Greetings from Los Angeles!

I am currently on a trip with friends and enjoying louging at the Chateau Marmont pool, getting Hailey Bieber smoothies at Erewhon, and hiking in Runyon Canyon — the quintessential Los Angeles experience.

Now here are this week’s leftovers.

xx,

VC

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Recently stumbled upon this upcycled vintage brand via Etsy and I want everything, like the pendant necklace, seashell necklace, and sundial shell ring.

A recent purchase: this beautiful, affordable planter. (Other affordable and great options: this jug-like textured beauty and this pot-like planter.

Presenting, my supplement stack: Berberine (for cholesterol and metabolism), Omega-3 (general heart health, skin, hair, nails), Magnesium (hormonal headaches), Wellbell (contains vitamin D, which I am low on, so it kills two birds with one stone — also contains B-12 which is good for your brain/memory/etc.)

My absolute favorite lip treatment — for the airplane, for the bedside table, for the pool… it gets the job done.

I am a huge fan of all things Supergoop but the glow drops are at the top of my list. SPF 40, not-at-all-chalky, and give you a great glow. I use this in lieu of foundation during the summer.

I have never gotten more compliments in my life than on this vintage bag, a recent estate sale score (there’s one available online for $125, btw).

I’m fascinated by Erewhon and here to say the viral, $21 Hailey Bieber smoothie is worth the hype. I’ve had multiple already and think it is delicious. Did you know brands (like protein powder companies, etc.) pay an inclusion fee for their ingredient to get name-checked in an Erewhon smoothie?

My grandmother raised me and began a business importing entire containers of furniture when I was young. Our living room became her de facto “store” — one complete with price tags, a cash register, and a million places to hide (making ours an ideal home for hide-and-seek).

When she opened her real store, I would sometimes go to the Atlanta Furniture Mart with her, spending days walking the showrooms full of things so beautiful it’s almost impossible to narrow down your favorites.

Even as I’ve aged, looking at furniture is how I’ve spent much of my free time for the better part of two decades. I scroll auction listings when I should be answering emails. I browse estate sale photos while waiting for appointments. I have entire folders on my phone dedicated to screenshots of things I loved and, in many cases, did not buy.

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A few nights ago, I fell down a rabbit hole looking at the work of POPUS Editions, a London-based furniture editor and interior design studio founded by Fanny and Yannick Gicquel. The company produces a collection of customizable furniture, lighting, and seating that combines Parisian elegance with a distinctly English sensibility, and somewhere between the upholstered seating, sculptural tables, and beautifully odd silhouettes, I lost track of time.

blue and white sofa // pink velvet couch // pink and green armchair // upholstered pouf

The discovery of POPUS is a good reminder of the power of a statement piece, and that form and function can coexist. Something can be both statement-making and comfortable!

I love visiting a Restoration Hardware and sinking into the iconic Cloud Sofa but, truth be told, that sort of furniture isn’t the kind that sticks with me.

What tends to stay with me are the pieces that possess a personality all their own, and I like furniture that makes you curious about the person who chose it (or the one who designed it).

One great piece of furniture can change the entire direction of a room and even a restrained space can become compelling when there is one piece that introduces a little tension, humor, glamour, or surprise.

That realization has probably shaped the way I thrift more than any decorating rule ever has.

When I walk through a thrift store, I’m not looking for perfection. I’m looking for a piece that I know I’ll never see again.

My Fornasetti butterfly desk is a good example. There are countless desks that would do the job equally well, and most of them would probably blend into a room more easily. Yet I can’t imagine replacing it with something more practical because practicality was never the point of this desk.

The same is true of many of my favorite finds. Be it the giant Scheurich vase (a Goodwill find) that looks oversized almost everywhere it’s placed or thee newspaper tables designed by Paola Navone and found at a Habitat Re:Store, I am looking for things that don’t just disappear into the background.

I love a statement.

opera bench // headboard // striped pouf // coffee table // lamp

Looking through the POPUS collection, I realized the pieces catching my eye all shared a similar quality. They weren’t unusual solely for the sake of being unusual. The silhouettes are memorable and the patterns and upholstery are playful and fun but they all serve important functions and appear comfortable, to boot. They are designed by people who understand that furniture can do it all.

Long after I’ve forgotten the sensible pieces, I can still picture the strange ones, or the things that made me laugh, stop scrolling, send a screenshot to a friend, or completely rethink a room. They are rarely the easiest pieces to decorate around, but they are almost always the ones that make a home feel most like you.

And if I’ve learned anything from years of thrifting, it’s that the objects worth bringing home are often the ones that refuse to leave your mind.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES

Happy Friday, let’s get into it.

xx,

VC

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One thing in my home I am frequently asked about is my “This Must Be the Place” record painting – an original by artist John O’Hara. He works on commission, as well, and offers these under-$500, smaller versions of his record paintings. They come framed and you can choose your favorite song!

I recently ordered this zebra-striped tee and adore it. It works over a bathing suit, with jeans, with silk pants … but now I fear I must have the button-up version.

A new bombshell has entered the villa courtesy this eggplant colorway in my very favorite bra and underwear set. There is absolutely nothing more comfortable and how the bra provides a lift with no wires is a true wonder. Plus… under-$20 for undies this good is wild.

This jewel box of a home in San Francisco (via AD) is simply magnificent.

I love a Friday night cocktail at the end of the work week but I don’t always want alcohol (and some of the THC drinks have gotten so strong I wind up just staring at a wall for two hours!). My longtime fave is Ghia, which has no alcohol, no THC or CBD, and still feels chic and offers something to look forward to. I mix the original apéritif with grapefruit juice, lime and pomegranate seeds (with a lime zest and tajín rim) but if you don’t want to mix your own drink, their canned bevvies are excellent, too.

I’ve been pretty desperate to get new tile on my screened-in porch, but I just undertook an extensive bathroom renovation, so I probably need to cool it on the construction work for a while. Instead, I bought this machine-washable, jute-like harlequin-checkered rug for the space.

Something I’ve been using and loving: this flash fade mask, which contains a blend of acids to help fade dark spots. I have one stubborn dark spot on my right cheek and I use this once per week — along with my trusty red light mask (Virginia15 for discount) every day — and I’ve seen a noticeable difference.

• These 1990s Jean Paul Gaultier shorts have been in my Etsy cart for three weeks. Sharing them here but I may bite the bullet if they aren’t sold by the end of the day (under $140 and incredibly good!)

