Author Archives: Elisa Casas

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About Elisa Casas

ELISA CASAS (that’s me) was born and raised in New York City. I have a BFA in Photography from NYU and worked as a photojournalist and talent scout for major record labels before opening Chelsea Girl in 1993. I also owned Laurel Canyon Vintage, Clutch! and a popular cafe, City Girl Cafe, and I starred in the groundbreaking Sundance series, “Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys” with my best friend, David Munk. I like pomegranates, clouds, “Exile on Main Street,” birthdays, ancient ruins, the beach, abstract art, cypress trees, “Annie Hall,” old diamonds, Almodovar, clam shacks, surprises, Anne Boleyn, popcorn, “Rebecca,” margaritas, pugs, apple pie and castles in Spain. I live in TriBeCa with my fashionable daughter, Ruby. Follow Chelsea Girl on Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/ChelseaGirlVintage and Instagram-ChelseaGirlVintage

Just Say No To “Fast Fashion”

Posted on August 10, 2012 by Elisa Casas

Elizabeth L. Cline’s book, “Overdressed,” is a fascinating look at the impact that “fast fashion” has on the economy, the environment and on us. The way clothing is manufactured, marketed and disposed of has completely changed in the past 20 … Continue reading →

Posted in "fast fashion", "Made In China", elisa casas, Elizabeth Cline, Forever 21, H&M, ILGWU, Levi, Over-Dressed, Polyester, Target, Thrift Shops, vintage clothing, wear vintage, Zara | 3 Comments

Shame on Ralph Lauren, the US Congress and Us, Too

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Elisa Casas

Ralph Lauren, who was awarded the contract to design and manufacture the opening ceremony uniforms for the US Olympic team, admitted last week that the uniforms were made entirely in China. The announcement was a surprise to oblivious, seemingly naive … Continue reading →

Posted in "Made In China", 2012 olympics, congress, olympics, ralph lauren, ralph lifshitz, RL, Uncategorized, vintage clothing | Tagged | Leave a comment

Indian Wrap Skirts

Posted on July 11, 2012 by Elisa Casas

I’ve always loved Indian wrap skirts from the 70s. They’re made of that thin, soft cotton that feels like it’s been washed forever (but is actually just finely loomed) and they look great with a tank and flat sandals or … Continue reading →

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Cowboy Boots: A Social Experiment

Posted on May 13, 2012 by Elisa Casas

There’s no footwear that epitomizes America like the classic boot originally worn by cattle drivers in the 1860’s in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Influenced by the “vaquero” tradition imported from Spain, boot makers like Justin and Hyer (who still make … Continue reading →

Posted in "vintage is green", cowboy boots, cowgirls, elisa casas, folded down, history of cowboy boots, rodeo, turned down, Uncategorized, vintage boots, wear vintage, wild west | 1 Comment

May Day March

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Elisa Casas
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In Honor of Earth Day, 12 Easy Tips to Help the Environment

Posted on April 22, 2012 by Elisa Casas

Today, Earth Day, is a great day to make a commitment to do as many things as you can to help our environment! And nearly all of these suggestions will save you money as well. Start by doing one or … Continue reading →

Posted in "vintage is green", earth day, environment, how to, plastic bags, save the environment, save the planet, stop dirinking bottled water, tips, vintage clothing | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Vintage Trawlin’ in N’awlins

Posted on April 15, 2012 by Elisa Casas

Ruby and I visited New Orleans this past weekend to check out Tulane, her first choice school, and of course no visit to any city is complete without scoping out the vintage clothing stores and thrift shops. Here’s my review: … Continue reading →

Posted in "vintage is green", branch out vintage, buffalo exchange, elisa casas, french quarter antiques, funky monkey, Goodwill, lili new orleans, New Orleans, new orleans best vintage, no fleas market, retroactive new orleans, Sustainable clothing, the garage french quarter, thrift, Thrift Shops, trashy diva, Uncategorized, vintage clothing, wear vintage | 1 Comment

“Where Do You Get Your Stuff?”

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Elisa Casas

The most common question customers ask me is, “Where do you get your stuff?” The brazen nature of the question (do customers really expect me to give away my sources?) always irritates me, so depending on my state of mind … Continue reading →

Posted in "vintage is green", best dressed, chelsea girl, elisa casas, estate sale, Livia Firth, Sustainable clothing, vintage clothing, wear vintage | Tagged | 2 Comments

Why I Like Old Things

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Elisa Casas

As a vintage clothing dealer, there are three basic questions that I get asked: How did I become interested in vintage clothing, where do I get my stuff, and (not this directly) how the hell do I know what I’m … Continue reading →

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Sustainable Gowns (and Tuxes) at the Oscars

Posted on February 27, 2012 by Elisa Casas

The 84th Annual Academy Awards were last night, and I’m surprised to report that Natalie Portman was the only actress who wore vintage: she looked stunning in a 1954 red Dior gown. But even though I was disappointed that there … Continue reading →

Posted in "vintage is green", academy awards, best dressed, best dresses, chelsea girl, elisa casas, jean desses, julia roberts, lanvin, Livia Firth, Marisa Tomei, meryl streep, natalie portman, oscars, penelope cruz, red carpet, reese witherspoon, renee zellweger, Sustainable clothing, vintage clothing, vintage dior, vintage oscars, vintage valentino | Leave a comment