Emma Chamberlain Shares Her Top Tips for Vintage Shopping

22:04Emma Chamberlain:And I made sure to wear them as much as possible, even when it was sort of inappropriate for the setting that I was in. I mean, dolphins should be allowed in all spaces. All spaces. Not to go back to vintage, gotta know where you're shopping. Yes. Okay, well, I mean, I... Bay Area, New York, anywhere. Ooh, I mean, okay, I'm very much the type of person where I don't have, like, one fave vintage store. Okay. Like, I'm not like, oh, I'm hitting this spot every single time, and this is, like, my go-to. Okay. Like for me, when I'm in New York, we'll start there because I'm here. Chinatown. I'm bopping around.

22:34Emma Chamberlain:You know what I mean? I'm going to James Valoria. I know. But also all the little shops up in that little shopping center. Yes. It's really become an interesting like mecca of vintage shopping. But then right off of Dime Square or whatever, there's so many little spots you can pop into. So that's wonderful. I also like, but even to, where is it? It's like near Orchard on Orchard. there's like some I love those I've like really scored on those okay Los Angeles I would say well I love the Rose Bowl Flea yes I haven't been in it yet and I'm dying to go it's so wonderful and it's I mean it's massive and it's so overwhelming but it's cool because it's I don't know it feels very LA and it's all in one place are you a negotiator like no no no I don't Christian and I both like to haggle I'm like a tipper I'm just I'm at a place in my life where I'm like if I love something I'm just so grateful I found it I'm like take the full price here's also an extra$10 I'm just so lucky I don't want to buy something unless I'd pay more for it than it's worth almost okay because it's so special if that makes sense no it does I found this like amazing pair it's my favorite pair of pants right now it's this like vintage pair of cream work pants they're like the perfect fit and I found them at the Rose Bowl Flea and I like tried them on at the Flea I think which was honestly like a little bit of a wild experience because it's not on the open not fully I mean I would by the way I wear granny panties it's like right off the beach let me just whatever but I think I got into one of those little tents and I'm like whatever and then I'm like trying to find a mirror and I'm whatever and I look in the mirror and I was like whoa those are good and I was so stoked I was like I said to myself in my head I was like I don't care how much these are I don't care if there's some sort of weird rare pant like I will drop Japanese dinner only one I was like 200 for these even though they're like kind of decrepit and they're like stained let's do it I don't remember how much they were because I didn't even care I was like these are perfect to me and that is my new shopping philosophy is like I want something to be so perfect it's a no brainer I like a find I like a diamond in the rough I have a hot take question with vintage because I'm kind of disgusting and I won't clean anything when I buy it what's our thoughts on this?

24:52I'm dry cleaning sorry wait no you go first you go first I like, it's known around the office, which is weird. Wear vintage underwear, vintage everything. Yeah, you do. No problem with putting it on my body. Right out of the, and I'm like a digger. I will go to like anywhere. Right off, just straight away. Do not care. Straight away. I open it up, put it on. I do not care. I know. Underwear is next level. I know, I know. And also like the places that I go is I go to like warehouses where I'm wearing like full dishwasher gloves, pulling through. Try it all on. As soon as I get home, I don't care.

25:26Okay. Wear it if I want. I know. This makes me feel particularly clean. You're like, your growth got away from me. I'm a very clean person normally. I will like wash it obviously eventually. And I wash everything, like hand wash everything in the bathtub. So I'm doing laundry every night because like the cycle of doing it. But yeah, I don't. I'm not judging. Here's the thing. And then sometimes I get distracted and wear it around. Totally.

25:49Emma Chamberlain:Yeah. I don't think you're grimy for that, by the way. I'm not judging you at all. However, there was like a rumor for many, for the first like five years of my career that I was a grimy girl. Oh, really? Yes. I feel like I've never heard this word. Wow, so now bring it back. Yeah, bring it back. No, but everybody, I like made one joke once that I don't shower or something and then it lasted for like five years, whatever. But I've gotten progressively more grossed out as I've gotten older, like a bit more scared of like things like lice. Yeah, you are like aware. Or like little mites or like little, or like what if you put on a pair of like a little, like there's some things.

