"Cupcake Crawl" (08/25/09)

I don’t have the drinking endurance to handle a bar crawl, so when my friends get dolled up for a night of club-hopping, I curl up for a night on the couch. I might not be able to handle my liquor, but I’ve got the sweet tooth of a champion. My taste buds lead me right to the cupcake.

Cupcakes are having a major cultural moment: since super-chic Carrie Bradshaw nibbled on morsels from New York’s swanky Magnolia Bakery on Sex and the City, cupcakes have gone from childhood birthday party fare to a sophisticated culinary trend. Once relegated to grocery stores and cake shops, cupcakes are now staples of any corner bakery, and many bakeries are devoted entirely to the dessert. While my friends slept off their night on the town, I embarked on a cupcake crawl that took me around Chicago in search of the best the city’s got to offer. Here, my two favorites:

My first stop was More (1 E. Delaware Place), a couture cupcake shop in the river north neighborhood. With succulent sweet and savory flavors like lemon meringue and bacon maple, More is a spot for the discerning dessert-eater. The lemon meringue cupcake came with perfectly-formed tufts of fluffy meringue and a lemon-filled center. With its white interior and crisp light installations, this bakery has a chic, boutique feel. The fancy flavors like peach bacon bbq, blueberry acai, and salted caramel classify these cakes as haute cuisine, and the deliciously-sweet cupcakes definitely left me wanting More.

Next, I trekked to Lincoln Park to hit Swirlz (705 W. Belden), where I got a cupcake that totally justified the long CTA trip. Daily options include vanilla, chocolate, and the mouth-wateringly delicious red velvet, made with buttermilk, cocoa, and cream cheese frosting. Swirlz has options for various dietary needs, including those with vegan or gluten-free diets. Every day, there are different gluten-free and vegan options, including vegan chocolate-peanut butter and gluten-free banana cream cheese. In addition to cupcakes to accommodate these diets, the bakery also has fare for patrons’ four-legged friends. If your canine has a carb craving, give him a Pupcake, a bite-sized cupcake made just for Fido.

Embrace the cupcake trend and take a bite out of some of the tastiest deserts in town.

(This piece originally appeared on the Avant Gaudy blog, www.avantgaudy.wordpress.com)

"So P.O.S.H." (08/19/09)

I passionately believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and it doesn’t count unless it’s warm, filling, and piled high. That’s why I’m enamored with these cheeky mugs emblazoned with the phrase, “Pancakes Make People Happy” ($8). They make me reminisce about lazy Sunday-morning brunches at my favorite greasy-spoon diner, where I’d dive mouth-first into a buttery short-stack. These days, I’m always eating on the run, but I’m happy to gulp down a big drink of nostalgia.

Whether looking for charming diner-staples like these mugs or for slightly classier-fare, thrifty shoppers should flock to P.O.S.H., a well-edited vintage home-goods boutique for nesters who don’t want to skimp on style.

The affordable housewares and eclectic goods are culled from restaurant warehouses and flea markets in the U.S. and Europe. The store stocks plates, bowls, mugs, tea services, and glassware in a variety of patterns, attracting buyers looking for anything from classy to kitsch. Some delicate floral patterns seem straight out of a bucolic English bed-and-breakfast, while other understated pieces in monochromatic palettes would be at home in a chic Parisian bistro. Other pieces are full of whimsy, such as a cheerful creamer decorated with an accordion-playing gnome.

With many adorable items under $10 and $20, P.O.S.H. is ideal for shoppers who want to give their kitchen a cosmopolitan flair on a college student’s budget.

P.O.S.H.
613 N. State St.
Chicago, IL
312.280.1602

(This piece originally appeared on the Avant Gaudy blog: www.avantgaudy.wordpress.com)

"Style Prowl" (11/10/09)

Although many University of Chicago students spend more time with vectors than with Vogue, brainiacs can dress smart, too. This week, I profiled some students who earn an “A” in style. They were even helpful enough to provide tips on how you can also make the grade on a student budget.

