I have a clutch obsession. It started so long ago (way before they were a trend) that I've probably amassed at least 50. If you think about it, they are oh-so impractical. Most barely hold my lipstick, a very small wallet, and my BlackBerry, yet I covet them like no other accessory. My favorites are of course from my grandmother’s closet ... the perfect caramel-colored snakeskin, the beyond-chic black lizard frame bag with gold hardware and the white Gucci, lapis-embellished masterpiece ... OK, that one is in mom’s closet, but I get to borrow. That said, I also have quite a collection of fab finds that cost me about $50 each. So here goes -- I am about to give away one of my favorite little secrets.

I spend so much of my time teaching clients how to incorporate vintage into their wardrobes. Forget that you need an amazing eye and loads of patience to search though racks and racks of old stuff, but you also need to know what can be altered, refurbished, and even repurposed effectively. It isn’t easy ... that is until now. I recently discovered my newest vintage bible, Born-Again Vintage: 25 Ways to Deconstruct, Reinvent, and Recycle Your Wardrobe by Bridgett Artise and Jen Karetnick. The authors are the ultimate vintage-lovers and come from highly creative backgrounds. Artise has her own fashion label, B-Artise, which is available at EDGE*nyNOHO; Jen Karetnick is a writer and poet with work published in the New York Times and Women’s Health, to name a few.

I'm a sucker for a great love story -- especially one set in my favorite fashion decade, the 1960s. Most brands born of this chaotic and frenetic period of overt expression have not withstood the test of time, and those that have tried to self-resurrect have not done so successfully ... except for one, JanSport. Yes, the “backpack” line. JanSport was founded in the summer of 1967, the famed Summer Of Love. Three college graduates -- Skip, Murray, and Jan -- attempted to forgo the confines of a corporate existence, took Murray’s award-winning aluminum frame pack design, and turned it into perhaps the most successful outdoor gear brand in the world. So where's the love story?

I collect denim. I am obsessed with dark rinse, indigo, bleached, distressed, high waists, low rise, skinny legs, and full. I have so many pairs of jeans in my closet that sometimes I wonder if my life savings might actually be tied up in denim and not in shoes. I tend to prefer what is hot and new, though I sometimes discover the perfect pair in a vintage store ... sadly this is rare (Levis excluded). I hadn’t been truly able to marry my love of vintage with my desire for the perfect pair of “dungarees”. That is, until recently. A few months ago, I discovered the perfect new line of denim: MiH Jeans. Of course, I was thrilled to find my new trendy brand, but recently I had the pleasure of spending some time in the showroom where I learned that the line was actually born from an amazing vintage heritage.

As I was researching this story, I became more and more amazed that no one has really covered this lesser-known vintage enclave. Of course, BlackBook covered Jill and her daughter Alexandra Richards, touching on their love of vintage, but no mention of the genius vintage collection actually housed and for sale in the Jill Stuart stores. I am a huge Jill Stuart fan and own at least six of her fabulously girly frocks. I have always shopped the Soho store and was beyond excited when she opened her jewel of a venue in East Hampton a couple of years ago. It was out East that I started to truly appreciate Stuart’s amazing eye not only for relevant designer name vintage, but also for non-branded, must-have lace and crocheted pieces. I started to make frequent trips to the Soho store this fall, not only because I covet the brand, but also because I adore the vintage collection and the truly swanky environment it inhabits.

I love it when designers use vintage elements to inspire their collections; I love it even more when they don’t just reinterpret their vintage finds, but actually rise to the challenge and incorporate these found treasures into their designs. The creative forces beyond the barely year old line DanniJo -- Danielle and Jodie Snyder -- are such visionaries. They founded their brand on the principle that women use jewelry as a form of escapism ... a way to create a new persona. They also design with the purist of intentions; they simply want to help women take pride in themselves and to ultimately embrace their personal style sensibility.

New York City is supposed to have the best of the best in the world. I will immediately agree that we have the best food, the best nightlife, the best museums, theaters and art ... but when it comes to shopping, I am on the fence. We definitely have the most options, but we also have a plethora of the same-old same-old. Most chains play it safe and cater to the bottom line by carrying the same big brands. Most designer brands have flagship stores, and sadly due to the economy, most independent retailers are also risk-averse. What the fashion consumer is left with is a sea of ubiquity. Sure there are some amazing stores like Opening Ceremony and Odin that veer from the norm to support emerging talent, but other those, I think NYC retail is often a big yawn.

The solid-hued down vest was elevated to fashion-god status this season, with every menswear editor touting them as the must-have style enhancer. Men were told to wear them with sweaters, under coats, and even over -- and yes, under -- suit jackets. Bright colors were highly recommended, and labels like Moncler at about $400 and up were considered the smart investment. This trend was so hot and so universal that it would make perfect sense that brands would take note and jockey to place their own versions next fall. In fact, I just got a hot tip from a fashion insider who is not only predicting, but guaranteeing that this second coming will be in the form of 1980s vintage-inspired down vests.

Have you ever wondered where all of the fabulous vintage fashions come from? Of course, some proclaimed vintage is really vintage reproduction or knockoff, but the most novel finds often come from the back of someone’s closet -- oft forgotten, mothball-scented treasures from Chanel, YSL, Courreges, Halston, and so many others. Most go undiscovered for years, only to be excavated by a unique breed of vintage purveyor: the couture hunter. These fashionophiles forage the elusive estate sales for hidden designer gems, exhume them, and recondition them to their once-coveted state. Laurie Margolis and Jennifer Bandier are the ultimate couture hunters, and their company JBM Vintage specializes in one-of-a-kind fashion.

I was born in 1966, so my first fashion impressions were influenced by the end of the era of bohemian, free-love style and the beginning of the decade of disco glam. I remember loving my kid-friendly hot pants, mod dresses, and white go-go boots, even as a young girl always gravitating towards a more hippie-chic sensibility. I've carried these early references with me throughout my life, and I'll always will be drawn to throwback fashion. Only one store in New York City truly captures the nuances of early 70s style: Chelsea Girl Vintage. Located in Soho, this amazing find has a distinct vision. Most vintage stores are a hodgepodge -- rack after rack of clothes, a visual barrage of print and pattern, sensory overload! A hunter and peckers dream, but not easy to navigate for the newbie vintage shopper.