On my Christmas list (in case anyone out there is shopping for me), a Eugenia Kim hat from Black Parrot. If I can only choose one, I’ll go with the Cassidy Hat (pictured above).
Some people are born with style. Mandy Wheeler just happens to be one of them. Mandy, owner of Grandma June, was passed down a sense of style from her shop’s namesake, her beloved Grandmother. “My Mom always tells this story of my Grandmother picking her up from school. She’d be the Mom that would walk down the hallways and kids would stick their heads out of classrooms and wonder who she was,” says Mandy.
Though Mandy occasionally sells an item or two from her Grandma’s collection, most of her items are culled from estate sells, auctions or personal viewings. “I started this shop because I wanted to sell beautiful clothes. I never put anything in the shop that I wouldn’t personally wear,” she says. “I want people to see my style distinctly.”
Mandy runs her shop out of her South Portland apartment. Her bedroom walls are covered in beautiful vintage hats. A screen pulls down from her ceiling for impromptu fashion shoots for her site. And if you walk through the swinging door to her walk-in closet, you’ll see a carefully selected collection of dresses, shoes, purses and coats. It’s a vintage lovers dream.
Every piece of clothing in Grandma June has a story. One of her most prized posessions is a wedding gown from 1954 that comes with it’s original head piece, gloves and a garter with a penny the bride wore on her wedding day still in it.
Her other major inspiration - music - is evident by a giant photo collage created by her Father that hangs in her stairwell. If Mandy looks familiar, you might have seen her rocking out in Honey Clouds or Foam Castles. And you can bet she looks good on stage.
We believe in buying local. Even when you can’t hit the streets around Portland to support local boutiques, there are tons of amazing local designers, artists, jewelry makers and fashionistas with their own etsy shops. Here are some we’ve been seriously digging.
A Retro Remedy - I love the oversized floral accessories. Wear one on your lapel a la Carrie Bradshaw.
T: Just One Letter - The hand-knit beanies are perfect for chilly nights ahead.
Autumn Equinox - Simple and affordable jewelry in styles sure to suit anyone on your shopping list.
Mims Maine - Contemporary and functional bags that are made on top of a mountain!
Kate Sullivan Jones - An awesome blogger and an awesome maker of things.
Little Eye Designs - Choose from original photos displayed in bottle caps with these upcycled gems.
What’s your favorite etsy shop? Know any great ones we’ve missed?
When we spotted these gals crossing Commercial Street, I thought they were a girl group - like a modern day Wilson Phillips or something. These Mainers (only one still lives here - tsk, tsk) were in Portland for a 27th birthday celebration, hence the peacock tiara. Surprisingly, their matching ensembles weren’t planned. But hey, you can never go wrong with an LBD (little black dress) and some good accessories. Though each dress had a similar silhouette, their individual styles came out with some smart uses of belts, layered necklaces and some sweet headwear.
This bartender works at Run of the Mill in Saco, where he enjoys the live local music scene, especially The Toughcats because their drummer “plays like Animal from the Muppets. I’m a drummer too so I can appreciate it.” He lives in Sanford, but still finds himself in Portland every night. His outfit was color coordinated with his tat - the orange v-neck and blue converses brought out the colors in his arm art. It’s all in the details too, with perfectly cuffed pants (they’re very “in” now), a banded straw hat and geeky sunglasses.
Where did you get such a great hat?
I can’t tell you.
Why not?
Every time I walk down the street people ask me about it. People have actually pulled over while they’ve been driving just to ask where I bought it. I’m not telling a soul.