• These little bird hooks are under $40 and absolutely adorable. The blue one might be my favorite.

• Paracord has been “in” in the jewelry world for a while now and I just ordered this great little necklace for summer. I love that it’s mildly sporty and looks so good layered with a fancier tennis necklace.

• Dan Pelosi’s new line for Ruggable is absolutely adorable. This vibrant checkered runner is exceptional, but I also love the doormats.

My new double-burner griddle is already paying dividends. So far, I’ve used it to make smashburgers and pancakes and it’s amazing when you don’t want to fire up a grill or do too much cleaning. Non-stick and non-toxic and available in a range of colors (mine is black with brass handles).

These cocktail napkins are simply incredible (and under $50).

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That’s partly because I’m pretty far along in sourcing for my second book and also because my house is at the point where I can be a little pickier. I’m not trying to fill rooms anymore, but I am occasionally looking for specific things that solve specific problems (a pendant for my dining room, for instance, which I recently sourced and shared here).

But every now and then, I’ll come across something so charming that I buy it even if I have absolutely no use for it!

Because here’s the thing about thrifting or shopping vintage in general: so many of the pieces you see only cross your path once.

So if you talk yourself out of buying a vintage lamp, a weird handbag, or an incredible light fixture because you don’t have an immediate place for it, you might spend the next five years wishing you’d brought it home.

The pieces below are a mix of things I bought for myself and things I bought simply because I knew I’d never see another one quite like them. (And if you live in Northeast Florida and need a great chandelier like the one below, let me know because I have no place for it!)

And because half the fun of thrifting is appreciating great finds whether or not they come home with you, I’m also sharing a few things I left behind (or, in one case, arrived too late to buy).

xx,

VC

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THE OBJECT: Vintage Wallpaper Roll Lamp ($60)

This is the third such lamp I have come across in recent years and I ran across the store when I saw it.

The base is a vintage wallpaper roll stamp, the kind that was used to create the pattern on wallpaper years ago. I love pieces that tell a story or lived a different life before becoming something new, and it’s especially fun when something references design history in a literal way.

I previously had a floor lamp-sized wallpaper roll lamp and sold it and currently have another tabletop (but very large, like the one above) version. But my other one is a darker wood and I love the color of this one.

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Many of my best finds started with a single discovery and then eventually became a collection. About six years ago, I found a decorative plate at an estate sale and noticed it was signed by the artist. Then, a year ago, I came across another plate by the same artist at an Atlanta antique gallery.

Often when you find something and flip it over, the maker’s mark will send you down a rabbit hole or create a long-held obsession with a particular brand or artist that may last your lifetime. Before long, you’re searching for that brand every time you walk into a thrift store.

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That’s how several of the names on today’s list found their way onto my radar.

Some are collectible but still surprisingly affordable, and others are hiding in plain sight because most shoppers don’t recognize the name. All of them are brands I would happily bring home if I found them tomorrow.

I’ve shared many of my favorite under-the-radar home brands and clothing brands before, but one post is never going to cover them all. And these are, frankly, a little bit more focused on smaller home accessories, decorative items, and the like. The really special, statement-y stuff.

Alessi

Michael Graves for Alessi salad bowl, $237 // Frank Gehry for Alessi kettle, $468 // Joanna Lyle for Alessi fruit bowl, $225 // Alessi juicer, $74

Alessi is probably the most recognizable name on today’s list, but I still think it’s overlooked by many thrift shoppers.

Founded in Italy in 1921, the company is best-known for turning everyday household objects into pieces of industrial design. Its also partnered with a number of big-name designers over the years: Michael Graves, Philippe Starck, Ettore Sottsass, and Achille Castiglion have produced everything from corkscrews and kettles to fruit bowls and serving trays for the brand.

Probably the most iconic Alessi pieces are Graves’ whimsical bird-whistle kettle and Starck’s Juicy Salif citrus juicer, but it’s worth keeping an eye out for serving pieces, kitchen accessories, and stainless-steel tabletop items that are funky and functional.

As a bonus: even decades-old Alessi pieces still look remarkably modern (making this one of those brands worth thrifting if only because it still looks so current).

What to look for:

• Stainless-steel trays

• Serving bowls

• Ice buckets

• Kitchen accessories

• Michael Graves-designed pieces

• Philippe Starck-designed pieces

Search terms:

• Alessi Italy

• Alessi stainless steel

• Alessi Michael Graves

• Alessi Philippe Starck

The brands below are considerably less familiar, but they’re exactly the kinds of names I search for when I’m scrolling estate sales, Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, and eBay.

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Things I loved this week: drawer organizers as beautiful as they are life-saving; a vintage salad bowl in a shade of blue I want to organize my life around; and my $12.5 million dream home.

xx,

VC

I never met an animal print I didn’t like and that includes this fawn-print rug (affordable, machine-washable, kid- and pet-friendly). VIRGINIA15 gets you 15% off.

Filed under things making me irrationally happy: these wonderful ($13!!!) pink drawer organizers and jade capsules (to store jewelry, creams when I travel, etc.)

One sneaky way to get more protein and fiber: this delicious chia pudding. mix two tablespoons chia seeds, one tablespoon chocolate protein powder, one tablespoon cacao or cocoa powder, one tablespoon maple syrup and half a cup of milk of your choice. Let it sit for a couple hours and top with a spoonful of yogurt, some cherries or whatever fruit you like, and some zested chocolate.

• A great necklace for summer.

• I started taking berberine supplements a few years ago (my doctor recommended them because I have genetically high cholesterol) and not only have they helped with cholesterol but I swear they have my metabolism in overdrive. Recently some studies have shown berberine has effects on weight loss similar to GLP-1s.

• Perfume brands make the best-smelling body soaps. Case in point: this cleanser from Future Society.

• Recently ordered this shrunken polo and matching pants — an ideal set for travel and a chic, no-brainer of an outfit (also this striped rugby shirt is great to wear with).

I am having a real moment with vintage Alessi and think the color of this salad bowl and matching servers is perfection.

On the market for a cool $12.5 million: The Summit House. Originally designed in 1953 by Frank Lloyd Wright protégé Foster Rhodes Jackson, AIA, and recently expanded and restored by Bestor Architecture’s Barbara Bestor. Absolutely magnificent.

