Alligators, Old Mink & New Money is a celebration of the clothes that capture our memories and imaginations, that leave their indelible stamp on each of our lives. Alison Houtte—a former fashion model who runs the beloved Brooklyn, New York, boutique Hooti Couture—knows that every article of vintage clothing has a story behind it, and she uses these items as a springboard to explore such … explore such universal topics as relationships, self-image, the bond between mothers and daughters, and that elusive thing called style.
Whether you’re a flea market veteran who savors the thrill of the hunt, a couture shopper with a Vogue budget, or are simply drawn to the de rigueur world of vintage, Alligators, Old Mink & New Money offers a shopping adventure—through auctions, estate sales, flea markets, and clothing racks all over the world—to be savored, and inspired by!
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All avid readers delight in good books, but to unexpectedly discover a gem when you’re not expecting to is a special treat. I was doing fashion research — yes there is such a thing — and this book I had selected for research turned out to be a delightful read.
This memoir begins with the author’s life growing up in Miami. Alison is co-author of her memoir with her sister, who is a journalist. Highlighted from the start is the embarrassment her mother was to Alison and her siblings, because of how her mother dressed. She dressed in vintage, shopping at Goodwill and church rummage sales. The family experiences are precious and full of good-natured humor. As her adult life progresses, Alison ends up embracing vintage and even owning a famous shop in Brooklyn. Don’t you just love irony? Alison’s life takes such interesting turns from Miami to Brooklyn.
As she grows up in Miami, she is able to do some modeling. That leads to a surprising opportunity to live and model in Paris. The descriptions of her life in Miami are vibrant, and her descriptions of the modeling life in Paris and later in Europe are exciting and fascinating. The humor intertwined in her reflections on her family life in Miami continues throughout this book of her life’s adventures.
After the runway and fashion magazines in Paris, becoming owner of a vintage shop, Hooti Couture aka Hooti’s, in Brooklyn is an intriguing turn of events.
Reading about her evolution as a small business owner is compelling. And how her knowledge of her product, vintage, grows! She sums up her business philosophy so well, “I’m a little secondhand shop in Brooklyn, but I cater to each client like she’s in Bergdorf’s. I think the success has come with the service and price points. It’s great, fun stuff in a fun environment and we get new merchandise weekly. I buy with love, what I love.” And don’t let this quote mislead you; she did carry men’s vintage as well and had some very loyal male customers.
Getting back to fashion research, there is plenty of good advice, solid designer knowledge and interesting history for fashion lovers, flea marketers, and thrift store addicts. If you haven’t explored vintage before, this book will open a whole new world to you. If you are already a vintage fan, you’ll learn even more.
Alison has an eye for style and a keen sense of value, and many tips to pass along. Her business philosophy is simple, “keep it fresh, cheap and chic!”
Learned a lot about vintage clothing. Writing was light and breezy.
Fun reading.
As a vintage clothes lover and small business owner, this was a must read for me. It was okay but not particularly inspiring.
This is a great book for those who love vintage clothes and accessories. It’s about a former model who decides to open a vintage/second hand boutique and all the fun things that happened to her. I found it very entertaining and came with some great tips.
I enjoyed this book
My four daughters and sister-in-law are all died-in-the wool thrift shoppers. We absolutely have the best days “playing” together when we are out finding all sorts of treasures. I feel sad for people who think they cannot wear second-hand clothing. It just saves so much money. Rather than buy one new outfit at a regular clothing store you can buy a whole wardrobe if you are wise enough to know quality pieces. It is my passion to dress well and we are a family of girls sharing all our clothing. If I get tired of a piece I pass it along to a daughter and vice versa. This book was so much fun. I absolutely couldn’t put it down and I learned so much. I’ve been a thrift shopper for 30+ years and my best buys are handbags; they sell for $300-400 originally and I buy them for less than $50. The fun is in the hunt! Sally from Arlington, VA
I really enjoyed this book. As a thrift-store devotee, I really enjoyed the stories of the individuals who shop her store . . . delving into their personalities was an added bonus. I especially enjoyed the little inspirational verses her assistant writes on the tags. This was a fun read . . . makes me want to go to Brooklyn just to visit Hootie’s
For anyone that loves clothes, particularly with eye for creating their own style and look, as I’ve been doing for 70 years or so, this is a fun read. So many of the clothes and outfits she describes are things I have owned.
Delightful
If you enjoy a good bargain or like shopping vintage you will enjoy this book. It is not fast paced or engrossing but lightly entertaining. The insider tips are good, but more common sense than viola moments. The back story of her modeling career is mildly informative. I am glad I read the book but won’t go back to re read.
It was a fun, bright break from the serious stuff I’ve been reading lately. A quick, easy read that sent me straight out to my local vintage shop, where everything looked totally different and I loved imagining the stories of each piece of clothing or handbag that I picked up….You will enjoy it!