The Brimfield Scrapbook
Our first ATA field trip to Brimfield, the world's biggest/baddest flea market, was a full day of vintage hunting HEAVEN. Here's the recap—and who's in for the next one?
Hey friends! This one is packed with 40+ images of cool things we found/wanted (regret not getting!), so please do click through to the Substack app or your browser to see ‘em all. It’s madness (and I love it)…xxCb
I first started dreaming of a group field trip to Brimfield after my first post about it here in the newsletter. I’ve been going to Brimfield for a few decades now…my first-ever trip was with my sister who brought my then 2-year-old nephew with us, whom we happily pushed up and down the vintage stalls in his stroller (he’s 24 now:).
Even though I’ve done some planning in my time, coordinating cool events such as this one is most definitely not my strong suit. Plus, I wanted this van trip to be PERFECT. A group, but not too big. A comfy van with room to spare for treasures. A custom tote filled with essential treats (of the snacky + style + skincare kind). And then one day, I was having coffee with my friend Sheri who writes the immaculately good newsletter Cool Best Friend at our favorite local spot Nako when she shared the news, “I’m starting a production arm to my newsletter. And will A Tiny Apt. + Brimfield be our first experience?”
FATE.
Look at all these glorious TREATS for our Brimfield group (!!), courtesy of our friends, from top left: Olyra (the yummiest organic high protein/fiber cookie on the planet), Olive & June’s hands-down classic red polish (for after Brimfield:), Kiehl’s fantastic/luxe eye cream for a bit of hydration in the heat; Bare Minerals glowy Complexion Rescue w/sun protection; bottles of Ghia as a fancy little break between hauls; incense and Santal Noir No. 1 roll-on fragrance from A Tiny Subscriber and interiors fragrance heroines Jack’s Daughter. Also, Thrive Market (best natural brands/best prices) showered us with all our favorite snacks for the van and recharging between runs…the Fit Joy grain-free pretzels and Lesser Evil popcorn was definitely the most in demand. Thank you for alllll the ATA + Brimfield ❤️.
I needed someone to help me dream it and plan it, and I couldn’t have asked for a more caring, judicious partner than Sheri to ensure we got every detail right. In the end, we had ten passengers in tow, including a photographer to help us capture the day, and Sheri’s husband David who shuttled us in our Mercedes sprinter like the thrift shop goddesses that we ARE.
And…it was MAGIC. To Natalie, Alexa, Katie, Alison, Heather, Adrianna, and Elizabeth, thank you for being on our maiden voyage. And to everyone else—pls come to the next one (we’ll be heading back for Brimfield day trips in both July and September, so grab your seats now, tiny discounts for buddies/pairs, too).
Without further adieu, documentation of the Best Thrifting/Antiquing Day Ever. And because I ❤️ you, some shopping links to any similar vintage backups you might like to peruse, too. It’s not the same as going to Brimfield, but a treasure IS a treasure. Let’s get into it…
My friend the interiors guru Hallie Goodman met our van upon arrival and shared some of her favorite antiques sellers…as if things could get any better?
I was maybe an hour in when I scored this “ribbon” style wicker/woven basket that I plan to use for napkins and cutlery when we are picnicking out on our deck this summer. Cute, right? A Tiny Apt. thrifting totes were hand-screen-printed by my friend the artist Anne Schaefer, and I might have a few left from our limited run if anyone wants to buy one….epitome of smart summer practicality!). As far as cool baskets go, here’s a chic one you could use for the farmer’s markets, too.
I think this whole metal/mesh/perforated set of two loveseats and one chair was $1,400. I wanted it so badly…but I refrained, because until I know I have a place to put something, I’m forbidden to buy it. I’m 100% obsessed with anything Mathieu Mategot-style (ie: using garden furniture indoors), and this green metal lounger cutie could be a gem used somewhere strategically. Ahhh my goodness, look at this perforated metal waste basket, too??
One of the better tents…I love a mix.
Alexa joined the trip to shop for some interiors clients (she’s the genius person who hunts down special pieces for designers she assists), so it was fun to see what she was into.
A sick vintage Vuitton trunk I wanted exclusively for the vintage label. Sadly, it wreaked of mold (tip: I highly discourage from buying anything that smells of either moth balls or mold as it’s near impossible to eradicate it once it’s there. Shame!). This gorgeous vintage specimen made for “Mrs. D” is a damn beauty tho, too.
I brought Natalie and Sheri’s husband David to my favorite vintage t-shirt seller…we bought a pile, including a handful like this one that will be up for grabs at my closet sale at The Delta in Carroll Gardens next week, Thursday, May 29 from 5-8pm…come!!
Found a few pairs of good, old denim and carpenter pants, too…
Signs…🔮
I first met Katie at one of my Brooklyn sidewalk sales (she bought a little settee!). I cannot tell you how happy it made me to have her on this trip collecting new-old art for her West Village apartment…and she totally scored! Not so similar, but here’s another little abstract painting, I love, too.
