In Perfect Taste: Moda Operandi Starts Selling Housewares

My heart flutters when I 'windowshop' Moda Operandi fashion, and their home decor is no different.

Today they debuted their offering of luxury housewares, and just like the fashion, it's a refined edit. 

These are my picks:

1. Anything Vladimir Kanevsky

His flowers are magical realism rendered in porcelain. Deceivingly true to life, yet fantastic in their perfection, Kanevsky's sculptures are modern high society's take on granny's precious antique Capodimonte flower baskets. Small pieces begin around $3,000; huge centerpieces range as high as $180,000.

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2. Venetian Glassware

Speaking of Italian grannies, I've long held onto a Venini blue and white ribbon handkerchief vase, despite its utter lack of stylishness. Over the past 60 years it's been downgraded all the way from cherished display object to vessel holding my facial cotton in the bathroom. I am delirious with validation that LSD herself is also a lover of traditional Venetian glass, and I think tabletop is a great way to incorporate it into modern life, beyond tourist totems.

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3. Exclusive Luisa Beccaria Home Collection

Unapologetically feminine and frilly. The glasses are great, the dishes fine but the table linens are divine. It's only available at M'O.

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4. Arjumand's World Italian Fresco Wallpaper

$3000 is a bargain to instantly get the feel of Pauline de Rothschild's bedroom, non?

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5. Frances Palmer Ceramic Vases

Perhaps my favorite thing about Moda Operandi is that it introduces me to designers and artisans I haven't heard of. Frances Palmer is a working artist in Connecticut, who has been making ceramics since 1987 but was educated in art history. This combination lends a poignancy to her best pieces, which look as if a very talented amateur spent hours upon hours sitting in a museum, copying neoclassical ceramics with limited resources. Palmer's vessels retain the elegance of their period inspirations, but have a high-end homemade feel, like true sculptor's editions.

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are you picking up any fresh decor from m'o?

6 Pairs of Flats I Wore to Death and Bought Again ( . . . and Again)

I've been a real estate agent in Manhattan for 8 years. Before that i was in school and working luxury retail. 

So, I have always needed my flats to be both more comfortable and more status-broadcasting than the next person.

Like real estate agents, 75% of shiny new flats that come to work in Manhattan don't make it through their first year, and 90% are gone halfway through the next. 

To give you an idea of how hard I wear my shoes, I often handle 2-3 appointments per day, showing 6-12 apartments per appointment. If apartments are closer than 5 blocks away, there's no sense in taking an uber so we walk between them. If there's no elevator, we take the stairs. Could you imagine showing 30 walkup apartments or townhouses per day?

I think I've worn most of the classics: Tod's drivers, Gucci loafers, Chanel ballerinas, those Prada and Lanvin elastic bendy-sole ballet flats, Stubbs & Wootton, Manolos, Repettos, Vivier Belles and Chips, Castañer espadrilles . . . I even had Wallabees at one point. 

I enjoyed all these shoes, though remembering them makes me ruminate, recalling that Sex and the City scene where Carrie realizes she could have put a down payment on an apartment with what she spent on Manolos while renting. 

So older, wiser, more frugal, more selective, and (a tad) more arthritic, I thought I'd share with you the shoes I have repurchased, without regret, time and again.

THESE SHOES WERE SO GOOD, I COMPLETELY WORE THEM OUT, and bought another pair.

1. Ferragamo bow flats ($575 and up)

I call them 'bow flats' because the original style with the perhaps 2" heel is Vara; the modern slightly updated version with the very flat heel and slightly wider vamp is Varina; and there are always season-specific versions with special heels or pointier toes, plus sneaker and espadrille versions. 

If memory serves, I have kicked 6! pairs of Ferragamo bow flats: Varas in ivory, navy, black and gunmetal, a pair of Varinas in navy patent, and printed cotton espadrilles. These are simply the most comfortable flashy designer type flats I've come across. The leather is thicker than the Chanel but not as soft, so it molds to the foot better and stretches out less over time. Similarly, the arch is more molded for support, unlike the totally flat and thin Chanel.

They are also the most hardwearing designer shoes I've owned. Even with frequent wear (2+ times per week), the Varas each lasted 3-5 years before they became too scuffed to impress, and I donated them. Worn less frequently (maybe once or twice a week in the appropriate seasons), the Varinas lasted 8 years . . . at the end they became my 'rain flats' for perhaps 2 months before the patent leather started splitting at the heel and I finally threw them away. 

I have had the same experience with other Ferragamo shoes-- I've had a pair of tan suede oxfords for over 10 years now and they are one of the comfiest pairs of shoes I've ever owned.

I just can't recommend Ferragamo highly enough.