26:22Emma Chamberlain:you can get. I know. And I think I become, I think my health anxiety has gotten worse as I've gotten older. So it's not even that it's like gross to me. It's more like I literally get it dry cleaned. I will throw it straight in the wash. I'm doing that. But then again though, I'm at the Rose Bowl Flea trying on my favorite pants. Yeah, yeah. And like, but underwear, I think the underwear, I think that's where I draw the line. I think I've hit my limit. But I love that you would do that and you gotta see if it fits. Yeah. True. I'm like really hardcore about it and I'm just sort of like whatever, doesn't bother me.

26:53What do you think is like, Christian's like, end up this, stop it. I'm like, next question.

26:56Emma Chamberlain:I loved it. I loved it. And I hope, and they will probably cut it, but I hope we keep it in. No, I love it. I want to know what the wildest thing you've ever found is. Like, out of vintage store, market, your holiest grail, like, what is the craziest thing? Okay, I will say I have this vintage Jean-Paul Gaultier top that is already chic. Already off to a good start. No, well, listen, I also have like some random, like, you know what I mean? But this is the coolest piece I think I have. And it's this top. It's maroon. It's like sweatshirt material. And it's a three-quarter. Three-quarter. Three-quarter.

27:30Emma Chamberlain:But it's not even three-quarter. It's like, it's a little longer than three-quarter. Whatever. And it has like a wide neck. It's maroon. And it has two little pockets on the tummy here. And you can put your hands in, and it's gloves. Chic. No, it's the coolest thing I've ever found. And it's like so me in a top. Wow. And that is my best vintage find. That's a good one. It's a surprise and delight. Are you, though, coming into it being like, I want this JPG top? Or did you find it and fall in love with it? Or is there two? There's like a surprise thing I hope I find. And then, like, I'm leaving it open to the vintage gods also.

28:04Emma Chamberlain:Well, if I'm in person, I'm just, like, letting it come to me. Like, it's, like, full free for all. And I am just letting the vintage designer gods show me the light, okay? However, online, I do have, like, certain brands that I know I have. Looking for. Like I love vintage CDG. I love Margiela, JPG. Like there's certain brands that I know just like have a plethora of vintage that I love. Yeah, totally. That I think we all love, by the way. Like, hello. There's competition out there. I know. Are you a bidder? Do you bid? But the gambling can be kind of fun. Yeah. Of it all in life in general, right?

28:42Emma Chamberlain:But I'm not, that's not where I'm at. I want to be obsessed and be like, this is something that I'm going to wear for years to come. I'm so convinced. It's like, say yes to the dress level. That's the one deal. It's a deal. That aligns with your closet ethos, I like. Yeah. It does, yeah. It really does align with it. I'm glad I've arrived here. It was a long journey. The Run Through will be back in a minute.

29:14I'm a big believer in making room for what's to come. In this case, it's literally making space in my closet for the items that I've had on my eBay watch list, like a Paloma Picasso book bag that looks like an actual book with a raised spine and everything and a gorgeous little tassel, a Jill Sander iridescent jacket and trousers, Dior vintage wool suits. I've bought four and two were backed by authenticity guarantee and all of them fit like a glove. I like letting something go and investing in what I want the next phase of my life to look like. And eBay always helps make it a reality. I'm already thinking about what I can post next on eBay.

29:47Maybe it's the pink knit Mew Mew miniskirt that I have not worn.

29:58I don't know what we are and are not allowed to say, but if you were going to attend the Met, would you have already picked your outfit out?

30:06Emma Chamberlain:Oh, we're working. Okay. Oh, we're working. We're working. We are working. We're deep in the face. We're in the process. We have sketches. Oh, okay. See, I mean, we're like a month and a half out. Well, I'm really fortunate because I work with you all. I, you know, I do a little bit of what y 'all are doing. I do it a little bit. I'm really fortunate that, you know, you know how it is. Like, Met invites kind of, they're like trickling in sometimes for some people until like the last week. Brands are filling the tables. It's a whole thing. And I'm so fortunate that I get my sort of invite a little earlier because I'm kind of working the day.

30:43Emma Chamberlain:and so it's so cool because I get a lot of time. You're like a Met veteran almost. Yeah, but I don't expect anything and no one ever should. Like, you cannot, like, you cannot assume your position. Like, every year I'm like, this could be the last year and that is absolutely okay with me. I am so grateful that I've ever been able to do it and I am, like, if I get kicked out and I never get to go to another Met, the fact that I got to go to, what, this will be like my, Yeah, what is it? Six? Yeah. How many have you been to? Almost six too, I think. We might have had six. But do you still get nervous?

