Incoming! LES MUSES VINTAGE has arrived to Denton Square

A new addition to Denton Square, but a long standing boutique of the Denton community

By Sofia Greaves

Denton square is the heart of Denton Texas. It's a small city with a lot of history and it just got a new edition . Les Muses has just moved from a small house on elm street into the square . They have long been citizens of Denton but they started the store in the year 2000 while living in Austin Texas. They have moved around the state of Texas to end up back At their roots in Denton, operating in a house on Elm street for two years before the space on the square opened up.

Les Muses started when the owner Dawn Gaston quit her job in law enforcement to follow her Passion full time:

"I started my first antique business. I started out in antiques, more than the clothing, so i sold a lot of french furniture and things from England, France Spain . . . more European antiques. The business did very well but i had been collecting vintage handbags and jewelry since i was a teenager so i love that part. so i started just decorating with a little bit of the handbags, hats lingerie. . . and that started taking off even better than the antiques. so it just kind of evolved into something where I had a whole section for clothing and accessories and still did the furniture and home [decor]. I had to go into doing the clothing, and as things progressed since this was really more my passion (the clothing and fashion part), i started fazing out some of the [miscellaneous] stuff." Dawn Gaston

She then had an opportunity to move the business to The Heights near Montrose, a neighborhood very close to the Art District in Houston when her customers had knowledge and true appreciation for her inventory.

"It feels like i rescuing some of the merchandise and stuff that would just find its way in a landfill. the history of (the vintage fashion) is important to me, the style, the fabrics...."

Some of the materials that make something vintage typically are Lucite (in jewelry), brocade, and certain Jacquard. These are weaves that involve a lot of work and hands on activity that is more unique now than 25 years ago in ready to wear, in-store clothing, style wise, silhouettes from the 20th century stand out as original because remakes of the 21st century have a modernized influence and are easier to wear everyday in commonplace.

"Im out looking, shopping everywhere. so i go to a lot of estate sales. [i once] went to four estate sales and came away with very little. so everything is handpicked by me. so everything has to be in really good condition. i have to see something about it that speaks to me and i am very careful not to get things that have [been heavily worn].

At the end of the day, Les Muses is a family business. they value their customers choices and needs. no matter what is trend at the time, they will hand pick something unique for you ranging from old designer, limited-edition to simple well made clothing. To run a vintage store you have to have a good eye but you mainly have to have a good hand. She hand picks everything and they do not get donations. She is very selective and meticulous and we applaud her for that because the pieces in this store are proof of quality, customer care, and talent for recognizing authenticity.

Follow @lesmusesvintage on instagram for updates on what they have in stock!

July Edition: Look What Your Editor's Bought This Time

Hey Nu Babes, it has been a long summer and it’s not over yet! July’s edition of “What the Editors Bought” features clothing from Brandy Melville, Fashion Nova, Public Desire, H&M, and so much more, also featured are some pretty dramatic price differences ranging from $56 to completely free.

Don’s Purchases:

Though I did not spend a lot of money and buy a lot of clothes this month, something tells me I’ll more than make up for it in August. In July, one of my favorite clothing websites: Fashion Nova, did something I never heard of; for every item purchased you’ll get an additional item free as long as it’s of equal or lesser value. In other words, for every two items you add to your shopping chart whichever one is more expensive will be the one you pay for, the other item is free. Me being me, I almost bought the whole website, and next month if they have a sale like that again, I will! After careful consideration, I was able to narrow down what I had to have, and what I had to have right-then-and-there. These are the two items I could not live without.  

Rate 8.5

Her Majesty Denim Jacket - Black

$44.99 USD

This Lion King inspired jacket is a must-have for Fall. Sure, it's comfortable, like all denim jackets are, but who cares about comfort when the jacket is this cute. I live in Texas, it’s the Summertime, and I have already worn this jacket so many times I’ve lost count. The things I do for a good monochromatic moment. I recommend wearing this jacket with some high-waisted black jeans, tucked in, a white shirt with short faux-leather black sleeves, and patent leather booties, that's how I wore it.

https://www.fashionnova.com/collections/jackets-denim-jackets/products/her-majesty-denim-jacket-black

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Rate 8.0

Two-toned Denim Jacket – black/combo

$39.99 FREE!

At this point guys-only jackets no longer exist. Sorry boys, but the only two options are girls jackets and intersex jackets masquerading as guys jackets. What I love most about this jacket, besides the fact that I got it for free, is how different it is, I'm living for the two-toned trend. I’ve also worn this jacket a few times already, yes, in Texas' summertime, and got major modern 90's vibes. Black high-waisted jeans, patented leather boots, and a white graphic tee that says “black, no sugar, no crème,” yes please!

https://www.fashionnova.com/products/two-tone-denim-jacket-black-combo

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Sofia's Purchases:

This month, I loaded up on some really cheap basics, but not without thought about quality, breath-ability, and longevity. Everything in my bag was a capsule closet's dream: interchangeable.

