Guest Blog Post ~ On The Santa Fe Resale Trail

I’ve often considered having a guest blogger write for my blog before but I just never have.   Well,  that is … until NOW.  Recently I asked fellow blogger and dear girlfriend, Amy Shea of Santa Fe Street, if she would give us the skinny on resale and consignment stores in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  And the skinny she gave!  Everyone ~ please meet fashion expert and seriously funny gal; Amy.

I’m long overdue for one of my favorite ways to spend a day…lunch with my besties and a coordinated tactical strike on the most excellent resale shops in Santa Fe. There’s no heart-racing thrill quite like finding that killer skirt from the Opening Ceremony + Rodarte collaboration, and paying $65 when the Barneys tag for $856 still hangs its pale head in shame. Fashion cardio.

For you ABQ girls so very ready for a road trip, here are three spots you must not miss on your personal version of the sisterhood of the traveling credit cards…

THE BEAT GOES ON
And does it evahhh. The Beat Goes On at 333 Montezuma Avenue on the corner of Guadalupe (with FREE PARKING!) has been in Santa Fe for sixteen years. Run by styling Suzi Kriger and her super friendly girl band, thousands of consigners make for my kind of Thanksgiving—from the uber Mark Jacobs print skirt:

And one of my favorite things about this shop is the 50% off rack in the back in the dressing room. Do NOT fail to check this out. While doing this story, I had to throw myself on the fashion grenade that was a Ralph Lauren silk fringe skirt at half-off an already miraculous price. I love my job:

Low ankle boots with chunky heels, especially if they can rock the patent leather vibe, are being worn with short pants in cities around the globe. This pair from Italy is especially cool with its double zippers, which can be worn totally open, or partially/fully closed. Bellisimo:

They cover the whole range, not just high designer, so come prepared with your good instincts in tow to grab that handmade cool-girl skirt you know just how to wear…for about the cost of a no-whip mocha latte.

DOUBLE TAKE
Right around the corner on Guadalupe is another one of my fave haunts, Double Take, the high-end part of a huge store called Encore that features an expansive collection of cowboy boots, along with clothes for the entire family. I can be found hanging out in the designer section, where this little beauty by Helmut Lang currently resides…only because I’m not a size 0 and I wasn’t willing to chop off my arms. And that’s my final answer:

They do a great job buying, and their shoes are always a collection of the biggest names in footwear, and I mean the biggest:

They’re just putting out their spring things…and I absolutely swooned over these Pradas. It made me change my answer to what kind of superpower I would want to have…from being able to wear mascara without raccoon eyes, to shrinking my feet upon demand, kind of like a reverse Elastigirl:

And should you need a Miu Miu bag to go with it, HURRY…that’s all I have to say about that:

It’s usually about this time that us girls need some nutrition…and wine. Walking distance from both of these spectacular shops is the perfect place:

SWISS BAKERY
Got crepes? The Swiss Bakery has that and more. Try not to look in the case facing the door as you come in unless you can indulge…because the bakery items taste even better than they look.

I always go for the salmon crepe, but have found love with onion soup there on more than one occasion…though we’re taking a break right now as I must get into my Lacroix pants before I leave this earth. If you are not similarly inflicted, go for it. And anything else on the menu. If you’re a wine drinker, make sure one of your team is designated, as your next stop will require a short ride, but one you will NOT want to miss.
Head to 518 Santa Fe Trail (again, FREE PARKING!), to…

OOH LA LA CONSIGMENT
Ooh La La is yes, yes, yes…and I mean every time I go in there. First, the cool-girl crew of Susanna and Sara is beyond great to compare style notes with and help you put together the perfect outfit, without going all matchy-matchy. Bella, the owner, has created this chic Audrey-vibe that sets the right mood for girlfriends gasping with wonder as they land on their own Breakfast at Tiffany’s moment. Mine is right here….starting with The Row leather skirt on the left, the Bally shoes, and finishing up with a rare find: a white silk blouse from Tom Ford’s reign at YSL. You can’t make this up:

And, I want to know right now, why is this case not in my house?

One of my favorite pictures, despite the fact it would be an epic fail in photography class, is of this pair of Choo’s with the crystal chandelier reflected in the glass. It’s like Cinderella, but without the pesky cleaning part of the fairytale:

In closing, thanks ever so to More than Turquoise for inviting Santa Fe Street to guest blog. Remember, buckle up and giddy up. We’re waiting for you…
Hugz!

Umm … where are my car keys??? 🙂

Be sure to follow Amy’s blog. You can do that simply by clicking here.