Gem Stories - Style, travel, and all things secondhand

Anessa Woods of Bustown Modern shares her best tips on how to clean vintage leather and suede garments after working in the vintage business for nearly 20 years.

Sarah Stepanek is a tireless thrifter, creator of the hashtag #ThriftColorfully, and known for her rainbow-like outfits on Instagram. Here are some of her favorite thrifted finds and outfits.

Farr Bryant, 31, started collecting Issey Miyake’s Pleats Please in 2013. Where does she find her best deals and why should everyone own a Pleats Please piece?

Annika White and Landis Urquhart connected over their love for vintage clothing. Now they create vintage collections and photoshoots together.

From high-end designer pieces to more affordable finds, Paris has it all when it comes to vintage shopping. Follow our guide to the best stores in the city.

The most sustainable gift is the one that already exists. Let’s choose used this holiday season!

What will be a future collectible vintage item in 20 years? We met with Grailed reseller, collector, and designer Kendrick Quek, 25, to find out.

Midwest vintage clothing chain Ragstock is one of America’s longest-running retailers of vintage and recycled clothing. With over 40 locations and an online store, it is also one of the biggest.

Kelly Miller studied fashion design in NYC and Milan, worked with trend forecasting and vintage in London and Paris, and now runs her own business in Paris – which she says is unparalleled in vintage.

This New York street style icon and fashion office assistant of Saks Fifth Avenue discovered vintage through Macklemore and Tumblr.

It is over 20 years since the start of the millennium. That means y2k fashion is officially vintage – and trending. Here is a walk-through how to embrace it, no matter how old you are!

The Manhattan Vintage Show is a not-to-be-missed event for any vintage lover. Check out what visitors bought at the October show!

New Yorker Arianna Aviram scours the internet to find secondhand items from her beloved Japanese label Undercover.

Check out these NYC vintage stores and find your new favorite!

Parisian Morgane Farenq, 38, calls herself ’vintage sick’. Her biggest obsessions are Jean Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood, and vintage opera costumes.

Our Bay Area correspondent Amanda Assing visits her favorite vintage spots in Oakland and Berkeley, CA.

Opening a brick-and-mortar store is a dream that many vintage sellers share. Read how James Breitenstein of Personal Choice was able to open his own store in Eagle Rock, LA.

Kaisa Similä sells vintage at Puces de Saint-Ouen in Paris, the largest flea market in Europe and one of the most iconic landmarks of Paris.

Kathleen Sorbara of NYC-based Chickees Vintage knows how to create that chic, timeless style with vintage.

A new season means new outfit ideas. We put together what’s coming up this fall, and how to do it with secondhand.

30s vintage tends to be rare and come in small sizes. Luckily you can create 30s looks by using more affordable and common 70s vintage. Karyn Dethrow of Dethrose Vintage shows how to do it.

Where to shop vintage in Los Angeles area? Check out the tips for best flea markets, vintage shopping, and more.

Do yourself a favor, and treat that spot the next minute you notice it on your garment. Here are selected vintage vendors’ tips on how to do it professionally.

Rebecca Gombos launched her vintage business at the age of 53. Selling vintage was always Rebecca Gombos’ dream. Finally, at the age of 53 she was ready to launch her business.

To celebrate the 20-year anniversary of the Vintage Fashion Guild, we talked with Margaret Wilds, the current President. Why is VFG needed and what does the future of vintage look like?

Make-up artist and portrait painter Oscar Billis, 26, prefers to wear true vintage from the 1920s to 1940s. Even in the heat of the New York summer!

Copenhagen is known for its many bikes, Nordic food scene, and Danish design. But did you know that the city has a vibrant and steadily growing vintage scene, too?

Legendary Kathleen Schaaf of Meow Vintage has been hunting deadstock vintage since the late 70s. Read how it all started.

What are the biggest challenges and the most meaningful takeaways when you stop buying new clothes?

New York-based stylist is one of our heavy users. Gem app has helped her discover many hard-to-find vintage items.

With her creative curation of the 99candles vintage store, Paris-based artist Louise Ducatillon creates links through art and fashion.

Like many, Caroline Schaffer discovered vintage through Mad Men. Now she only wears 30s and 40s vintage.

Our updated guide to the best vintage shopping in San Francisco in 2022.

