The TEll// By Thrift & Tell

Welcome to THE TELL//BY THRIFT & TELL: a celebration of fashionable women who dress as smart as they shop.

This week’s guest on THE TELL// is Lauren T.  Wilson, CEO and founder of luxury consignment e-commerce platform Dora Maar. Lauren and I first connected when Dora Maar had recently launched and I immediately loved that Dora Maar curates consignment like a luxury fashion brand. As so many of us know, when shopping consignment, it can be so difficult to not only envision what it might look like on your body but also see the potential in what are often very poorly shot product photos. On Dora Maar, many of the items are shown on real people in editorial shots instead of a mannequin which is so rare in the world of consignment. When Lauren and I originally spoke she was also starting to feature Muses on the site. These are tastemakers that many of us follow (some of whom have already been featured on the Tell!) have shoppable closets on Dora Maar. I like the concept for many reasons, but what I love most is that it continues to normalize (and glamorize!) the world of consignment. Lauren’s closet, as you will read below, is almost entirely sourced secondhand and she does a beautiful job of curating a closet of quality, timeless pieces that will stand the test of time. It is a treat to have Lauren be part of the series and stay tuned for more interviews to come. Enjoy!

///Your style in 3 words: Classic, Confident, Referential

//Staple Outfit: A white button down (from the mens section preferably), a double breasted blazer, my tank watch, diamond studs. Always a little heel (kitten, boot, etc.)–– I am only 5’2”. I’m partial to Manolo Blahniks for my everyday heels and in particular, would love to add this black satin pair with all over embroidery that were designed by the brand to commemorate Neiman Marcus’ 100th anniversary back in 2007. Sadly, they are two sizes too small for me, but they are gorgeous (plus, they used to belong to actress Anna Sophia Robb, a Dora Maar Muse.

//Style Icon(s): The DoMa Muses + Bianca Jagger and my maternal grandmother, Evelyn.

//Your First Big Purchase: Chanel sunglasses with crystal CC logo embellishment on the sides in 2005. I wanted to be like Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie at the young age of 15!

//Do You Still Have It? Yes, I still have the sunglasses at my parent’s house in Arizona. There are some early-2000s gems in there.

//Best Fashion Advice You Ever Received:  This is more so beauty advice from my mom, “Never leave the house without a lip.”

//Types of clothing you invest in: I invest in clothing that nobody else has which is why I love shopping vintage and pre-owned. It feels so special knowing that nobody else in the world has a closet that looks like yours. Plus, pre-owned or archival pieces tend to have far better quality than what’s off the rack these days.

//Types of clothing you save on: Sweatshirts and white button downs–– Brian, our head of fashion, kindly gifts me his extra J. Crew ones. 

//Your Greatest Extravagance: My hair

//Brands That Will Stand the Test of Time: Chanel - specifically the jackets - Levi’s, Manolo Blahnik slingbacks and Cartier, specifically the watches.

//Favorite Designer Brands: Carolina Herrera, Proenza Schouler, Prada, Chanel, Celine. Right now,  I especially  have my eye on the vintage Chanel pieces in the closet of DoMa Muse Kate Kollias

//Favorite High-Low Brands to Mix: J. Crew with a cool piece of vintage jewelry (a la Olympia Gayot of J. Crew)  

//Favorite Places to Shop Consignment: Dora Maar and Etsy. What I love about both of these platforms is the human connection to the pieces you’re buying. With Etsy, for example, I love the shops where you know so much heart and soul went into creating and curating their storefront. And with Dora Maar, it's all about the provenance. Knowing the person and the stories behind a piece of fashion is what makes it so transformative, and dreamy.

//Favorite Places to Consign Your Own Closet: Your Own Closet: Dora Maar, of course! Take a peek here.

//Currently Collecting Dust in the Back of your Closet: A pair of Miu Miu peep toes with hammered gold and crystal embellished heels. I haven’t worn them since 2012. They are actually too small but they look like a work of art and I can’t part with them. So for now, they are art in my NYC apartment!

 //Your Closet Tried and Trues: Right now, a knee-high boot (Margiela or Paris Texas, if I’m feeling fun) a demi-boot cut blue jean or ankle-length leather pants and a Burberry trench coat.

//Your Most Prized Possession: My 1970s Hermes Sandrine bag from a Paris flea market. I got it with my mom on a trip to Paris for my 30th birthday. It was such a special time.

//Best investment you ever made in your style: Taking advice from Dora Maar’s Head of Fashion, Brian Solis.

//Style Choice From Your Past That Haunts You: When I had side bangs.

//“It seemed like a good idea at the time” a.k.a Purchase you most regret: I really leaned into the bucket hat trend when I went to Brazil this past summer… not sure it was for me but felt like a good choice at the time. 

//Closet From Which You Would Like to Borrow: Lauren Santo Domingo

//Last Time You Splurged?  An insanely gorgeous midnight blue Esme Vie gown from the closet of Natalie Bloomingdale, a Muse on DoMa, for a wedding in Tuxedo Park… I paired it with 1930’s vintage dress clips from Deco Jewels in NYC. I felt very regal in this look. 

//Currently Saving Your Pennies For:  More vintage jewelry from Deco Jewels and one of their vintage lucite bags. 

Fill in the blank:

//A woman should invest in- treating themselves to something decadent more often. //You’re never too old to—wear a mini skirt. //A woman can never have too much- gumption. // Bury Me In:  something pink- just like my grandma Evelyn did and she was my original fashion icon! ! //True or False: More is More- True. //Fashion is-transformative. //Style is: uniquely, and forever you.

Currently Loving:

//Music: Disco! Native New Yorker by Odyssey is my anthem. But I’m also a Swiftie (aka Taylor Swift)... her songwriting is incredible.

//Print: I always have a few books going at any given moment. Right now it’s Brooke Baldwin’s Huddle. She has been an inspiration to me ever since we launched her DoMa Muse closet this past summer. I’m also having a moment with Empress Sisi, from the Netflix series, so I am reading The Accidental Empress by Allison Pataki. I am also reading Edward Enninful’s biography A Visible Man.

//Food:  Charcuterie board or Haribo gummy bears

//Drink: Anything with Mezcal or a vodka martini 

//Film: I love period pieces. Marie-Antoinette, The Queen, The King’s Speech, to name a few. Anything adapted from a Jane Austen book.

//TV: Loving the fantasy shows right now like House of Dragons or Rings of Power. Can’t wait for the new season of The Crown out this fall. I re-watch the seasons probably once a year.

//Podcast: I am not hugely into podcasts, but I do listen to Glossy’s podcast by the brilliant Jill Manoff when I want to catch up on industry news. She has the most amazing guests from all walks of the fashion industry.

//Instagram Handle: @ltwilson

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