In my opinion, they are completely worth paying full retail for,

and they are available in the usual places:

But if you are cruising for a discount, I have frequently seen them here:

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2. Toms ($54 and up)

The socioeconomic mission of TOMS makes them acceptable for almost any occasion in Manhattan. My first pair of Toms was the light gray cashmere pair made in collaboration with The Row in 2011; my second pair was a Bergdorfs/Neimans exclusive in red silk in 2013 or 2014. I wore them with a ball gown once and was complemented all around.

I subsequently bought grosgrain versions in navy, black and orange from Neimans, until they stopped carrying them; thankfully Toms has kept the more upscale grosgrain fabric in their own line and frequently collaborates with high end retailers and fashion designers. I'm definitely going to pick up this Zhou Xun pair:

and I'm really excited about the upcoming Clare V. collab!

Worn 24/7, a pair will last 9 months or so, and unlike Ferragamos they are not the type of shoe that can be resoled or reheeled. I stick to the original style in the most expensive textiles or the designer collab pairs, as those are sort of business-casual appropriate. 

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3. Sperry TopSiders($95 and up)

Boat shoes speak an international language of preppy. New York (obviously,) London, Hong Kong, Rome, Paris, Istanbul (and that's just where I happen to have travelled in the last 2-3years) . . . preps wear these shoes year round into old age. While they're very casual shoes, they are easily dressed up with a clean pair of deep indigo or white jeans, collared shirt, cashmere sweater and peacoat/camelhair coat/ Barbour, perhaps with a Longchamps nylon tote or ancient Louis Vuitton mono bag.

I have worn through just three pairs of these in 20 years and consider that an accomplishment. With constant daily wear, a pair can easily last 3 years. And the set of people who appreciate these consider them to look better, the older and more beat up they become. 

Like Toms, Sperry has begun working with designers on limited edition options for each season. They typically choose a hip, masculine label (in the past they've worked with Band of Outsiders, Jeffreys, Gray Malin, Barneys, Jack Spade, Patta, Noah NY and Quoddy). Also like Toms, it's best to not go for the new house designs. I stick to the authentic/original, gold cup, limited edition and designer collab lines. Or I should say I would stick to those lines . . . I've been wearing the same pair of original brown 2 eyes for four years now, with no end in sight. I think these are the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn.

Gray Malin x Sperry 

America's Cup New York Edition

Liberty x Sperry

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4.  J. Crew Leopard Print Calf Hair Shoes In Almost Any Style ($54 and up)

Around 4 years ago I discovered J. Crew Factory existed and wanted to try it. I waited until a ludicrous clearance sale and purchased sunglasses, PJs, 4 oversized V neck cashmere sweaters, three pairs of cropped cashmere/wool blend pants and a pair of leopard print calf hair ballerina flats.

The shoes looked far better than I expected (especially for the price; CHEAPY CAT PRINTS ARE AWFUL), were incredibly comfy, coordinated with everything, and lasted somewhat over a year with very frequent wear. 

When they were shot, I bought a pair of smoking slippers in the same leopard print calf hair and have been even more pleased with them. They started to bald in places after about a year; while that's unacceptable on a ballerina, it's sort of decadently fab on the more masculine smoking slipper. I think they have a solid 6 months+ left in them depending on how frequently I wear them; when they're put to rest I will definitely sign onto the J. Crew sale section and do it all over again. These shoes are comfy and look much pricier than they are.

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5. minnetonka moccasins ($45 and up)

Minnetonka mocs are pure Americana. I have never met a granny who didn't wear white unbeaded leather kilties, nor a little boy who didn't shuffle around the cold Northeast wearing shearling lined softsoles (a style they appear to have named 'Charley'). Old people and kids wear them because they are extreme comfort shoes.

My navy leather boat sole Thunderbird 2s took me seven years to wear out (wearing them once, or rarely twice, a week). My suede kilty hardsoles took almost two years to wear out with very frequent, almost daily wear. And I'm not ashamed to admit that I've worn both the 'sheepskin hardsole moc' and 'alpine sheepskin moc' as outside shoes rather than slippers, and they lasted one winter and 3/4 of a winter respectively, which is not bad for house slippers!

Moccasins can be worn in the same elevated preppy looks as boat shoes, and where Tod's say "I'm an aggressive negotiator!" Minnetonkas say "I will ensure you pass your board interview". 

Since 1946, Minnetonka has been dedicated to using quality materials to make footwear that defines comfort. Watch this close-up look at the stitching and attention to detail that goes into every pair of Minnetonka.

