Mod Muse launches a website and, of course, an inevitable blog

There's something sacred about finding a vintage piece. Something that carries a story. Something that doesn't have the feeling of factory chemicals or worker exploitation woven into its seams. I've always been endlessly inspired by repurposing and rediscovering old items and making them new. I'm so excited to finally bring you a space where we can celebrate a new way of embracing vintage.

This website will serve as a space for anyone who is ready to break free from the microtrends and microplastics of fast fashion. I want this to feel like a collective of inspired people giving new life to gorgeous things, celebrating our individual styles, being weird and fun and cute and experimental.

Raised by vintage

My affinity for vintage and secondhand was born long before Mod Muse was even a twinkle on a sequin. When I wasn't at cheerleading practice or in detention for violating the dress code, I spent my afternoons at my mom's secondhand clothing store. The store was more than just a business; it was a place where we made memories, sparked inspiration and uncovered treasures. My small town didn't have much; with a population less than the attendance of a mall in the early 2000s on a semi-busy Saturday. But within the walls of that store, we made something that felt bigger. We created a rare space where we could express ourselves through fashion and bring bigger world ideas to our small town.

Watching my mother carefully select pieces, clean them, and present them with pride taught me the value of passion. She had a vision and she went with it. The most amazing part was she trusted me, her 12-year-old daughter, with that vision.

Opening day

We got our first set of mannequins for the window display. We stared, intimidated, at the hard, bare plastic. It was our blank canvas. While we were setting them up, my mom recommended that I style them. It felt like Gordan Ramsay just asked me to make him f*cking scrambled eggs. It was my moment.

I used the store as my palette and created my first looks. On one, a light wash raw hem Guess mini skirt, studded leather belt and the grungiest Ed Hardy tee I could find. I layered accessories until it she was sparkling like the Rockefeller tree. Next, I styled a 1990s distressed leather jacket over a vintage silver chainmail dress that laid like shimmering silk. Knee high leather boots were the cherry on top. We stepped outside to look at our work; we didn't have to say anything at all. It was perfect, so we opened the store.

Both outfits sold within the first hour.