Happy Friday, friends. Today’s A Tiny Apt. is FREE to all subscribers. And with that, I’d like to remind you how grateful I am for ALL of you, as well as every Paid subscription to this newsletter, which literally makes it possible for me to even be here making it❤️. Creating this newsletter every week—occasionally twice a week, like this one:)—takes a lot of time…more time, effort, and energy, than you might think it would (I have on occasion been known to be a control freak:). Especially when you have a handful of other “jobs” to do in order to subsidize the DREAM of making something GREAT and truly of value in (y)our lives…at least, that’s always the aim:).
I love this newsletter so much, particularly what it stands for and how it seems to touch many of your daily lives, which is: how to do a lot with a little. How to make something positively magical out of something imperfect or inconvenient. How to find ourselves—our TRUE style, too—in exploring the things we love…or just delight us. For me, that’s vintage and discarded things, things with stories, BEAUTIFUL things, and more often than not, opting for Lemonade over Lemons even when I really don’t feel like it.
We’re coming up on the 150th edition of A Tiny Apt., and YES, I will be running a 48-hr. Paid subscription special to celebrate with all of you. But if you are inclined to want to support this newsletter as well as the work I do to bring you ideas and stories and resources about our homes/spaces, useful outfit inspiration, reflections on life and ambition and getting where we want to GO…and YEAH YEAH thrifting, too—then consider upgrading to a Paid subscription. It helps me to spend more time on this newsletter to create even more resources, pay the brilliant creative people who help me make it GREAT-looking and smart and get it to you with the least amount of typos. That is all…I adore each and every one of you, and thank you for being here. And reminding me why I love making content WITH YOU so much. xxCb
OKAY…Vintage Dries, Prada, a tiny painting of a cloudy day in Malibu (or Maine! Who knows??). There’s a lot of good thrifty stuff to cover here—including a sneak-peek at the bottom of my tag sale this weekend/Sunday morning with the inimitable STACY LONDON. Without further adieu, let’s get into it…
Vintage Dries Van Noten Sandals. As soon as I heard the news about Mr. Van Noten’s retirement, I immediately scoured my resale sites for HIS gems to add to my collection. Everything about these secondhand sandals that I scored for $100 on eBay charmed me, from the nautical style knot to the bright red/camel combo to the contrasting hi-tech heel texture. And the biggest bonus of all: THEY ARE COMFY.
On my way to pick up Raffi two weeks ago, I took a very quick spin through my local Housing Works and found this BEAUTY for only $9. Maybe it’s Malibu, maybe it’s Maine, who cares…it’s DREAMY. I’m on the fence about whether or not I will keep it, but more likely than not, it will be up for grabs at my tag sale with Stacy on Sunday.
Speaking of paintings, I found this at a yard sale across the street from our Future Cottage project upstate. It was $3 and painted by someone’s grandmother Anna. I loved that the vintage Framer’s stamp on the reverse side was from a long ago closed down Frame shop in Huntington on Long Island…near where I grew up. Fate…
Initially I passed on this vintage Flame Chef Japan Stoneware casserole dish…IDK, $20 in a Goodwill just seems pricey to me. But it was on my mind a few hours later when I was back home…so I did a scan on eBay to see how much they go for, and the prices were DOUBLE w/shipping. Hence, I asked Kevin to stop back on his way home from Lowe’s to see if it was still there….and lo and behold it was. I swear I almost hugged it after I washed and dried it. Best of all, it has that nifty handle design on the top that doubles as a trivet for the pot when you turn it over (just like the Dansk Kobenstyles do). DIVINE.
When I spied this “situation” on a nearby stoop, I immediately posted it in my Stories. So many opinions about what folks would take…the outsider art teapot, the (terrifying) bust, the pitcher that looks like it was salvaged from the Titanic. Because I was on my way to meet my friend Tanesha, I grabbed the teapot for her daughter who is an artist, and the distressed ceramic bowl on the far right (pic of it at home now on my newly cleaned bookshelf below). And when I walked by at least three hours later, the pitcher was still there, so I grabbed that, too (and for anyone who wants it, it will be at the tag sale on Sunday:).
Okay, I did not buy this vintage Napier brooch at a nearby antiques store because I just thought $90 was too much. But guess what?? I completely regret not buying it…like this could be THE PIECE that tips my whole wardrobe into a THRILLING new territory. I recently bought a lot of 60 vintage rhinestone brooches on eBay inspired by the recent Prada show, but after seeing this giant gold one, all I want is THAT. Like if my Italian grandmother Angela was also a leading character in Star Wars. Others I’ve found that aren’t nearly as cool as the one I am going back for (if it’s still there) are here, here, and here…all different but still very chic.
My friend Hallie Goodman is an interior designer and also an extraordinary human who likes to thrift as much as I do. She recently had her own beautiful tag sale at Quittner Home (if you’re up in Germantown this spring/summer, definitely drop in for a visit). And while by the time I got there most of what she had was already sold, I did manage to score this beautiful lip bust for just $40. Besotted 💋.
Why are basic-but-still-cool summer sandals (without a toe thong!) so hard to find? I scored these vintage silver mini heels on eBay…they are literally from SEARS. And they were in pretty good condition when I got them, albeit a bit dusty and dull. I took them immediately to Charlie at Cobbler Express in the Financial District (anyone need his contact info, drop a comment:)…he’s literally rehabbed ALL my favorite shoes, and is in the process of reviving those silver Proenza boots I thrifted a few months back. Regardless, aren’t these sandals just PERFECT? All of $25 (plus $10/shipping). On the topic of silver low-heeled sandals, I love these by Ulla Johnson (they look comfy!) and these by J.Crew, too. BTW, my pants are by COS (now sold out:(), but I’m seriously considering getting THESE white pants, too, as a backup—a piece on interesting ways to wear white pants this spring/summer coming to A Tiny Apt. SOON…🪩
Local friends in/around Brooklyn: As I mentioned recently, my friend Stacy London and I are returning to the scene of the second-hand GOODIES—we’ll be hosting our annual tag sale this SUNDAY at 398 Hoyt Street in Brooklyn from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Vintage clothing, textiles, designer things, housewares, art, handbags, shoes….YOU NAME IT, we likely GOT IT. No early birds (I do love saying that). Also, for my Paid subscribers who aren’t local, I’ll be saving 5-10 things for an upcoming Absolutely Free sale at the end of spring/start of summer.
Here’s a peek at just some of the cool stuff that I’ll be selling tomorrow: From far left, vintage t-shirts, tropical wool COS trousers, vintage sweatshirts, vintage silk skirts, pottery, coats, a vintage Polaroid camera….I’ve got three more bags in the back of my car to unpack so get ready…there will be LOTS to choose from. Please come and say hi….and as always a portion of our proceeds will be going to a few key organizations dedicated to abortion rights and animal rehabilitation + safety. We love you all….and see you this weekend! xxCb
The silver sandals are amazing, but I always adore a good silver sandal because 26 years ago I married in silver sandals. A similar heel as yours, only one big strap in the front. I still have them and I still wear them, but only a few evenings in the summer, mostly in Spain on holidays. And I always feel special wearing them.
Congrats on 150!! Wow..A Tiny Apt big milestone..love the silver sandals..”When I spied this “situation” 😂😂 wish I was there for yr sale..if you find another one of those oversized, heavy cotton sweatshirts like the one we got in Beaumont, I’m all over it:) xoxo