(Adrienne and her daughter Tracey in this last shot)
1. How did you get started selling vintage clothing?
NOV began as A's Tees, a vintage tee shirt collection, originally
inspired by Adrienne's three college age sons back in the 90s.
Scavenging for vintage "gold" became her passion. This "hobby" morphed
Adrienne into "Vintage A, The T-shirt Lady." She quickly gained a
following which only fueled her addiction to thrift. Her consummate
side kick and daughter, Tracey, caught the bug. Their love for
fashion, adventure, and the thrill of the hunt grew into NOV which
encompasses vintage jewelry, dresses, accessories, picture frames, and
of course tee shirts.
2. What is your favorite era for clothing/accessories, and why?
Our favorite era of clothing and accessories never stays the same for
too long because the trends and our interests are always shifting. But
if we had to pick it would be the 60s for clothing, because the
dresses are feminine, flirty, and fun. They reflect a time of
liberation that echoes our personal style and philosophy. We have
always been drawn to big and bold statement jewelery which personifies
the excessive 70s. Right now we are into lady bags from the 50s and
60s and cross-chest bags with fur or fringe adornment, which by the
way, are impossible to keep stocked.
3. In your opinion, what is the biggest draw of vintage clothing for shoppers?
Because we each have a unique and individualized attitude and
stylistic perspective we are drawn to the idea of creating your own
look through clothing, jewelry, and accessories. Vintage provides the
opportunity for shoppers to create a look that is a reflection of
their personal style with one of a kind items.
4. Tell me about your process for finding such great pieces.
There is a lot of research, perseverance, and energy that is required
to continue to acquire and maintain a reputation for having super cool
vintage. It involves taking trips across the country to large antique
markets or it can mean waiting in line for hours at the crack of dawn
to be first at an estate sale. We constantly are meeting people who
are considering selling off their grandma's treasure, and love when we
receive the call that they are ready to part with those items. We
often go back to our original routine of holding our nose in smelly
thrift stores all for the possibility of experiencing vintage nirvana.
5. Who is your ideal client, and why?
Our favorite client is anyone who is excited about fashion, being
unique, and making a statement. Someone who appreciates what we do and
how well we do it. The perfect client will not need us to explain our
items, but will pick up on our vision and vibe. Of course we
appreciate gracious customers and conversationalists who have their
own personal style. We love when former costumers return to share
stories about the compliments they received when wearing pieces from
NOV. The continuous positive feedback from our shoppers spurs us on to
find more fabulous items.
6. What do you see being the future of vintage fashion?
The most compelling aspect of vintage is its ability to inspire future
trends. The past becomes the future, in a freshly interpreted way.
Vintage will never become "a thing of the past" even though that is
exactly what it is.
ShopNOV will be at Vintage Heaven on Saturday February 5th and possibly on Sunday the 6th. UPDATE: unfortunately shopNOV won't be participating this weekend but they will sell with us next month.
Read an interview with Karyn for our blog here. Also check out her blog and her Esty shop, you'll love them!