I have a soft spot for Mackenzie-Childs (my grandmother collected it and her love for all things checkered led to me ensuring the spine of Big Thrift Energy was checkered). I was so touched when my close friends got me these Mackenzie-Childs pajamas for my birthday. They are so comfy (slightly oversized, which I love for pjs).

Someone plz buy this fabulous 1940s straw and shell purse (it’s $104).

I shared this vintage ribbon jacket on social media a while back after I came across it in an Indianapolis antique mall. And I just found one for $105 on Etsy by the same brand, in the same style, and another for $94 in a great colorway.

I spoke to House Beautiful about my Thrifting Golden Age thesis! I first wrote about it on Substack here, if you’re interested.

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I bought my built-in-1996 condo about four years ago, after selling my first home (a 1929 Mediterranean) during the pandemic. The market was great, rates were very low, and the house went under contract so quickly (three hours) I had to scramble to find something new.

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So I scrambled toward a condo, thinking it would be a nice change of pace for me (I travel a lot, so it’s nice to not have to worry about a yard if I have to leave it for stretches of time). Plus, I thought owning a condo in Florida might be a good investment down the line.

But built-in-1996 Florida condos look … exactly like they were built in 1996. In a surprise to absolutely no one, my condo lacked the personality of my 1929 Mediterranean and, in fact, had no real personality of its own at all: the walls were yellow, the appliances were old and bulky, and the hardware was probably purchased at a Home Depot in 1996.

Little by little, I have upgraded it. Some of those changes have been more significant (like a full gut renovation of the kitchen) and some have been cosmetic but still made a big impact.

What I’ve learned along the way is this: Making a home feel more expensive doesn’t necessarily require a full-blown renovation, and paying attention to the tiniest little details can make a world of difference.

The secret to the custom look is hardware.

from top, moving left: towel bar; bathroom cabinet pulls; toilet paper holder; glass cabinet knobs; robe hook; marble door knob; brass refrigerator pull; light switch; custom wood handles I had made for my kitchen (no link, because I conceived of these!)

One of the easiest ways to fake a custom look in your home is by swapping out the door knobs and handles, light switches and outlet covers, and cabinet hardware.

I used these gorgeous marble knobs on all the bedrooms and bathrooms throughout my home. They are expensive, but far less than a full custom renovation might be. And there are other color options, too.

For door knobs (like the one I have on my laundry room), I used this (I prefer a round rosette but, again, so many options).

There are a ton of incredible door knob and lever options on the market and they can truly transform a space.

This verdigris option, for instance, is out of control stunning….

from top: verdigris knob, brass lever, brass knob

Cabinet hardware is another way to fake a custom look — even on builder-grade cabinets or on furniture!

These little glass knobs have completely transformed my nightstands, which came from Wayfair and are amazing because they have a secret drawer that I can put all my lotions and potions in (big hand cream-at-night girlie — plus I like to hide away my silk eye mask).

Some inexpensive cabinet hardware options that will knock your socks off…

from top left: satin brass knob, $7 // wood wing knob, $30 // mid-century style knob, $17 // travertine cone knob, $25

Light switches and outlet covers are another often-overlooked detail that make a big impact. I love everything Buster + Punch makes and use these light switches and outlet covers throughout my home.

outlet cover // light dimmer

Vintage is also a great way to upgrade anything builder-grade.

A room starts feeling custom when everything doesn’t come from the same place.

Another very easy (and often inexpensive way) to make a builder-grade space feel more like you is to swap out the brand new, still-shiny-from-the-big-box-store stuff for old stuff.

My dining room pendant was immediately removed when I moved in. Currently, I have up a beautiful Van Teal chandelier I got at a Habitat Re:Store.

And look at this stunning Currey & Co. light fixture I got at a thrift store recently!

Mirrors are another biggie. Mirrors reflect light and make a space feel bigger, so in a tiny condo, it’s a necessity. But I hate hardware store mirrors and there are so many great ones at flea markets and thrift stores.

Here are some of the mirrors I’ve found over the years (the white one is now hanging in one of my bathrooms — I’ll share the before and after soon, I promise!)

An expensive, top-to-bottom renovation is still a dream but the homes I’m most drawn to rarely feel interesting because they’re expensive. They feel interesting because of the specific choices made therein: Old mixed with new, interesting little details, art collected over time. In other words: evidence that an actual person lives there!

PS. I keep a running list of all the little odds and ends in my home here if you want to bookmark any of the above for later!

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FROM THE ARCHIVES

One of the best things about thrifting is that there is always another rabbit hole to go down. You buy a jacket because the cut is unusually good, and suddenly you’re researching a label you’ve never heard of before! A few searches later, and you find yourself saving eBay alerts and scanning every clothing rack at Goodwill for that same tag.

Most of the brands below are names I discovered exactly that way. Some are known to vintage collectors but certainly not household names. And some are expensive at high-end retailers but still fly under the radar at most thrift stores.

These are the pieces I stop and look at every time I find them.

And as promised, I will keep these coming (and have already started compiling lists of the jewelry and accessory brands worth hunting for).

Happy shopping!

xx,

VC

THE BRAND: Anne Klein (Donna Karan Era)

wool blazer

Why It’s Worth Thrifting:

Before she launched her own label and became one of the most influential American designers of the late twentieth century, Donna Karan worked for Anne Klein. She joined the company in the late 1960s, eventually becoming head designer and helping shape the brand’s aesthetic throughout the 1970s.

The result is that many vintage Anne Klein pieces from this era have a sophistication that feels surprisingly current, thanks to sharp tailoring and really high-quality fabrics (if you love early ‘90s-era Calvin Klein, you will likely feel inspired by the Donna Karan Anne Klein years, too). And unlike many designer labels from the same period, prices on the secondary market remain relatively reasonable. (It’s also a label that gets overlooked because people recognize the modern Anne Klein brand without realizing how different the brand’s earlier pieces were.)

I am particularly drawn to the suiting, outerwear (the blazers!), and silk separates.

ikat jumpsuit

What to Look For:

• Wool blazers and skirt suits

• Silk blouses

• Camel hair and wool coats

• Wide-leg trousers

• Pieces labeled “Anne Klein II”

velvet cocktail dress

Search Terms:

• “vintage Anne Klein II blazer”

• “Donna Karan Anne Klein”

• “Anne Klein silk blouse”

• “vintage Anne Klein suit”

• “Anne Klein wool coat”

fortune cookie necklace

Anyone can spot Dior or Armani on a clothing rack. The brands below require a little more digging. They’re the labels I learned to recognize through years of estate sales, thrift stores, and online searches—and the ones I still stop to inspect every time I find them.