Vintage style and classic film content creator Harlow Harlow, 29, discovered vintage through old movies and Instagram.

Meredith Minne runs a vintage business dedicated solely to vintage scarves. Read her tips on shopping, storing, and wearing these fun accessories!

Closet creative, stylist, and Instagram person Sabra Johnson started thrifting in her late-40s. Here is her journey and best tips for beginners!

Get inspired by the nautical spring looks created by the owner of The Curatorial Dept., Wendi Weger.

Steven Vega, the creator of Eveready Vintage, gets inspired by interesting details, timeless fashion, and his home grounds in the Southern California.

Amy Roiland, 37, and her daughter, Ryder Bird, 2, are known for their matching vintage outfits.

Fauve Schoen runs a bi-coastal vintage business together with her Mom. Here she shares her favorite vintage finds with us!

Kati Kanerva founded the first-ever rent-a-rack store for second-hand clothes in the US and is planning to launch more.

Check out our updated and expanded guide to Los Angeles flea markets.

A hardcore collector, expert thrifter and vintage vendor – meet Blythe Marks and see her best vintage finds.

Since 1897, a small eyewear store in Sicily, Italy, has grown into a treasure chest of vintage sunglasses. Edoardo Lipari, the fourth generation in the family business, shares their story.

We visited the first Pickwick Vintage Show at their new location at Row DTLA. Here are the best looks we spotted.

Toni Walker knows the vintage staples: tees, jeans, and sweatshirts. What are her tips on shopping and wearing vintage sweatshirts?

Emma Benitez has supplied classic vintage lingerie to lovers of pretty things all around the globe since 2008. She specializes in lingerie from the 40s, 50s, and 60s.

Skirt suits are making a comeback, says former stylist and vintage vendor Chelsea von Mach. Now she shares her best tips on how to style and wear this spring.

When the pandemic hit, Erin Tavin, the creator of LA-based Tavin Boutique, took her business on the road.

Keesean Moore learned the tricks of the vintage trade by frequenting Paris flea markets.

Lexie Griffith learned her love for color and print from her lawyer mother.

Akina Sato’s style is a happy mix of vintage, designer pieces, and weird items.

The thrift & vintage event ThriftCon popped up in Los Angeles in December. We stopped some stylish visitors for a photo and interview.

If anyone, friends Aimée Siegel and Marisa DiSalvatore, know the Philly vintage scene. They collect and curate vintage, and together they also lead visitors on vintage and thrift tours. For this post, they listed their favorite spots in the city they love.

Love for graphics, music, and movies made Jeremy Oliver a t-shirt guy.

It took a global pandemic to make Meg Hemmings find her true calling: selling vintage.

What’s so special about vintage watches? Leslie Fleischman, the owner of Vintage Watch Room contemplates.

Lexie Griffith, the owner of Lexie Butterfly Vintage, knows the Boston vintage scene like her own pockets. This is her guide to Boston vintage stores, antique malls, and outdoor markets.

Student and designer Elias Matso started collecting 70s novelty print shirts at the age of 17. For him, they are the pinnacle of camp in menswear.

Australian American author Justine Larbalestier, 54, follows no rules when it comes to her vintage style.

Get more out of your existing wardrobe by creating layered looks with these vintage staples.

The love for vintage clothes made Stella Rose Saint Clair a fashion designer, stylist, and also briefly a vintage seller.

Tiffany Sarandis of Tiff Little Fingers inherited the love for vintage and costumes from her grandmother.

On October 3rd, over 700 t-shirt vendors and collectors bought, sold, and traded vintage t-shirts at the Metropolitan Pavilion in NYC.

Melinda Lewis spent 11 years researching the history of Napier, the American jewelry brand that once dominated American fashion and introduced costume jewelry to the US market.

Sheryl Roberts is the multitasking super-stylist of the vintage business; running a brick-and-mortar, doing markets and events, styling shoots, and more. How does she do that all?

Growing up in China, Qing did not even know such a thing as vintage existed. While studying in London, they discovered vintage, especially the Y2K fashion – and now their favorite place to shop vintage is China.

When looking at the artist and creator Mars Dilbert’s Instagram, you feel like stepping back in time. Naturally, we wanted to know more about her life and love for vintage.

