What's in Store: my hidden, no-sign secondhand discovery
Welcome to Veblen. I stumbled into heaven. What I bought, how I styled it + a primer on shopping mens.
First up, if you’re new here (I am so grateful!), I wanted to share why I started this feature. As a thank you and a love note! More here.
People often write to me about what’s in Miami (BTW, I keep updated recs here), and in particular about secondhand shopping. But there isn’t as much as you might think in Miami! So this latest discovery was … magic.
I was meeting my hub at Mandolin for brunch, just a few blocks from the Design District, when I saw a VERYYYY cool looking couple wander out of this sort of Bauhaus-adjacent structure I’ve always been curious about.
Me: “Hi! What’s in there?” Them: “It’s vintage clothes.” (!) Me: “By appointment?” Them: “No, just go in!” (!!!!)
Anyway, how I made it through brunch is a mystery; when the check came I started having mild heart palpitations, so that’s information. As my former therapist would say.
My hub parked his Land Rover collab walker (he had surgery; it will be ok), and I instantly understood that there was magic in this place. You know that feeling?
Turns out the name, Veblen (which is only on the tags; the store has no signage indoors or out) comes from American economist Thorstein Veblen and refers to goods where demand increases with increased price, contradicting “demand theory.” More here if you’re interested.
As always when hitting a used/vintage shop, it’s my practice to go in order around the room. My hub has ADHD, so he looked at whatever caught his eye.
The first rack I touched was all Rick Owens and Margiela, and I instantly got what was happening. It’s not “vintage” - though there are some INSANE vintage pieces, including a silk, Tom Ford era reversible Gucci bomber with a floral on one side and people having sex on the other. Including a reach around. (Read it again.)
It’s mostly recent, gently used clothing and accessories and about 98% men’s/unisex with a few women’s pieces sprinkled in.
Sharing photos, but the photos can’t do it justice. Because, THE PEOPLE! The people who work there are the most kind, fashion-loving souls. Hayden, who helped us, knew everything about everything and was so warm, knowing without our saying a word when to gently be there, putting things in dressing rooms, etc. All while remaining totally unobtrusive.
And then the customers! Total diversity (ethnicity, age, size, singles and couples). This swaggery big guy with a child’s smile, in a beanie studded with rhinestones, encouraging me to buy what I tried on and asking me where I got “everything you’re wearing.” An adorable stylist in a perfectly fitting vintage Speed Racer tee. He said “don’t write about this!”(sorry!) Kids who reminded me of my own but love fashion like mine loves anime/manga/sports. They were talking about buying, selling, saving for things. Picking up an Hermes pouch to strut in the mirror and say how they’d style it. Everyone is welcome, respected, enjoyed — buyers and browsers alike. The feeling of this community-within-a-community is magic.
I know it can be hard to imagine how you’d wear things, especially when it’s mostly men’s. So I styled my finds up to show you how I would actually use them versus just showing them on the rack. And then I added a primer on shopping men’s because my audience is largely women.
what: men’s, small short sleeved button up, Prada $170
why: Haven’t been wearing much print lately, as I’ve been feeling different. But this was so fresh and modern and I love the color combo. I thought it would breathe new life into many of my existing print bottoms, bringing some modernist “wrong” print clash that would make those more interesting to me now.
what: men’s, small, Bode butterfly tee, $150
why: I am very influenced, and have been interested in these Bode tees with little animals since seeing on Leandra Medine. Price/IRL access made me try. Also I love tees and men’s tees especially. They’re a big part of my wardrobe. this idea of something small on a pocket is a new take for me, and then green felt neutral-adjacent, bridgey (ring 3 in Tibi speak) and easy. I love how it falls, too. Not huge/oversized which I have a lot of, but not clingy. Another way to get my print bottoms back in rotation while still feeling “me right now.”
what: men’s, small, Rick Owens “baseball shirt” $160
why: Been very into olive, and I have lots of olive bottoms, so I knew it would fit right in and give me some monochrome dressing opportunities. Also cotton and short sleeve but a new silhouette (no collar) is very practical for my IRL Miami life. Can go anywhere, including under a jacket. Similar here.
