Detroit Weekends with Amber

All pieces are linked at bottom.

CS: This probably doesn’t come as a surprise, but Amber and I are pretty close. Living several states apart gives us separation anxiety, so less than two weeks after I went to Chicago to see her, she flew to Detroit for the weekend. We spent most of our time running around hitting up our favorite spots in the city. It was pretty chilly here, so sweaters and layers were a must.

AV: While we try to see each other as much as possible, we still fit a ton into every trip. This time, I hopped off the plane, Claire scooped me up, and we got right to work. Within an hour we found ourselves at one of our favorite spots for unique fashion finds, Lost and Found Vintage in Royal Oak, Michigan. I was still in my travel outfit, but I try to find a balance between comfort and style-I need to be ready for anything when I’m with Claire! I threw my Maude leather jacket over a flowy Vince Camuto tank, a pair of skinny Michael Kors pants with the perfect amount of strech for a plane ride, my Nikes for strolling around the airport, and my new baby: this Michael Kors tote holds everything I need without weighing me down.

CS: On Saturday morning we headed out to an estate sale in one of Detroit’s most beautiful and historic neighborhoods, Indian Village. Most of the homes there were built at the turn of the century and are absolutely gorgeous, so we went for a walk after the sale to admire all of the other houses and the tall trees lining the streets.

CS: The only thing I love more than a good sweater is a good sweater dress. This grayscale mini came from Old Navy and is super warm. I layered it with an army green Steve Madden coat I’ve had for years, then paired it with my lace up Ugg booties and some black tights. A little style secret here: these tights are not your typical black fashion tights. They’re Capezio and are made for the dance studio, so it’s pretty hard to snag holes in them. They are designed to stand up to friction and lots of motion. The waistband is an actual elastic waistband, so they’ll never slide down like regular tights do. I’ve had this pair for over five years and worn them more times than I could ever count (both for fashion and for dance classes), and they still look and feel brand new. They cost a few dollars more than regular tights, but if you’re going to wear tights this winter, invest in a pair of these!

AV: I too am partial to dance tights, but if you must buy regular tights, allow me to let you in on a little secret that will change your life: before you wear them for the first time, run them under warm water, wring them out, put them in an air-tight bag, and stick them in the freezer overnight. Let them thaw out for a day and I can guarantee you’ll never see a run again. The cold strengthens the fibers, and makes a mid-day fashion faux-pas less likely.

CS: After that, we made a stop at my favorite bookstore in the world, John King Books. It’s housed in an old factory in downtown Detroit. The building is very cool, but it was also a little chilly in there thanks to the old windows, so I was glad I dressed warmly.

CS: On Sunday we paid a visit to the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn. I’ve seen the enormous collection many times, but I never get tired of walking through it all again. This time, however, there was a special exhibit. Titled “American Style and Spirit: 130 years of Fashions and Lives of an Entrepreneurial Family,” the exhibit displays over a century of fashion discovered in an attic. The clothing belonged to members of the Roddis family, and thanks to the family’s attention to detail and preservation of photos and letters, each piece has a detailed history. There are even old photos of the garments when they were originally worn. It’s an absolutely incredible exhibit, and I know I’ll be back to see it a few more times before it leaves on April 2. My favorite piece was a silk taffeta evening gown with an enormous purple velvet bow on the back, worn in the 1930’s.

AV: This was my first time at the Henry Ford. Claire and I are both old souls and I was in heaven for most of our day there. I collect vinyl (hunting for records usually takes up about 25% of my time in Detroit, and God bless Claire’s patience as I sift through every record bin in the city). The museum had this wonderful listening booth filled with albums from the ’60s. I couldn’t resist! Claire snapped this picture of me which just so happens to show off the tweed and leather Rag & Bone skirt I found at a Salvation Army in Royal Oak just the day before. I paired it with a Marc Jacobs scarf that I will wear until the day I die and a Cynthia Rowley long sleeve top with mesh inserts.

CS: I wasn’t dressed quite as glamorously as the clothes in the exhibit, but I was at least wearing a vintage coat. I found it in an antique store in Fenton, Michigan over the summer. The coat is around 80 years old and is in amazing condition. I plan to wear it a lot this winter. I love the color of the wool and its structured shape. I paired it with a formfitting turtleneck, black leggings, pointy toed flats, and a Kate Spade purse.