treasure hunting : an interview with Sara from Waiste by Emily

Tell us a little about yourself...

My name's Sara, I live in East London with my boyfriend and my fluffy little black cat, Herschy. I run a vintage website called Waiste, a hand-picked bohemian vintage site which specializes in pieces from the 60s and 70s, and I also run a blog of the same name.

We love your Bohemian vintage style! Who or what is your inspiration?

Thank you, some of my absolute favourite style icons have to be Stevie Nicks, Pamela des Barres, Anita Pallenberg, and Marianne Faithful. Mary Kate Olsen and Erin Wasson are another two whose style I really admire.

It must be amazing to mix your passion for vintage dressing with your work life. Can you tell us how Waiste came about?

I think I’ve always had a feeling it was meant to happen. I’ve always loved vintage clothing; for me it’s never about following trends it’s more playing a character or dressing up, if you know what I mean? My vintage store Waiste came after the blog and it was a very natural progression to begin sourcing and selling vintage pieces that were similar to my personal style that people loved.

What were the challenges of setting up your own business?

Everything is a challenge to some extent, but they’re (mostly) fun, as I knew nothing about setting up a business, so I’ve learnt so much along the way. I think the initial quitting my job in fashion was the scariest part though.

And what has been your highlight?

Every single day has been a highlight for me. This is my dream job, it doesn’t even feel like a job as it’s so much fun, and the support and love people have shown for the brand has been incredible. I feel so incredibly lucky, I do actually have to pinch myself sometimes.

How do you about sourcing clothing and homeware for Waiste?

Treasure hunting is one of my favourite parts of the job - I travel all over the country hunting down unique pieces as well as sourcing and buying from all over the world.

Where do you hope your business will take you in the future?

Well, I definitely want to be doing this forever. I want to grow bigger and better and start my own collection too, as well as an in house jewellery line, more homeware, and start stocking brands too.

Finally what are your top tips for successful vintage shopping?

1. Always check an item thoroughly for stains/tears/holes, as a lot of vintage isn’t in great condition; sewing a button back on is one thing, but a zip or a massive hole is another.
2. Wear suitable clothing! The amount of times I’ve got kimono fringe or something caught when rummaging (never learn); stick to a simple basic outfit so you can try things on quickly.
3. Always keep an eye out wherever you go - You never know where you might find incredible pieces.

Be sure to check out all the vintage treasures at Waiste, as well as Sara's awesome blog at waiste.blogspot.co.uk.

Emily is a Retail Manager and lover of all things Fashion. You can find her over on Instagram. Find more posts by Emily here...