See also: Vintage By Misty: Decade Classics and Vintage Treasures on Central Avenue See also: 10 Favorite Vintage Shops in Metro Phoenix See also: Chanel Button Ring at Vintage By Misty
It will come as a surprise to exactly zero Phoenix shopping fiends that Misty Guerriero, owner and namesake of Vintage By Misty, has a closet of designer delights, new and old.
Maison Martin Margiela shoes stand next to Louboutins, below a Chanel purse, and a rack of clothing in bright colors and bold patterns that would look right at home in Guerriero's shop.
"I'm very eclectic," she says, wearing a layered taupe-pink ensemble composed of a knit cropped top with a vintage nightgown beneath, suede boots, boho-chic drop earrings. "I don't have a particular look. It's all about mood."
Guerriero globe trots to find goodies for her store and her own closet, and this year she says she'll travel to Israel (where her husband, Ofer Navon, is from) and make stops in Rome and/or Spain. In London she has a friend who keeps an eye out for pieces she thinks Guerriero will like. But the shop girl doesn't see her store as closet competition. She says she can appreciate a beautiful item without getting too attached, and that's why she has her shop.
She admits there is one accessory she'd call her favorite or most prized. That's her vintage 1930s wedding ring from Tel Aviv. "It has love behind it," she explains, showing off the unfinished diamond set in platinum and yellow gold.
Her accessories collection is quirky, classic, and covetable, though her biggest want is hard-to-find vintage Cartier jewelry. Apart from that, she jokes that all she needs is some extra space. Her white-washed built-in closets, original to her 1950 CenPho home, are packed with pieces she's collected over the years, including some gorgeous hats from Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci, Saks, and Dior. A bright blue cloche she picked up in France looks and feels like suede, but Guerriero explains it's made of a treated felt.
With so many options available, it could prove a challenge pulling together outfits every day. Guerriero says it comes down to her fashion philosophy: "We're already a blank canvas. Focus on one piece and build everything around it." For best results, she recommends hunting through men's vintage stores, not over-accessorizing, and, above all, finding something that makes you feel pretty.
Off the cuff, she styles an Eygpt-inspired Mara Hoffman dress with a striped and patterned caftan -- not something the average person would pair together. But it works -- and dazzlingly. Much like the rest of her worldly wardrobe, it's inspiring.
