Raise your hands high if you miss Fops and Dandies! Many of you will remember this now-shuttered NYC-based fashion blog and its inimitable author, Lauren. Truly one of a kind, F&D was an unexpected collision of effervescent creativity and straight talk, social critiques and sample sale recounts, and humor both cheerful and sardonic. Never one to do something halfway, she's now hard at work at law school in Chicago. The Second City is cold but more bearable than usual, she relays, as they're "experiencing a 'heat wave' of 20-degree days." Meanwhile, the US Secret Service has been hanging around her digs – apparently Barack Obama had a room on her floor in order to use her building's gym.
Although she's no longer around in the blogosphere to indulge me in outfit collaborations or pseudo-paparazzi stalking, Lauren has kindly agreed to do a guest post on this here dreamecho. Her move to the Heartland has opened up a whole new world of vintage and thrifting opportunities and, hence, purchases to share. Here, she discloses tips on shopping in the Midwest, her latest outfits (all of which she's worn to school), cheapie home furnishings and not one but two closets. (Talk about closet envy!) And for those of you die-hard F&D fans, keep a keen eye out for Lauren's partner-in-crime among the images.
Note on shopping in Chicago: I haven't done too much of it, due to schoolwork and the nation's highest sales tax (10.6%, I think). In fact, when I buy things online, I have them shipped to New York, which I bring back after visiting during breaks. But what blog readers had told me is pretty much true: The thrift stores, while the prices are terrific, yield fewer "nice" or even "vintage" finds. Maybe I'm just not looking in the right neighborhoods, but I haven't totally given up; I definitely plan on exploring the suburbs of Naperville and Aurora sometime soon.
A safer bet seems to be the pre-selected vintage shops, of which Chicago has tons. I had been to a couple last summer, but the one I most recently went to (in, uh, September) was very reasonable and open to bargaining: Knee Deep Vintage. I'm also a huge fan of the many antique markets, for picking up things for the house as well as clothes.
That said, my absolute favorite shop in the Midwest may be Artifacts in Iowa City. I always make a point of stopping by when I'm in town. They have an amazing costume jewelry selection, and an even more impressive salt and pepper shaker collection. The workers are friendly, going out of their way to help you find what you want–the owner brought a fur stole down from storage for me when I asked. Some of the things I always spend time looking at are old colored glass objects, Dick and Jane books from the 50s, Sears Roebuck catalogs from the 60s, mid-century modern furniture (they always seem to have at least one Eames chair/McCobb piece in store), and their vintage phones. I'm sure they love to see me, too, since I always grab a million things when I'm in there.
(Top, left) Outfit: Faux "Dalmatian" fur (according to a classmate) jacket, hot pink Noir cocktail ring (from one of the few sample sales I went to when I was back in New York for winter break), vintage Cazals. Home furnishings: Ancient map puzzle, Christmas gift from classmate, bankers lamp from Craigslist for $5 (I love these classy lamps).
(Above, right) I recreated my Halloween outfit: I went as cotton candy. No one got it. Outfit: Necklace from Korea worn on head, altered eBay blue tutu, vintage pink crochet dress from Revival (secondhand shop in Iowa City), H&M gold leggings, Oh Deer shoes, Betsey Johnson heart-studded bag. Home furnishing: West Elm white chair I got for $15 off Craigslist.
(L) Self-explanatory. That's Lake Michigan! And on warmer nights, they launch fireworks off of Navy Pier, which I can see from where I am.
(R) Outfit: Vintage pink and black checkered silk kimono from Ragstock (secondhand shop in Iowa City, only $12 or something!), Tripp NYC black PVC pants, Benetton black scarf. Home furnishings: Vintage mustard rotary wall phone from Artifacts (antiques shop in Iowa City), my outerwear/shoe closet.
(L) Outfit: Folk sweater with wooden toggles from Salvation Army on 23rd Street ($8!), Jonathan Saunders for Target shirt, Brooks Brothers pants, boots from Korea, Ray Ban Clubmasters (Christmas gift from brothers). Home furnishings: Vintage varsity "L" letter from Edgewater Antique Market. Ceramic deer (next to globe) taken from Jones's childhood bedroom. It winds up and plays music.
(R) His and her razors.
(L) This is where the magic happens.
(R) Outfit: Rawhide fringed jacket from Edgewater Antique Market, blue and white checkered shirt from the Brown Elephant for $1 (Chicago thrift store chain), H&M white beaded necklace, Uniqlo jeans, Nike Air Assaults, Kinokuniya tote (how I continue to profess my love from afar). Home furnishings: Granny square afghan from Chicago Antique Market, needlepoint cushions from Artifacts.
(L) Outfit: Vintage mink stole from Artifacts ($25, what a steal), Proenza Schouler for Target shirt, Forever 21 studded vest, Comme des Garcons for H&M drop crotch pants, H&M lace up boots (completely waterproof, so I've been wearing them all winter). Home furnishings: Framed driftwood from Artifacts, framed pages cut from vintage children's picture book, six mini illustrations depicting parts of speech (e.g. Noun, Adverb) from Artifacts, mirror and framed mushrooms from Unique Thrift (another Chicago thrift store chain). TV/Radio 1970s device from Artifacts (no longer works, but looks cool for $10), green chair from Iowa church sale ($5).
(R) Jones and another deer.