31:16Oh. It seems nervous. You don't seem nervous at all. You don't. How do you prepare for like talking to celebs, talking to people? I mean, you're a celebrity yourself. You do it all the time, I'm sure. But like on camera.

31:28Emma Chamberlain:I mean, I think something that brings me a lot of peace, I think now at this point, is that I've done it so many times before. However, I do still feel it's one of those things where like I really want to evolve it. I feel like really inspired by like, how can I improve this? I think my greatest anxiety is it's so short, you know? Yeah. Like you get two minutes with somebody right before they're about to go out on the carpet. And a lot of times they're nervous because they're about to walk the biggest carpet of the year. And it's like everyone's, there's so much pressure. Like I know that feeling because I do that part as well.

32:05Emma Chamberlain:So it's a really interesting, it's an interesting dynamic where you want to be disarming. you don't want to like overwhelm people with questions they're not necessarily like perfectly prepared for it but then also too you want to ask interesting questions but then you also don't want to like the Met is such like a there's so much complexity to the event and all this so you also don't want to like bombard somebody it is this dance and I think I would like to believe that every year I get better at it I really I'm this year I'm I'm manifesting like exponential growth I'm like I want to like I want to lock in this year I'm ready.

32:41Emma Chamberlain:And maybe I'm jinxing myself. And you all can hold me accountable and say, Emma, you did not lock in. You said you were going to and you didn't. But I was going to ask you, you're so great, obviously, at creating these viral moments on the carpet. We could talk about Jack Harlow, but we won't. But I'm sure you've been asked a million times. But like... People love it. People love that moment. Can you plan like these amazing viral moments? Or is it really just like you got to hope and pray that you really vibe with someone? Or how does that work? Like you really are good at creating these amazing moments on the carpet.

33:09It is fully, like, to be honest, if you want to know what the real experience is for me, my approach is fully feel-based based on the exact, and I don't want to plan ahead because I

33:24Emma Chamberlain:know how complicated the situation is emotionally, timing-wise, you know, so it's very spur of the moment and going off of people's answers, what they say. Does it seem like they want to keep it surface level? They don't want to dig into anything right now. And they also don't want to talk about the day they've had. They just want to, like, talk about the look and... Get on out. Because sometimes that's the way it is, and that's totally understandable and great. Sometimes people, I can feel like, oh, people are looser. And then I just have fun with it and let loose and play and hope that the editors don't cut my jokes because they were too funny because sometimes that happens.

34:02Everyone's laughing too hard. A little too hard.

34:04Emma Chamberlain:I'm being a little too silly. That happens to me a lot with this podcast. It's fine. But honestly, though, I think that's how you create viral moments. You cannot plan it. You cannot. And because the audience can weirdly feel that. They want to feel like they caught something. So if anything feels remotely manufactured, that will not go viral. You never know it's going to go viral. I swear, every viral moment I've had, there haven't been that many, but every moment, it's been completely unpredictable. You're like, that? That was the moment? I know. like the Jack Harlow I would have never whatever and it's which is super cool I mean I think but that's also the magic of like not going in with a super rigid plan like I think we were able to riff because we just had that energy totally but again that's also not necessary in every interview you're not going to have that in every interview some are going to be a bit more professional and I think that that can also be interesting and intriguing in its own way totally so obviously I'm beauty and wellness editor I want to know what are you do you do anything to prep?

35:06Are you getting facials? Are you meditating to get your cortisol down? What is your sleep score? If you are tracking it, tell me. Pre-met, post-met, I don't care, just like in your life. But also when you have a big event like this. Like I'm going to get facials and I'm working downstairs, like typing away on my little laptop because I'm like, I want to look pretty in the building.

35:25Emma Chamberlain:Yeah. No, I mean it's also like fun to like get into the, I don't know, it's a really glamorous, like exciting, it almost feels like a pageant. and like I really enjoy the sort of the novelty of that experience and I'm not aloof to sort of like how in some ways ridiculous I think it's like it can be almost ridiculous the prep the drama of like putting together this look when it's like but it is so much fun and it is such a special thing so I like I don't think there's anything wrong with leaning into it and I definitely do I love it I will say in general I definitely am secretly health and wellness girly.

36:04Emma Chamberlain:Oh, let's hear it. But like in the way that I like drink my electrolytes. I love my hot yoga. I love walking. I walk a lot. Okay. That's like something that's coming with the rotation the last year and a half. It's not 10 ,000 steps. It's 20. Oh God, 20? It's ridiculous. I was going to say, I can't. No, it's 10 for me. Okay. And I try to walk outside, get the vitamin D going. That's very important to me. You know, I try to cook my own meals. as much as possible. Lots of fiber going. I want to ask about Forbidden Fruit. Yes. Yeah, we have to ask about it. Yes. Because you've made your acting debut recently.

