I have the best memories of playing Rummy with my Grammy when I was little: sitting across from her in her cat-eye glasses, eating too much candy, listening to her tell stories about the time she won the radio jingle contest, or the time she wore a trench coat on the bus in Allentown, Pennsylvania, sat quietly, and then a few stops later revealed the one-woman band hiding beneath her coat (a ukelele, cymbals strapped to the inside of her knees, a kazoo).

We'd start by saying we'd play Rummy 500, the first person to 500 points wins! And as one of us crept closer, I'd say, "How about we play to 1,000?" 5,000 even.

Grammy was funny and sassy and she listened to me. She taught me to listen, too. And she taught me to love old things--the gold clock above her mantle (now above mine), her faux fur coats smelling faintly of smoke and sweetness, her tiger eye jewelry. They were pieces that helped tell the story of who she was, clues to the one-woman band just below the surface, waiting for the right moment to play.

I like vintage because of the stories it tells, the strong women I imagine wearing the clothes before me, finding ways to be themselves and speak their minds even during times in history when those things weren't as welcome as they are today. And I love imagining vintage fashion helping women find ways to express themselves, to be unique, and to use history to empower themselves.

I hope you'll be inspired by what Rummy has to offer! If you have any questions, please drop me a note. I'd love to hear from you.