Our updated guide to the best vintage stores in Vancouver, Canada! The city has an amazing amount of vintage, great cafes, and friendly neighborhoods.

We picked the minds and mood boards of three trend-savvy New Yorkers: What is on their fall vintage shopping list?

Finding the perfect pair of jeans online can be tricky. We asked industry experts for their best advice.

Joy Leong, 37, moved from shopping fast fashion to a vintage collector in just three years. Now she shares the best gems from her impressive collection.

James Applegath is a pioneering figure in the vintage t-shirt business. The founder of the Defunkd t-shirt platform shares what he has learned about the business over the years.

We scanned fashion websites to see what the coming fall looks like. Turns out the answer is: sparkly, vivid, and surprising!

The complicated history of the Hawaiian shirt – where Western tailoring, Asian prints, and a Japanese innovator meet.

Kym Chambers, the founder of Chambers Vintage, lists her favorite vintage stores in Hudson Valley, NY.

After working for indie NYC labels for several years, David Moses realized why they loved vintage more than making new clothes.

“Thrifting is the art form of discovering cast-off treasures”, says Sammy Davis, founder of Thrift Boss Babes FB selling group. Now three professional thrifters share their best tips on how to thrift like a pro.

New York based creative and production consultant Marion Lange, 54, shares her best vintage finds.

Why wear a parasol? Vintage style blogger and Youtube creator Christine Cochrum of Chronically Overdressed shares her parasol collection and tells us why use this fun vintage accessory.

Our updated guide to vintage clothing shopping in one of the greatest cities in the US, Portland, Oregon.

40s vintage items are some of the most sought-after garments on the market. We asked members of the Facebook group devoted to the authentic 40s style: what makes this time period so special?

Jen Wilder and Marcy Guevara-Prete from The Plus Bus share their best tips on how to find vintage gems in inclusive sizes.

In 2014, vintage vendor Samantha Canales stumbled upon a pair of jeans that would change the understanding of the history of jeans.

A guide to outdoor flea markets in New York City: 7 flea markets that all have several vintage clothing vendors.

In March The New York Times wrote: brooches are back and this time it is men who are wearing them. We checked with some vintage vendors if this holds any truth.

Look up fashion magazines’ summer trend reports, pick your favorite look and choose the real deal – vintage.

Artist Allison Hamer, 28, found calm and happiness in sewing vintage-inspired ornaments. The vintage clothing hobby inspired her to practice more hand-sewing.

Who knew 30s and 40s clothes could look both so elegant and comfortable at the same time? NYC-based makeup artist and vintage collector Michelle Coursey shows how.

T-shirt is probably the most common piece of clothing in the world. What is your favorite t-shirt and what makes it so special to you? We asked vintage vendors and collectors.

Since the pandemic began, vintage auctions have largely moved online. We interviewed some experts to get the best tips on how to shop and bid like a pro on all kinds of online auctions.

What makes a sports jersey iconic? Great moments in sports history, striking design, and a loyal, passionate fan base.

Annika White, 24, and Carl Knight, 25, connected over a shared sense of style and love for vintage clothing. Now their favorite hobby is playing dress-up and creating photoshoots.

This week we introduce six podcasts that offer different perspectives on the vintage and secondhand world.

What is trending in the vintage world this spring? We asked three vintage lovers to share their spring shopping lists.

To celebrate International Women’s Day, we dove into the lives of four groundbreaking ladies of jewelry design.

Stylist and fashion editor Karis Battle, 35, loves a good deal. Now she shares her best thrifted looks and tips.

Steve Karas, 33, has been a devoted Jean Paul Gaultier collector since his teen years in Southern France. A year ago, he was able to launch his online store and share his collection with all the JPG fans out there.

Facebook group Vintage Styling for Modern Girls is a supportive space to discuss all things vintage for its 16k members. Read how the group has helped the members to find their style and identity.

Xavier Means, 20, runs a unique online thrift store: he sells items from Black-owned brands only.

Gisela Castillo, 46, proves that tulle dresses, feathers, and sequins can be worn on a grocery store run. Here are her favorite vintage finds.

Take the pledge to buy no new fashion this year.