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Welcome to the new Friday send, a short and sweet list of all the things that did not fit anywhere else: stuff I bookmarked, searched, watched, or became obsessed with this week.

xx,

VC

I’ll say it a million times, until I am blue in the face: the best part of vintage shopping is discovering artists and makers. I recently discovered 1970s artist Susan Smyly (the Hirshhorn Museum has her work in its collection! and so does Demi Moore!) And I found some of her plates on Etsy for $165! I love them.

I am almost sheepish to say it but these chairs are absolutely not vintage; they are from Wayfair. I bought two of them and later bought two more to use as dining chairs! They are a lot better in person.

Is this the best vintage belt that has ever existed? I believe so! I don’t even care that it’s missing a stone.

The packaging alone makes this body serum a worthy buy. I ordered it because I wanted something sculptural to place on the ledge in my newly renovated bathroom (more on that to come!) but it’s actually really moisturizing, too. The candle is by the same brand and it burns into an oil that you can use on the body… very sexy, indeed.

Other recent discoveries:

• These ceramic matches that reference iconic New York institutions. One of the best meals of my life was at Le Coucou but I also love the Balthazar and Casa Cipriani designs.

• And I love this necklace more than anything right now.

• New West makes the most stunning knives I have ever seen and their utensils (like this spatula) would make excellent gifts for the chef in your life.

• You can’t beat these sunglasses for under $100.

• My large suitcase went caput so I needed to invest in something that would last. I splurged on a Floyd (German brand that utilizes skateboard wheels). They say the exterior is virtually indestructible, so to me that makes it worth it. I love the bright orange interiors.

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Something I regret not buying at the thrift store: I just think this would look spectacular with pink peonies in it on a bedside table.

EBY is hosting a Buy 1 Bra, Get 1 Free sale on all bras except the sheer ones. I have probably 20 of their sets and I am unashamed! Nothing is more comfortable than the famous Relief Bra, which has a cult-like following for a reason.

This is an excellent oversized beach shirt in the most perfect shade of Yves Klein blue (also love the matching shorts and bikini).

One of my favorite fruit salads: a pear, an orange, pomegranate arils, some torn mint, a sprinkle of sugar, and a glug of olive oil (the good stuff, if you can, because you really taste it here).

The Diane Keaton auction is quite literally the stuff of dreams.

Was recently turned on to the Trader Joe’s fig crisps and WOW. Little bit of manchego and some honey on top and we are in business.

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Learning about the specific terms associated with design can be mighty helpful when it comes to searching platforms like Facebook Marketplace, Etsy, 1stDibs, and the like.

Sometimes these terms are meant to describe decorative techniques (“trompe l'œil” comes to mind) or construction methods. Other times, they are architectural terms that migrated into furniture and decor (“brutalist” is a great example).

Learning those terms won’t just make you better at identifying things in person, but also help to refine what shows up when you search online.

This month’s searches all fall into specific, designy categories. None are object-specific, but rather words that tend to surface interesting things.

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“tramp art”

19th century box // popsicle stick lamp // standing frame

What it means: Tramp art is something of a cousin to folk art, and usually made by layering and carving thin pieces of wood (or whatever was laying around at the time — even popsicle sticks!) into highly textured geometric patterns. Most examples date to the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The layered construction creates a deeply carved, almost architectural look, with repeating notches, corners, and stacked geometric details.

Examples:

• tramp art mirror

• tramp art frame

• tramp art box

• tramp art wall shelf

What I love about tramp art is that it adds texture in a way that feels collected rather than decorative. A tramp art frame around a simple photograph instantly makes the entire arrangement more interesting.

Because it falls somewhere between folk art, Americana, and decorative object, it can be surprisingly affordable compared to many other antique categories.

What to look for:

• Deep, dimensional carving

• Original patina

• Materials including found objects (popsicle stick, bottle caps, etc.)

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One thing about these under-$100 secondhand finds posts: this stuff does not sit around for long. Often, I will bookmark something to include, come back a few hours later, and it’s already been snatched up. Which is all part of the thrill of secondhand shopping in the first place, isn’t it? There’s so much incredible vintage and design out there for very little money, but you have to move quickly.

I also wanted to share something I’ve been thinking about of late — sending a third newsletter each week, likely on Fridays. This would be a quick, highly scrollable dispatch of the things I’ve bookmarked, hunted down, become obsessed with, or can’t stop thinking about: vintage finds I don’t include in my under-$100 roundups; beautiful objects; under-the-radar brands; estate sale listings; fashion pieces worth searching for secondhand. The kinds of things I’m constantly saving or texting to friends but don’t do much else with…. The Leftovers, if you will ;)

Something short, fun, useful, and easy to read with your coffee on a Friday morning. Thoughts?

Anyway, happy shopping.

xx,

VC

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from top left: needlepoint pillow, $30; 1980s silk duster, $95; Maitland-Smith ashtray, $29; abalone shell belt, $79; Matisse needlepoint pillow, $33; Alessi fly swatter, $45; modernist abalone fish bottle opener, $40; 1970s ceramic necklace, $79; button-up sweater, $107

from top left: needlepoint rams head bag, $58; studio pottery vase, $95; 1970s red fringed scarf, $71; faux amber necklace, $54; Roland Garros French Open poster, $95; cast iron reclining woman boot jack, $90; malachite sculpture, $50; Oleg Cassini lips paperweight, $28; 1960s Brutalist tray, $85

from top left: egg-shaped shell-inlay clutch, $51; black and gold honeycomb drawstring bag, $79; Pierre Cardin handkerchief, $15; Man Ray autographed art book, $100; Rachel Aronova art glass vase, $65; whimsical needlepoint pillow, $39; surrealist eye pendant, $47; snake belt, $87; 1970s chainmail coin purse necklace, $75

from top left: hand-painted sun plate, $95; 1960s needlepoint MY BAG, $125 (I know, I know, over $100 slightly); 1990s cabochon earrings, $30; framed Pierre Cardin advertisement, $16; ceramic tiger ashtray, $22; keyhole earrings, $44; Mexican modernist bowl, $100; silver and blue clip-on earrings, $95; I’m Not Perfect needlepoint pillow, $45

from top left: 1990s Christian Dior Dune perfume tote (probably was a free gift with purchase with the perfume), $40; lucite flower sculpture, $75; 1976 needlepoint clutch, $85; sculptural stoneware mug, $60; colorful needlepoint pillow, $85; Maitland-Smith whale trinket box, $43; Christian Dior feather hat, $95; sterling silver woven basket charm, $100; mah jong bracelet, $35

from top left: Ginnie Johansen parasol scarf, $48; hand-shaped trinket dish, $29; Bill Blass fringed shawl, $49; spiral necklace, $55; wood trinket box with dog, $80; gold shell bag, $38; harlequin beaded shell clutch, $98; 1980s hat, $67; Rosenthal paper bag vase, $84

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• I’ve become deeply attached to this leather tote bag that has an attachment for accompanying bag charms (I got the peach and the orange, because I was born in Georgia but grew up in up in Florida).

