You're a Salter House Girl on a Gap Budget.

And I can help.

I grew up in the Midwest with an obsession with fashion and the earnings of a babysitter charging $8-$12 per hour. That didn’t stop my from dragging the kids I was watching to neighborhood garage sales to haggle for a denim jacket or stopping at Goodwill on my way home from a day of nannying.

I’m using the word fashion here intentionally because this isn’t a story about consumption. It’s a memory of a commitment to experimentation so strong that I took the time to bring my vision to life. I could have bopped over to Target and picked up the mass version of whatever Proenza Schouler sent down the runway. But instead, I delighted in the labor of making my sartorial dreams come true on a budget.

It’s all vintage <3

Cut to present day where I can use these powers for good and beyond the brimming walls of my NY apartment closet. It’s not about affiliate links or convincing you to buy something you most certainly don’t need. A pointelle tank top will never change your life. Instead, I hope Long Live is a resource for examining the desire and then maybe finding a better, less expensive version that’s potentially secondhand.

Manifesto aside, I made a Tiktok yesterday that inspired me to get up early and rewrite today’s letter. I’m including a few sturdy, less expensive versions of currently trending items in an attempt to remind you that a few more Google searches, a willingness to ask the woman on the coffee line where her bag is from, and an openness to shopping something without a covetable label can get you pretty far.

Vermont is always on my mind.

If you’re always checking listings on rural Connecticut Zillow…

Here are the tank tops in question. You can probably buy cuter ones that feel more on-trend but you certainly not buy more affordable ones. These are $35 for three.

These $72 pants come in 7 different colors.

Clogs! What more is there to say? These are a little under $100.

Haunt the dreams of your neighbors who are just going to have to deal with your visible panty line. ($75)

This hat isn’t cheap but neither is the laser package you bought and will ruin with sun exposure! Plus my friend

Abby Arad

is the genius behind it.

Yet another Vermont Country Store find. This set is $60.

Show up to the pool with a bag everyone will ask if you got in Paris. It’s $68.

If you dreamed of weekends in Northern Michigan even before reading Emily Henry’s newest novel…

I bought these for Christian after seeing someone wear them at church a few years ago. Ok communion line! They’re $30.

This shirt comes in “tucked” or “untucked” lengths and is the kind of cotton you can wash for decades without worrying about. It’s $135.

Maggie’s Organics…the official socks of this subset. A three pack is $30.

Ignore the shoes and you can imagine this dress being twice as expensive on another site. It’s April Cornell and I love the idea of tying this jacket on top and wandering around the garden.

Waxed cotton realness. These are under $50 and come with no logo. Bliss.

Again, this isn’t cheap, but it’s amazing quality and something not everyone else is carrying. It’s $250 from TOAST.

These are the glasses of someone who has an OOO on their email. ($95)

If you too consume Rudy Jude content with equal parts fascination and jealousy…

The old double knee. Great for logging and aesthetic purposes. These are $70.

Another jean to try if you’re looking for an immediate vintage feel. These are the Wrangler Cowboy Cut—they’re $50 and come in a ton of washes. Size up! Order a few sizes and give your friends what doesn’t work. Once you know what size is right for you, start searching on eBay for backups.

I think if you’re keen on overalls, just go for the classics, and then wear a frilly shirt underneath. These are $50.

This is a cult-fav hat that’s $85 and cotton and packable. It was designed in CA in the 60s.

A gardening smock is simply a state of mind. This one’s $108 and comes in great colors.

I love how timeless this striped sweater feels. It’s $40 from Gap.

These French Terry shorts are so 80s and so up my alley. They’re $45!

This little bag is reversible and you can pick whatever strap you like. The whole thing comes out to less than $100.

Thank you for reading Long Live. It means so much to me. You can shop my favs here, follow along on Instagram + Tiktok, shop my Notion template, and as always, respond to this dispatch for my direct line x