Curated vintage for fashionable souls
​Ask for Janet is a vintage fashion passion project I launched in 2017…but Janet and I met much earlier. The year was 2013, and together, we came upon the boldest (and silkiest) vintage tropical blouse by Ms. Tops. We knew we both had to have it.
The thing about Janet is…she’s not a person, but a persona. A vibe. A sense of confidence and ownership and bossness that vintage fashion has given me. I found my sense of style, and with that, a sense that I could truly be comfortable in my own skin—and own myself in life.
My brand is a call for others to find their boss-ness through their personal style—and for me, vintage did that. What will it do for you?
Janet’s style aesthetic: bold, ‘80s, glam, career, boxy, big shoulders, big print, big leisure.
From the board room to the beach house
It’s closing day and you’ve come prepared. All you need is your faux alligator briefcase, your go-to pair of black mist pantyhose, and this red cotton knit number by Adrienne Vittadini Dresses. Bold without being brazen, it fits your form with chic precision. Its brassy coated buttons (15, to be exact) remind everyone that you’re number 1 because you know how to get the job done. When you meet your client outside meeting room C, your vibe exudes confidence and money. It’s your show and you’re running it. You open the door and he follows.
Hannah and Kate and Gina and Molly decided to go, so you decided that saying yes was in fashion. Turning on your email auto-response was easy but finding the perfect blouse for the girls’ trip was harder. That's when this totally tropical vintage Hawaiian shirt looked your way and made you exclaim, “Pretty bird.” Its neon blue color is more bombastic than Gina after 7 Mai Tais while bright yellow and orange flowers light up the night as you take things to day. And while the loose, easy fit is perfect for owning the dance floor or bar top, you know you can own it in any situation involving pants or not. OOOutstanding.
You enjoy wearing secretary dresses but cringe at the very notion of someone calling you, "secretary." That's why you want a dress that makes a strong style statement but shows you mean business. Case in point: this not-so-ordinary day dress. Its rich hues of purple, magenta and copper mingle over the jacquard poly-print while the tie side lets you create knot-so-ordinary statements in dressing. You enjoy pairing it with your favorite black tall boots and a bangle bracelet, conjuring a style storm of ’80s and modern fashion. Show the world you’re on fire because not only do you slay your deadlines, you slay the ordinary as well.
Racquetball season again—sure, the indoor courts are a year-round thing, but in spring you get the itch as your summer bod goals take shape and this 100% silk warmup suit comes into your sights. It's inches upon inches of buttery purple silk accented by blocks of gold and teal. When you arrive at the court, Richard is intimidated and in awe-struck by your presence. He adjusts the band of his large plastic goggles, now fogged from the hotness you project. When you unzip the front of the jacket and untie the drawstring waist, you grab your racket and let your backhand do the talking. This is power that suits you.
Now this is straight fire. Janet is curating custom sets of 25 vintage matchbooks for the distinguished travelers in your life. Restaurants, hotels, motels and discos—the party never stops because inventory is always changing, but always on point with a memory or moment in your life. We curate the best of the best in each set for a truly striking statement wherever you like to display them. Or light them. Remember, this is Janet's vanity—where it's 1978 and smoking in bed is a hot damn right.
Some days you feel like a tiger lady—then some days you prefer to sly around in leopard-like fashion. Good thing this baroque blouse by Andrea Gayle Petites lets you roam however you please. It commands attention with a mix of wildcat prints, along with glints of gold thread weaved throughout. Thin strands of semi-sheer fabric further liven up the prowl. You slip it on with a tight pair of faux leather pants, your studded ankle booties and a vinyl black wrist bag before walking into the night feeling nothing short of dope in baroque. Your mantra, of course: "I can't spell Me without Meow."
Other works
