We chat with Ashley Zisook co-owner and personal stylist at the wildly successful vintage boutique Sofia Vintage
ABOVE THE FRAY PHOTO ALBUM
When shopping vintage, many a girl has gotten lost, overwhelmed by the racks of clothing that are out of the ordinary realm of style, for vintage shopping and the Gap have nothing in common. Gone is the ease of waltzing into JCrew and picking up anything off the rack with assurance that the style and cuts are modern.
As lovely as that is scoring an amazing vintage piece is ever more rewarding. But standing between the Gap and the perfect vintage dress is the perilous trap of the awkward vintage item. So many girls confess that when shopping vintage they purchase items and then either never wear them, or don't feel confident when they do dare to sport the vintage piece.
To remedy this collective faux-pas and to show us how to shop vintage we turned to Ashley Zisook personal stylist and co-owner of Sofia Vintage the amazing new vintage boutique in Chicago, which is gaining national attention. The boutique is sought out by celebs, including Gossip Girl's Leighton Meester who recently picked up several pieces topping them off with jewelery from Chicago designer Dana Rebecca Designs.
“People love the idea of vintage because they see Hollywood stars wearing it and almost every major designer line is inspired by past eras…plus you can never have the problem of running into someone with the same outfit on," said Ashley. "The problem is that people either don't know where to get it, or don't want to seach for it, so we at Sofia, do it for them."
Ashley shared some of her rules on shopping and styling vintage and which looks are on her radar right now
1. Mix vintage with contemporary pieces
"You don’t want to look like you walked straight out of a decade or dressed up in costume," says Ashley. According to her the biggest thing to keep in mind is to make sure that vintage is blended with contemporary pieces. Ashley does a lot of layering and that's one of the reasons Sofia Vintage also stocks basic leggings, bags and tops from contemporary lines. These items are on hand so clients can understand how best to wear a sequined jacket from 1985 or what to pair with a 1940s style high-waisted pant.
2. Buy only what you feel comfortable in
"You will only feel confident if you are comfortable in how you feel and look...and confidence exudes beauty." Enough said.
3. Try it on
Clothing looks very different on your body vs hanging on the rack. Try anything you're considering purchasing with basics such as leggings if it's a top, or a pair of studded heels if you're looking at a retro dress. Take things into the dressing room and spend time in the piece. Again, mix in modern pieces whenever possible to get an idea of how you'll look and feel once you leave the store.
4. Belt it
"Belts do a lot!! You can make an entire outfit with a belt!! Plus..it cinches your waist!" And there are so many to choose from at Sofia Vintage. They run the gamut from kitschy to jaw-droppingly elegant.
5. Inspect pieces for quality. Look for tears, mothballs, dirt stains
While this is already done a-priori at Sofia Vintage, if you're shopping elsewhere, it's definitely necessary to run a fine tooth comb over each garment before you buy. Check for stains in obvious areas like under the arms, collars and the dribble zone in front. Tears usually occur along seam-lines.
6. Have a good tailor who can do alterations
Often times the only thing keeping something from being perfect and contemporary is a few inches on the hem. Sofia Vintage employs a tailor who does alterations for clients on request.
Upcoming Trends
Get ahead of trends by keeping your eyes peeled for these vintage scores which are currently on Ashley's hit list.
Men's tux jackets with tails (to re-work for men and women). There's nothing like a fitted jacket with unique style to set a look apart
Flowy tops for spring. The loose flowy California vibe of lightweight tops are perfect for spring
Native American inspired prints—tribal looks are big right now whether it be in a 70s dress or a warm sweater
Sofia Vintage
1165 N. Clark St. in Suite 400, Chicago, IL 60610.
Store hours are Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 7 p.m. and open for hosted monthly parties
visit www.sofiavintage.com
Sofia Vintage will also be opening an Oak Street location in Chicago in April 2010
Underground/ Leighton Meester photo credit Rob Grabowski/GrabowskiPhoto.com
