aux etoiles vintage

31 day thoughts

February 1, 2019 by auxetoilesvintage

Part of the motivation for us to start Aux Etoiles was the blow up of ‘prairie’ styles in NYC. As children of both the 1980s and Kansas, we definitely get the floral puff sleeve. As we approach the one year mark, however, we’re a little surprised at the generativity of the second hand/vintage world. Whatever is trending in the elite corners of fashion can be found at your local thrift store: high waist, oversized blazer, billowy shorts. It’s all there. […]

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31 Day Vintage Challenge Week 3

January 31, 2019 by auxetoilesvintage

There comes a time in everything 31 day vintage challenge when you have to break out of the rut, try something new, and take the show on the road. That’s exactly what happened during week 3 when the #31dayvintagechallenge went south for the winter–well for one week–to Florida. My parents live in an over 55 community near Tampa in the winter months. One week a year, I make like a snowbird and leave the snow and cold for the land […]

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31 Day Vintage Challenge Week 2

January 28, 2019 by auxetoilesvintage

Two weeks of the 31 Day Vintage Challenge are in the books. When you make it a point to incorporate vintage clothing in your everyday looks, it changes the way you approach getting dressed. Here are some takeaways from the first 13 days: Planning is key. Putting together vintage looks takes some strategy and creativity. Planning outfits the night before has saved a lot of time. Prepare for compliments. You will get lots of compliments when you incorporate vintage into […]

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…finding that ILGWU tag

January 15, 2019 by auxetoilesvintage

[Hi–This is something I (K) wrote up for my students in my Fashion and Digital Media class last semester. Some of it is based on the work we’ve done starting Aux Etoiles.] As I’ve mentioned, I recently began research into the Etsy shop, vintage clothing seller world. I’ve been conducting a participant observation (or ethnographic) study of this culture since last March. I’ve opened an Etsy shop with one of my BFFs to more fully participate in this world and […]

Categories: garment history, tracy and kara, vintage history

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31 Day Vintage Challenge: Week One

January 6, 2019 by auxetoilesvintage

When we gave ourselves the challenge to wear vintage clothing every day for the entire month of January, we wondered if we could pull it off. We sell vintage, sure, but do we have enough vintage in our closets to wear to work, to run errands, to take on vacation, etc. Well, I’m happy to report that the answer is yes! Being clothes hoarders helps, but taking a creative eye to our closets is also key. Let’s see how we […]

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31 Day Vintage Challenge

December 29, 2018 by auxetoilesvintage

Happy New Year! Out with the old and ON with the old. We eat, sleep, and breathe vintage fashion, but can we wear it every day for 31 days in January? We are two challenge-driven Virgos who love a goal with tight parameters, so here goes. For 31 days in January, we are going to style, wear, and share 31 vintage outfits. We’ll wear them during our daily activities: at work, when we run errands, on vacation, and when we […]

Categories: Uncategorized, Vintage Challenge • Tags: Vintage Challenge, Vintage clothes, vintage fashion

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momcore

November 29, 2018 by auxetoilesvintage

Looking back over the past 6 months of our venture into vintage selling, we’re becoming more excited by the look we’re calling “momcore.” Momcore is distinct from normcore and dadcore in that it mixes classic prep (tweed blazers) with 90s grunge (vintage tees) with all cotton (no stretch!) denim. Vintage track pants under a dress or with a blouse. It’s more chic than dadcore and and less anxious than normcore. Part of our interest in mom style, beyond being moms […]

Categories: 1970s, clogs, feminism, momcore

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gucci vibes

August 23, 2018 by auxetoilesvintage

Here at aux etoiles we are really feeling the vintage vibes from Gucci’s latest season! The exaggerated layering is especially fun and liberating with vintage clothes. Here are some of our interpretations: We are so into this green Benetton cardigan.

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to the stars through difficulties

August 23, 2018 by auxetoilesvintage

Welcome to the Aux Etoiles Vintage blog! Tracy and Kara met in Kansas long ago and quickly became bffs. Sharing a love for fashion, wearing it, studying it, styling it, finding it, they decided to start selling it. Aux Etoiles translates to “to the stars,” which is the beginning of the Kansas state motto followed by “through difficulties.” To the stars through difficulties captures the spirit of long distance friendship. Tracy and Kara work in the humanities and academic sectors, […]

Categories: tracy and kara

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