Wild about Feathers

Last year I visited Austin briefly when I was about 4 months pregnant. My boyfriend and I literally just stopped for lunch at the local restaurant Enoteca Vespaio. It was slightly windy, but the breeze felt good...so we decided to sit outside on the patio. I remember now, that was the first time I tried quail, which was, in retrospect...let's just say - way too rich for my liking...

Anyhow - across the street there was a bright teal store with the words "feathers" plastered very clearly across the top. As we sat there and ate, knowing we were in a hurry...I started to subtley let my boyfriend know that I would love a souvenir of my first trip to Texas. As soon as he said sure and the meal was paid for, I practically bolted across the street.

When I walked in I was impressed...this was no "hole in the wall". This was a small, yet beautifully edited and laid out vintage store with an amazing selection of beautiful clothes, shoes, sunglasses, scarves, belts and local artisan crafted jewelry.

As I walked by the counter I saw a proudly mounted feature of the store in LUCKY magazine and that's when I knew that my initial reason for wanting to stop in was that I had read about this place and how it was the hottest vintage boutique around, it was coming back to me now.

Well, I wasn't let down...

I could not get over the selection or the reasonable price points. I mean, an YSL vintage black boyfriend blazer for $79.99. Are you kidding me!? If it hadn't been XS I would have snatched that find up in a heart beat or as fast as plastic can slide and you can enter your pin number. No doubt about it.

I spent at least an hour browsing, trying things on. Unfortunately, nothing fit quite right as I was at that pregnancy stage where the belly was big

and the boobs were even bigger. My normal size 4-6 was no more...

So...I quickly decided I wanted a piece of jewelry and that's when I saw some of the best selection since a recent trip to Barneys and the best part, it was almost all made by local artists and in my opinion, the prices were a steal.

I spent quite awhile trying things on and finally decided on a vintage "watch parts" type necklace in gold. Turns out as I go to pay for it that it was made by the co-owner of the store, Masha Poloskova. On a large chunky gold chain, the piece was heavy and just right, I put that necklace to good use over the last year...

Then when we recently decided to move here, I went into town several times just to pop in and shop and I have never been disappointed. The way the clothes is hung by color, easily draws your eye to that which you love and knows looks good on you. And the taste level, superb!

During SXSW, I was in the store shopping when I happened to met the other co-owner Emily Hoover. I got to speaking with her and she told me her inspiration behind the vintage boutique. I loved how she told it, very real,

very genuine. She explained that as a really young kid she would shop at thrift stores and for less than $10 she could put an entire new outfit together, kids wouldn't believe her

 - having just spent $10 on one thing from places like Wet Seal. As she got older, she continued this trend and now travels all over the US searching and finding amazing vintage finds to resale in her store. Needless to say, she has spot on taste. And she was very nice to boot.

So the moral of this story is that the next time, you're in Austin...please stop by this treasure chest and shop. You'll always find something special...something you really could not find anywhere else. And that is why I am wild about Feathers....

You can follow their blog, run mainly by the Store Manager, Nikki at: http://feathersboutiquevintage.blogspot.com/ 

Or if you're in town stop in at: 1700b South Congress, Austin, TX - or call 512.912.9779.

Love, Kristina