Ahem, I have a few announcements!
First I simply want to say how much fun I had on the Best Coast. I didn’t do anything remotely taxing, on my body, nor my brain. I spent my days waking up (that took hours in itself), running on the Venice boardwalk, drinking iced coffees and late-night cocktails, driving my rental car East bound and to get sushi at Whole Foods, swimming in the ocean and meeting bearded, surfer people. Not a single bone in my body wanted to work. It seemed inconceivable and quite frankly, dreadful. I was surrounded by bamboo, dogs, and amazing girlfriends. Heck if I was gonna lift one finger.
So if your intuition serves you well and you’ve looked at the pictures (Do you read French?) it should come as no surprise that my future self is moving out West very soon. By December I should have set up my consulting and design studio in a nice little cottage somewhere in Santa Monica. ‘Tis the dream, or rather yet, the goal. I’m very excited for this new chapter in my life, as cheesy as that may sound. I have made very few decisions in the past – I am the kind of person who just lets life take its willful course – but the ones I did make have been pivotal and hugely rebooted my stratosphere, for the better. I’ve been living in New York for 17 years and it’s getting stale. I’ve lost my childish excitement and curiosity. Maybe it’s a been-there-done-that type of motivation, or just the simple fact that I’m bored with the dirt and the chaos. I’m a sun bunny at heart and it’s been dreaming of palm trees and breaking waves since birth. So I’m going. Finally. And I’m for hire.
I mainly traveled to Los Angeles to start shooting for my book. That’s right (announcement #2): Tales of Endearment will be in print by the Fall of 2016. The book will consist primarily of new Muses, those men and women who are crazy about vintage and wear it well, my kindred spirits, and partly “best of” moments from the site. (I’d love to hear who your favorites were btw!!) The line-up of new candidates is long and compelling. I can’t wait to photograph everyone!
But more pressing (announcement #3), and I’ve already announced it on Instagram, is the launch of our vintage e-commerce business. My partner, Moa Sandquist and I have stacked our little office in Bushwick to the rafters with the coolest, Scandinavian dead-stock from the 40s to the 80s and pieces from my own collection. The technicalities and logistics are all taking a tad bit longer than we want, but hopefully you’ll be shopping in time for Fashion Month! Please make sure to stop by and check in for regular new stock. Our e-store will be a revolving door of reasonably-priced vintage for all ages and sizes. We’re starting with about 150 garments, but we have thousands more coming from Sweden! Hurray for you!
Voila. Announcements made.
Photos by Mike Townsend at Newport Beach, CA. Special thanks to Billy Stade.
Vintage green and white jumper by Dolce & Gabbana; Vintage floral platform sandals from Cannonball & Tilly. Blue and cream polka dot jumper from The Pistol Club on Abbot Kinney.
Vintage green and white playsuit by Dolce & Gabbana; Vintage blue and white polka dot playsuit from The Pistol Club on Abbot Kinney; Vintage floral platform sandals from Cannonball & Tilly on Fairfax; “Je Pars Habiter A Los Angeles” canvas bag by Jasmin Shokrian from the Bon Voyage collection; Cat-eye sunglasses by DSquared2; Slippers by Birkenstock; My vintage square head scarves.
Congratulations, and I’m not surprised to hear you are moving. Now get your butt up to Seattle for a visit and to meet/see our cool shops and designers….:)
Sending you many happy thoughts and enough good energy to kick start more curiosity in you, Joos! The West is gonna love you to pieces!
Congratulations!! You will thrive there! Looking forward to your many more adventures out West
Just want to wish you the very best with your move, you inspire me more than anyone else online, not only in your unique style but you always seem to look on the positive bright side. May the sun and sea inspire you!!
awesome! Happy for you
Congratulations and I am so excited about your book and cannot wait to see all the vintage peeps you photograph and wish you could come to the UK and take pictures of the vintage lovers here – maybe book no 2??
Good luck and will be shopping your wardrobe for sure!
Bonne chance Natalie , I need to get your Book !
Dear Natalie, will the book be available in Belgium? Looking forward to see it!
West Coast loves you!! So happy to read you’re going to be in LALA land soon!
So happy for you 🙂 all the best a change is always great thinks happen when you change..
with love
Yael Guetta
http://www.ftwwl.com
You are definitely a West Coast girl. Great decision. You’ll be so close to Palm Springs now too…maybe we can meet! Would love that.
Shocked, shocked I say what!
Try to live S of Pico, W of Lincoln & Whole Foods as the S boundary (Rose St.?) with the boardwalk as the W boundary. SM side a a bit safer than Venice side though it’s thouroughly Yuppie now, I was there on the tail of the artist/Hippy era when Venice was really funky.
Congratulations!!! I’m so glad you are moving to LA (where I live) I’ve so enjoyed reading your blog and whenever I see a new email of it, get excited, grab a cuppa coffee and read…I hope to one day meet you or go to your book signing. All the best!
Big congratulations! Very excited to see what happens when you turn this corner! How exciting!
Nice photos 🙂
BLOG M&M FASHION BITES : http://mmfashionbites.blogspot.gr/
Maria V.
congrats on your new move. You will bring your amazing light to the west coast. God bless you for your selfless spirit!!!
Congrats on the move AND the book! Wow can’t wait to see it. I know it will be full of inspiration.
Carrie
http://www.wearwherewell.com
Amazing, congratulations and good luck! XX
I completely relate to you!! Well done and never leave that child with! Enjoy and be happy!
Good luck from all of us at Angelo Lambrou
Congratulations on your move to Santa Monica! Can’t wait to see your new posts once you’re there.
♡ veena | seveninchstilettos.com
twitter/instagram: @veenamccoole
I admire how far you’ve come and how much you have accomplished so far, you inspired me and motivated me to start my own blog and my YouTube channel. Please come and check them out, it would mean the world to me! Kisses from Mexico. Blog: http://lookbookofdreams.com/ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/arelidurazo
Excited for you! Change is good
Krissie x – http://pearlsofstyle.blogspot.com
Moving to California changed my life in every respect– all for the better. I love it– the sunshine, the fresh produce, the laid back vibe. . . . You will love it!!! Welcome (soon) to the West Coast! It is a thousand kinds of awesome (as are you) = perfect fit.
xx,
Ali
How fabulous! I’m with you on not staying in nyc.
xx
I can barely remember you wearing winter clothes, so this makes perfect sense!
I love your new vintage shop, the web needs more well-curated vintage shops 🙂
http://www.thevoyageur.net
Good for you! Your first paragraph sounds like a description of a perfect day. The east coast is about work, work, and go home and work. I am planning an exit in the future also, some place warm and overseas. Love your photos and can’t wait to see your Scandinavian finds! http://www.pippihepburn.etsy.com
Sounds like a fantastic move. Your blog is always the best in town wherever you go. Hope it’s magic for you out there. FJx
Would love to talk vintage
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