One of the sample totes Anne and I were messing around with. Do you prefer the big type or the small? You know, for next time…
Someone was selling these vtg French terracotta (or stoneware) plates for $40/each. They were beautiful, and I regret not buying one…or two. I’m going to see if I can find them when I go back, the mix of designs are just so special. I couldn’t find anything like them online, but I did find this set of vtg French salad plates that are lovely.
I don’t buy fashion as much these days, but I was tempted by this plaid cotton suit. Someone had applied some paint to the hems and it was bananas cool and reminded me of Raf Simons (brief) days at Calvin Klein. Here’s a vintage Anne Klein houndstooth/plaid pant suit I wouldn’t mind buying for myself. Would you?
Me + metal/chrome 4ever. I got this little cutie for $10.
Natalie is a subscriber, and came to Brimfield armed with her own folding cart (PRO move). We got to spend a few hours hunting together, and I am extremely sad to report that this unbelievable signed/Peter Max-style print that she found/bought we also accidentally left somewhere when we were ostensibly losing our minds over stalls of vintage t-shirts (she’s a collector like me). I’m still sad about it, but thankfully, she is not (I’ve been looking for a backup for her. Natalie—stay tuned!).
Since I gave myself a strict budget for buying, I had to choose between this silver bowl OR the giant midcentury wood clothes pin. I went for the bowl since as much as I loved the pin (unlike the bowl) it didn’t really have a function/was just going to be another thing I had to dust back home. So NOPE. If you disagree, here’s a link to a set of smaller pins that would be AMAZING as dinner party place-card holders. Right?
I scored this vintage modern tea set for $60 (the whole set!)…here it is on my kitchen window sill. The gorgeous handles and those silver balls at the top…ack! They kill me!
Natalie + me heading into The Barn…
I went a little crazy with the vintage t-shirts and sweatshirts (none of them cost more than $50). I’ll be selling a handful of them at my Closet + Archive sale at the beautiful Delta space I mentioned earlier…
100% regret not getting this reversible blue/brown satin quilted coat (which was techically a bathrobe, but WHATEVER! Chic is CHIC)…..😑!
For some reason, turquoise was the slightly psychotic color of the day…I was strangely drawn to both the basket AND the lounge chair, which to be fair, is sort of haunting me. For magazines or newspapers? Kindling?
PS: Many of these shots were taken by the lovely Adrianna Favero…thanks AF!
Okay, this was a bummer…earlier in the day I spotted this cool sculptural side table. Then later in the day I spotted it w/Natalie by the trash, a chunk of the side/top missing. I swear, in my never-ending need to save beautiful things, I did consider hauling it onto the van, but the damn thing weighed a TON. Alas, we cannot save everything (and that is OKAY).
I loved the graphic on this vintage Un-Candle box…it reminded me of our cabin upstate…
This sign did come home with any of us, but it continues to give me GREAT joy.
This was a needlepoint study made by the seller’s late grandmother. She found it loose in her grandmother’s belongings and didn’t know what to do with it so she put it in a frame. I love it so much…something architectural about it, like an abstract building. I love this one, too. Don’t you?
As if this day could get any better, Sheri arranged for a wonderful charcuterie spread paired with some cold bubbly rosé to celebrate/share our wins together before the drive home. Seriously, it was a DREAM, and I can’t wait for the next one. Thanks, as always, for reading this far and coming on these little excursions w/me. It means a lot🥹. Yours in thrifted small fortunes and everything else…xxCb.
And, just a few more things that might inspire you…
Two unexpected paint color infatuations—Fell very hard for this opening shot (left) of Juan Carretero’s Bank Street apartment in this week’s New York Magazine by Wendy Goodman. The mint green doors are just incredible and so surprising in how much they POP. On the right, I was mildly enthralled by the lacquered blue work nook (concealable with sliding doors) featured in one of the new suites we toured last night at the Park Avenue Hotel, designed by Jacu Strauss. The paint connecting interior with exterior is a real mind-blower.
I bought these black Keen sandals because of this photo The Secret Strategist featured recently, and I’m SO glad I did. They will be on high rotation this summer. I don’t need much this summer, but I am thinking about this kind of perfect, fancy/not fancy Jenni Kayne dress (along the lines of my new Keen sandals) and also this cocoon cardigan for the cool upstate evenings to come. And, below, a BIG thank you to ATA subscriber Dorothy H. who thrifted this vintage men’s J. Crew shirt for me. I wore it to an event over the weekend with my favorite new Me + Em suit and it definitely killed:)) Thank you, Dorothy, how thoughtful of you. ❤️
There’s always more marvelous stuff, personally vetted by MOI, right here in our Tiny Shop on ShopMy. Remember if you click on something or buy anything, we might make a tiny commission…for which we are very grateful. ❤️
Magic. Pure magic!! So excited for our next voyage.
i need to go in July! The vintage teeeeees! Xoxoxo