Amy Garber / Patent Agent
Amy is known among friends to show up wearing high-waisted spandex pants a la Olivia Newton John as Sandy in Grease with a fur stole and pillbox hat—to go out for ice cream. Not one to obsess over current trends, she favors garments of bygone eras. Amy's vintage collection is vast and eclectic—ranging from prim and proper 1950’s gowns to tacky-chic 1980’s jumpsuits. She is also unafraid to sport a platinum wig to a cocktail party. Finally, she swears by one key event for vintage-hunting in Toledo: The B’nai Israel/Etz Chayim Sisterhood Rummage Sale. I met up with Amy where she lives in Ottawa Hills. She made a fantastic dinner for 7 and afterward, I forced her to let me take pictures.
1. Tell us about how you found this dress?
My sister, Rachel, lives in Los Angeles, and every time I visit her, I pop into "Iguana Vintage." It's a funhouse of vintage fashion, and the prices are reasonable to boot. I found this emerald gem there. The contrast detail of the gold on green is so tasteful and glamorous. I think this dress is from the 60s and handmade, based on the paneling of the interior.
2. Where do you typically find your favorite pieces?
My most cherished pieces are hats that my maternal great-grandmother wore in the 1920s, fashion gloves that my Bubbee (paternal grandmother) wore in the 50s and 60s, and purses from my mother's extensive collection. I’m lucky to come from a strong bloodline of fashionable women who also happen to tend to hoarding. Besides the items I’ve retrieved from my attic, my best source of vintage and retro clothing in Toledo is the B'nai Israel/Etz Chayim Sisterhood Rummage Sale. Those elegant Jewish ladies throw the sale twice per year, for the fall and spring seasons. My mom has been volunteering at the Rummage Sale since she was my age. As her protege, I now serve as volunteer in the Rummage Sale boutique, and I'm the first one through the racks.
3. What advice would you give to someone who wants to build a great vintage collection?
This advice is for women: figure out the fashion era that flatters your body type the most and stick with it. Once you have acquired several pieces that you adore, use them as a guide to broaden your search to other decades. Don't be scared to spend more money on vintage items than you would at Forever 21; they are better made and will last much longer. Vintage items aren't generally “Made in China” unless they're genuinely Chinese fashion. This advice is for men: you can never have enough vintage ties or sunglasses.
4. Which style "rule" do you find yourself constantly breaking?
I avoid the dogma of style rules. People who want you to buy their clothes or people who are narrow minded make those rules. Of course there are the more ethically based style rules initiated by the “cruelty-free” outfit. While I have enormous respect for die-hards who abstain from luxury for those reasons, I must admit that I relish wearing both leather and fur. Artistic expression by virtue of fashion should be sans rule, and that's that. When I dress, whether it's to attend an event or just to run to the grocery store, I'm true to myself–that's the rule I consistently follow.
5. Which style "rule" do you wish more people would follow?
I can't stand panty lines, so I wish more women would incorporate the genius of Spanks into their regular wardrobe repertoire. Also, I must pay homage to the rule "Leave something to the imagination,” which is a direct command from my mother that I've been hearing since puberty. It took me years to understand why that’s wise advice, and sometimes I still ignore it!