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6. Limited edition Converse Chuck Taylors($125 and up)

Grimey, beat up Chucks are too adolescent for me, but the Converse collabs have made them acceptable sportswear accompaniments. My first pair twelve years ago was, I believe, the first Converse designer collab: red silk unisex low top slip-ons designed by John Varvatos, sold exclusively at Neiman Marcus. It might have been the first time they did the laceless slip-on. I loved those shoes so damn much I still occasionally search for them on eBay, but it was so long ago the internet seems to have no record of their existence. I wore them constantly until they were stinky and frayed; I think I had them a total of three years.

Around 2009 the Play/Comme des Garçons hightops hit and saturated the market; Converse limited editions have been art-and-design-crowd signifiers ever since. There are an insane number of drops every single season, and just trying to keep up got me hooked on HYPEBEAST. My favorites have been Damien Hirst and Missoni, they are great for days when I can't be bothered to wear a look beyond all-black-everything. I don't wear them much, so they're both good as new several years later. 

Chucks and Jack Purcells are not supportive, but are incredibly comfy in the way worn-in slippers are, lightweight and flexible. There are also lots of limited edition One Stars, which are personally nostalgic for me as a kid who wore them in the 90s, but they've got less caché. Did you know Converse has been selling the low-top all stars silhouette for 101 years??? CLASSIC is an understatement for these.

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What are your favorite workaday flats?

Right now my wishlist includes: Bass penny loafers, Belgian shoes and *maybe* some red Gucci Jordaan loafers, which is a progression of loafers from sweet schoolboy to banker to bath-house proprietor. 

Any recs for me?

Things I Always Buy At Home Goods & TJ Maxx

Ralph Lauren lamps at TJ Maxx, $75-$95 each

90% of the housewares at home goods, marshalls and tj maxx (all owned by the same company and carrying much of the same stock) are ~weird~, why? or no.

It's easy to get SO overwhelmed by the junk you can't see the gems, 

but there are certain categories of good, cheap items that are almost always in stock at these shops, that I rely on for myself and my interior decor clients.

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SHOWER CURTAINS:

They sell what seem to be private label (Hotel), licensed (Vera Wang, Cynthia Rowley, Tahari etc.), and sometimes simply last-season (Kassatex, Kate Spade) shower curtains that are reliably classy, just as high quality as what I can buy at Saks, Gracious Home or ABC Carpet here in New York, and 1/5th the price. These are all $20 or $25; at Neiman's you'd be spending $85-$300.

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classic white 100% cotton bedding:

For $40, there is always a pure white/100% cotton embroidered quilt, matelassé coverlet or waffle weave blanket available. This is one of the most popular types of bedding (or backup bedding) in most of the homes I decorate. Not only is each type of bedcover in unquestionably good taste, but pure white in different classic textures layers so beautifully. It's also washable, bleachable and therefore kid, pet, kink and breakfast-in-bed friendly. If a client wants the best and has the money, there's nothing wrong with getting the $600 Matouk or Sferra version. Most people prefer 4 or 5 of these in the closet for themselves or guests, though.

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hangers, hampers and overdoor racks:

When Home Goods opened in New York City I knew my life would never be the same, because the baskets, hampers, velvet huggie hangers, and overdoor racks I had been purchasing at the Container Store were dethroned! Sometimes they've got good options for shoes storage or drawer organizers as well, but not as reliably.

Overdoor hangers are $7 or $8, which is no cheaper than Bed Bath & Beyond, but the selection is always on trend. Basket hampers are a far better bargain, typically priced at just 10-20% of what I would pay at Bed Bath or Container Store. Sets of 25-35 hangers are $12-$17 (about 40% cheaper than Joy Mangano huggable hangers), and again the options of goldtone and coppertone metal bits are very on-trend. 

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Sheets under $50:

SO . . . cheap sheets are not my thing. Yet, I respect that expensive sheets are just not everybody's thing. If you've decided that sheets are a place where you want to conserve funds, TJ Maxx/Home Goods/Marshalls are a great place to buy them.

For  $30/40/$50/$60 they usually have Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein for about half what you'd pay at the department store; sometimes they've got Kate Spade, Donna Karan, Maurizio, other sort of higher-end of the mid-range stuff. Once in a blue moon I've seen Anichini, Frette, and Sferra. Sometimes it's still really pricey ($175, $250), but nothing compared to what you would normally pay, and it usually goes on clearance as well.

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Dog Beds and Bowls:

I'm a stickler for chic pet accoutrements! People often take out their tacky on their pets, or neglect to buy their things with anything but utility in mind, though they are constantly on show in the home. Pet boutiques are notoriously expensive, and pet chain stores have woefully little variety and even less of quality. TJ Maxx/Home Goods/Marshalls represents a good balance.

