Owners of Lost and Found Vintage, The Velvet Tower and Virgie Geroux Vintage dish on their favorite fall trends, what they can’t leave home without and their best vintage finds.
By Eden Lichterman
Photography by Sylvia Jarrus
1. What’s your favorite vintage trend for fall?
Amanda Khoury, co-owner of Lost and Found Vintage: I don’t really follow trends, but one that I find particularly interesting is the resurgence of 1980s clothing/fashion.
Emily Bernstein, owner of The Velvet Tower: People have been opposed to shoulder pads for quite some time now. It’s been exciting seeing the “bold shoulder” on the runways recently, and I’m looking forward to styling people with pieces from the past that play with this different silhouette.
Kelly Sykes, owner of Virgie Geroux Vintage: I’m obsessing over vintage 1930s and 1940s silk nightgowns worn as dresses with over-sized plaid or paisley shawls and chunky boots — to die for!

Vintage nightgowns, robes and lingerie inside Virgie Geroux Vintage in Pontiac.
2. Who’s your vintage style icon?
Khoury: My mother.
Bernstein: I love the ‘70s, and Bianca Jagger is one fashion icon that stands out to me. She is fearless, seriously rocks a suit and has channeled her “it girl” status into positive global influence.
Sykes: I’m currently in love with the style of Millicent Rogers. The way she wore Native American turquoise jewelry with modern, fancy attire really speaks to me right now.

Clothes hang inside The Velvet Tower vintage shop in Hamtramck.
3. What’s one vintage item you can’t leave home without?
Khoury: Hmm… this is a tough one. A good pair of clip-on earrings, I guess!
Bernstein: Something with a loud pattern! Either a dress, scarf or purse — I always like to have at least one colorful statement piece.
Sykes: My vintage turquoise rings — always on, no matter what I’m wearing or where I’m going.

Vintage accessories inside The Velvet Tower.
4. What’s your favorite vintage find of all time?
Khoury: Gosh, another tough one! I have a lot of favorites so it’s hard for me to pick one. However, I do cherish my collection of vintage Pink Floyd T-shirts.
Bernstein: I’m always excited to find pieces from the early 20th century — a 1920s dress or Victorian boots. These feel more like historical artifacts and are great additions to the collection.
Sykes: I recently purchased my first vintage Squash Blossom Necklace. It was made by the Zuni tribe, and I am obsessed with it.

Vintage T-shirts and jeans inside Lost and Found Vintage in Royal Oak.
5. If you could have one person, dead or alive, shop in your store, who would it be and why?
Khoury: There isn’t really one person in particular that stands out in my mind. Anyone that is interested in vintage clothing and wants to have a fun shopping experience is welcome to come in.
Bernstein: In a fantasy world, it would be a dream to have the women in my family who have passed away come into the showroom or to a pop-up. My grandmothers and my mother all had different senses of creativity and style that have shaped what I collect today.
Sykes: My late grandfather, Rudy, and my late grandmother, Alice. I want to believe they would both get a huge kick out of what I do and also would see the influences they have had on my life.
Lost and Found Vintage
510 S. Washington Ave., Royal Oak
248-548-6154
The Velvet Tower
9392 Charest St., Hamtramck (by appointment)
thevelvettower@gmail.com
Virgie Geroux Vintage
7 N. Saginaw St. Suite 2C, Pontiac
248-255-5039
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