Amulya Mandava, fourth-year

The outfit: Boots from Chinese Laundry, H&M cardigan, earrings and silk scarf from India

Budget-friendly tip: “To make your shoes last longer, get them re-soled. Try Mr. T.’s Shoe Repair on 53rd, between Greenwood and Ellis. Also, don’t fall into the trap of buying something just because it’s on sale. You should never buy something that doesn’t really fit you, no matter how cheap it is.”

Whether curling up for an all-night library session or getting decked out for a night on the town, Amulya always manages to look comfortable, chic, and confident. She attributes her fashion fluency to dressing for her body type, without regard for other people’s expectations. “I wear a lot of layers and high-waisted skirts and pants because they flatter my figure,” she said. She often swaddles herself in cozy shawls and oversized cardigans, meaning she sometimes feels as though she dresses like someone twice her age. “I dress like a lot of older or middle-aged women. Women at that age are good at expressing a powerful femininity while dressing for themselves, instead of trying to project a specific kind of image,” she added. For Amulya, getting dressed in the morning is more than finding clean clothes or putting together an outfit that matches—it’s about dressing for who you are and who you want to be. She finds that dressing well helps her feel invigorated and prepared to conquer any challenges. “Fashion gives me a sense of stepping out of the house with faith in my day, and with the confidence to face anything,” she said.

Patrick Gallagher, first-year

The outfit: Cardigan and shoes from Urban Outfitters, pipe jeans from Levi’s

Budget-friendly tip: “When you’re going shopping, have a plan. Don’t just go browse aimlessly—you’ll end up spending a lot more money than you mean to.”

Patrick’s dressed-down take on men’s suiting is casually chic. “I like layers, which are the basis of men’s dress clothes,” he said. Here, he plays with suit-inspired pieces like the cardigan, cut to resemble a men’s blazer, and suede shoes that reference timeless wing-tips. He keeps the look youthful and fashion-forward by pairing the pieces with low-key Levis and choosing a cardigan with interesting detailing, like wooden buttons.

Liz Baker-Steimer, second-year

The outfit: Boots from Steve Madden, blazer from Unique, vintage Banana Republic skirt, silk scarf from France

Budget-friendly tip: “Check out Unique, a chain of vintage stores with shops on the North Side. Everything is half-off on Mondays!”

Though she looks right at home in well-tailored woolen pieces like this skirt and blazer, Liz says that her personal style is still under construction. “My look is always evolving as I get more exposure to different styles,” she said. Since she’s an avid traveler, Liz is constantly finding new fashion inspirations. “I’ve done a lot of shopping in France, so my outfits often have a European flair,” she said. Liz’s ensemble is a great example of how an accessory—in this case, a silk scarf—can add a little je ne sais quoi to an outfit.

(Photos by Eric Guo for the Chicago Maroon)

"Homemade Halloween" (10/30/09)

As students, we know that the U of C can be a scary place—we’re haunted by exams, spooked by papers, and terrified of lab reports. School can be chilling every day, and by the time midterms roll around, many of us probably feel that we’ve had our fair share of horror. If you’ve spent more hours hunched over an econ problem set than hunting for a costume, it might be tempting to forgo the freaky festivities this weekend. Still, you shouldn’t let your lack of a costume stop you from having some fun this Halloween. Here are some last-minute costume tips for both the DIY-types and savvy shoppers.

Third-year Emily Graber merged craft and kitsch into one cute costume. Influenced by the adorable animal hats she saw at trendy children’s boutiques in Wicker Park, Graber designed a homemade owl costume. She made textured wings by affixing two different colors of paper towels to a cut-up paper grocery bag. Cut into triangles, the strips of paper flutter like actual feathers, and their slightly matted appearance resembles molting. Graber paired the wings with an adorable hat she crocheted herself, complete with ears, eyes, and a beak to create a critter that is terrifyingly cute.