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White towels:

Pure white long loop terry towels are available everywhere. The only reason to buy them somewhere more expensive is if you want a specific weave (ie double satin hotel band, floral damask), or want to get them monogrammed at the same time. If you don't do monograms (or like to have really great ones done by a dedicated pro) and aren't hung up on a specific texture, these are great bang for the buck ($8 each, vs. $20+ at a department store). Like white bedding, pure white cotton toweling in different textures can layer up to provide extra style and convenience.

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Tablecloths:

I repeat, I AM A LINENS SNOB! Give me Porthault or give me death! But for casual events, everyday dining, outdoor events, kids' events etc., there's a place for mid-range and bargain priced linens. Kate Spade, Cynthia Rowley, Tabitha Webb and Ralph Lauren are consistently available for $15-$30, and sometimes nice imported Italian linens as well. 

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Shell and Stone Decorative Items:

Lots of their decorative accent stock seems to be imported from India. That means capiz shell, lacquered items and semiprecious stone accessories at really accessible prices. Geode bookends are usually $20-$30 each; shell trays $12-$25 and shell furniture $50-$150.

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Lamps:

The lamps here are a bit more expensive, but also more conservative and better quality than Target-- sort of halfway between Target and West Elm. I can usually find a matching pair of Ralph Lauren blue and white lamps, and can always find a great individual desk or bedside lamp. Prices range from $25-$99.

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KITCHEN: 

As a decorator (and terrible cook) this is an area that I typically don't handle. But for things that people tend to leave displayed (pans on an overhead rack, canisters on open shelving) I like to pick up color coordinated stuff. I also couldn't help but notice that they have a lot of the same brands sold at nice mid-range retailers like Macy's (T-fal, Cuisinart, All-Clad, Breville, Bodum, Riedel etc.) for discounted prices.

Of course, I have found various other gems at times, but these are the categories that I KNOW will not be a waste of my time.

What do you always buy at Marshalls/Home Goods/

TJ Maxx?

any recs for me?

How far can $100 really go at H&M?

I love cheap clothes and I cannot lie! I feel like my reasons are pretty valid. First, I have committed to owning my first home in the next 5 years and therefore have also committed to seriously curbing my spending during that time. Also, running around showing apartments all day is a sweaty business (and nothing impresses clients less than a pit-stained $1500 Chanel blouse), so washable/disposable clothes are more valuable to me than expensive clothes. Finally, I am heavier today than I plan to be in 2-3 years, so 'investment pieces' aren't logical for me. 

Cheap, cheap clothes with comfy flats, a good piece of jewelry and a beautiful status bag or accessory are my uniform.

I'm not trying to be fashionable per se, I'm just trying to do the best I can on a very tight budget. I totally get the problems involved with fast fashion, and I sympathize with it. I buy cheap clothes and wear them until I literally can't anymore (as in, splitting the thighs on jeans), I don't buy new cheap clothes every week.

I like shopping H&M in person, and then ordering online. The sales inventory is better online, there's frequently a 20% off discount code as well, shipping is fast and reliable, and returns can be made in-store. Plus, I like trying on clothes in the privacy of my home: those halogen lit dressing rooms really push any small level of self-esteem I have right through the floor. 

SO . . . . 

Here's what I got RECENTLY on super clearance, online at H&M:

GLITTERY SWEATER, $9.75

SLIPPERS $6

SATIN DRESS $7.50

SWEATSHIRT $7.50

FAUX FUR SWEATSHIRT $11.25

FLOUNCED TOP $9.75

RUFFLE DRESS $13

JEANS $13

JEANS $13

MERCH TOTAL: $91

+ FREE SHIPPING CODE

+ NEW YORK CITY SALES TAX @ 8.75%

TOTAL TOTAL: $98.97

I''ll let you know how it goes . . .

My Best Thrift Shopping Tips

circa '20s/'30s silverplate rolltop chafing dish with lovely deco engraved design

thrift price: $35

market price: $150-$325

Thrifting helped put me through graduate school. 

I used to really make a business out of it, getting my route down to a science, consistently shopping it, and reselling either on eBay or to dealers at The Garage (RIP, what a great market). I no longer buy for resale, or even thrift more than once in a blue moon.

