At Home with Miss Molly Vintage
Ben Ashby
Emily Riddle LOVES vintage.
STORY: GINA YOUNG | PHOTOGRAPHY: EMILY RIDDLE
Together with her mother, Missy Schmidt, this young entrepreneur has made vintage clothing and housewares her business. Their company, Miss Molly Vintage, named after their beloved family dog, features vintage apparel and housewares, which they sell at a booth in a local store. Gina sat down with Emily to learn more about the art of vintage...and to peek inside Emily's home.
Her interest in vintage has been going strong for nearly two decades. Emily fondly recalls going to garage sales with her mother from the young age of a kindergartener and becoming completely hooked. She grew up going to thrift stores and antique stores, which really gave her an appreciation for vintage items.
According to Emily, the best places to find vintage are Estate Sales. These are the best place to find good deals for vintage clothes, accessories, home accessories, and furniture. She also recommends thrift stores, because they are cheaper than actual vintage stores.
You can find vintage items at garage sales, Goodwills, thrift stores, actual vintage stores, antique malls, antique shops, peddler’s malls. Etsy, and Ebay.
Keep some important things in mind when buying vintage. Emily suggests checking the item very thoroughly for holes or stains. They can be difficult to see while in the store, but often are more visible once you get the item home. Also, always try on the item. Even if they are marked with the size, vintage sizes tend to be MUCH smaller than modern day sizes, so always go the measurements and fit, rather than sizing. Finally, research prices for the item to keep from overpaying. Sometimes you can get a very similar item for a much better price if you do some price comparisons. Don’t let the excitement of an amazing vintage find cause you to forget these essential tips…this will prevent you from major shopper’s remorse later!
Emily’s favorite vintage find is, surprisingly, not her stunning lace wedding dress, but, rather, a kitchen appliance. She proudly tells the story of her refrigerator, bargain buy of a lifetime. While (going to garage sales with her mother), she found a young couple selling old items left at their newly purchased home. “They didn’t know what they had,” says Riddle of the pre-World War II-era fridge. It was in near-perfect condition, and the couple offered to sell it for $25. Emily accepted immediately. (She has seen a similar fridge being sold at a thrift store for $450.)
Emily has made vintage her job. She says, “I love to show people how they can actually use the items by refurbishing them to be more modern, and educating people about how they can use vintage pieces in their own homes. I give them examples by how I do displays.”
How to make a vintage outfit more modern? Emily suggests wearing more modern shoes, given the difficulty of find vintage shoes, since they tend to only be available in very small sizes. She also suggests hemming dresses and skirts to make them shorter, which makes the fit and style slightly more modern.
For more information about Miss Molly Vintage, visit her instagram: @missmollyvintage
