Sorry for the clickbait-y headline, but a girl’s gotta get subscribers somehow!
At every vintage market and pop up, there’s the same strange (and sort of dreaded) question: “where do you find this stuff?” It’s so hard to answer not because it’s some kind of big secret to gatekeep, but because the answer is complicated. Where don’t I find this stuff? Where do I even begin? Some of my sources are as simple as estate sales and thrift stores. But I’ve also purchased an entire storage unit from the friend of a friend who was a would-be seller who decided it just wasn't worth the effort. I have a client in her 70’s that leaves me voicemails every couple months, describing in detail the “new” items she just unearthed from the back of her closet. One of my regular customers recently cleared out her parent’s attic, and mailed me a handful of items to sell on consignment. Vintage is absolutely everywhere when you’re always looking.
All of this is to say that I’ve spent a lot of time looking. I’m constantly meeting strangers to buy from, scrolling websites, popping into random stores in the hopes of treasures or connections. While a large part of my buying is for the shop, I’m also always on the lookout for vintage for my own wardrobe. While I’ve lucked out and come across plenty of gems that I’ve kept, sometimes I’m looking for something specific. And when I’m on the hunt, there’s one app that I always come back to.
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