But on a beautiful day last week, I had a meeting end two hours early in a neighborhood I used to frequent (but haven't visited in a long time). I grabbed a latté and thought, why not? I found some really great stuff and couldn't help but take home a couple things. Too bad I only have one body and one apartment! I had such a soothing, nostalgic, solo afternoon, which inspired me to share my best thrifting advice with you. All these photos are of what I found just that day!

entirely hand-stitched quilt circa '30s/'40s with one old patch repair

thrift price: $13

market price: $60-$70

A FORMER VINTAGE DEALER'S

ESSENTIAL THRIFTING TIPS:

1. EDUCATE YOURSELF BEFOREHAND

This is undeniably the toughest tip to execute, but it's the most important. To find great stuff, you have to know what you're looking at. The best way to learn which antiques, works of art, and vintage clothes are valuable is to go to places that have the stuff, and learn from people who know a lot about it. I have honestly had innumerable incredible thrift finds, but after reflecting for 10 minutes or so I think my favorite finds over the past 10 years have been: a '50s Dior couture New Look coat ($50), a 19th c. Japanese watercolor ($8), an 1820s/30s French 20k gold and enamel brooch ($2 or $3 in the costume pin basket), a chicken blood jade bangle ($6), two! pre-1950 San Leucio silk bed coverlets ($32 and $18 respectively), a pre-1930 heavily hand embroidered Chinese silk jacket, definitely worn by an official or other elite ($8) . . .

and I wouldn't have bought any of these if I hadn't known the difference between:

-a cheap '90s Dior licensed coat and its label, as compared to a '50s era coat exhibiting couture level workmanship and tailoring, with its set of Dior and numbered couture labels

-a cheap 80s/90s art print with a faux finish antiqued frame, as opposed to a genuine antique watercolor with gallery framing and label verso

-modern goldtoned metal, versus antique tarnished high karat gold

-plastic, glass, or dyed marble, as opposed to jade/jadeite/nephrite

-polyester/rayon/nylon compared to real silk damask

-cheap modern machine embroidery versus priceless antique hand embroidery with rare stitch types

Museums are fantastic for recognizing quality and workmanship, though the odds of finding something of true museum quality in a thrift store are infinitesimally small. 

The absolute best settings for learning are auction previews, high-end retail shops, and trade fairs. While it may be intimidating at times, and you really might get snubbed by the help, many people showing the merchandise are kind (or bored), and would be happy to educate you at length on anything that catches your eye. This in-person experience of seeing up close and touching is priceless. Auction houses post their calendars on their websites; the seasonal Vintage Fashion Guild newsletter lists exhibits, shows, fairs and sales, as does The Magazine Antiques Calendar.

Second best are the same auction houses, dealers and retailers, but in print and online. Anyone can look at the online catalogues and results for Sotheby's, Christie's, Bonham's, Doyle, Skinner, Drouot, Tajan, Phillips, Freeman's, etc. You can usually subscribe to catalogues on certain types of sales, and they have good resale value. If you have no idea where to begin, 1stDibs is a great place to start. Check to see if the dealers there, or those exhibiting at trade fairs, have websites or Instagram accounts. And of course, watch Antiques Roadshow!

I'm sure you've seen lots of blog posts and Youtube videos where people haul the most POINTLESS things at thrift stores, or noticed that Etsy shops with subpar stuff never seem to sell anything. Education is as much about knowing what NOT to buy as about knowing a good buy when you see it.

Mid '60s Jim Thompson Thai Silk Hostess Gowns

thrift price: $55 each

market price: $500-$700 each

2. Shop in wealthy, elderly neighborhoods

Obviously, wealthy people donate better things more frequently. Also keep in mind the average age in a neighborhood; thrift stores in places where grandparents and parents pass away have better finds than areas where young people live, and the merchandise typically moves more slowly as well.

Antique costume design gouache

thrift price: $65

market price: $200-$500 (depending on the company/performance)

3. Go as early as you can

Most merchandise is put out in the morning before opening, and then little by little continuously throughout the day. End-of-day pickings are relatively slim.

4. go on slow days

Thrift stores receive and process most of their donations on weekends, when the people donating are off of work and school. That makes Monday and Tuesday the best days to go.

Antique Chocolate Easter bunny mold

thrift price: $15

market price: $100-$200

5. wear an excessive amount of perfume

Thrift stores do not clean their merchandise, and even high-end ones tend to smell. I wear a solid 8 prophylactic spritzes.

6. don't touch everything; instead, really really look

If something doesn't leap out at you as fabulous, it won't leap out to a friend, guest to your home or buyer either. Lots of people get into the terribly time wasting (and kinda gross!) habit of flicking every hanger or picking up every thing and giving it a cursory inspection. There is no need to touch every hanger on the rack; take a step back and carefully scan the rack twice. Are any textiles notably beautiful? Start there. A cheap ugly dress doesn't get less cheap or ugly when you pull it out and examine its label, even if that label ends up having a designer name. Likewise, you will very quickly learn to see the difference between sterling silver, Sheffield plate and cheap EPNS without flipping over every single tray looking for a hallmark, believe me.

circa 1920-1950 sterling silver screwback earrings

thrift price: $8

market price: $40-$60

7. bring your fully charged phone

Once you've picked out your potentials, you want to make sure you're not overpaying. Don't assume thrift prices are always low. On this most recent trip I came across a really lovely 50s etching by a well known Italian artist of the era, selling for $125, which seemed like a bargain! But when I checked the price, I learned there are actually a LOT of them around and they sell, framed, for $40-$75.

