Talk Shop: Thrift & Tell
ABOUT T&T’S FOUNDER, MARGIE
Thrift & Tell has quickly become one of our favorite Instagram accounts to follow on the topic of antiquing. Margie, the founder of T&T, largely stays incognito on her Insta – but her tidbits on buying and selling vintage (fashion, home, and beyond) are in a league of their own. Read below for her fantastic tips on shopping vintage, her biggest design influences, and more. And for more fabulous interviews, check out T&T’s own running column, The Tell!
Describe your style in three words or less:
Cheeky traditional.
What have been the three biggest influences on your aesthetic in your life:
My mom, the old house I grew up in, Kate Spade (the woman, not the brand).
How did you start your company, and what is your favorite thing about what you do:
I started Thrift & Tell on a whim, when I woke up one day with the name in my head. I had no grand plan, other than to share my love of thrifting with others. Thrift & Tell has evolved to be a place to celebrate consignment, fashion, home, and design at all price points. If it’s not abundantly clear, I love hunting for a good deal, so it is a treat to have an audience that equally enjoys the thrill of the chase!
Do you have a mentor in your career, and if so, how have they helped to shape your trajectory:
Too many to name! I tend to surround myself with women who are vibrant, fun, and smart. They inspire and push me to take more risks (not my strong suit).
What does your home say about you:
I am a firm believer that your style does not have to fit into one box; your home and your closet can be a collection of this and that. That mix makes your space distinctly you. My sister once said that if someone were to rob me (please don’t), they’d know exactly who I was when they walked in the door. That, to me, is the goal.
Where do you find inspiration:
People watching.
Who are your style icons:
I like women who have their own distinct style, even if it is not my own, including but not limited to: Brent Neale, Eva Chen, Iris Apfel, Emmanuelle Alt, Zoe Kravitz, Diana Vreeland, Alice Naylor Leyland, Lori Hirshleifer. I could go on...
What are your key ingredients for entertaining:
Set a proper table! This can be done inexpensively! Browse thrift stores, estate sales, or eBay for vintage China (the demand is so low you can get full sets for a song). Ask your friends and family for hand-me-down linens or find inexpensive white hotel linens at HomeGoods. Put Trader Joe’s flowers in thrifted silver vases, light some unscented candles, and BAM! You’ve got a party.
Do you collect anything:
Chanel bags. They’re outrageous, but they’ve outperformed the S&P 500 and gold for over a decade. My future daughters will thank me one day.
Favorite Instagram accounts to follow for inspiration:
@alinabrane, @rderavenel, @lukeedwardhall, @katieridder, @matthewcarterinterios, @salvesengraham, @host.home, @mgmbees, @nickolsenstyle, @tat.london, @houseofcardoon, and you @arielokin!
What design “rule” do you always follow, and which is made to be broken:
They are all made to be broken! Though I do agree with Bunny William’s rule that every chair needs a side table for a drink.
What are you working on right now:
Getting through 2020.
Wardrobe staples:
Chanel flats, Gap jeans, pretty scarves, and festive arm parties.
Best interior advice you ever received:
“Stick to the things you really love. An honest room is always up to date.”- Billy Baldwin
Best career advice you ever received:
“Say it, forget it. Write it, regret it.”- Dorinda Medley
Types of home purchases you invest in, and save on:
In all things thrifting, “(s)he who hesitates is lost” so I splurge anytime I see something one-of-a-kind that I know I'll regret not buying. Otherwise, your girl is a head to toe saver!
Your greatest extravagance:
Jewelry! It’s portable wealth. ;)
Favorite places to shop for home:
Goodwill, flea markets, thrift stores, estate sales, yard sales, and antique stores are the best places to find quirky, inexpensive pieces with personality.
Most prized possession and why:
I’m indecisive by nature, so I can’t quite pick, but I’d say anything that can’t be replaced. That includes everything from my gold charm bracelet to 1960s Hungarian gilt dessert plates I found at Salvation Army for one dollar.
Your interiors motto:
Only fools pay retail.
Your life motto:
You’re not asking for too much. You’re asking the wrong person.
Advice for someone looking to define their own interior style:
Create some sort of repository (magazine clippings, Instagram, Pinterest) to catalog things you like and let it grow. Then take a look back and try to notice the recurring themes.
Take Ten: My Favorite…
Food: Pepperoni pizza
Drink: Rombauer Cab Sav
Film: Notting Hill
Hotel: I’m not really a hotel snob, but the bed at St Regis in Aspen is memorably luxe...
City: Paris. The street style is A+
Bedding: Anything involving down
Tea or Coffee (and how do you take it): Both! I am a drink enthusiast! Twinings Earl Grey and Stok Cold Brew. I take both with a splash of 2% milk. No sugar.
Playlist: Thrift & Tell Dinner Playlist
Weekend Activity: Thrifting, of course.
Design Book: Greco Disco: The Art and Design of Luke Edward Hall