• My latest hyper-fixation that I’ve been wearing almost every day: these elastic-waist, super-wide leg barrel pants (wore them to the movies and it felt like pajamas).

• It is officially warm enough that a spritz of this ultra-calming, uber-hydrating facial mist on top of my moisturizer is now a daily necessity.

*as always, a note that I often utilize affiliate links and sometimes highlight gifted items — but I never share anything I don’t actually love and use.

And unlike what you’ll find in stores today (i.e. lots of polyblend and unnatural fibers!), a lot of those clothes were made with real materials: silk, linen, wool. They were designed to last. And they have, because many are in great condition, all these decades later, at your local Goodwill!

But a lot of people thrift by brand recognition and don’t necessarily discover new-to-them brands because they are looking for the obvious: Armani, Valentino, Dior, etc.

So they skip right past the more niche brands and designers, including some that used incredible shapes and materials and maybe no longer exist anymore (brands that are very much iykyk).

These are so many under-the-rader labels I look for and I learned about all of them from thrifting! And that is one of my favorite things about shopping vintage: the discovery. I have uncovered so many artists, makers, clothing brands that I never would have otherwise.

Let me be clear: these are not necessarily brands I buy for resell (I buy clothes for myself) but brands I buy because they wear and look like high-end designer—and they’re still widely overlooked.

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Everyone always says they want to go thrifting with me, which I understand in theory. It sounds fun! It sounds like a treasure hunt, or like we’ll just casually be popping into a few stores and leaving with a bunch of incredible finds.

The reality is that going thrifting with me is a full day of work. It is a lot of walking, a lot of digging, a lot of video- and photo-taking, alot of decision-making, and a lot of restraint.

I recently spent a month in Atlanta and had a lot of full days of thrifting, so I thought I’d share something of a daily diary detailing what that looks like — where I went, what I ate, what I wore to do it all, etc.

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GETTING DRESSED: I get dressed to go thrifting pretty strategically: by wearing things I can try stuff on top of. Estate sales and thrift stores are not known for their fitting rooms, and even when they have them, you do not always want to wait! A bodysuit or a slim base layer makes it easy to slip things on and keep moving.

In this case, that meant my favorite v-neck bodysuit, vintage jeans I thrifted in Duluth, Minnesota (brand is Monique and they made all sorts of fun embellished jeans in the 1980s!), new ankle-wrap sandals that I play with by tying over my jeans, a thrifted jacket by Gene Ewing, and my The Row bag worn crossbody (so my hands could be free while shopping).

This is the truth: You need both hands free when you go thrifting! You are pulling things off racks, checking tags, measuring, texting photos, carrying piles. A shoulder bag will start to feel like a bad decision very quickly. I love a crossbody or even a waist bag.

Beauty-wise, I wear sunscreen every single day (especially if I’m going to be driving around all day) and cover any blemishes with my obsession: No Makeup Makeup’s foundation. I use their blush, too — it’s the most buildable and natural I’ve found. I also bring water with me when I’m out thrifting! In the morning, I add a scoop of something for flavor and added nutritional benefits (I like this, which has caffeine, to give me a boost or this one for hair and skin health).

BREAKFAST: I started the morning at Little Tart Bakeshop with a coffee and a pastry (on weekends they make fresh biscuits and you can get them with chicken sausage and egg or fresh jam and butter and they are divine). You have to eat before you start thrifting. Once you are in the zone, you will forget and you will get hangry and it will just be a disaster.

ESTATE SALE: Estate sales are always my first stop if I can manage it. I did not buy anything at this one (it was the final day of the sale, so already picked over) but I did enjoy poking around!

GOODWILL: I never treat a Goodwill run like a quick stop, and instead prefer to take a full pass through, especially the sections where things are often misplaced (kid’s toys, end caps, etc.). This is where you find the pieces that should not be there in the first place. I scored this wonderful child’s painting, titled, “Man With Bicycle Shoes Holding a Funny Tomato Plant.” Brilliant.

ANTIQUES & BEYOND: This is more high-end, but expertly curated. Any time I go to an antique mall, I am shopping and also doing research. You can learn a lot just by looking — how things are priced, what styles are showing up repeatedly, which makers are holding value.

LUNCH: By this point, it was time for lunch, so I went to Little Rey. I always get the same order: queso, salsa, tacos (chicken al carbon taco on a homemade flour tortilla and the shrimp el diablo on corn), and an agua fresca. The perfect meal.

AFTERNOON STOPS: I stopped into The Design House in Old Fourth Ward and found a great selection of vintage clothing. I shared the haul on Instagram, it was killer (McQueen! Chloe! Celine!). This is a great shop with so many beautiful things.

Next, I grabbed a coffee at Comunidad Taqueria up the street and then made my way to 14th Street Antiques & Modern, where I found a vintage Saks Fifth Avenue clutch. It is exactly the kind of piece I am always looking for (great material, a little cheeky) and feels like a little treasure box.

Also popped in to one of my favorite Atlanta thrift stores: Lost-N-Found, which had some great things!

DINNER: I love Little Bear in Summerhill, which was recognized by the Michelin Guide (I first went right after they opened and it’s fun seeing a place grow to gain national recognition!) This night my mom and I ordered everything on the menu except for two dishes. It was perfect.

END OF DAY: One of my post-thrifting habits is to peruse Pinterest to get ideas on how to style my finds. I’ll make a little ritual out of it — removing my makeup with my fave cleansing balm (VIRGINIA20 for 20% off), firing up a red light mask (VIRGINIA15 for 15% off), and scanning and saving the images that most resonate with me.

