that's nice 2. a vintage maven.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The pastel patios, the baby blue nail polish, the clever mix of neutrals (oh, and boys if you read all the way to the bottom there's something for you too!). Shareen Sarwar is a vintage maven:

Basics. What do you tell people you do for a living?  I tell them that I own an online vintage shop called Vintage Mavens and that I also run a blog by the same name.  Sometimes, when I want to be less direct, I tell them that I am a clothing collector that loves to recycle.

You've been in Miami for six years now. What brought you here and to Miami Beach in particular? Do you see yourself here for another six? Forever? I came to Miami to attend Miami International University for fashion merchandising.  I planned on leaving right after graduation, but after launching Vintage Mavens, I realized that the vintage here is unparalleled to any other place I've been.  I see myself here for the foreseeable future.  There's no city quite like Miami.

Let's talk about vintage, which I'm assuming is a huge passion of yours (and mine!). At this point I think most people are over the whole "how can you wear someone's old clothes?" thing, but do people every tell you that?   

I make it a point to hand pick every garment that comes into the store - they are all absolutely stellar items that are truly reflective of the era they came from.  I think people admire the detailing and construction of the clothing, rather than thinking of them as "old" or "used".

 

Do you ever think about people that have worn the clothes before you, and what they did in it?  

Yes, I think about all the time - it's part of the charm of vintage! I've been attending more and more estate sales and garage sales because I LOVE hearing about the garment - who wore it, when it was made, who made it, etc.  One time, I visited a garage sale in West Palm Beach and found a woman who was selling her hand made prom dresses from the 70's.  We must have sat there and talked about them for at least an hour.  She had won prom queen in one of them, too.

 

Vintage shopping takes a special eye. You have to be able to tell what actually looks good, versus what looks good in the context of racks and racks of old stuff. Right? How can you tell when something is stuff vs special.   

Honestly, I think it just comes from experience.  When I first started Vintage Mavens, I definitely bought some clothing that no one was really interested in.  Soon, you start to look for certain things when shopping (condition, colors, patterns, vintage designers, silhouettes, etc) and, with time, it becomes easier to spot those amazing vintage gems.  

 

What do you think about kitten heels? 

It's funny that you ask that question, because I cannot stand kitten heels!  I think they're so pointless! They're a cop out! Either wear an actual heel or get yourself some flats.  That's what I think.

 

We've been talking a lot around here about how to wear winter wear when the weather doesn't really merit being called winter. What's a girl to do when she wants to wear flannel, fur, boots, or layer and it's still 70 degrees outside?  

I say, wear it!  I've been thrifting around town lately wearing a heavy vintage cape, fringed suede boots, and holding a hot pumpkin spice latte.... and its, like, 68 degrees outside.

 

We don't want to leave out our male readers. Is there one piece of advice about wearing vintage that they should be sure to know?  I think that the key to choosing vintage for men is the fit.  Vintage men's clothing drapes differently than mainstream men's clothing today.   My husband wears vintage incredibly well, and I think its because he seeks items that have the perfect fit for him.