I was stoked to meet up Lilly Hiatt earlier this month. I felt our mutual love for unruly hair, Tom Petty, and second-hand shops promised an exciting, off-the-wall morning … in addition to her impeccable musical taste and skills, of course. Lilly is primarily a denim, tee, and leather gal. She keeps an eye out for something fun, functional, and good for the stage while shopping. After learning that Tom Petty is her style icon, I immediately thought of polka dots and top hats, and I couldn’t wait to hit the clothing racks of Old Made Good with her.
There is nothing better than finding a solid second-hand shop, and something about OMG takes the cake. It’s been a favorite of mine since moving to East Nashville, and I was excited to hear the same from Lilly. For starters, the floor is entirely made up of gold glitter. Their racks are typically a treasure cove of lace, denim, leather, and patterns. And fellas … yes, there is tons of shopping for you, as well. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, it’s also awesome for picking up used vinyl, locally made jewelry, and vintage home goodies.
Lilly brought a few wardrobe staples from home — such as her high-waisted overalls, a floral blouse, and boots. From there, we mixed it up with our favorite items from OMG. Narrowing our selections down was not an easy task, though we were able to weed a few things out by keeping in mind that everything must travel well to fit her lifestyle. We were both digging the curated coat collection and sunnies — I think we were definitely feeling the '70s vibe that morning … Well, at least I was.
Lilly’s favorite item she owns is a pair of cowboy boots. They were a gift from her mom about eight years ago, and she made sure to bring them in. (I love that!) Work or play, her treasured boots have traveled everywhere with her, from California to Italy. And, like most lifetime staples, they’ve occasionally hibernated in the closet. We made sure to include the brown and turquoise beauties with every outfit because, these last few months, they’ve been back in rotation!
I have a few success tricks that I use when I go shopping at vintage/thrift shops: First, I never roll out of bed and go shopping. When I do, I hate everything I try on. Before any shopping shenanigans, I style my hair, put on make-up as I usually wear it, and maybe add a bright lipstick — my everyday look. (Dressing room lighting, ladies. Need I say more?) Second, I wear one or two of my favorite items to the store — a good pair of boots or heels and some good denim works for me. These tricks help me feel good, maintain the old/new ratio, and keep me from getting too adventurous and buying things that will hang untouched in my closet for all of eternity.
Although we didn't find second-hand top hats, we did score some sweet, rosy, heart-shaped glasses sunnies!
What’s your staple item? What are some of your shopping success tricks? Do you have any favorite second-hand shops we should know about?
