In the Ring with Brooklyn Circus

My cohorts from Shine Creative told me that the coolest guys on the planet were coming into town to investigate the slew of vintage, thrift, salvage and quirk in Baltimore. I'm in, I thought. And we had an absolute blast with Ouigi 'The Bearded Man' and Colin, the Circus Trainer from Brooklyn Circus - a fashion-forward trend-setting boutique with a huge celebrity following and, to quote from their website, Visionaries fueled by a common purpose: Style, Character and The 100-Year Plan. 

These guys have the big picture down. They couldn't have been more fun or gracious as we sniffed out bargain basements in Value Villages, Village Economy Thrift, and Housewerks - the preeminent architectural antiques and salvage repository in Baltimore. Add to that DeBois, (which happened to be rather successful for me - a gorgeous floor length black dress heavily embroidered in gold, an orange and navy belt and an irrepressible safari giraffe-y dress, which would guarantee spontaneous combustion, should one choose to brush past a candle). 

Then on to Italian sandwiches consumed on a stoop near Lexington Market courtesy of Trinacria, followed by a jolly good rummage through the vast basement of H&H - an army surplus store (instant green/khaki/olive heaven!) Oh, and did I mention, it was hotter than July...

Ouigi, The Bearded Man

Colin, The Circus Trainer

Plaster Joseph - Housewerks

Colosseum model (Housewerks)

Housewerks

The elusive antler chandelier reflected in the mirror

One of the many vintage photographs

Plus cool

Housewerks

Haunting

Vintage switchboard detail (Housewerks)

Housewerks

Jamie Campbell and I getting our Karen Blixen on (H&H)

Take your pick (H&H)

Just in case one needs a hip wader (for vipers in the water)

All photographs by Philippa Berrington-Blew