Happy Summer Solstice

Tompkins Square Park became a playground for hundreds of nature's little flashlights as

fireflies came out in force last night, a magical spectacle that celebrated the longest day of the year during the summer solstice.

Summer Collective Kickoff at Grey Era

Thursday night saw a cool crowd gathered at Grey Era Vintage, the East Village vintage boutique helmed by Sierra Fromberg, as she kicked off her Summer Collective, featuring a slew of up and coming artists heralding from Brooklyn and Manhattan.

Noise Girl bracelets and necklaces from Chelsea Van Houten, Doll perfume oils from our friend Dana Varon, silver wolf or floating rings from Austin-based Margot Wolf and Gift Shop Brooklyn leather goods and accessories graced the 9th Street store's elegant straight-on out to the backyard, floor-through shopping configuration. Collective cocktails were concocted by Amanda Dell, of Sisters Dell, and served garden party style.

Shopping took precedence for FW that night. We had to have us some Doll in Suntanned and a couple of the stunning-to-stack Noise Girl hardware nut bracelets that piled on perfectly with out chunky ID armlets.

Stay tuned for more about the boutique (for instance, why the name GREY ERA?!) after we sit down this next week for a one-on-one chat with the lovely Sierra!

 

Happiness is a Bright Summer Dress

  I haven't really been feelin' summer the past week or so. Finally realizing I couldn't stand the thought of putting on black clothing one more morning, I trekked out to my go-to thrifties and found these 6 beauties. Now I have a dress a day per week to make me happy, perky and summery.

The two shorties, below, are from one of the new thrift additions to 7th Street, my new fav, rena Reborn. Owners Rachael Rush and Courtlan Green have a stylin' mix going on -- recyled fun stuff culled from Rachael and Cortlan's travels within the music industry, as well as original MonAir collection pieces from local designer Ari Harris. Rena Reborn has a $5 rack outside every day and a $10-and-under rack as you walk in. Great finds, always. Plus, they stock a ton of cool jewelry, including fantastic feather earrings crafted by Seven, Cortlan's teenage daughter.

The Reborn polka dot dress is truly one of my go-to pieces now, I get complimented on it constantly, sometimes wear it with a beat-up old brown leather skinny belt and the summer espadrilles, below, and it cost me $15 (espy's were $25). How can ya go wrong? The PPW of both dress and espy's is down to $5 so far!

It's a muumuu! Yes, three of these dresses, below really ARE a mu'umu'u. From Hawaii. Now, it may look like I lost control when I bought these four from my thrift style buddy Alex who did say it seemed like I was buying the same dress four times over. But they all have their own distinct sumpin'-sumpin' that sets them apart.

The left one sports open slits from the neck all the way down to the ruffled bottom of the sleeves that close with rounded brass buttons.

The shorty next to it is featherweight linen, with lace on the sleeves and down the placket of the Peter Pan collar; belted with espy's, this popular plaid look rocks on super hot days. 

 The long slinky orange and gold mu'umu'u (far right) has drapey cap sleeves and an Empire waist. The exploded floral mu'umu'u is a cheongsam, with frog closure at the neck and double slits on the side; Mignon and I are modeling below for Giannia Vacca da Panni at a garden party, below.

The other amazing thing about the four happy-makers is that with the discount I received, the four dresses either cost $20 each (really, quite a bargain right there) or cost $5 off the original price tags with the plaid shorty for FREE! 

Ahhhhh, summer time! NOW I'm feelin' it!