what: o/s, men’s, Yohji apron, $200 … an alt, or wade in if you want)
why: hello I love you. I love a 3rd piece. And I have (oddly) been staring at aprons and apron-adjacent items lately. I sent this to my friend/biz partner/shopping accomplice and she clearly thought I was kidding. And I have a shorter top in a related style from Frankie Shop that mom says makes me look like a blacksmith. Green lights, all. I might have thought to style with a shirt dress or slip dress. But when I put it on in the store, the customer I mentioned with the adorned beanie said “wear it just like that! Over the jeans! Just how it is now!” OMG. Thank you, sir! Someone thank him.
what: small, men’s, Balenciaga “UNISEX” tee, $170
why: Part of my uniform. A neutral-adjacent color I love. Says UNISEX on it! Fun! In the words of the great poet Kristen Cavillari: Dunzo.
what: gucci, 38, men’s, army shirt
why: I love the Gucci red/green, maybe the most of all their house codes. And this definitely hit on the nostalgia front; on weekends my dad always wore a shirt from the Army reserves to do yard work! Plus felt like an easy and useful layer for me, even as a cardigan replacement. The fit sold it. Bonus: Gives good Zoom.
Shopping the men’s department
Why bother, right?
A while back there was an incredibly advanced, curated shop in Boston called All Too Human. I went there constantly. It was so inspiring, and at certain points I thought I’d memorized the whole store. I dropped in one time and everything had changed, I saw so many new, exciting pieces. Turned out, they hadn’t gotten anything new. They’d just de-segregated the men’s and women’s sections. Suddenly I saw so much that appealed to me, when usually I dismiss men’s and just go to “my” department. I got a men’s, Dries, hot pink blazer in a rain-resistant fabric on sale that day. It fits my dad too (he tried it on right away); it just looks completely different. And it continues to be a prized piece in my wardrobe.
Your primer
Get over yourself. This men’s versus women’s classification is one of the most old fashioned things we do. You go to Matches, for example, and you still have to shop this way. In real life we are learning (maybe slowly) not to put people into gender boxes. Are you a woman who never shops men’s because it would be “too masculine” or because it would be somehow saying that you are “big”? Instead, think of everything as clothing, tools for you to manipulate as you like. Men’s/Women’s is a designation for you to use or discard in order to look and feel the way you want. Try to think of it that way.
Know your body. Step one in shopping men’s. Don’t do it on a day when you feel lousy about your body. Men’s can f* up your head. Like, I have a butt and thighs and then this smaller waist. Fine! If I try on men’s jeans, which I absolutely do, so many will be tight, weird, muffin-creating, etc. I go in knowing this and already prepared. It’s ok, I’m good!
Stay off line. What’s available online is already so overwhelming and time consuming; I never end up looking at men’s online unless I have something specific in mind (more below), because that just doubles the volume.
Grab your Open-to-Buy List. A must to stay focused and consider pieces, not gender or label size.
Plan your approach. When walking into a store like Veblen, decide in advance that you’ll look at everything, or shop for a set period of time, or look at “just tops.” Then do it size and gender agnostically. Look at pieces you fall in love with. And then try them on.
Use the categories and the classes within them as a tool.
Men’s is generally cut bigger in the shoulder than women’s and smaller in the hips.
Men’s shirting from American brands or that’s marked “traditional fit” is generally more relaxed than European brands’
Avant garde men’s brand pants can be very lean.
Men’s can be really helpful for those who are tall or long limbed. Japanese brands may be shorter in the arms and legs.
Straps on men’s crossbody bags are often longer.
Return to the source: Anything you wear that’s an adaptation of menswear might make sense to look for within *actual* menswear. So think about that. Example: You like a blazer advertised to be “like wearing your husband’s blazer.” The husband is not necessary; just buy the blazer.
And save some for me.
XO, Rachel
"The husband is not necessary; just buy the blazer!"
You're awesome. I love your writing.m
I must check out!!! Love that apron...what a great find and thanks for always sharing :) xo