Birds Chasing Bugs

While looking for Etsy treasury photographs for the Midwest Treasury Team one of my favorite shops is BirdsChasingBugs. It's a vintage store with great photography and items. It's primarily clothes and shoes, but it also has handbags and items for the home. I had to learn more about Amber and this great vintage clothes shop.

How did you get started selling vintage?:

I started selling vintage apparel while I was in college. There was a really charming vintage store/boutique that consigned vintage items of all sorts. I started doing it as a way to make back the money I spent on things that I would acquire at thrift stores. I’m totally manic about shopping at thrift stores, and selling some pieces that I found made me feel like there was balance to the equation. I’m always scheming to put my hobbies to work for me.

Why does vintage clothing appeal to you?:

Clothing will never again be constructed the way it used to be. Not en masse, anyway. I find vintage clothing utterly and truly captivating. Clothes used to be constructed from fine, natural materials, such as wool, silk, cotton, and fur. These natural materials make the world of difference when it comes to comfort. Also, the details that you find on vintage clothes are always stunning.

I love the freedom to pick and choose across genres and generations. I have this romantic idea that people of the past had more style and grace than your average person today, so there’s definitely some romanticism. Moreover, vintage clothes are fancy, and I love being fancy. Why put on jeans and a t-shirt when you can put on one fabulous dress? You would have done twice the work and you wouldn’t look half as awesome. Vintage clothes spark my imagination. I could wax on and on for days about why I love vintage clothes, but I’ll stop here.

What are your favorite vintage items to sell (shoes, dresses, etc)?:
I feel like I am still figuring this part out. When I look at my “items sold” list, it seems like I have the best knack for shoes, but I really would love to be able to sell more dresses. In general, anything fancy that you can put on your body is what I am interested in selling, at least in BirdsChasingBugs. I have another store in the works, PirateVintage, that is going to focus more on housewares and guy-friendly stuff.

What advice would you give to someone looking to buy or sell vintage clothing?:

If you are looking to sell vintage of any sort, treat your shop as if you are curating an art exhibit. Make it beautiful, make it genuine, and be passionate about it. If you don’t have passion, it will show.

If you are looking to buy vintage clothing, remember that there’s no such thing as “too fancy.” Also, that truly great vintage piece will last you forever, if cared for properly. Be kind to your vintage clothes, and they’ll be kind to you. Invest in the proper cleaning of your garments.

I enjoy the timeless designs and the items at BirdsChasingBugs. It really is a great vintage clothing store. I'll be sure to keep an eye out for your new store, PirateVintage. This was my first interview and it was fun to do, thanks Amber. Wishing everyone a happy weekend, and some great finds to vintage shoppers and buyers alike.