A queer couple Genevieve Marruffo, 24, and Em Rodriguez, 40, launched their Instagram account Tender Empresses after accidentally wearing matching outfits, often all thrifted, as crushed-out acquaintances.

Victorian mourning jewelry is making a resurgence among antique and vintage jewelry lovers. Jewelry designer and curator Stephanie Sutch explains why.

Gunne Sax must be one of the most loved vintage brands, and more actual than ever thanks to the prairie dress craze started by Batsheva. We asked three Gunne lovers why this brand is so special to them.

Denny Balmaceda is a fashion blogger and content creator who believes style is storytelling and independent of fashion.

Miami-based Eveliina Vintage is known for their dreamy 30s dresses. Founder Eeva Musacchia explains how the dresses were worn back in the days and how they are worn now.

New York-based Raissa Bretaña is a fashion historian and educator at FIT and Pratt Institute. She also hosts a video series for Glamour magazine. Now she shares her best vintage finds with us.

You don’t need to head to a mall for warm winter accessories – you can easily shop gloves, beanies, hats, and more secondhand. We picked some fun ones for your inspiration.

Brian Cohen started collecting vintage while in college and learned the tricks of the trade from the legendary Bobby from Boston. Now, Cohen sells unique vintage pieces from his museum-like store in LA.

Our NYC Vintage Map lists all the city’s vintage, thrift, and resale stores. For this story, we asked some well-known vintage aficionados to share their favorite stores.

Hannah Woldetsadik, 23, is inspired by Japanese street style and repurposing old accessories and garments.

What did people find and shop at the recent A Current Affair vintage show in Brooklyn, New York?

Five classic garments that can be the foundation of your wardrobe year after year.

Founder of Sultry Vintage, Lauren S, loves Edwardian and Art Deco watches for their timelessness.

Layering and classic staple items make the vintage look this winter.

Melissa Peterson Lee has loved Michael Hoban's leather designs for decades. Through her Hooked on Honey vintage store she has sold way over 100 of his pieces.

9 steps to making the vintage purchase of your life.

Rebekka Adams, the founder of the Austin-based Bloomers and Frocks vintage store, is an avid Monet collector. Now she shares her most treasured pieces from this pioneering costume jewelry label.

What vintage items to shop this fall? We asked three well-known fashion editors to share their shopping lists.

Kate Bauer, 25, is a doctoral candidate, an avid thrifter, and a vintage clothing reseller living in Toronto. She is a master of layering cute looks so we wanted to ask for her best thrifting and styling tips.

Four vintage vendors and hat lovers share their best tips: how to incorporate hats into your everyday looks.

After having troubles finding a vintage wedding gown of her dreams, Rebecca Morris launched a vintage wedding dress business specializing in the 70s vintage gowns.

Malvika Sheth, 21, shares her best vintage finds emulating the hottest trends. Vintage doesn't mean you can't be on-trend.

All body types should be celebrated and feel welcome in the vintage space. We interviewed four vintage sellers about how to make vintage business more inclusive.

Lauren Lepire, the owner of the Timeless Vixen vintage fashion company, is drawn to Ossie Clark more than any other designer. Clark was the celebrity designer of the 60s and 70s Swinging London.

Lily Fulop is on a mission to inspire us to be more mindful about our clothes. Her book Wear, Repair, Repurpose, is a hands-on guide to mending and upcycling.

Nicole Bernstein, the founder of Starday Vintage, only wears 50s shoes or older. Now, she explains why and how to take care of your vintage shoes.

Are designer handbags good investments or not? We asked an expert at Open for Vintage, a luxury marketplace for designer vintage.

Vuokko Nurmesniemi created the distinctive Marimekko style that is still relevant today. After leaving Marimekko, Nurmesniemi developed her style even further in her own company Vuokko.

Stylist Karen James-Welton, 55, aka Fabulous Miss K shares her tips on how to add a touch of vintage to any wardrobe, at any age.

Identical twin sisters Emma and Grace Allen, 23, love anything vintage, matching outfits, lime green, and Oxford shoes.

Ten vintage vendors, ten summer looks. Find your favorite!

Jesus Herrera sells traditional Mexican garments to a growing international clientele. To operate responsibly, he takes into account the origin and purpose of the garment.

Stephen Burrows is often regarded as the first internationally successful African-American designer. He was one of the US designers taking Paris by storm at the Battle of Versailles.