Picclick.com is my favorite site for figuring out market prices on the spot. It's a site that indexes eBay listings with a proprietary algortihm. When you type in any given search term (for example "blue and white tray"), it displays large photos of comps with their prices. Click on the ones that look most like your item, and it not only pulls up more photos and the description, but displays the popularity of the specific listing (in terms of views per day),  and value proposition of the item (based on the range of prices of the 50 closest comps currently listed), as 0-5 "star" ratings (flame symbols for popularity and dollar signs for value), with 0 being the worst and 5 the best. Finally, it shows a second endless scroll of listings that match the clicked-on item the best, constituting a refinement of your initial search. 

Here is a visual: (my original search term in picclick.com was 'blue and white tray'; this is the item I clicked on that looked most like my find)

The stats of comps helps me see quickly what my profit margin might be and how quickly I can turn the item over.

If you don't know what search terms to use in picclick:

FOR CLOTHES: Vintage fashion guild's vintage label resource helps quickly identify the era and designer of a piece; their 'fabric looks like' section helps you find the correct name for a fabric type, and their fur resource helps you discern the different types of fur. All of these have very helpful photos that you can compare to your thrifty find in the store before you buy.

An example of their label resource, search term 'Dior, Christian'

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FOR ANTIQUES: Rubylane is full of vetted, knowledgeable dealers who thoroughly describe and tag their items, and call each other out on mistakes and misrepresentations. Just typing a simple term like 'gold sconce' into the search box will bring up enough well photographed, highly detailed comps to figure out if you're looking at mid-century/Dorothy Draper style/gold leafed plaster or circa 1910/ French art nouveau/gilded bronze.

Visual results for search term 'gold sconce' show different types of related items with very different values, from different eras

FOR ART: I love Artnet! If there's a signature or gallery label anywhere on what you have, type it into the searchbox. They will show you photos of artworks, artist bios, exhibitions, plus the galleries and auctioneers that have handled the item or artist in the past. Once you see the piece or artist, click through to see current auction estimates or gallery prices, and google "(piece or artist) results" to find auction price results. Invaluable.com won't show you realized prices if you're not a paying member, but they will show pre-auction estimates from past auctions, which is fine when you're still just standing in a shop trying to decide to buy or not. Sotheby's, Christies and Bonhams results from the past 20 years are listed on their sites and show up in google searches.

Here's an example: Once, I encountered a small sculpture signed "Frink," which didn't ring a bell, and searched on artnet. Look at all the info about the artist and the current market for her work! Clicking on the specific sculpture, I immediately knew it was worth buying at any (thrift) price:

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Even if you can't figure out the artist or read the signature, if there's a gallery label from a place listed on artnet, you're onto something good: they only list legit high-end places. If it's signed and labeled clearly and not showing up there, it's probably not good, but check PicClick just in case.

Circa 1910s-1920s French gilt bronze wall lights

thrift price: $125

market price $300-$1000

8. Be Picky

I could have purchased and resold every find I've photographed here (plus the 5 others that didn't make it into this post) at a profit, eventually. Key word being, eventually. I learned the hard way years ago that the thrill of taking home a find is not worth turning my tiny apartment into a bubble wrap accented warehouse. Margins are high but turnover is very slow in the vintage/antique world, so unless you've got a lot of extra space (physically and emotionally), it's best to only take home what works for you, your family, and your home, right now. Or really small things!

'10s or '20s Venetian amethyst glass decanter with sterling silver painted overlay and original stopper

thrift price: $18

market price: $40-$60

Bauhaus bar cart with minor condition issues

thrift price: $75

market price $700-$900

circa 1920 metal plant stand

thrift price: $150

market price: $400

'40s or '50s gilt metal cuff bracelet

thrift price: $4

market price: $50

100% cotton knit blanket and matelassé heavily embroidered scallop edged coverlet, both twin size with no damage

thrift price: 2 for $20

market price: $20-$30 for the blanket; $250 the coverlet

vintage Czech kitchen canister sets

thrift price:$30 each

market price: $75- $100 each

watersnake and python purses

thrift price: $7 each

market price: $40 and $100 respectively

circa 1830-1860 North Staffordshire dinner plate

thrift price: $8

market price: $30-$40

'80s coffee cannisters and GIGANTIC Dunkin' Donuts thermos

PRICELESS

Do you have any great thrifting tips?

Should I start selling my finds on Depop?

