Word of the Day: Recessionista.

By now many of you have probably heard this word being kicked around in various fashion mags, fashion news reporting and even in the New York Times... But what exactly is a recessionista? Basically, a recessionista is a woman choosing to make smarter and more economical decisions due to these tough times. Recessionistas are women who value and appreciate fashion and staying current on trends, but no longer have the means, or the desire, to fork over hundreds and thousands of dollars to shop for each season. Instead, recessionistas are seeking new and alternative ways to update their looks. For a LOT less. Some popular tactics include updating only accessories (as opposed to full outfits) and seeking out discounted designer lines in stores like Target, Kohls and Payless. (Currently, you can find Alexander McQueen for Target, Vera Wang for Kohls and Patricia Field for Target.)

But one of the most effective ways to update on a shoestring budget is to find steals at local vintage stores. Fashion is cyclical and what is in style now, most likely came from-or was inspired by- a past trend. Some of the key throw-back looks this season include jumpsuits and one-piece rompers, 80s-inspired silhouettes, high-waisted trousers, wedges. ALL of these looks can cost you a small fortune at Macys and Nordstrom or you can come see our versions of these looks here at Found.....

Our rompers and jumpsuits are $35 and $40, respectively; pants are $35 and shoes are $30.... Tell me where else you can find prices like that!!

In honor of recessionistas everywhere, we have put together a special window this month that highlights the latest trends from the runways, alongside outfits from Found. We used what we have in the store to show that you can find trends in places you might not have thought of before say, the recession. We hope you enjoy the window (and the corresponding section within the store!) and think of us before you head to the mall for some serious buyers remorse. Don't do it! Shop smart. Shop economical. Shop FOUND.

vintage eye candy

Ok so I'll be honest. 90% of the reason I wanted to start this blog was so I could profess my love for this dress. This dress.... where do I even begin???? Worn by Penelope Cruz to this years Oscars, this dress is basically the only thing memorable that happened all evening. Personally, I kept watching because I was A. sick as hell B. wanting to see amazing red carpet fashion and C. somewhat believed that the entire show would, at some point, become funnier/more entertaining. Well, it didn't. It was lame but this dress made my night- made my entire week even. So first of all, the dress is vintage Pierre Balmain, it is 60 years old and the actress admitted to having bought the dress 8 years ago for a "special occasion" but never wore it until that night. (On a side note, if you ever needed a justification for buying some amazing, extravagant vintage piece and felt like you "didn't know where you would wear it", Ms. Cruz just gave you a lifetime of justification. Of course we don't all have her wardrobe budget, but we all can relate to seeing that one piece that we know we can't live without. I think we have to embrace those sartorial moments in our lives and know that if the dress, hat, shoe is THIS amazing, it simply must be ours. Ladies please feel free to reference this post to your boyfriends/husbands who might be wondering why you need that certain vintage gem..... Because you just do. the end) Back to the dress, it is detailed with tulle and lace and actually has been criticized for looking too bridal. It is true, the strapless, princess dress does have a somewhat matrimonial flair, but what people are forgetting is that this dress is vintage!! That nipped-in waist, that amazing attention to detail and even the use of tulle and lace is representative of 1950s couture!! What we now associate with wedding day grandeur, was once just the style of the day....(see image below- they are almost identical!) Despite varying opinions, I think Penelope choose the most perfect dress to win an Oscar in. It is everything that vintage should be- it is unique, beautiful, personal- she kept it in her closet for 8 years!- and CLASSIC. And I'd sit through another boring Oscars just to see it again. Well, maybe with vodka.
By Rachel.

who we are

So it official kids, FOUND has joined the rest of the world and started blogging! And just three short months after our store's grand opening- (not bad considering that Amy and I pride ourselves on being completely technologically illiterate and usually avoid all things of this nature like the plague.) But here we are and, shock of all shocks, we're super excited to have this space to rant and rave and gush about all things vintage! For those of you that don't know, we are a small locally-owned vintage clothing and housewares store run by two best friends in Orlando, FL. We started our store-and this blog for that matter- to bring together all lovers of vintage styles, vintage craftmenship and the green lifestyle that is part of choosing to wear vintage in today's world. We are proud of the amazing sustainability of our products and even prouder to offer our customers truly unique and one of a kind pieces at a (gasp!) affordable price. We know that vintage doesn't have to break the bank and during these times, we can all appreciate that. So we hope that you follow along and let us introduce you to some of our favorite pieces in the store, analyze vintage choices by celebs , look at the cyclical nature of fashion trends and much much more. And if you are ever in the Orlando area and need a break from Mickey and Shamu, come see and we promise, you won't be disapointed.
more to come soon,
Rachel @ FOUND