Ballerina Goes Thrifting

Today I'd like to share with you an interview I conducted with dancer and thrifting-extrordinare Carolina Marques. Read what the Alabama Ballet member (and former New Yorker) has to say about navigating the city's immense retail industry, without sacrificing the ability to pay rent.

Photo by Melissa Dooley

When I first became acquainted with Marques, I was struck by two immediate observations; one, that she has a deep respect for and knowledge of the art form—ballet—in which she excels, and two, that she has a wardrobe that could only be rivaled by the likes of Carrie Bradshaw. I suppose it should come as no surprise that someone so meticulous with her technique, so dedicated to the practice and performance of dance, would also harness that same creativity and care when compiling her closet.

Carolina has been dancing for eighteen years, and thrifting for seven. Shopping on a dancer's budget can be a daunting task (especially in NYC), but she approaches the challenge as she approaches her daily rehearsals: with great energy and thought.

1. You moved to NYC when you were 17 to join the Joffrey Ballet School. What was that first year like living and dancing in the city?
I just remember being really excited to be in the city. There's so much to do and to see, so much inspiration everywhere. I think every dancer wants to come to New York because it has two of the best dance companies in the world: American Ballet Theatre and New York City Ballet. It's unlike any other city in the world—if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.

2. Have you always been interested in fashion?
As dancers, we are always aware of what we put on our bodies. We always want to look our best. I think that's how it all started. In school, we usually have to wear a uniform, but we still get to wear beautiful costumes for performances. It's different when you are in a company and you can pretty much wear what you want. We never just grab the first leotard we find and rush to class. We cautiously choose our outfits for class, depending on the day and our moods. 
   
3. How did living in NYC influence your style?

I found people watching, window shopping and going to museums to be inspiring. Plus you can pretty much wear anything you want in New York and no one will really judge you!

4. Let's talk thrifting. What's your strategy upon entering an eclectic, often chaotic thrift store?
You have to be patient and really look through things—and it's always important to try things on. You can find some really awesome pieces for decent prices at thrift stores in New York that are most likely better quality than Forever 21. 

5. Top three thrift stores in NYC?
Beacon's Closet is definitely my favorite! Then Buffalo Exchange and Housing Works. 

6. Most important thing to keep in mind when thrifting?
Don't spend money on a piece that you don't really love, and probably aren't going to wear, just because it's Dolce and Gabbana or something. Don't worry too much about labels. Once I bought a pair of Miu Miu shoes that I loved but that were too small for me..I wore them once and hated myself! 
   
7. Besides shopping at thrift stores, what are some other ways you managed to enjoy the city on a dancer's budget? 
It's so easy to spend all of your money really quickly in the city. There are so many interesting restaurants and bars to explore that you never want to just stay home and cook dinner! Make a list of the restaurants that you really want to go to, and treat yourself to one of them every week or two. Many restaurants have lunch specials that are a much better deal than going out to dinner. Vanessa's Dumpling House has delicious dumplings that are super cheap. Georgetown Cupcake has a free cupcake flavor of the day, everyday. You can find out what the flavor is on their Twitter.

8. What made you decide to leave NYC? 

I learned so much at the Joffrey Ballet School and in the Joffrey Concert Group, but I wanted to have a full-time job as a ballet dancer. I was offered a contract with Alabama Ballet, so I moved to Birmingham. I do enjoy living in Alabama—it's definitely a nice change. I miss the city though, and I plan to come and visit when I have some free time. 

9. Any words of wisdom for young dancer's thinking of moving to NYC?
This should be the best time of your life! There are so many museums, expositions, Broadway shows, venues with live music, dance performances—there's always something exciting happening. Take advantage of being in a city that has so much to offer.

Photo by Melissa Dooley

From pirouettes to pumps, Carolina manifests a grace and sincerity that reveals itself both on and off the stage. The patience with which she shops is the same patience with which she works in the ballet studio, propelling herself into a future of classical and contemporary roles that we can all hope to witness. If you find yourself in Birmingham this month, look for Marques onstage in Roger Van Fleteren's "Romeo and Juliet". 

Returning to Wikipedia

About a month ago I posted an entry about Strand Bookstore, and it's affordable book collections. I wrote that my favorite part of the bookstore was its outdoor used book collections, that features books priced between $1 and $3. Since I did not see a mention of these discounted books on the store's Wikipedia page, I decided to edit the page and add a blurb about the outdoor merchandise.

Today I checked back on the page just for fun, to see if my edits had stuck. Unfortunately, my addition was removed.

I suppose someone felt that the used books were not worth mentioning. I will continue to insist, however, that one should not underestimate these outdoor bookshelves! This Penny-Pincher finds these $1-$3 bargains most certainly worth mentioning, and I highly recommend checking them out when you have the chance.

A Sunday of Fleas

If you find yourself in New York City with some free time, an empty wallet, and an inkling to see something unique, I'd highly recommend a day at the flea market. Not a day shopping at the flea market (that sort of thing can make a dent in your wallet), but a day exploring and admiring the craftsmanship of NYC's dedicated flea vendors.

The city is home to many flea markets, where customers can find anything from necklaces made of excavated pottery to glasses frames made of bamboo leaves. This Sunday I visited two of my favorite markets, The Market NYC on Bleecker Street, and the Williamsburg Flea in Brooklyn.

Williamsburg Flea

The thing about going to flea markets is that window shopping is just as satisfying as actually buying. Since the products sold by the various vendors are almost exclusively handmade, they tend to be a little pricey. For this reason I treat the markets almost like I treat museums, as places with a lot to see and admire. Having said that, flea markets are a great place to find a one-of-a-kind gift for someone special.