 

The BCBG of Inès de la Fressange

Model, Aristo, Entrepreneur . .  

Inès de la Fressange is the definition of bon chic, bon genre. She's also one of those rare women who somehow get better looking with age. The daughter of a marquis, an icon of beauty at 18, Karl Lagerfeld's exclusive muse for 6 years (that's a long time for that petty man!), her bio makes you expect her to look a certain way . . . that she doesn't. 

Her style is preppy, androgynous, quintessentially French: casual jeans-and-tee looks rescued by a killer pair of Viviers, mussed up bob, and slick of red lipstick. I'm a huge fan of elevated lazy (as an aesthetic, not a personal attitude!) and Mlle de la Fressange is the Queen.

In a 1991 interview she said a navy cashmere sweater was her favorite item of clothing. 1991! That was the year Gianni Versace did neon Warhol print spandex. Can we take a quiet moment to reflect on the refinement of this woman?

Inès has been a French style Icon for 40 years. If you are looking for an authority on Parisian chic, she literally wrote the book.

So how did I almost miss her Uniqlo Collab Collection?!? No matter, almost all is still available and about half is now on sale. AND IT IS GOOD.

All the pieces are demure, timeless, and very casual. The collection works in a very limited, classic palette (white, ivory, navy, baby blue and pink, with the very occasional touch of faded red or grass green); its variety is in the silhouettes: there are classic cuts appropriate for every body type here. The fabrics are also good quality; most everything is 100% cotton or cotton/linen blend, with just a few rayon or rayon blend pieces. 

Inès de la Fressange did not pull any of the oft-seen tricks used by fashion designers collaborating with low-end retailers, such as endless poly chiffon scarves and cheap tote bags, or outlandish prints that burn into memory as 'from the cheap line' (rather than allow for a future in which they are mistaken for something boutique). I really appreciate her kind consideration and pragmatism.

So let's break it down:

1. Collared shirts for every body type

If you want to cover up your arms, or belly, or cleavage, you've got options. There is just enough detail to feel special (a cuff in a contrasting print; a red embroidered buttonhole). 

2. classic layering sweaters

They're great alone, they're great over any of these shirts or dresses.

3. Easygoing skirts and dresses

Wear them with sexy heels for a striking contrast, wear them with boat shoes to just get on with your day, ride a bike in them whatever your footwear.

4. navy and white slacks in midcentury cuts

These are mercifully acceptable on any body type, at any age.

5.  finish up with a simple blazer and bag

To get the signature IdlF look, wear any of these ensembles with the hems rolled up in layers, a crossbody bag and a flashy pair of flats or single outstanding jewel. To dress up, keep the pieces and proportions the same, but up the ante on the textiles piece by piece- a silk blouse, velvet jacket, brocade flats, satin slacks, or jeweled purse.

If (when!) you fall in love with the IdlF mode of dressing, you can shop her namesake boutique online. They ship worldwide.

Here are my current favorite picks:

“You are never too old and you should never lose interest in what’s new now.”

— Inès de la Fressange

Are you as obsessed with her as I am?

Escape to Target for an exotic dream

OpalHouse, Target's newest housewares line

As we all know, I keep tabs on what's new at Target. It's the only place in New York City I can buy Pixi by Petra makeup AND it's SUCH a good option for a guilt-free impulse buy. 

Today Target debuted their new housewares line, OpalHouse. GEMS I TELL YOU, GEMS. 

As per usual, I have scouted OpalHouse online to learn the inventory, then scouted it in person to check for quality, and finally saved only my favorites in a dedicated Pinterest board. So, if you'd like to save yourself the trouble of scrolling through 30 PAGES of items and shop from my picks, CLICK HERE.

Collection Highlights:

1. picnic & patio

THIS COLLECTION IS GIVING ME MERCHANT-IVORY MOVIE PICNIC FANTASIES.

Imagine we're setting up a picnic worthy of a Victorian Grand Tour party. 

What will we sit on? Stunning outdoor rugs,

Layered beneath complementing picnic blankets,

Reclining on coordinating outdoor floor pillows,

Shaded from the sun by stylish umbrellas,

And what will we dine and drink from? Charming, lightweight, and unbreakable plastic dishes and flatware,

and cups and serveware,

organized with the occasional rattan tray,

with paper napkins, on paper placemats, on overturned (lightweight yet sturdy) baskets as tables!

inspiration: Royal Ascot, Marie Antoinette, A Room with a View.

OK, I have to peace out from this engrossing daydream.

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2. Bargain Priced Velvet Bedding

TARGET'S RENDITION OF THIS LUXE TREND IS SHOCKINGLY GOOD QUALITY.

