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 Lilah Ramzi: Vogue features editor and fashion historian. Lilah, who studied Fashion Merchandising and earned a Masters in Costume Studies, is an avid collector of vintage clothing and accessories. What I love about her style is that it feels nostalgic yet modern, fresh, and unique. Her gorgeous vintage dresses are also a stark (and welcome) contrast to the trends we see today (read: chunky sneakers, bucket hats, and mom jeans). When she does wear pieces from current collections, like the gorgeous pink Markarian dress seen below, the silhouettes feel reminiscent of vintage pieces. Investing in well-made, classic silhouettes is a wonderful way to curate a closet that is not only interesting but and also timeless, which is most certainly a T&T virtue. It is a treat to have Lilah be part of the series and stay tuned for more interviews to come. Enjoy!
//Your style in 3 words: Ladylike. Impractical. Prim.
//Staple Outfit: White collared shirt, 1950s circle skirt, pointed toe slingback kitten heels.
//Style Icon(s): Jean Seberg, Audrey Hepburn, Romy Schneider
//Your First Big Purchase: Givenchy patent leather clutch at a thrift shop.
//Do You Still Have It? Yes.
//Best Fashion Advice You Ever Received: “One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.”
//Types of clothing you invest in: Vintage cocktail dresses, leather goods (handbags, shoes), and jewelry.
//Types of clothing you save on: Cotton day dresses.
//Brands That Will Stand the Test of Time: Getting vintage tailored and dry cleaned.
//Favorite Affordable Brands: Not a brand but The Real Real, where designer gets affordable!
//Favorite Designer Brands: Some 1950s labels I love shopping: Lilli Ann of San Francisco, Anne Fogarty, Jonathan Logan.
//Favorite Places to Shop Consignment: Dora Maar, The Real Real, Etsy
//Favorite Places to Consign Your Own Closet: Dora Maar, The Real Real, Etsy
//Your Closet Tried and Trues: Burberry trench, Saint James Breton, Chanel Flats
//Your Most Prized Possession: An heirloom gold necklace I wear almost daily and given to me by my mother.
//Currently Collecting Dust in the Back of your Closet: 1950s cocktail dresses too precious to wear and too lovely to give away.
//Best investment you ever made in your style: My education in fashion history—I went to grad school for it!
//Style Choice From Your Past That Haunts You: Liquid leggings as pants.
//“It seemed like a good idea at the time” a.k.a Purchase you most regret: I tend to buy incredibly specific holiday clothes for trips to India, Peru, and Russia—trips I have yet to plan.
//Closet From Which You Would Like to Borrow: Zizi Donohoe
//Last Time You Splurged? Mark Cross Box Bag à la Grace Kelly
//Currently Saving Your Pennies For: Another pair of Roger Vivier Belle Viviers
Photo Credit: BFA
Photo Credit: Getty Images
//A Deal for the History Books/Your T&T Personal Best: A velvet and dotted swiss Bill Blass gown I thrifted for $35.
//Advice to someone looking to define their own style: Be consistent. The chicest individuals are those with uniforms.
//Trend you wish would go away? I have too many to list. DM me for my thoughts.
//You feel great. What are you wearing? A black 1950s dress that’s nipped in the waist, a scarf around my neck, a red lip, and a smile.
//Occasions when you splurge: Only when it’s a can’t-live-without-it pretty little thing.
//Occasions when you save: All the time—there’s always a way!
//Home Decor Style: Slick Bauhaus modernity.
//Favorite place to hunt for home decor: 1st Dibs
//Go-to for unique items, whether it be clothing, accessories, home or art: Etsy
//Your fashion motto: Please be chic.
//Your life motto: Only the best or nothing at all.
Fill in the blank:
//A woman should invest in- Pieces that make her feel most like herself. //You’re never too old to—wear pink. //A woman can never have too much- praise lavished upon her. // Bury Me In: Monsieur Dior-era Dior. //True or False: More is More- False. //Fashion is- what’s hanging in the stores. //Style is: how you’re wearing it.
Currently Loving:
//Music: Lana Del Rey and Billie Holiday
//Print: Vogue, but of course
//Food: Dessert
//Drink: Campari sodas
//Film: Anything on the Criterion Collection
//Instagram Handle: @zizidonohoe
Photo Credit: BFA
Photo Credit: Raul Tovar
ABOUT LILAH
Lilah Ramzi is a fashion historian and an editor at Vogue magazine since 2013. Before she joined the magazine, Ramzi worked at The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. Her love of vintage means she’s immersed in the secondary market—continuously hunting for buried fashion treasure at thrift and consignment shops. When she’s not shopping for or writing about fashion, you can find her at the ballet.
FIND LILAH
//VOGUE
Photos used courtesy of Lilah Ramzi
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