Long Live Big Thrifting Energy
The newletter's first guest (!), manifesting on Craigslist, and the only bodycare you need.
It's quite fitting that the week Virginia guests stars in Long Live, I found the furniture item secondhand that had been on my list for maybe four years. I’ve always loved the look of a folded creen unfurled against a wall. Great as a headboard, cool as a room divider, but in my mind, it would make the perfect separation from office and bedroom in our, well, one bedroom apartment.
Here’s the play-by-play. I’m avoiding writing by browsing Craigslist, nothing new. (p.s. this Instagram account! See you there.) I find this screen searching for furniture within three miles of my home under $500, aka my favorite search. I email a kind woman who agrees to $4 less than the listed price. Ignoring that I asked for that. I send my partner a coded message about a “really fun Friday date night idea.” He calls me immediately, a downside of him knowing me so well. He reluctantly agrees to driving me into the city that night after work to pick up the screen. I’ve threatened to make us drive to Connecticut for the same piece of furniture, so part of me thinks he was relieved. I wait in a nondescript lobby for forty-five minutes. I regret everything and consider abandoning the screen. Finally, the woman gets home, rushes upstairs, and I roll the screen out to Broadway. A quick wipe down and there you have it: the screen of my dreams.
Virginia Chamlee, a writer for People and self-proclaimed “antiques freak” knows a thing or two about the art of the furniture hunt. She knows enough to be the proud author of BIG THRIFT ENERGY, out this Tuesday. I’ve already pre-ordered and can’t recommend the book enough. Bonus, she has an insane collection of prints for Chairish you can shop online. I want this set over my bed and this for my non-existent walk in closet.
How long have you had this piece? Where did it come from? How much did you pay for it?
I found my Goyard trunk about eight years ago and it was a really serendipitous find. My grandmother and I used to spend basically every weekend antiquing. She raised me as a single mom so we were thick as thieves. One day, we spent the entire morning at estate sales and I actually found some amazing pieces (like a 1950s Lanvin dress for $3). So of course we thought the day was already a success but had no idea what else we'd find. As fate would have it, we got stuck in traffic on the way home and saw a secondhand shop with a sign that said "old wicker." We pulled into the parking lot and decided to take a peek while we waited out rush hour. The store was fine but we didn't see anything too exciting. But on the way out, the woman at the register said, "Make sure you check out the shed out back." So we went in this little building behind the shop and there she was: a Goyard trunk, more than four feet tall, complete with drawers and jewelry compartments and covered in the iconic logo. I actually audibly gasped when I saw it, and read the tag, which read: "Old trunk, $90." We basically threw it in the car as fast as we could and of course asked the shopkeeper where it came from. She said someone had found it in their attic and brought it in. (What I wouldn't give to go in that attic.) It was just so good that I felt like something had to give, but it was very clearly an antique and had all the right details: the logo, metal plates with the Goyard address in Paris, an interior with ribbons that say "Goyard..." I had it authenticated by a Goyard trunk expert and sure enough, it's the real deal. And a true score for $90 (some of them go for over $100,000). It does have a hand-painted "M" monogram and of course my name doesn't start with an "M." But years later, I told the story on Instagram, weeks after my grandmother had passed, and one of my followers said the M must have been for "Mema," which is what I called her. So it's kind of even more special now.
How do you style it?
It's lived with me in four different apartments or homes, either in my living room or dining room or bedroom, where it sits now.
What does it represent?
For me, it represents this really special moment in time and a fond memory with the love of my life: Joy, my grandmother. She was so into high design — fashion, decor, all of it — and had a real knack for finding incredible pieces at ridiculously low prices. She passed that skill onto me and it inspired my new book, Big Thrift Energy, which is all about how to shop for vintage (how to identify what something is, how to even know what to shop for in the first place, tricks for navigating thrift stores, estate sales — all that stuff) and what to do with your amazing finds once you bring them home. There's also a section on how to sell vintage, because that's my side gig.
Archived Outfit
Ok, in spirit of this week’s theme, I’m opting for shoppable vintage furniture links instead of clothing.
$85 for the pair, if you, like me, will never be over caning!
Just think of the shade pairing possibilities for this clear pink lamp + it’s under $30.
A wonky pitcher for under $20? What’s not to love?
Bamboo floor lamp in Chelsea for under $100!
The pop of blue in this $72 rug is enough to base a room around.
Honorable Mentions
Notes to Self—This incredibly moving essay collection is not for the faint of heart. If you’re in the market for something moving, deeply relatable, and well-paced—you’re welcome!
Equal Partners—As if waxing poetic on Instagram and IRL wasn’t enough, I had to take to the newsletter as well. This book is 100% required reading. Ask Christian!
Do you like skincare enough to listen to hear two straight men talk about? Apparently, me too. I’ve been binging Dewy Dudes.
Thank you so much for reading. This week, I wrote about Noihsaf for VOGUE, wearing white in NY, and Soft Services for W Mag. See you next Thursday! x