We feel very lucky to live in a city with such an eclectic mix of vintage stores, and cannot wait to see them all come together for our pop-up sale next Saturday. To get a little bit more familiar with each store owner, we asked each of them a few questions about vintage fashion,NXNE and what serves as their inspiration when collecting for their collections. Today we hear from the lovely ladies behind Dalston Grey, Friends With Both Arms and White Tiger Vintage Boutique.

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Leah from Dalston Grey

Who are you most looking forward to seeing at NXNE?
I’m super excited to see Of Montreal. They always put on a really fun, entertaining show.

What is your favourite thing about vintage fashion and Toronto? 
I love the range of vintage stores in Toronto.  There are dozens of stores across the city but each brings something special to shoppers and I know if I don’t have exactly what a customer is looking for I can probably think of where to send them.  There’s a real sense of community among vintage vendors which I think says a lot about our city.

How does music influence the way you dress / source clothing for your store?
There’s always been a close connection between fashion and music for me (my favourite example is the Nirvana/Marc Jacobs “grunge” episode). A lot of widespread fashion movements originate in the artist/music world so I like to keep up with those spaces, not so much so that I can fill my store with exact replicas of what I’ve seen but because it helps keep me abreast of where fashion/design is headed so the shop always feels fresh and current.

Three vintage pieces you can’t live without? 
Handbags are number one! I always keep a rotation of about 6 in my closet.  I also have two Liberty print blouses that are precious to me! They are so hard to find so I keep them forever and ever when I find them.  And finally a dress – whether a lbd, a beautiful print 50s silhouette or a lanky 70s maxi vintage dress is a must!

What particular artists or other creative types do you draw your style inspiration from? 
I know it seems like the “street style” blog is overdone but I still love seeing what people from around the globe are wearing. I also really look up to certain fashion editors, Liz Cabral at Flare, for instance, is great at what she does and always looks perfectly on point.

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Nada from Friends With Both Arms

Who are you most looking forward to seeing at NXNE?
There’s a few goodies I’m looking forward to checking out: Porcelain Raft, Widowspeak, Purity Ring and Grass Widow! Did I say Bran Van 3000? I didn’t? Good.

What is the best thing about vintage fashion and Toronto? 
My favourite thing about vintage & Toronto is that there is no shortage  – between Queen West, Ossington and the St. Lawrence Market I can fulfill my compulsions to keep collecting, endlessly. My favourite vintage store in Toronto is probably Penny Arcade on Dundas, because it’s got some of the best boots and dresses and it’s also super affordable.

How does music influence the way you dress / source clothing for your store?
Music has influenced me so deeply, that it led me to working in the music industry for a few years, which inevitably influenced the way I dressed because I was so broke! I would go to thrift stores out of necessity, and it was through endless digging that I acquired an eye for things of value that were super cheap. I was lucky to also be living in Southern California, which is a mecca for cheap vintage. My best friend Andrea and I would drive to this place in LA called Jet Rag every Sunday morning and go through mountains of vintage – everything was a dollar. We’d spend $20 and walk out with bags. I started collecting so much that I eventually had to start selling it, so that’s when I opened my Etsy shop. The experience of digging is satisfying enough for me, that I’m happy to see it go to someone who will give it a good home.

Three vintage pieces you can’t live without?
My vintage brown woven sandals. I love the pattern and texture of pretty much anything woven or braided – especially if it’s leather, and I found them in San Diego at a vintage store and they were $12. They’re a size too small, but I think I’ve worked them in by now. I tend to wear them at sitting events. Ha! Price you gotta pay!

My big fat ugly sweaters – are what I call them. They take up way too much of my closet. Who needs so many sweaters? There’s one in particular, it’s black with geometric shapes on the back – it sounds hideous by my description but I assure you it rules. I shrunk it the first time I washed it, so now it’s a perfect size.

High waisted cut off levis. There’s this crazy bazaar in San Diego that happens every weekend called the Swap Meet, where shady looking characters will sell you reasonably nice products for cheap. Don’t ask questions! There’s a man who only sells cut off Levis – I always loved the ones with rhinestones bedazzled on the pockets but I could never find them in my size. Its also hard to find a pair that don’t give you a “mom butt” but these ones are perfect. They button up and they sit fairly high. Although I’ve resolved to the fact that high waisted anything doesn’t suit me, I’ve made peace with it and wear them anyway. I’d like to exercise my right to wear shorts as often as possible.

What particular artists or other creative types do you draw your style inspiration from? 
I shamefully pin on Pinterest more often than I’d like to admit, so I was referencing pins on my style board. I’m not up to date with who’s hip or cool nowadays, but I’ve always really loved Kirsten Dunst, Miranda July, Chloe Sevigny, Annie Clark (St. Vincent) and babes of that nature. I’m inspired by anyone with a creative pursuit, living outside of the limitations of what it means to be a female. Someone who can keep up with the boys, who’s not afraid to do things that aren’t pretty or delicate, but at the same time, has an appreciation for beautiful things.

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Miranda from White Tiger Vintage Boutique

What bands are you most looking forward to seeing at NXNE?
I’m definitely looking forward to seeing Bleached, the blonde babe duo from California. They’re so cool with their laid back California garage sound, not to mention they have a killer fashion sense.

What is your favourite thing about vintage fashion and Toronto? 
The abundance of it. If you go for the hunt, you’re just about always going to find what your looking for.

If you could see any performer from any era, who would it be? 
If I could jump back to 1972 I would be following The Stones around on their Exile on Main Street tour. Black fringe kaftan, gold bangles, and fingers laced with turquoise rings. The Stones were the Gods of fashion in the early 70′s.

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All of Dalston Grey and Friends With Both Arms photos by Alyssa Trivelli
Banner by Miriam Olzewski