21 Days of Street Style: Day 9, Monique, 4th St

Monique described her style to me as "casual" and "witchy." She wears mostly black and shops mostly at thrift stores, including Philly AIDS Thrift and Moon and Arrow, where she works. Everything she's wearing in this outfit she bought second-hand, though she uses the term "vintage" instead. It's a fine distinction. We apply it to used clothing and other objects to which we attach cultural cachet. Second-hand is clothing picked through in the bargain bin. Vintage is clothing "curated" by a boutique. There's a simple formula you can use to tell the difference: Second-hand prestige and/or nostalgia = vintage.