After spending an entire day looking at objects, I find it helpful to look at them again in a different context. Sometimes I’ll search for a very specific material or silhouette I picked up that day — a marble lamp, a burlwood box, a chrome magazine holder — just to see how other people have incorporated similar pieces into a space. Other times, I’m more interested in the overall feeling of a room: the balance of textures, the way scale is used, the tension between something ornate and something modern.

It’s honestly one of my favorite parts of the process because it turns the day from pure sourcing into something more creative and editorial. By that point, the finds are no longer just objects I hauled home from a thrift store. I’m already imagining where they could live, what they could sit beside, and how they might completely change a room.

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• My skin drinks up this calming rescue mist.

• These jade capsules make vitamins/creams/jewelry look chic (and are travel friendly!).

• A really good pair of day-to-night makeup palettes.

• Architectural Digest toured the homes of vintage-obsessed Las Vegas showgirls.

• The first thing you should do when you wake up in the morning: tell yourself you’re lucky to live the life you do.

• Mildly obsessed with these pieces-of-vintage ephemera-turned-necklaces.

• My favorite reset is 25% off for Mother’s Day (I do this once or twice a year).

I’m in the final stretch of gathering pieces for my next book, which means I’m thinking about objects in relation to what I need and what will make a statement.

My book is all about styling cool stuff, most of which is secondhand or vintage, so I need to ensure I have a lot of cool secondhand stuff to showcase!

Naturally, I’ve also been looking for pieces that hold their own on camera (i.e. things with shape, contrast, presence!)

So, I’ve been sourcing with that in mind.

I’m still shopping the way I always do — navigating the aisles at thrift stores, antique malls, and scrolling Facebook Marketplace — but I’m a little more decisive right now. If something works, I don’t overthink it. If it doesn’t, I move on.

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If anything ties my recent finds together, it’s this: I’m not buying filler.

Every piece has to do something: hold space, catch light, add structure, or bring in texture. Ideally, more than one of those at once!

Here are a handful of the things I’ve picked up recently, and how I plan to use them.

I’ll share more as I keep sourcing.

xx,

VC

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Baby boomers—who collectively hold a disproportionate share of household assets—are downsizing, moving, or clearing estates. That means an enormous volume of furniture, art, and decorative objects is entering the secondary market all at once.

At the same time, the demand side has shifted in a very specific way.

The secondhand collectibles market was valued at roughly $125 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach over $230 billion within the next decade, driven largely by buyers looking for affordable, quality alternatives to new goods.

And importantly, that growth is not happening at the very top.

The mid-priced segment is now the dominant part of the resale market, accounting for the largest share of revenue and continuing to grow, driven by value-conscious consumers.

Instead of investing in full rooms, people are buying more pieces — smaller, faster decisions that make an immediate impact. And they’re definitely more comfortable shopping secondhand.

Even search behavior reflects it, with the term “vintage” searched on platforms like eBay more than 1,200 times per minute globally.

That matters, because when demand concentrates in the middle of the market — and supply is suddenly abundant — you get a very specific kind of opportunity.

If you spend any time looking at sold listings instead of asking prices, you’ll note that certain categories are moving quickly, and others are lagging behind, even though the underlying demand is there.

There are also a few external factors shaping things right now in a way that’s hard to ignore: The price of silver has climbed steadily, which raises the baseline value of anything made from it. The housing market is uneven, which means people are spending differently (less on full rooms of furniture, more on smaller pieces that make an immediate impact). And then there’s supply: entire households are being cleared out, which is why some categories feel abundant even as prices start to rise.

The combination of more inventory, more selective buyers, and pricing that hasn’t caught up yet is why I’ve been saying we’re entering a thrifting golden age.

Below, I’m breaking down the categories where I’m seeing that gap right now — where things are already selling, and where I still think there’s room to move.

And if you want to track vintage prices yourself, I always check sold listings on eBay and use 1stDibs as a comparison point for retail pricing.

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Most people search for things online the same way they shop in stores: they go in looking for something specific, like lighting, seating, etc.

Naturally, that often works! But more often than not, you end up seeing the same things everyone else is seeing (i.e. the listings that are well-lit, correctly labeled, and priced accordingly).

The best things I tend to find online — the pieces that feel a little more special — usually come from taking the opposite approach.

Instead of searching for the object, I search for the way someone might describe it if they didn’t quite know what it was.

That usually means leaning into slightly awkward phrasing, like material-based descriptions, or words that feel a little too literal.

Below are a few of the searches I’ve been running lately i.e. the ones that keep turning up the stuff I actually want to click on.

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“plaster wall sculpture”

vintage Greek relief ($50!!!) // wall-mounted shell sculpture // art deco butterfly sculpture

Plaster wall sculptures are having a moment right now, but most of what you’ll see online new is either very expensive or trying a little too hard to look vintage.

The originals (mostly from the 1970s and 1980s) tend to be much simpler. Think organic shapes, soft edges, sometimes vaguely floral or biomorphic, and sometimes just abstract forms that read like shadows on the wall!

Plaster has a matte, almost chalky finish that absorbs light instead of reflecting it, which is part of why these pieces work so well. They don’t compete with a space, but they do dimension.

A lot of sellers don’t quite know how to describe these, so you’ll also see listings like “white wall decor,” “plaster art,” or just “wall sculpture.” They’re often priced lower than they should be because they don’t look like anything immediately recognizable.

What to look for:

• Depth (you want projection off the wall, not something flat)

• Clean, simple shapes (the more minimal, the better)

• No major cracks or crumbling edges

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Her reasoning was this: science tells us our cells regenerate, on average, every 7 to 10 years. Of course, there’s variation: Skin cells turn over in weeks, skeletal muscle can take more than a decade. Parts of us slough off. Other parts stay.

The first seven years of my life, I was innocent. The next, I was smart. The third, I came into my own — I was funny, more confident. And the most recent seven-to-10-year stretch saw me become more fearless.

A new draft comes every seven years, whether you’re ready or not.

I turned 40 in 2025, and I could feel the weight of that number because of how full circle life came for me.

My grandmother raised me for most of my life, so I think about my own age in relation to her.

My grandmother was 40 when her daughter — my mom — was shot in the head. She was 40 when my father went on trial for it. She was 40 when she started taking care of me, because my mom could not.

I was 40 when my father went on trial again, this time for stabbing a woman.

Turning 40 meant five years without my grandmother, after she died suddenly in a car accident. It meant five years as a caregiver, and 40 years as the daughter of a woman who was shot in the head. Forty as the daughter of a man who would do something like that.