36:42Will you tell us what that experience was like?

36:44Emma Chamberlain:It was like the perfect introduction to acting for me and a great like experience because it was the perfect size. Like it was a gorgeously petite role. You know what I mean? Gorgeously petite. I got to pop in, experience it, and pop out. Was it a day? Like a day shoot? It was two days. I think I was there for like two and a half days, like whatever, which is so short. And everybody else was there for like a month. I really wanted to experiment with it, try it in a way that was petite. You know what I mean? Like a bit more, because I want to make sure that I'm, I don't want to be taking a lead role and not be ready for that.

37:24Emma Chamberlain:But I also think too, how do you know how you feel about the experience until you do it? like you can only prep so much and understand so much before you just kind of gotta throw yourself into the deep end of course and I mean I loved it I really love the structure I'm really used to doing everything myself in my life and career for the most part and so this was really cool to like step into somebody else's vision and kind of let go and like it's not me I'm being somebody else you know what I mean I'm dressing as somebody else the glam is everything it was like yeah did you find that easier than you expected to be like a character well I guess I do do that a lot especially in like going to fashion week editorial shoots I definitely but that's definitely a different type of character right like that's almost like it's a bit more sexy you know what I mean it's a bit it's like whereas this was this was like I'm turning into a completely different person yeah literal character not like a built up version of me so but I really enjoyed that and I really enjoyed the whole experience I thought it was like I felt more comfortable than I thought I would and whether or not I did a good job is up to debate y 'all can debate that today isn't it out today as we're recording this which is really cool I'm honestly embarrassed about my kissing scene because I think I had a kissing scene and let me tell you I can't watch it so I will never know wait I go like this how do you prepare for a kissing scene in a movie you no actually I was like shockingly chill about it because I was like at the time that we shot it like I was fully in a relationship and I was like joking around about it with my boyfriend at the time and he was like you got this he was like do you want to practice?

38:57Emma Chamberlain:I was like, I don't know. What do I do? But then I showed up and the dude I shot it with, he was so cool and we just like, we're like, let's just have fun with it. It's like not a big deal. It's not that deep. And also like, we don't like each, it doesn't matter if we think the other's a good kisser. Who cares? Right. But it's weird to like, act while kissing. It's like, like, was that kiss me? No. Yeah. That wasn't like a me kiss. Right. I don't kiss like that. Right. So I think that's why it made me cringe too because I was like, already, I wouldn't, I've never seen myself kiss anyone before anyway, but then it wasn't even a me kiss.

39:28Emma Chamberlain:It was an acted kiss. So then I was like, ew, who is that? And I can't see it. But I think everybody struggles with seeing that. But it was really, it really pushed me out of my comfort zone in a way that was really inspiring. And I don't know what I'm going to do next in the acting zone. Okay, so a petite medium role next? There we go. Hey, you never know. I have no clue. I'm really in an intuitive phase of my career right now where I'm like, I have a lot of experimenting to do, to be honest, for this next phase. I'm an adult now, prefrontal cortex, locked in. I'm almost 25 in May. And so, I'm a completely different person and I need to like...

40:03That's a transformative age. It is. We'll say.

40:06Emma Chamberlain:But the internet, it's like, oh, it's really scary to like, be on the precipice of what's next on the internet because it's like, oh, I might need to pull back for a second and figure it out. And I've been like, trying to do that for so many years. Yeah. But I've never been able to do it all the way. and so it's I'm in a weird moment here but I'm stoked I feel really inspired though and excited to just try new things and hey you know if I get bullied hard enough out of something then I'll just try the next thing and that's how you started showering and that's when I took my first shower okay now we're gonna play our game we have like a little this or that so maybe Christian and I'll switch off okay it's all vintage themed okay and I'm gonna keep my answer short or do you want me to elaborate no you can elaborate a little bit okay a little I elaborate too much Roll in a petite elaboration.

40:52Perfect. I'll start. Vintage bags or vintage shoes?

