This month Chronically Vintage has been blessed and delighted to welcome our largest number of new blog sponsors in a given month to date, one of the most recent of which is a seriously terrific etsy shop called Manhattan Hippy Vintage.
What strikes you at first glance about Manhattan Hippy, aside from their smile-inducingly awesome name, is the fact this etsy shop is stocked not merely with "just" vintage items or handmade products, but with a selection of each. Shop owner Marcy Langworthy (pictured below - does she not have the most gorgeous blonde curls imaginable?) is both an artisan and a vintage enthusiast, and she has woven her passion for each together seamlessly in a shop that conveys the creative spirit of the hippy movement with the posh, stylish elegance of Manhattan worthy fashion.
Living up to its moniker and then some, Manhattan Hippy, is a treasure trove of vibrant, wearable, very reasonably priced mid century fashions, accessories, and handmade jewelry items crafted by Marcy herself, that beckons one in and keeps them thumbing through each page of listings with great interest.
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Marcy and getting to know both her and her awesome etsy shop better. From wearing vintage on the daily to being a fellow crafter who also has a massive passion for the past, I discovered the she and I share a lot in common and highly suspect that you'll likely see yourself in some of her answers as well.
Your shop has such a fabulously fun name, evoking a sense of both upscale sophistication and fun loving, youthful flower power. What was the driving motivation behind selecting it?
I've been living in Manhattan for 10 years and I absolutely love the city and all its quirks. NYC is known for high fashion, but what I really appreciate is the hole-in-the-wall thrift and vintage shops. I’m moving to Brooklyn this spring…but, Brooklyn Hippy just doesn’t have the same ring to it!
How long have you been selling vintage and what lead you pursue this passion?
I’ve had a funky fashion sense ever since I can remember so it just seemed natural. I opened my Etsy shop two years ago with no expectations. Little did I know, it would take over my life and my apartment!
Has your etsy shop become your full-time career? If not, does your other job relate to your passion for vintage?
I spend insane amounts of time doing shop stuff, but it never really seems like work. Scouring flea markets and hitting up estate sales is my idea of fun. Last year, I worked in a vintage warehouse which was kind of a dream come true! I also work in a vegan restaurant from time to time.
Do you wear vintage often yourself? If so, what are your favourite decades to dress from?
I wear vintage every day, I gotta represent! Sometimes it’s just a pair of suspenders or a tie (my most recent obsessions), other times I’m decked out in head-to-toe vintage. I am always a sucker for ‘60s and ‘70s novelty prints and anything polyester.
You sell both genuine vintage items and beautiful handmade earrings created using vintage fabrics, how have you found managing both of these sides of your shop to be? (As opposed to only selling one or the other, I mean.)
It’s gets overwhelming at times, but I love being able to offer both vintage and handmade. My work space is always a hot mess, the woes of running a business from an NYC apartment I suppose.
What sorts of similarities between vintage clothing and crafting do you find ring true for you?
The main thing is creativity. I can find a dusty, wrinkled up maxi skirt at a warehouse and envision it all cleaned up and styled. Likewise, I can spot a fabulous earring print from a mile away. They’re both really hands on too. Obviously I make the earrings by hand, but the vintage requires a lot of work. I’m always washing, measuring, fixing or photographing the vintage pieces.
What are some things that you feel help set your etsy shop apart from the crowd?
Carrying both vintage and handmade is pretty rare. I also offer styling suggestions. My favorite tip is to hoist your maxi skirt up, belt it and wear it as a dress.
What kind of advice would you give to someone who was brand new to wearing and shopping for vintage?
Don’t rely on vintage tag sizes, know your measurements. And, just have fun! (Jessica's note: for more on vintage clothes sizing, be sure to see this post from last year devoted just to that topic.)
In your opinion, what are three to five timeless vintage pieces that any woman's wardrobe would benefit from owning?
1950s dresses are always a good idea. And, gauzy 60’s tops belong in every girls summer closet. Plus silk scarves for bad hair days.
It's a sunny Saturday afternoon in July, what are doing, wearing, shopping for and noshing on?
I’m in Central Park wearing something skimpy and colorful, picnicking with my husband, eating vegetables and day dreaming about cats.
Is there anything else about yourself or shop that you'd like to share with us?
I'm really excited about a new line of restructured vintage pieces that I’ll be adding to the shop over the next few weeks plus some hand painted earrings are on their way. Stay tuned.
You can also connect with Manhattan Hippy Vintage via their social media accounts on the following sites:
{All images in this post via Manhattan Hippy Vintage}
♥ ♥ ♥
Thank you very much for a lovely interview, Marcy, and for sponsoring Chronically Vintage. I've fallen hard for your wonderful shop and handmade jewelry (you use the cutest vintage fabrics for your button earrings!) and could easily picture myself sporting several of the fabulous yesteryear fashions you have listed.
Should you also feel yourself pulled towards doing some shopping at Manhattan Hippy Vintage, Marcy is very generously offering all Chronically Vintage 20% off their purchases at her etsy shop until March 31, 2014 when you use the coupon code spring20 at checkout. This coupon code can be applied to orders of any size and used from any country that she ships to.
Though I don't usually don the threads of the time, I've always had a deeply rooted passion in my heart for the 1960s and 70s, the hippy era that massively changed the world and produced some of the best music ever. There should be at least a whisper of this amazing period in all of us, no matter if we wear "far out" fashions or not. That spirit is alive and well at Manhattan Hippy Vintage, where flower power meets chic New York flower pattern in a marvelous symphony of vintage and handmade items that are sure to catch the eye of yesteryear fashion fans far and wide.