In January, I turned 41, and I’ve been thinking about the next seven to ten years ahead of me. Who will I be? Which parts do I keep, and which do I let go?

We call it a midlife crisis. I think, for me, it’s been an awakening.

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My grandmother became a mother at 20, and it is not exactly a family secret that being a stay-at-home-wife was not the life she wanted.

Her father was an entrepreneur and an incredibly mean one. Family lore details how terribly he treated people — everyone except, inexplicably, his little shih tzu. I once found an entire photo album of that dog, posed in different settings at a Glamour Shots session.

The dog got the good side of my great-grandfather. Everyone else got the bad.

He started the first supermarket in their small North Georgia town and later opened motels. My grandmother — and eventually my mom — worked there, behind the desk, in the back office, and in the restaurant.

My grandmother wanted to please her dad, I think, but also understood there was no pleasing a man who divorced his wife and then dated a woman young enough to be his daughter — a woman who, my grandmother told me, once burned his boat to the ground in a fit of anger.

Her dad didn’t believe in women going to college. So, my grandmother did what everyone else in North Georgia did at the time: she got married at 19, had a baby at 20, and stayed close to home.

Her first husband — my grandfather — was kind and a little naive. He worked at Lockheed Martin, but he was, at his core, an artist.

He painted portraits and abstracts and assembled large mixed-media pieces. But in the 1960s in North Georgia, you didn’t paint as a career. So, my grandfather did what everyone else did in North Georgia did at the time: got married, had kids, went to work, and stayed, I think, a little bit unhappy.

They divorced within a decade, and that’s when my grandmother started over.

All the fun she missed as a teen bride, she found in her late 20s and 30s. She and her best friend Judy traveled. She once told me about a flight to Mexico where the pilots were drinking margaritas while they greeted passengers from a cockpit fashioned with lawn chairs. Another trip to Vegas where she won enough at blackjack to pay for the hotel stay.

She was still a mother, but she didn’t pretend it came naturally. My mom stayed with her grandparents often. And when my grandmother was home, she worked — sometimes for her father, sometimes for herself, running a dress shop with Judy.

I don’t think she ever fully made peace with the life she had first chosen — or been pushed into choosing.

Everyone involved knew it wasn’t the life she wanted. It was the life she fell into.

But she picked up the pen anyway, and rewrote what she could. The first draft changed with time, as all good first drafts should.

My grandmother was 40 when everything broke open. When her daughter was shot. When my father went to prison. When I was born.

But turning 40 was not the end of anything for her. It was the beginning of a different life than the one she thought she’d have.

I’ve been thinking about that a lot since she died because at 35, I made a different kind of break.

I pitched my book. I got serious about something I had been circling for years — vintage, objects, the art of breathing new life into things. We’re talking about reinvention here, right? So, only fitting that my own reinvention (from “just a writer” to a “writer-vintage dealer-thrifting expert”) came as a result of giving things a second chance: a chance to do and be something they didn’t get to be the first time around. Cliché as it may be, I do believe everything deserves a chance to live to its full potential and try something new. I think that’s true of objects. I know it’s true of people.

This passion didn’t come out of nowhere — it had been in me for decades. But it took me until my mid-30s to recognize it as something worth building around.

And even then, I didn’t get it exactly right.

I don’t think you ever do.

All of the women in my life have seen their lives marked by tragedy and reinvention. My mom was 20 (a baby!) when she had me and 20 when she was shot by her estranged husband. Her traumatic brain injury de-aged her as a result — she went from being 20 to 12, forever a Lost Boy in a Neverland of eternal youth.

Hers was a reinvention of a different sort — one my mom didn’t choose and didn’t plan and one that required all those around her to reinvent themselves, too.

There’s no correct first version of a life. I used to believe that people smarter and more decisive than I knew the secret: they figured themselves out early. And maybe some do. But most people I know have written and rewritten themselves as every year passes.

Life is so rarely linear. We stay too long in clothes that stopped fitting us years ago and we leave some parties before we’re really done dancing.

Complacency often means staying in the comfortable, the known, the almost-good-enough, because we can’t see what’s waiting for us on the other side of the risk.

The trick, I think, is to try things on: new hats, new shirts. New passions or pursuits. Keep going long enough to become someone else — or at least add new parts and pieces to the person you were seven years ago.

My grandmother kept going despite the setbacks. She got the margarita flights and the blackjack winnings and the dress shop with Judy. She got a relationship with me that was unexpected but life-altering for us both. None of that was in the first draft of her life.

If I had figured everything out at 25, maybe I would have written a different book. Maybe I wouldn’t have written one at all.

The truth is, the version of me that exists now did not exist then. She was made out of all the versions that came before her and she’s better and stronger for it.

At mid-life, there’s a tendency to think we’re supposed to have it figured out but there’s still time to refine the draft. You can allow some things to stay and you can cut the sentences that don’t feel quite right. If you’re really lucky, you’ll find new ones that click into place and sound even better.

You rarely get it right the first time.

Later’s okay, too.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Here’s the thing: those people are only looking where things are supposed to be.

Over time, I have realized the best things at a thrift store are almost never where they’re supposed to be. That’s the nature of thrifting! Stores are staffed by volunteers, they’re full of merchandise, and they get new things in every day. With so many people in and out, items often end up misplaced, mis-priced, and taking up walls in hallways and areas in which you might not typically think to look.

With that in mind, these are the areas I never skip.

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The Book Section (But Not Just for Books)

What’s actually there: framed art, prints tucked behind shelves, ephemera staffers didn’t bother to sort

What to look for:

• Oversized photography (often hidden behind smaller frames)

• Exhibition posters (museum shows, gallery prints)

• Anything already framed—you’re often just paying for the frame and getting the art for free

• Loose stacks of paper or prints tucked between books

• Books, of course! Look for first editions (which can be worth a lot of money in many cases!), oversized vintage art books to display on a coffee table, books with cool spines to display on a shelf

The Office/Miscellaneous Storage Section

What’s actually there: the catch-all for things employees didn’t know how to categorize

What to look for:

• Decorative boxes (inlay, burl, lacquer, stone)

• Desk objects that read sculptural, not corporate

• Vintage organizers that can be repurposed (mail, jewelry, etc.)