$600 at Neiman Marcus gets you a velvet quilt. $600 at Target gets you a velvet quilt, two shams, three accent pillows, a headboard and an ottoman for the foot of the bed.

inspiration: Neiman Marcus, Elle Decor UK

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• 3. removable wallpaper

• IT'S NOT JUST FOR RENTERS! I mean yes, these are among the few patterns in good taste available to renters, bravo Target. But removable wallpaper is also good for wallpaper virgins, people who prefer updating seasonally/annually, and those on a super strict budget who will DIY anyway.

inspiration: Helen Dealtry's photos of Secondhand Rose, before it closed

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Dorothy Draper reigning over the Greenbrier

4. high-end "inspired" prints

Prints are a consistent weak point at the low end of interiors retailing, and Target is typically no exception; there are lots of bad prints in this line too. But these particular OpalHouse prints have me doing double takes like~ Dorothy Draper, is that you? Edward Zajac?!?! Clarence House, is this a licensing deal? Diane von Furstenberg, ARE YOU AWARE OF THIS?  That's a good thing.

DESIGN LEGENDS ON THE LEFT, TARGET ON THE RIGHT:

inspiration: design legends

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5. this rattan bar cart

It's a goddamn classic. Spend $150 now, have it for the rest of your life and your children will inherit. Do I have my my grandfather's 1940s rattan drinks trolley and brass lunch carrier he brought from Hong Kong? No, my awful uncle does, but I sure as hell remember them! And I've always intended to purchase equivalents on the antiques market, at my convenience. This bar cart will do!

inspiration: as close to my memory as I could muster on a 20 minute google journey . . . they lived in a gazebo year round, btw, of course

Will you be picking anything up from OpalHouse at Target?

Sunscreen Review: Giorgio Armani Beauty Maestro UV Skin Defense Primer SPF 50

Claims: Absorbs oil, softens the complexion and blurs imperfections, serves as a light weight make-up primer.

Ingredients (Good): Glycerine and Vitamin E.

Ingredients (Bad): Synthetic fragrance, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Limonene and Linalool.

Ratings: Broad Spectrum SPF 50

Cost /Value: $64 (1 fl oz) / Incredibly expensive sunscreen.

It is Chemical Sunscreen. Its active ingredients are 3% Avobenzone, 5% Octisalate and 7.5% Octinoxate. 

It DOES smell. It has a bit of a classic sunscreen smell.

It DOES sting in my eyes. It took between 40-50 minutes to migrate to my eyes. At which point, it did start stinging mildly. It was only at around 2 hrs post application that I felt really uncomfortable due to the stinging. After that, the stinging sensation would ebb and flow over the next 5 hours or so, but wasn't incredibly problematic. After the 5 hours or so of wear, the stinging sensation did not come back. In my opinion, that's too much irritation to repurchase the sunscreen. If you have never reacted poorly to chemical sunscreens, this might work for you. 

It did NOT gather in my under eye wrinkles.

It did NOT leave a white cast on my skin. It is completely sheer. 

It did NOT dry down in 20 minutes or less. This has a thick oily finish that transfers off extremely easily and doesn't set or dry down at all. The first day I tested this, I wore it all by itself; it was not absorbed into the skin at all over the course of the day. It stayed thick and oily all day.

If you like priming with a layer of  facial oil before spreading out your foundation as thinly as possible, to achieve asuper dewy wet look finish, this could be a match for you. Even with the most matte drying foundations I own, this made everything look not just oily but wet-look.

Another reason why I don't like it with make-up, is because it absolutely mixes with the make-up. Even with the lightest touch and a flat brush, as you're spreading the foundation on your face, you can see the sunscreen finish mixing with the foundation. If you really over apply this initially, enough of it to may remain on your face to achieve the labelled SPF despite having mixed completely with your foundation. That said, I can’t see how you would end up with an even sunscreen film with this under liquid foundation.

One alternative I tried was mineral or powder foundation. I found this to be so oily, that it will give you a dewy finish even with a super dry mineral foundation. Over the course of the day, it will get more and more oily. Even with a mineral or powder foundation, you still end up with an oily finish that needs to be powdered. Honestly, this stuff is just too oily. 

It best suited for extremely dry skin. This is the only skin type I could see this working for. 

Texture and consistency: This comes with a dropper, it is a very liquidy texture. 

I would recommend this sunscreen to people with extremely dry skin. For anybody else, I don’t think it is worth of money, and even for people with super super dry skin, you can always buy a cheap moisturiser and cheap chemical sunscreen instead of buying this. 

Unfortunately, I do feel that this falls in the category of really careless subpar skin care sold under designer names for extravagant prices. Relying on our trust as customers that a name like Armani would only bring us the best and that is so unfortunate. I  would never repurchase this, but I get why people do.