Audrey Vann, 23, launched an Instagram account dedicated to platform shoes out of pure love.

What is trending in the vintage world right now? What are people seeking at the moment and what will be the future trends? We asked three experienced vendors.

How does Poshmark work for vintage vendors and buyers? We asked five Poshmark sellers about their experiences on selling true vintage on the platform.

Marisol Muro is many things: an illustrator, art fabricator, prop and costume maker, stylist, and vintage seller. And most importantly, a vintage lover.

This summer, jewelry looks more fun than in ages. It is a playful mixture of materials, colors, and sizes.

Amanda Suter, 39, is known for her head-turning looks and quality vintage collection. Now she shares some of her most eclectic garments with us.

Sydney-based wardrobe stylist and slow fashion advocate Joanne Gambale shares her best tips: how to shop what you already have and make the most out of it.

Fashion during the WWII was a manifestation of patriotism and resourcefulness. Crissy Burgstaler of How Sweet It Was Vintage explains why the topic is actual again.

Ringo discovered vintage after she moved from Japan to San Francisco at the age of 24. She has been collecting vintage ever since. And now, she sells her collection online.

Kerri Barta and Jason Yolkiewicz are the founders of Hellhound Vintage, an online boutique specializing in premium vintage tees and curated vintage from the 60s to the 90s. One of their special fields is 70s denim.

For your inspiration – ten vintage looks spotted at Pickwick Vintage Show in Burbank in February.

LA-based stylist Sissy Sainte-Marie, 45, is known for her neutral and monochrome looks. Here she shares her vintage shopping and styling tips.

Garret Miller is the proprietor of Western Gifts, a vintage business specializing in early to mid 20th century military clothing, and workwear.

Make New York Fashion Week trends your own and sustainable by choosing secondhand.

Liz Baca aka Busy Lady Baca is a vintage vendor, treasure hunter, and style maverick. Here she shares four looks from her wardrobe – 100% vintage!

Doris Raymond and her store The Way We Wore are LA institutions. We sat down with her and chatted about the past and the future of vintage.

Larissa Blintz, 24, is the owner and designer of Miracle Eye. A businesswoman since an early kid, she started her first vintage business at the age of 10.

Stylist and model Eric Ellison likes to challenge norms and invent new ways of wearing clothes that he already owns.

Ari Seth Cohen, the creator of Advanced Style, inherited his love for all things vintage from his grandmother Bluma.

Upcycling transforms trash into treasures. It is a new trend and aesthetic challenging the ideas of mass-consumption and fast fashion.

Brittany Rose, loves all things that come with being a woman. 32-year old New Yorker knows how to dress up elegantly with affordable vintage pieces.

How to stay warm and look cute with vintage? A bunch of vintage vendors from cold climates share their best survival/style tips for the winter.

By frequenting thrift and vintage stores, Kechi Onimo was able to cultivate his own sense of style.

Lana Wharry wears ensembles, not individual pieces of clothing. Her outfits are walking pieces of art – and 100% vintage.

Miami is not only beach and palm trees. Here are our favorite vintage and consignment stores in The Magic City.

Nong Rak's fun, magical, colorful visuals and whimsical collections are rapidly melting hearts of vintage lovers in New York and beyond.

For NYC-based queer artist Grey… clothing is about armor and self-expression.

Shopping mindfully and sustainably is easier than you think. Vendors of the upcoming Gold Dust event share their best gifting tips!

Vintage store assistant and art student Juan Hernandez, 26, is ready to pay $900 and more for his vintage t-shirts.

Here are our 13 favorite stores we discovered while in London in August 2019. Find more vintage destinations on our Google Maps list.

Amy Abrams, 46, is the co-founder of Artists & Fleas marketplace of makers with locations in NYC and LA. She has been wearing vintage since her 20s.

Look smart, sharp, and professional with these tips from vintage vendors! Learn which materials, items, and colors to shop, and how to style your outfit for work.

A cult figure and one of the most celebrated designers in the 1980s, Claude Montana disappeared suddenly from the spotlight. Now his bold 80s aesthetics feels more current than ever before.

Zandra Rhodes has been in fashion for 50 years. We met her in London in August and chatted about her career.