Graber offered tips for crafting easy, creative homemade costumes. The key is to be ambitious, but within reason. “Think about what resources you already have,” she suggested. Graber designed her costume around the crocheted hat she had been working on and completed the look with brown and tan clothes already hanging in her closet. While creativity is great, sometimes great ideas can be too elaborate to actually make by hand. “Google ideas for handmade costumes, just to see what’s in the realm of possibility,” Graber recommended. If you’re not into gore, think of ideas that are more cuddly than chilling. Graber suggested looking at Halloween costumes made for little kids—like pumpkins, dinosaurs, and other animals—and trying to think of ways they could be adapted for a bigger body.

Sonia Hinson, Maroon news contributor and third-year in the College, is also a fan of homemade Halloween costumes, but discovered that she didn’t have time to make one this year. Instead, she hit the Internet to find a quick, easy, budget-friendly option. Her “Dark Fairy” costume, which she scored for $17.99 on Kmart.com, puts a macabre twist on the conventional, frilly fairy outfit. Hinson paired the dress, wings, wand, and glittery shoulder pads with Converse sneakers and ripped tights for a fashion-forward look that capitalizes on current high-fashion trends, like '80s glam rock.

Hinson also offered some helpful hints for finding a pre-made costume right before the witching hour. “If you already know what kind of costume you’re looking for, use Google Shopping to search for it,” she suggested. The Google Shopping feature lets shoppers sort by price and store, making it easy to track down something very specific. If you don’t want to splurge on overnight shipping, hit one-stop-costume shops like Ragstock (812 West Belmont Avenue). This vintage emporium sells lots of individual costume pieces, from poofy prom dresses to authentic hippie gear, as well as fully packaged costumes, like sexy policewoman outfits, all at very reasonable prices. Shoppers can easily leave with a head-to-toe ensemble that won’t break the bank.

You might still be shaking from midterms, but there’s still time to throw together a costume and go have some Halloween fun. Whether you plan to curl up with a bag of candy and watch Hocus Pocus or get scared to tears at Navy Fear, it’s not too late to make or buy a cute, creative costume. Have a safe and stylish Halloween!

(Illustration by Tom Tian for the Chicago Maroon)

"Fashion Films" (10/27/09)

As the weather turns dark and damp and leaving my apartment becomes increasingly less appealing, my new guilty pleasure is curling up next to my sputtering radiator with a DVD and a steaming mug of chai tea. I may look more sleepy than chic bundled up in baggy sweats and swaddled in a dingy blanket, but my stylish Netflix queue more than makes up for my slouchy ensemble. Here are my picks for the best feel-good fashion flicks, which let me cheaply indulge my couture curiosity without leaving the comfort of my futon.

Valentino: The Last Emperor

Matt Tyrnauer’s documentary follows the effervescent Italian iconoclast Valentino Garavani as the designer prepares for his final fashion show and huge fete in honor of his 45 years of cutting-edge couture. The impeccably-coiffed, super-tan couturier helmed his own line for more than four decades and dressed some of the world’s most fashionable women, including Jackie O and Elizabeth Taylor. The film ranges from farcical to fanciful, vacillating between portrayals of Valentino as a cranky, crotchety monarch toting five misbehaving pug pups, and as a shy, self-effacing artist. Though the designer seems dictatorial when he chastises his assistants and seamstresses, his self-conscious vulnerability is painfully evident, especially during the moment when he obsessively agonizes over a strand of sequins adorning a show-stopping white evening gown.

The documentary sheds light on the business aspect of the fashion industry by focusing on the designer’s relationship with one-time lover and long-time business partner Giancarlo Giammetti, who was responsible for negotiating the licensing agreements that turned Valentino into a household name.

While viewers won’t really get a sense of the scope and scale of Valentino’s influence on the fashion world, they will be privy to his luxe life, invited into his lavish mansions, and yacht, where he lounges with pals like Gwyenth Paltrow and Elton John. Viewers also get to see the preparations for one of the designer’s final couture shows, a presentation of slinky, sensual evening gowns set amidst painted sand dunes and a romantic setting sun.

