I’ve been listening to a lot of Elton John lately by way of a very cool remix/cover album, Revamp, and it’s reminding me of my high school years. The 80s. It was an era often remembered as silly with shoulder pads, leg warmers, and lip liner. And while all that was true, Alexis Carrington’s hissy fits couldn’t overwhelm some of the other, quieter, looks from sneaking in. Consider punk rock for instance.

I’ll admit, I was a confused style puppy back then. While I yearned to embrace the punk rocker inside of me, my leanings were pretty hippie girl minus the patchouli (I grew up in Southern California, after all). All this to say: fashion evokes an era, a lifestyle, a way of remembering history. 

Since fashion plays an important role as historical marker, the where and how of attaining clothes is a thing. Vintage vs. thrifting. Curating carefully vs. diving for deals. The difference? One place you walk into and face well-packed racks of steamed and cleaned clothing. The other you roll up your sleeves and attack a $10 bin of opportunities. 

My friend Ruth, she of the smooth smile and fabulous dress (which she bought in a London thrift shop decades ago and still looks amazing in, below), represents to me someone who really sashays down the runway of fun and all-her-own looks. It’s not fashion that makes a person, it’s personal style. You’ve heard that a million times before, but when you see it, you know it. And her style speaks to something one step beyond the grab&go. (I’m not saying she doesn’t do that on occasion, but it’s more that she knows what she likes and what looks good on her.) She’s not afraid of color or pattern (again, see dress below) which for a New Yorker by way of Chicago and London is almost crazy and made me have to ask her a few questions about her style philosophy, because that’s a thing!

Me: What’s the first section you go to when you walk into a vintage or thrift store?

Ruth: Dresses. If I could just wear dresses for my whole entire life, I would. I mean, I have pants, but since I don’t have that many pairs, they’re not my go-to selection. Plus sometimes I feel like the ones I have are a little exaggerated. I don’t really throw on jeans and go, although I’m getting back into jeans. But sometimes I worry that things can get costume-y with me.

What do you mean by costume-y?

For instance, if it’s a fifties-style dress, I’ll do hair and makeup that feels like the time the dress came from. It’s hard for me to accessorize with things that aren’t from the same vintage as the actual item. I’m really a top to bottom gal. It would be a challenge to wear combat boots with a 60s dress. At my wedding, I went for some forties spit curls in my hair and silver shoes to go with my dress (below).

So you see outfits, rather than individual pieces?

To me that’s the fun. Dressing has to do with the total package. I’m not gonna psychoanalyze it, but I do feel that’s what getting dressed is about: creativity. And it’s fun to dig for things. There’s a store in Chicago, Strange Cargo, and every time I visit that city, I stop by. I’ve been going there for years. They used to let my friend Katie and I go down to the basement so we could check out all the stuff that had just come in before they’d bring it onto the floor. I like that kind of private shopping time.

My last question: If you could go vintage or thrift store shopping with anyone who would it be?

Well you don’t want to go with anyone who has similar taste so you don’t compete for clothes, but you do want someone who knows what you like so they can be on the lookout for stuff you might want. My friend Katie and my daughter, Bluebell, fit all those descriptions.

I forgot to ask her whether she solo picked out or had help with the unbelievably beautiful dress above because I was just so smitten by how much it looks like a painting you’d see in a museum. And speaking of paintings, her hubby Tim Ward—here’s a slightly dated interview—is an artist, and they make up one of my most favorite and stylish couples I’m lucky enough to know.

My friend Ruth: helping the planet one cool outfit at a time.

So my readers, who’s your favorite person to dive into vintage or thrift stores with?