Where are you from?
I grew up in New York City - Manhattan for most of it, Brooklyn while I was in college.
What university or college did you attend?
I attended Barnard College in Manhattan and studied English with a minor in Art History.
What inspires your style of dress?
I am inspired by lots of things. Comfort, ease, patterns, unlikely juxtapositions and textures. I find inspiration in the people around me, in fashion magazines, design houses, my mother and grandmothers, old men in the park. I guess you could say I have more of a bohemian vibe than buttoned up, but my style has certainly matured with age. I'm more comfortable now in heels and a trench coat when it's appropriate.
Were you always into vintage clothing?
I have been into vintage since I was a kid. I guess it started with hand-me-downs and playing dress up in my mom's closet. When I lived in NY during high school, I'd hit the Lower East Side and parts of Brooklyn to scour for vintage stuff. It was an obsession before it was a profession, certainly.
What inspires your blog?
I never thought I'd be one for blogging - it all felt too exposing and personal. It's also hard for me to be diligent and do it everyday. So I've made it a habit - try and blog every single day about anything that strikes me. I've also been photographing my life like crazy (since I got the gorgeous Canon 7D) and it's inspired me to share more. The blog is very natural, I try not to plan it out, I just sort of roll with it.
Do you also do photography?
I don't do photography in an art sense, but I do shoot all the photos for the Etsy shop and personal ones just for fun or for the blog. I'm definitely learning a ton though, as an amateur, and hope it shows in the photos!
What inspired the name of your boutique?
The name of my boutique was inspired by my grandmother. Oma is the German word for Grandma, and it's what she preferred to be called (she moved to the states from Germany as a child). She said it made her feel younger. She is a huge style inspiration for me and I thought it suited the vibe of the shop, which is all about recycling the clothes our grandmothers wore and making them our own. She was a ballet dancer and model in NY in the 30s and 40s - a truly incredible style icon.
How and why I opened a vintage boutique?
When I moved to Philadelphia after college I began doing a lot of hunting and thrifting and started collecting more clothing than I could keep for myself. I started selling it online on Etsy and it was growing. I found this location and thought it'd be great to give it a shot as a storefront. I've always been entrepreneurial at heart and was ready for the challenge of owning my own business. Though we're closing the storefront in the next week, I don't view our time here as a failure. I learned invaluable lessons about business that I will take with me on my next endeavors. I plan to continue the online shop indefinitely until I potentially relocate to a new city. A lot of things are up in the air right now, which is exciting! I can't wait to see where I end up.
Thanks Ada!
Thanks Ada!