• Anything made of solid materials (wood, brass, stone—not plastic)

The Back Wall/Hallways/Behind Racks

What’s actually there: overflow—usually priced quickly just to get it out

What to look for:

• Larger-scale works (they don’t have room on the main floor)

• Pieces hung high or stacked low—people don’t look carefully here

• Sets or pairs that got separated from more “important” inventory

• Anything slightly awkward to hang (that’s often why it’s there)

The Textile Bins & Racks

What’s actually there: pretty much anything made of fabric

What to look for:

• Heavier fabrics (weight is usually a good sign)

• Unusual patterns or colorways that don’t feel mass-produced

• Large pieces that can be repurposed (upholstery, pillows, tablecloths)

• Natural fibers (linen, wool, cotton blends over synthetics)

• Tapestries and rugs (to use as art on thw wall)

The “Seasonal” Section (Even When It’s Off-Season)

What’s actually there: things priced based on timing, not value

What to look for:

• Brass, ceramics, and entertaining pieces

• Objects tied to holidays but usable year-round (trays, candlesticks, serveware)

• Anything that feels design-forward but got categorized as “decor”

• Vintage holiday ephemera — stockings, tree skirts, etc.

The Area Behind the Register/Glass Cases

What’s actually there: what staffers think is valuable or just tiny pieces that they need to keep a closer eye on

What to look for:

• Smaller decorative objects in real materials (stone, brass, crystal)

• Items that are priced inconsistently (they know it’s “something,” but not what)

• Jewelry boxes, paperweights, small sculptures, belt buckles

• Anything that feels underpriced relative to the material

The Bathrooms + Fitting Rooms

What’s actually there: things being used (like hardsware or mirrors) but sometimes also for sale

What to look for:

• Mirrors (often better than what’s on the floor)

• Framed art on the walls (employees sometimes grab the best pieces for display)

• Small furniture like stools, side tables, or chairs

• Hooks, hardware, or lighting that’s older and higher quality

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RECENT VINTAGE PICKS

FROM THE ARCHIVES

• My all-time-favorite t-shirt bra is now 40% off. Time to stock up. Trust me.

• One easy way to add some oomph to spring outfits without breaking the bank? Fun socks. I just bought these sheer floral socks (think: chunky loafers, bare legs, button-up shirtdress) and these knee-highs, which I am excited to play with.

• Ruggable is having a huge end-of-season sale. These rugs are all washable (great if you have kids or pets) and hold up well.

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There are plenty of things I’ll pass on at a thrift store, even if they’re technically “good.” This is a lesson I learned the hard way, and as a result of buying too much stuff when I first started selling vintage. The truth is, not everything deserves to come home with you, and not everything holds up once you get it into a real space.

There are certain things I’ve learned to always look for — both because they tend to sell for me as an antiques dealer and also because they almost always look better than what’s being made now (and when you find a good one, you know right away).

The trick is learning what your “categories” are (i.e. what’s your niche? or the thing that really gets your heart pumping?) and more importantly, to learn what separates a great example of that category from something that just looks convincing on a crowded shelf.

Here’s what I always keep an eye out for.

xx,

VC

Oversized Abstract Art

If there’s one thing I will rearrange my entire car (and house) to make space for, it’s a large-scale abstract painting.

The key thing I look for in vintage art is scale. Scale is expensive when you buy art new, so if you see a whopping painting at a thrift store, BUY IT.

What I look for isn’t perfection, but movement, composition, layered color, and visible texture. If it’s framed in something simple and substantial, great, but I will happily take unframed, too.

What to search online:

• “large painting”

• “big canvas”

• “wall art”

• “oversized art”

• “painting” (and filter by the largest sizes)

You want the listings from people who are just trying to get rid of something—not people who think they have something valuable.

What to look for at the thrift store:

• Bigger than 30–40 inches on at least one side

• Real canvas (not a print glued to board)

• Visible brushwork (not perfectly smooth)

• Depth (layering, lots of color)

• A frame that isn’t flimsy or overly decorative

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In addition to paying attention to what’s selling on all the big resale sites, I try to keep my eye on what’s showing up in really well-designed spaces. Because that’s what you need to look for first: the beautiful things in the homes and projects that catch your eye on Instagram/Pinterest/TikTok.

And then you work backward by thinking about where those things might exist secondhand.

That’s really the shift when it comes to shopping secondhand and vintage — Yes, part of it is browsing a thrift store and hoping something stands out. But the other part entails going in with a mental list of things you’ve already seen elsewhere and thinking how you can replicate that look with old stuff.

I’ve said this a million times, but here it is again: I don’t want the version of something that shows up six months from now in a store (i.e. a dupe). I want the one that already exists (the original!)

These are six things I’ve noticed are trending right now, and the exact kinds of pieces I would be keeping an eye out for if I were thrifting this month.

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Molds (Mannequin, Candle, Balloon, and Beyond)

Molds are always having a moment in my mind. To me, they are beautiful and I love that they are the inverse of something (it makes me view that thing in a new way)! Just look at the above mannequin molds I saw recently, which are begging to be hung on a wall outside with ivy growing on them!

vintage balloon mold

The best molds, IMO, are slightly odd (mannequin forms, balloon molds, anything with a somewhat recognizable silhouette is a good option).

Things I look for:

• Plaster mannequin molds

• Balloon molds in good condition

• Anything with chippy wear, texture, or patina

Typical thrift price: $5–$40
Resale / retail equivalent: $75–$300+

Search terms: vintage mannequin mold, antique chocolate mold, vintage plaster mold, metal candy mold, vintage balloon mold

Leather Sling Chairs

I’ve never seen a leather sling chair that doesn’t look sexy and sophisticated and expensive.

The shape is comfortable and elegant, and I love the mix of materials with worn leather and a solid frame. This is a shape that has shown up across different decades and styles, which makes them easy to mix in with whatever your aesthetic might be.

from left: 1970s leather sling chairs, Abel Gonzalez sling safari chair, mid-century Italian sling chairs

Things I look for:

• Solid wood or metal frames

• Real leather (not bonded)

• Slight wear — it adds to the look!

• Clean, minimal lines

Typical thrift price: $50–$300
Resale value: $300–$1,500+

Search terms: leather sling chair, safari chair, vintage leather chair, mid century sling chair

The rest of this list is for paid subscribers. If you’ve been using this newsletter as a way to thrift with more intention (and fewer misses), that’s exactly what the paid posts are for: more specific objects, clearer tells, and fewer dead ends.

You can subscribe below to read the full list and get access to the rest of this series going forward.

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