Sure, we're all for a Zooey Deschanel level of vintage charm, but sometimes we bypass that dorky quirk for a touch of old-school sophistication. And while the hunt is part of the fun, we don't mind when someone lays out a meticulously handpicked collection for us to choose from. So naturally, we became giddy when we learned about Curated Goods in NoLibs.
Justin-Julius Santos is the dapper gent behind the new boutique, which he describes as an overflowing apartment turned Internet shop. "I was finally pushed to open an online store when my friends started offering to buy items from my flat," explains Santos. "I said, 'Why not?' I have so much other stuff that I can replace it with." So much, in fact that even the web wasn't big enough to contain his collection of fine clothing and housewares; hence, the brick-and-mortar store, which opened earlier this month.
Santos is just the kind of guy you want dressing you. And for a price, he will. "I started the personal shopping about two years ago for friends. I guess I've always done it for friends since they always asked me to go shopping with them," he explains. "About a year ago I started to get real clients — mostly busy executives who work too much and don't have time to shop for themselves." Santos typically charges 40 percent of a client's clothing budget for his shopping skills.
As you can probably grasp from the name, shopping at Curated Goods is like exploring the closet of your most stylish bestie. From shoes to dresses to antique furniture, everything here has a sleek, alluring silhouette. There's an undeniable Mad Men appeal that we can't shake — as if we'd want to.
421 Fairmount Ave., 215-609-4363, shopcuratedgoods.com.