Modern shoulder pads originated in the 30's, then had a major comeback in the 80's (never forget), and are back in fashion again. But why?

Elizabeth Sweetheart, 78, is known as The Green Lady of Brooklyn for her head-to-toe green looks. She is also a fine artist, print designer, and collector of vintage.

Do yourself a favor, and treat that spot the next minute you notice it on your garment. Here are selected vintage vendors' tips on how to do it professionally.

We picked five genderless fall trends and created them with second-hand pieces from Beyond Retro in London.

In 1951, a revolutionary textile company Marimekko was born in Finland. Integral to its success were the bold prints and operating outside of international fashions.

It is time to follow vintage vendors’ example and stop over-washing our (vintage) clothes. Less washing, more lifetime!

Vintage vendor Nicole Murillo, 37, likes to stand out. Wearing vintage helps her to express herself in ways that feel safe.

Our favorite vintage, second hand, and consignment stores in the Emerald City. 18 stores in six neighborhoods – and even more on our Google Maps list.

The Parsons Fashion Study Collection contains over 4,000 historical garments. Sara Idacavage, who oversees the collection, explains why it is important to have archived pieces that students can look and touch.

Old clothes aren't worn out, they’re opportunities, says Kate Sekules, a fashion historian rescuing old clothes by mending them.

Back in the 1980s and the 1990s Marlboro created streetwear and outdoors gear – to promote their business aka sell cigarettes. Though not a smoker anymore, Mark Humphreys is a fan and a collector of all things Marlboro.

Patrice, 29, and Shannon, 28, are childhood friends from Texas and work colleagues. Together they also run Softwild Shop on Depop, selling only items they would wear themselves.

The styles of women’s handbags have always reflected the values and lifestyles of the times. Edie, the owner of Edith Machinist, a vintage boutique in New York City, explains how.

Owner of Amarcord Vintage Fashion, Patti Bordoni , started to import Italian vintage fashion to New York in the 90s. One of her imports was Romeo Gigli.

Naomi Bergknoff shares the inspiration behind starting her gem-filled online shop Omnia.

Berriez is a vintage store dedicated to people sizes 8 and up. Vintage should be for everyone, says the founder Emma Zack.

What makes a handbag a classic? We all know the Hermès Birkin bag is a classic but what could be the handbag classics of the future?

East Village Vintage Collective specializes in curated, but affordable vintage. We created five summer looks with gems from their collection.

Ting Ding collects and reunites 1980s and 1990s print sets by Moschino, Versace, and Gaultier.

Suzy Palmer from Olly Oxen Free Vintage store loves dusters in all their forms, from light-weight linen coats to robes and shirtdresses.

Artist, writer, and model Jo Rosenthal shares her best vintage finds.

We styled five looks with vintage and contemporary pieces from Designer Revival to celebrate the comeback of the 1980s.

Japanese designer Mitsuhiro Matsuda is an obsession of Collin Weber and Brandon Giordano, the owners of James Veloria vintage store. Now they tell us, why.

Thrifting helped Christhany Zhu to find her style and clothes that fit her.

Brian Davis of Wooden Sleepers vintage store in Red Hook, New York City, shows how to incorporate a vintage element into your look with iconic pieces that will suit every style.

Your ultimate guide to Austin vintage stores. Four neighborhoods, 21 stores. Plus some bonus tips.

We picked nine spring trends and created them with second hand pieces from Beacon’s Closet in New York.

Fashion historian Sara Idacavage demonstrates the diversity of 70s style.

Jamee Jones, 30, created a 70s, 80s, and 90s look for us. Old, but fresh!

Vintage seller Mark Rosado from Top Shelf Premium has been a Ralph Lauren fan all his life.

Vintage fashion blogger Leigh Ray knew already 10 years ago that jeans and dresses are a perfect match.

Lace Tomer, 35, pairs her pajama sets with chunky sneakers, statement jewelry, and bold jackets. Easy, but fun!

I met Maria Oliveira and Ryan Lerma, the power couple behind Passport Vintage, to learn why vintage denim is so much better than new.

Illustration artist Prates Songtieng, 35, also known as Monsieur Poppi, builds his winter outfits around statement vintage jackets.

Too many vintage stores, too little time! That's how my first visit to Chicago was like.