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BUZZ

The Santa Monica
vintage shop

15 Feb 2023

We took a day trip to to visit our friends Brooke and Johnny, owners of Carny Couture, a sweet vintage clothing and home goods shop in Southern California.

As we began to explore, we were swept into a visual wonderland, pulled into what felt like endless rooms…each imagined in a thoughtful, artful presentation of vintage clothing, furniture, rugs, baskets, hats, jewelry, pictures, luggage and every home goods item in between. It was simply stunning.

There’s a cohesiveness to the shop that can be challenging to achieve with one-of-a-kind items, and Brooke has nailed it.


Carolyn Murphy

MOTHER

A guide to vintage
shops in Los Angeles

5 Nov 2021

Los Angeles has been described as 27 suburbs acting as a city – one that has been rooted in the creative film and TV industries all contributing to the city’s expressive, one-of-a-kind style. To fuel the wardrobes of its fashion-inclined inhabitants, L.A is scattered with diverse thrifting opportunities for every style and budget. If you’re willing to do some sifting for the best price, head to a classic donation-based store like Goodwill, Out of the Closet or St. Vincent de Paul. Or try one of L.A.’s coveted flea markets like The Rose Bowl or Melrose Trading Post. For more curated finds, check out a vintage shop or dealer that’s already done the digging for you. Whether you’re hunting down a jacket crafted from a 1930s quilt or faded souvenir tees from the 90s, L.A.’s vintage scene has a little something for everyone. Here are a few of MOTHER’s favorites.


LA Times

Our list of over 80 women-owned businesses in L.A. From plants to clothes to architecture

by Lisa Boone
3 Mar 2021

We’ve been fortunate to meet some of L.A.’s most creative female entrepreneurs over the years, from celebrated architects to ceramists who work out of their home studios.

We’ve met their shop dogs, their kids — even their chickens — and been humbled by their creativity. Kelly Wearstler may be one of the nation’s most glamorous interior designers, but we’ll never forget the timewe took her bargain shopping at Cost Plus World Market. (She splurged on a black-and-white African pattern rug for $119.)

In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8, we’ve assembled a list of women-owned businesses in and around Los Angeles with a focus on architecture, fashion, interiors, landscape design and houseplants.


Lived-In Style

Discover savvy tips for buying vintage clothing, straight from a dealer’s mouth

by Shelby Deering
13 Feb 2021

As a one-time art teacher, it’s no wonder that Brooke Bailey has forever been drawn to all-things-visual. These days, she’s wearing the art though, in the form of stunning vintage clothing which she purveys through her business, Carny Couture. Her love for vintage started at a young age when she’d hit up rummage sales at local churches with her mom, who taught her all about quality and good fabric. Their hunts for cashmere, silk, and linen served as an early education for the ins and outs of vintage clothing. Today, she plays host to nearly 10,000 Instagram followers (@carnycouture) and is a fan favorite at vintage shows. She weighs in on some of her best tricks of the trade.


CLUTCH Magazine

Carny Couture moves to larger space in West Adams

by Mayiko Naito
26 Mar 2020

Carny Couture used to share a large warehouse in Atwater Village near the Griffith Observatory, but now they have opened their own store. The location is in West Adams, an area just west of downtown.

As I walked through the residential area, I found a new Carny Couture with a big entrance and a feeling of liberation. A very open atmosphere where everyone suddenly steps in. Furniture and interior goods are lined up in the foreground.


LA Times

From rugs to aged Levis, shop for must-have vintage items at this new West Adams store

by Lisa Boone
26 Sep 2019

Brooke Bailey has always dreamed of a minimalist lifestyle but admits it’s just not in her DNA.

“I am a nester,” Bailey says with a sly smile. “I like 1930s and ’40s quilts and textiles, camp blankets, woods and natural fibers.”

She also likes romantic Victorian tops, vintage rugs and the Japanese ceramics she sources from estate sales, local flea markets and the Brimfield Antique Flea Market in Massachusetts.

“Jewelry, home and clothes all overlap,” Bailey says. “Buy impulsively,” she adds with a laugh. “It’ll all work out.”