Today With Yesterday Tomorrow
A typical Saturday for this Brooklyn vintage shop owner
It’s arguably a fact, as of late, that everyone on the internet is interested in witnessing a day in someone’s life. While that curiosity can veer towards exploitation or pure zombie-faced doomscrolling, there’s a level of intrigue in knowing the “real” schedule of a person you admire.
I’ve grown a vested interest and am constantly inspired by independent vintage and resale, their growth in particular, due in large part to finding a home on social media and the various resale platforms. When I visit market stalls, scroll on IG or go to brick and mortar shops, I find questions constantly bubble up to the surface — much like I would with a designer or creative director.
The good ones have a clear point of view in their collections, almost creating their own language in fashion and culture. They aid in my style discovery as I come to understand labels and eras, and regional specificities that speak to my tastes the most. With vintage collections, you can find a direct lineage of trends and styles — looking at archives across 40+ years in 50 or less pieces on the racks.
One of the good ones is fresh on the scene in our very own Brooklyn. Yesterday Tomorrow is an online + IRL by appointment vintage shop founded by Jess Hella, curating womenswear from 1970 to the early aughts. You’re likely to find the D&G silk floral skirt of your dreams, or a killer Yohji Yamamato piece you won’t find anywhere else. Don’t worry, she has plenty of Miu Miu and Prada to go around too!
Jess pulls garments that are ready to be your future statement or staple. She started Yesterday Tomorrow with a spring collection last year that sold out within two weeks (insane I know), and still operates appointments out of her apartment, primarily on the weekends. She continues to have a full time job, using time outside the 9-5 for researching, sourcing and taking appointments for fittings.
I find this level of commitment and drive to conquer the dreams of the small, hopeful voice in your subconscious deserving of the highest honors. Judging by the way Yesterday Tomorrow has taken off, Jess’ decision to embark in this biz has become a real catalyst for change in her life. I encourage you to read this Saturday in her life and walk away with your own interpretations of what you can achieve in this line of work. At the very least, you may appreciate all the little things that feed into an independent vintage owner’s work day <3
A SATURDAY WITH YESTERDAY TOMORROW
BROWSE WITH A BREW
I am up early, even on the weekends. I love to start my day on eBay with a cup of coffee & hot lemon water. I allow myself an hour of browsing, sometimes two if I am striking gold. Before I get dressed to run, I have to do my daily vacuum; I have two Persian cats whose hair finds its way all over my apartment over the span of 24hrs.
ON THE RUN
By 9 a.m., I cut myself off and am out the door for a run. I have to exercise and be outside every morning regardless of the weather, or else I lose my mind. I have a love-hate relationship with running, weather dependent. I usually find myself at Brooklyn Bridge park but today I am making my way to Prospect Park and Ft. Greene, which are my favorites for both people & dog watching.
MIDDAY SHAKE OUT
Shower, legs up the wall while scrolling Pinterest, more coffee, and then some version of brunch, today it is a can of tuna over a salad fit to feed 3 people. Baby gem lettuce, radishes, herbs and tuna.
Jess composes her campaigns and musings for each collection through her notes app and in Pinterest boards. In conversation, she mentioned how much research goes into her curations: citing museums, sourcing trips (in the US and abroad), and Vogue Archives as key sources of inspiration. Proof that as a vintage reseller, there’s still a great deal of creative direction and a POV to market in your collections!
HUNTING FOR SPORT
Saturdays are typically my sourcing day, so often that has me packing up the car to drive away from the city, but today I am going to Current Affair for inspiration. I was just offered a booth to sell at the next Current Affair so I’m attending in the name of research. It is in Sunset Park and I live in Red Hook so it is an easy commute. My boyfriend joins me, which proves to be a poor decision on my part because I am not supposed to be shopping right now and he will hold me to that. I chat with vendors, touch everything, take notes, try a few things on, and after hours of that I am exhausted.
In conversation, she noted how important it is to build relationships with exhibitors or at estate sales. Community is prevalent in the market for shared goods, and the more she’s engaged with it from a curatorial standpoint the more integrated Jess/Yesterday Tomorrow is in the circular lifecycle of secondhand and vintage goods.
PREP
At 3:30, I head back home to do a few hours of work before dinner. I am hosting a pop up tomorrow at Dear Friend Books in Bedstuy, so I need to steam all of my pieces (I have a Conair steamer, and it has never failed me). I listen to the podcast Berlant & Novak — formerly POOG — and run through what I will need to do tomorrow AM to set up my pop-up. At five I pop on a 30 minute Sky Ting TV video to get a stretch in. I love watching videos of my friends teaching yoga. I am a much better student when in the studio, without the distraction of my cats who think we are playing a game.
DRESSING FOR DINNER
I am having dinner at Cafe Kestrel tonight, which is my favorite restaurant at which I am determined to become a regular. It is also two blocks from my apartment so I am on track. I have been wearing the same Marithé + François Girbaud skirt every time I want to look put together and I toy with switching it up but run out of time and throw it on. I’m wearing a JPG sheer black sweater on top, with ballet flats & a suede jacket to top it all off. I mostly wear vintage, for obvious reasons, but I love the two SC103 bags that I have that are contemporary and made in Red Hook. It works, and I am running late.
THE WIND DOWN
I head home following dinner because I have an early morning. Before crawling into the bed I am on the couch, the same way my day began — scrolling eBay.
THANK YOU JESS!!! The coolest, nicest, chicest woman on the block… who you can find this Sunday on the LES from 11a-7p at the Nine Orchard spring market.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ryann Stutz is a part time writer and full time optimist looking to interrogate the existing world order (macro) and discover how she is meant to move through it (micro). Based in New York by way of London and, originally, Michigan.
The premise for this newsletter: tensions between an interest in pop culture/frivolity/humor & the politics of our bodies, our choices as a consumer, and of our environmental health.