In 2009, Pamela Castillo launched Market Publique, the vintage marketplace for hand-picked vintage sellers. Not only is she a long-time vintage buyer and seller herself, she’s an experienced web designer and developer, and I’ve always loved the way she runs the Market Publique brand — from keeping up a great blog to regularly launching collaborative lookbooks. But even more, I love that we’ve gotten to be great friends over the past few years, and that she was up for sharing a few tips and tricks for buying and selling vintage!

I’ve heard you say before that the best thing about buying vintage is that it doesn’t lose its value — that you can buy it, wear it and then resell it. I love this! How would you recommend that a beginner start selling vintage online?

On Market Publique, you just launched an amazing weekly capsule collection called The Vintage Coalition. How does it work?

The Vintage Coalition is an invite-only group of the best vintage sellers on the web, who put together a collection every week that’s curated around a theme.

Each Coalition member selects the best piece from their collection that fits within that week’s theme and lists it for sale in the Vintage Coalition category on Market Publique. The collections launch every Tuesday at 9pm EST.

What’s your favorite piece from this week’s Lace & Crochet Collection?

If you want a great everyday piece, I am loving Hella Vintage’s crochet cardigan — perfect for throwing over a festival dress and then layering once fall is upon us.

If you want a show-stopper, Prance & Swagger is featuring a awe-inspiring Edwardian lace peignoir with kimono sleeves — talk about collectible!

Thanks Pamela! xoxo

Poketo just launched a line of accessories made from 100% vintage sofa leather — some lovely pieces, from the $32 leather button wallet to the $44 clutch. Shop here!

To everyone who’s taken my survey so far — thank you! I appreciate your feedback so much, and I must say, I’m flattered by your compliments. Thanks for being such great supporters. It means a lot. And it means that I’ll definitely start sharing more of my own style and proud finds here. Case in point!

Several weeks ago I went for the first time to the Alemany Flea Market, a weekly flea market in San Francisco’s Bernal Heights. The ring and purse I got there made my day.

Quartz earrings & necklace by Early Jewelry; vintage-ish blazer from KC’s Maj-r Thrift; jeans by Baldwin Denim, designed in Kansas City and manufactured in the U.S.; boots by Steve Madden (worn for about 3–4 years now); purse by Ferragamo, $20, and ring, $5, both from Alemany Flea Market.

The guy who sold me the purse was kind of hilarious — he did not look like the type of person who would say, “That’s a Ferragamo, right?” when I tried to talk $15 off the price. A flea market is truly the only place you’ll hear a guy like that rattling off labels like this! Those large gold “buttons” go all the way around it, with three platform heels on each.

And after I spotted this family photo, I couldn’t not get it. They’re all so beautiful and happy! I especially love the little guy on the right end of the front row, and the blonde woman in the back left. What a family.

The auctions for each of these items end in three days, and some are still at their starting-bid price of $9.99. All are size M except the top pair, which is size S/M. Full sizing details (and lots more photos, which is one of the best things about shopping on Market Publique) are available at each product’s listing!

This is an official scoop — so grab these boots before someone else does! My friend Jessie, founder of The Concrete Catwalk style blog and Style & Pepper personal styling, will be launching her new vintage store tomorrow: The Spice Rack. These pairs are each $46, in impeccable condition and, sadly, too big for me. Happy shopping! :)

Although Evil Eye Vintage still has some other nice stuff for sale online. I’ve had some amazing vintage finds recently, and I’ll be going out for more this Saturday. Happy weekend! :)

Meet one of my favorite boutiques in San Francisco!

Gravel & Gold stocks “things that are beautiful and well-made,” both new and vintage.

To tell the story of each brand they carry, they include a hand-written description of the brand, like this (have a read, it’s very sweet):

You can view many more photos in my Gravel & Gold Flickr set. Gravel & Gold is located a few short blocks from my house in the Mission, on 21st Street between Mission and Valencia.

Speaking of SF, my parents visited last weekend — their first-ever trip to California!! I jam-packed the few days they were here, which went something like this: Blue Bottle coffee, boating on the Bay, In-N-Out, sea lions, sourdough, artisanal sushi, Bi-Rite ice cream, bonfire on the Pacific, redwoods, wineries, Ikea, SF’s oldest ice cream parlor, Dolores Park and, finally, shopping in the Mission. (See, I brought it all back around!) Thanks for the awesome weekend, mom and dad!

How good is Pamela at Market Publique? I knew SATC wardrober Patricia Fields had a penchant for vintage, but Pamela’s post on how much vintage appeared throughout SATC2 really impressed me. Imagine all the hunting it took to find the right pieces for not one, but four looks, at a time. Check out all these vintage spottings!

And no, I haven’t seen the movie yet, but the time will inevitably come…

Refinery 29 recently spotlighted NYC artist Francesca DiMattio, whose thrifted and artsy wardrobe (not to mention decor) is so inspiring.

“My mom raised me exclusively on thrift stores as a little girl and taught me to look for new shapes and feel for quality fabrics. It’s exciting for the eye to see something different, so I look for shapes that are not common. As a result I often find myself holding maternity wear, and clothes in my closet range from size 0-16. An outfit looks great when it’s a little unfamiliar.”

“Everything I buy is under $20 (except for shoes), but recently I found two silk Anne Klein II tunics, which are like large tank tops that I am excited about.”

“I like things to have lived a little before me. My couch is from the old cafeteria at Cooper Union; we found the stools on the street, the table is from Craigslist, the chairs are from a friend’s antique store in Hudson, and my husband made the kitchen bench from found wood on the street that he then treated and stained. Also, I love fake flowers and always keep bouquets around the house. Initially, I made them for the centerpieces at my wedding, but I made a couple more for our home.”

Read the full article, and enjoy more images, at Refinery 29.

as to why so many cultures around the world

have their own different-yet-similar geometric patterns.

Looms!

The similarity among patterns would come from all cultures having the same design challenge: There’s only so much you can do with line patterns, as in weaving or with a knitting pattern. Right? Have I broken my own case? ;)

I can’t get enough of the updated versions of these patterns, either…

Mociun Day Coat, Pendleton Meets Opening Ceremony Wool Zip Vest and Twelfth St. by Cynthia Vincent Oversized Navajo Sweater. And it’s here for spring, too — I just spotted these brand new flats at Habitat, also by Cynthia Vincent! Good stuff.

Turkish kilim pillow cover via eBay, Bauhaus rugs via Wikstenmade and Native American weaving via Rockwell Museum of Western Art. Loom image via Hayden Loom.

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