Welcome to Per My Last Find. This is my very first post, which I suppose makes it Per My First Find. Fitting, since the whole premise of this is picking one vintage piece (or one special thing) and layering it on top of basics.
That's the gist, and what you can expect each week, one rabbit hole I've gone down, vintage more often than not. Some weeks it will be home, some weeks it will be littles or travel.
I’m heading to London in June for a long weekend, and I’m bringing a carry-on. It’s a short trip where the weather could go either direction. I always face the temptation to bring 4x what I need, but I’m determined to stick to simple bases with one or two interesting pieces on top.
I’ve had a velvet mandarin jacket for a few years and I wear it non-stop over the holidays. The mandarin jacket has been around since the Qing dynasty, when it started life as a Manchu riding layer worn over long robes. It migrated to Hong Kong’s tailoring scene somewhere along the way, then into Western wear. I’ve been hunting for a summer version for the past few months that I can wear more casually and in warmer weather.
If you don’t know how to start dabbling in vintage, accessories are the best entry point, and I count a jacket as an accessory. You don’t have to worry about fit the way you would with a dress or trousers.
The base itself is nothing revolutionary, which is the point. I am imagining:
a white tee (I am truly obsessed with any FloreFlore tee (size m), I wear my white one 3x a week)
a gray sweater tied around my waist (any will do)
off-white jeans (these bone-colored Agolde I’ve had for years are my favorite)
white flats (my latest TRR find, also considered these)
The jacket is our pièce de résistance. I wanted a cropped one because I’m on the shorter side and have too many long jackets, but there are so many great ones out there (cropped or not). The good news is that mandarin jackets haven’t totally blown up as a trend yet, so you can still have your pick at great prices.
If you're new to buying vintage, double-check the measurements—I never trust the sizing and have purchased anything from an xs to xl. (For what it's worth, I also never mind a jacket that runs a little big.)
Top row, left to right:
1970s Sage-green brocade cropped (xl; $90)
1950s Ivory brocade w/ flowers (m; $165)
Mustard gold w/ frog buttons (s; $70)
Middle row, left to right:
1960s Blue floral duster (m; $128)
Long cream silk coat w/ landscape print (l; $249)
Bottom row, left to right:
1940s dark brocade with insane tassels (s; $145)
80s Peony florals (xl; $23)
I’m imagining swapping out the same white-on-white base I’m packing for London for a black tank and black pants (capris?!), with little heeled sandals for dinner out. Some modern inspiration for you:
Thank you for reading my first ever (!!) post. The best way you can support this little fun endeavor would be to subscribe and share—I’ll thank you from the bottom of my hunting heart.
Finders keepers,
SN
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Each week I’ll be sharing things from across home, fashion, travel, and littles, and mostly wherever my vintage hunting and rabbit-hole deep dives take me.
Top left is calling my name, baby!
I scored a perfect vintage velvet Tang jacket last year for $120 and has become my go-to evening jacket. So now I need an embroidered duster one in a green or yellow for spring!