The Market NYC is located at 159 Bleecker Street, between Thomspon and Sullivan. It is an indoor market open Wednesdays through Sundays (you can check the market's hours here), that houses vendors selling clothes, jewelry, glasses, prints, and more. The website includes a few images of what sorts of things customers are bound to see, but you should expect to see much more in person than what is featured online. The Market NYC does have air conditioning, making it a great spot to duck in when the sun has made outdoor markets unbearable.

The Williamsburg Flea occurs every Sunday from 10am-5pm, at the East River State Park (90 Kent Ave at North 7th Street). This is undoubtedly the most scenic of NYC's flea markets, as it is situated right by the East River. Since this market is outdoors, you'll want to be sure to choose a nice day; it can be hard to find shade, so if you burn as easily as I do then I'd highly recommend wearing sunscreen!

View from the East River State Park

You can read about the vendors of the Williamsburg Flea on the market's website. In addition to art, records, jewelry, dresses, t-shirts and other sorts of retail merchandise, the flea market contains plenty of food vendors. Yesterday we found a vendor making vegan beet burgers, another selling dark chocolate, and yet another preparing and selling some all too tempting frozen slushies.

After we finished at the market, we planted ourselves on some grass (in the tiniest shadow of a bush) near the water. The park boasts a beautiful view of the Manhattan skyline, which we were content to enjoy while the weather was nice.

East River State Park

Some other market locations in the city include:

• GreenFlea on Columbus at 76th St
• Artists & Fleas in Chelsea and Williamsburg
• The Antiques Garage in Hell's Kitchen on 25th St
• Fort Greene Flea  on 176 Lafayette Avenue

This is by no means a complete list of NYC markets. Leave a comment here if your favorite flea isn't on this list; I'd love to hear recommendations for new markets to check out. 

Eleven Stores That Offer Student Discounts

There are a surprising number of retailers that offer discounts to shoppers with valid student ID. On the days when even the pinky promise you made to only window shop falls through, you might want to check out some of these stores.

Carolina modeling Top Shop apparel

11 Stores That Offer Student Discounts

1. Ann Taylor- 20% off 
2. Apple- prices vary
3. Banana Republic- 15% off
4. Charlotte Russe- 10% off
5. Club Monaco- 20% off
6. J. Crew- 15% off
7. The Limited- 15% off
8. Madewell- 15% off
9. Top Shop- 10% off
10. Eastern Mountain Sports- 15-20% off
11. Goodwill- 10% off

This list varies in terms of what kind of budget each store falls into. Goodwill is of course going to be more affordable than Club Monaco, but if you're looking to make places like Club Monaco and Top Shop a little more budget-friendly, this is the way to do it.

18 Miles of Books

I have a guilty pleasure, one that I pursue on days off when I have a few hours to myself.

It's Pretty Little Liars. 

Woops did I write that out loud? Okay well maybe I have a few guilty pleasures, and today I'm going to share with you my personal favorite. 

I love buying books. I love buying reference books, usually about improving your writing. I love buying books about health, and nutrition. I love buying books about the food industry, books written by comedians, books about dance, and fictional books from a whole array of genres.

It's kind of a problem. 

But even more than buying books I love browsing through bookstores, and Strand Bookstore is without a doubt the most magical bookstore in the world. Well, at least in New York City.

Here's what Wikipedia has to say about Strand:

The Strand Bookstore is an independent bookstore located at 828 Broadway at the corner of East 12th St) in the East Villageneighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, near Union Square. The Strand advertises that it has "18 Miles of Books", and is well-known among New Yorkers for its collection of publishers' overstock, used, rare, and out-of-print books, as well as the chaos on and around its shelves. The store houses the city's largest collection of rare books, and is also a contender for the title of world's largest used bookstore, its major competitor in this regard being Powell's Books of Portland, Oregon. The Strand occupies 55,000 square feet of space^[1] while Powell's flagship Burnside location has over 68,000.^[2]

A family-owned business with more than 240 employees, the Strand was opened by Benjamin Bass in 1927 on nearby Fourth Avenue, in what was known as "Book Row", which was established as early as 1890, and which had at the time 48 bookstores.^[3][4] Bass's son Fred took over the business in 1956 and soon moved the store to the present location at the corner of East 12th Street and Broadway. Fred's daughter Nancy is co-owner of the store, and is also married to U.S. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon. The store occupies three and a half floors, using half a floor for offices and one additional floor as warehouse space. As of December 2011, the store has 2.5 million books..

My roommate checking out the $2 goods

What this entry does not mention is the books for sale that are on display outside of the store, on shelves 

that line the perimeter of the building. These books, Penny-Pinchers, are not to be passed by. They typically cost from one to three dollars, and though it may require some dedication to leaf through a good number of books, you are sure to find something worth your while. Last year I found a used copy of The Omnivore's Dilemma for $3.00 that had hardly been worn in, and this year I bought a 1991 copy of The Writer's Handbook for $1.00. For bookaholics across the city, it's a dream come true. 

I decided to tack a sentence on to the end of the second paragraph of the entry, mentioning these affordable books:

The store occupies three and a half floors, using half a floor for offices and one additional floor as warehouse space. As of December 2011, the store has 2.5 million books. The store sells used books that can be found on shelves outside on the sidewalk, that typically range from one to three dollars in price.

Inside the store, I recommend browsing through the rare books floor, and checking out the half priced fiction on the main level. For those of you who are artists, there are some great books on dance, music, photography, painting, opera, etc. I also like to check out the cookbook section, and I'll usually pop down to the basement level for foreign lit and books on writing. For Penny-Pinching purposes, I try to keep to 'window shopping' in these regular priced sections.