40:55Emma Chamberlain:Vintage bags. Actually, vintage shoes. Vintage shoes. Wait, fuck. Vintage shoes, because I don't like putting my stuff. I don't mind my foot being near something that's maybe more used and stuff. The bag sometimes will smell like cigarettes and stuff, and I struggle with that a bit more. When I find a tissue in a vintage bag, it really makes it very— No, it's tough. Yeah. Also, too, I will put my phone in there and then put my phone up to my face. So it's a bit more intimate. So I would rather have a new bag. Okay. That's my answer. Why am I talking so fast? Vintage Levi's or vintage Wranglers?

41:28Levi's. Okay. I'm going to have a Levi's girl, too. I'm with you. Oh, this is going to be a hard one for you. Vintage JPG or vintage Galliano? Two hot ones on the market. I own more JPG. Okay. So I'm going to say JPG. Vintage leather or vintage denim?

41:44Emma Chamberlain:Ooh. Leather. because I do love leather and I prefer to have it vintage. Yes, totally. Whereas denim, I'm not necessarily opposed to a gorgeous new pair of denim. Yes, totally. If it was made so beautifully and whatever. But I do love vintage denim. So that's hard. Okay. Vintage Chanel, vintage Hermes. Two of the most luxurious brands in the world. You know what's wild? You don't own either. I have one Hermes. Hermes. Oh. Yeah, because I actually have a really cool tote bag that I love that is vintage. Yeah, that's my answer. But those are not my brands. Like, I'm not looking those up. Yes, yes.

42:23Emma Chamberlain:Interesting. Okay, so to close, we want to just know a quick hit on what your cultural diet is right now. Is there anything that you're loving? Is it that you're reading something? Are you listening to something? Is there a song you can't get out of your head? I was saying I'm learning the Midnight Sun Zara Larson dance right now. Are you going to learn it? She can't get out of my head now. Are you going to learn it with me and do it at the mat? What's happening? Okay, well, obviously, I need to get... See, I'm so off the internet. I don't scroll on anything. The only thing I do is watch YouTube.

42:50Emma Chamberlain:And I watch the most random, random things on YouTube. Like, it couldn't be more random. Like, I can't even give you, like, a genre because it's, like, it changes every day. Yeah. But I'll, like, watch, like, a video essay on Applebee's, and then my next video will be, like, a new music video from, like, an artist that I, like, know one song from, and for some reason the algorithm knew that I'd want to see that music video. It's very random. Okay. I will say my favorite song right now, Heavy Metal Drummer by Wilco. Weird. Weird. It also is like about me. I feel like I, it was like one of my favorite songs as a kid.

43:19Emma Chamberlain:Oh. And I heard the song again because my dad used to play it around me. And then I heard it again as an adult and it was something like shiny pants and bleach blonde hair and I was like, this is my song right now. I was like, that's so me. But also it's a great song. Great song. So I'm like on repeat, the plane's taking off, I'm having flight anxiety, heavy metal drummer, she fell in love with the drummer and other than another, she fell in love. Everything's fine. Oh, love. Well, on that note, thank you so much for coming. I know, me neither. Let's just stay. Thank you so much for joining us on the run through.

43:52Yes, we'll see you at the mat. We'll see you on the red carpet. We'll see you at Fashion Week. Yeah. Who knows? Who knows? This is just the beginning of us. There we go. I think so too. Okay, good. That's our show for today. Bye.

44:07The Run Through with Vogue is produced by Chelsea Daniel, Alex DePalma, and Alex John Burns with help from Emily Elias. The show is engineered by Brand Bandy and mixed by Mike Kutchman. Bye.

44:26One of the reasons I'm starting to sell on eBay is so that I can make room to start shopping the trends that I saw at Paris Fashion Week. One trend that I'm really loving right now, I'm sort of like loosely calling escapist analog because it's this homage to pre-cell phone, like pre-social media moments when everything was a physical copy, whether it was a DVD, a CD, a vinyl, a magazine, a book. You can obviously find pristine and perfect clothes on eBay, but if there's something that was really cherished by its owner and pre-loved, that's really cool too because there are frayed threads and a lot of visibly worn items walking the runway that really gives you permission to not let everything be too perfect.

45:10Right now, I do have my eye on some vintage J.Crew leather flats, and they're such high quality and really hard to find anymore. Also, there's a Whiting and Davis mesh top that is disco era, very dance club energy. And I've been watching it for a while and making best offers, but I have yet to woo the seller. But I'm still hopeful because now I do have a plan. I'm going to keep selling some of my own pieces on eBay and start making bids on my dream editions, because that's the circle of life for my wardrobe.