fabric varies from iridescent pastels and opalescent brights to black and white

A wall of inspiration in Yoana's office

Throughout the studio there was an immense level of beauty and inspiration.  From the garments, to the mood boards and team members I saw a unique blend of artistry and workmanship.

On my last visit to NYC, I had the privilege of visiting the studio of Yoana Baraschi, one of my favorite designers.  I was first introduced to her line a couple of years ago at Miss Jackson's and have been smitten ever since.  Each season, her collections are comprised of beautiful fabrics and silhouettes, architectural pieces, interesting patterns and dresses ready to attend a party.  This season the concept behind Yoana's collection is Illuminated Web which she describes as an energetic grid of light which is the blue print of each design that comes to life.  Her Spring 2014 collection is every girls fantasy full of sherbet colored frocks, unexpected print mixes and architectural pieces in black and white.  This is a collection that will suit the classic minded to the trend setters!

To view and purchase from her current collection visit www.yoanabaraschi.com

Photography by Stacy Suvino

ALL EYES ON...LOLA HATS

Lola SS14 "Pineapple Cap" {my personal favorite!}

Lola creating pom poms in the studio

Left to Right//Sweetheart Cocktail Hat and Mouse Ears from the personal archive

A view of the beautiful studio

SS13 "Horchata" {in progress, not finished}

Lola SS14 "Soap Bubble"

John SS12 "Graffiti News"

Left to Right//John SS14 "Front Door Two" and "Plasterboard"

Personal Archives

Lola FW13 'Pieced Brioche"

Lola FW13 "Pieced Brioche" made of recycled felts

Lola hats on display on beautiful, sculptural hat trees

Left to Right//Lola FW13 "Ricochet", Lola FW13 "School Ring"{top} and Lola FW13 "Upholstered"{bottom}

Lola SS14 "Willy Nilly"

Lola FW13 "Catty'

The SS14 collection is inspired by laundry. One of the things I found most interesting about Lola and her creative process is it's very organic.  She doesn't start with a singular theme for a collection, rather she creates pieces first and then develops a concept based on what she creates.

Left to Right//Lola SS14 "Flip a Coin", "Matrix", "Sunroom", and "Flip a Coin"

John SS12 'Broadsheet"

Each Lola hat is adorned with a lovely label

A few of the pieces featured in various fashion publications

I few weeks ago while I was in NYC for NYFW, I had the pleasure of visiting the Lola Hats/John studio in Bushwick. I have been an admirer of Lola's creations for several years and was elated to not only see her creative space but to meet her as well.  What started in 1989 as a small storefront has now progressed to a beautiful studio space overlooking the Manhattan skyline.  You may recognize her work as it has been featured in fashion publications such as Vogue, W, Elle, The New York Times Magazine, Marie Claire, to name a a few, and boasts an impressive client list which includes Kate Spade, Ralph Lauren, Phillip Lim and Tommy Hilfiger among others.  What I love about her designs is the beautiful craftsmenship and cool factor each piece radiates.  You can view more of Lola's pieces here!

Special thanks to Lola and Liz for graciously letting me visit the lovely studio

Photos by Stacy Suvino