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My interest in vintage fashion has ebbed and flowed over the years. In high school, one of my most prized possessions was a pair of vintage Chanel aviators that may or may not have been real (I preferred to think the former). In college, I was all about the dig at places like Buffalo Exchange and local thrift shops. Since moving to New York, I've done some serious damage at outdoor bazaars and my favourite local haunt, Housing Works (a nonprofit thrift store with locations throughout the city), happening upon designer gems like an ankle-grazing Gucci leather coat, a pearl-and-rhinestone-adorned Max Mara jacket, and many no-name treasures from leather pants to oversize blazers and costume jewellery.
Right now, I'm in a major flow period when it comes to vintage clothing and accessories, which means my shopping tactics have taken to the interwebs. I love re-commerce sites like The RealReal and Vestiaire Collective where I frequently search for designer accoutrements like belts, boots, and coats. When it comes to pre-loved luxury goods, places like Fashionphile and What Goes Around Comes Around are absolute treasure troves (both with reputations for a thorough authentication process). I even love the occasional eBay or Etsy binge (you can count on both these sites having incredible deals on way-back fashion).
With circular fashion and the part it plays with regard to sustainability being a top topic these days, I've become more eager than ever to showcase my vintage shopping prowess. Lately, I've been swarmed with questions from friends, co-workers, and Instagram connections on where I find my best pieces, how I select products, and my tricks for making every piece feel modern and not outdated. So, I'm spilling some of my secrets by way of eight vintage pieces I wore to New York Fashion Week this season. While I didn't wear vintage head-to-toe, I made a concerted effort to style every outfit around a vintage piece I loved.
Scroll on to see how I did. Plus, shop some of my exact pieces as well as similar styles to recreate any one of these outfits on your own.