Rate 10

Denim is difficult, but for me and my fabric sensitive skin it is two times harder. I was hesitant to stray away from skinny jeans, but when cuffed the right way and worn with feminine shoes, these cotton mom jeans look so chic and grown up. These Cotton On 90's mom jeans fit my waist perfectly. Un-cuffed this is a classic straight leg jean, but it is 98% cotton and 2% spandex so the size that fits your legs is not going to gape obnoxiously in the back. These are the best thing I bought for myself this month, and they were only $40.

https://cottonon.com/US/stretch-mom-jean/2003128-37.html?dwvar_2003128-37_color=2003128-37&cgid=&originalPid=2003128-37#q=mom&lang=en_US&start=1 __________________

Rate 9

Denim is difficult (part 2). The size I wear exclusively at the stores is runs true to my waist size in inches. I had been picking out my shorts all wrong especially in stretch denim. These are the only denim shorts I own that I have not had to alter with big darts. these are a great staple for any outdoor summer occasion because that are hemmed appropriatetley and have minimal distressing detail, so you can still throw them on for a family barbecue

https://www.hollisterco.com/shop/us/p/high-rise-denim-mom-short-3-and-quot-15356824?seq=04

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Rate 9

I needed something edgy for my shoe collection. This looks good with even the most boring all black outfit. The reason is the extra shininess of the patent leather. Mixing textures is a low risk, high reward way to build an outfit, especially in colors like black, white, grey, or beige. I throw these on for any dressed up, night out occasion.

https://us.asos.com/public-desire/public-desire-raya-black-patent-sock-boots/prd/10959107

Sofie's Picks: My Top 4 Favorite Fashion-Based YouTube Channels

Fashion used to be very prevalent on YouTube. In high school, I was obsessed with Back To School lookbooks. However, trends have changed since then, and the rise of the Beauty Community has overshadowed any need for these kinds of videos. Closet essentials are a thing of the past. For those of you who are still in need of some classic fashion inspiration (myself included), here are my top four fashion channels: (The best part? They all have different forms of content for subscribers with different needs)

Best dressed (Ashley)

Let’s start this off with a fellow (recently graduated) college student. The concepts of her videos are pretty general and helpful for those who are interested in making their daily outfits a little more elevated for everyday occasions such as: class, dates, and lunch with friends, just to name a few. Plus, she emphasizes the importance of thrifting and sustainability. My favorite videos by her are “How to build an outfit”, “50 OUTFITS for when you have nothing to wear”, and “10 WAYS TO (re)WEAR A DRESS.”

In Certain light- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhW4LGKKTDc

ICL is a London Based street style channel that was made, what I can describe as, a raw capture of European street style. https://incertainlight.com. Videography is done by Joanna Theodorou and their Instagram's photography is done by Raphaella Th. They have been regularly filming the unique high-end street style from all the major European fashion weeks since 2014, as well as covering the off duty styles of notable models. You get a sense of what is going to be trendy and what will trickle down to mass market just from seeing major influential people like Eva Chen [seen above in red], Alexa Chung, and Romee Strijd in these videos.

Frugal Aesthetic-

While mainly targeting men, this entertaining channel by Christian Vui does cater to anyone who is even remotely into creative streetwear. He makes his content easy to follow with pictures being shown as he discusses certain topics with voice-overs. On this channel you will find an abundance of How-To's: How to find your style, learn ways to wear a hoodie, and how to style white sneakers are a few of his. Guy or girl, his channel is a good start for learning how to organize your personal style with basics and clothing you definitely already have.

TheLineUp-

The incredible videography in all of their lookbooks makes them feel like ad campaigns. The videos alone are just aesthetically pleasing. There isn’t a lot of commentary, but it’s the music along with video that inspires you to put on your fiercest outfit. Getting ready for work, school, or a day or night out has never been easier since they cover all of these occasions. Julia Dang is a mastermind of street style. Recently, she has been mixing high-end accessories with thrifted/easily accessible pieces, giving access to a wide range of people and their budgets. Back when Maya was apart of the channel, together they made outfits that use trendy pieces in a way where a 2016 back to school lookbook could be worn today and not feel dated. They also know how to have fun with their style, and their summer lookbook captures the essence of the season.

No matter how vastly different these channels are, they all have one thing in common: they commit to their confidence. They used basic necessities as a platform, and trend pieces as a bold statement. What makes them unique are in the details, and if you check out their videos you will see how each of them make their own rules and use getting dress as a reason to leave the house a do something great. They are determined to make A Bigger Boom, just like Nu View plans to this month.