My favorite part was the opulent, three-day extravaganza celebrating the decadent emperor’s 45 year rule over the fashion industry. The celebration featured a stunning retrospective at the Ara Pacis museum, a star-studded ball at the Villa Borghese, and a circus-like spectacular at the Temple of Venus, which featured high-wire dancers and a grand fireworks show. Unbeknownst to the guests, the party was one of the last times the emperor would sit on his throne: He retired in 2008.

Seamless

This 2005 documentary by fashion photographer Douglas Keeve follows three finalists in the Vogue-sponsored CFDA Fashion Fund Competition, a contest to mentor and support the next generation of designers.

Doo Ri Chung, Alexandre Plokhov, and the team of Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough, the boys behind the Proenza Schouler line, are the smart-but-struggling designers looking for their big break. The film emphasizes the designers’ talent, financial troubles, and passion as they show samples of their work and make presentations for an intimidating panel of fashion magnates. This documentary shows that the fashion industry is not all glitz and glamour—even the best and brightest of the designers are struggling to make ends meet, setting up makeshift workshops in their parents’ storage spaces. With these glimpses into the real lives of designers, this touching film emphasizes the importance of nurturing talent both financially and creatively.

The September Issue

R.J. Culter’s documentary permits devoted fashionistas to enter the hallowed halls of the Conde Nast building and watch the creative process behind the September 2007 issue of Vogue. At more than 600 pages, this monster issue was the heftiest fashion magazine to ever hit newsstands.

Vogue’s icy editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, does not come off as megalomaniacal and sneaky as Meryl Streep portrayed her in the thinly-veiled tell-all, The Devil Wears Prada (which was based on the novel penned by one of Wintour’s former assistants). Instead, Wintour, whose tiny frame is comically swallowed by her huge furs and baubles, seems lonely and insecure, as if always afraid that someone will dethrone her and destroy the empire that she has spent tireless years building. Though she’s clearly a competent, decisive, and snarky boss, she sometimes seems to grimace under her big, dark sunglasses, as if running the world’s most famous fashion magazine is a heavier burden than she can bear.

Watch for scene-stealers such as the gentle, Louis-Vuitton-clad giant Andre Leon Talley, the magazine’s flamboyant editor-at-large, and thick-skinned Grace Coddington: the magazine's long-time creative director, in addition to a brilliant, whimsical stylist, and what seems to be the only staff member to stand up to Wintour’s dictums. Talley is hilarious in his monogrammed tennis attire, and Coddington’s enduring passion for her beautiful work is extremely touching.

These three films emphasize the human aspect of an industry known for its ruthlessness. Next time you’re in the mood for a fashion fix without blowing your budget or leaving the comfort of your apartment, cuddle up with a stylish documentary. All of these films offer a behind-the-scenes peek at the inner workings of the fashion world and illuminate the pathos behind the pictures.

(Photo credit: Amulya Mandava)

"The Ugly Side of Fashion" (10/20/09)

Since coming to the helm of French Vogue eight years ago, editor-in-chief Carine Roitfeld hasn’t been afraid to push fashion lovers’ buttons. She’s given the go-ahead on outrageous, provocative pictorials such as an April 2009 spread which featured a glamorously disheveled Lily Donaldson chain smoking while wearing a faux-pregnancy belly and flinging around a baby doll. The magazine has consistently made couture controversial, and the October 2009 issue took that reputation even further.

Steven Klein’s shots of Dutch supermodel Lara Stone painted in blackface ruffled more than a few fashionable feathers. Stone is pictured in turban-style headdresses and imperial-inspired coats as well, which raised eyebrows and outrage among readers who believed these wardrobe decisions have colonialist connotations.

The spread was featured in an issue devoted to “supermodels,” which was devoid of any actual models of color. One has to wonder: Was the shoot just a product of a misguided artistic vision, or something even uglier?

Was it a symptom of the fantasy-driven world of fashion that is blissfully, excruciatingly indifferent to “real world” problems? Even in the midst of a nation-wide recession, many magazines continue to hawk shoes and bags that cost more than my monthly rent. Fashion is always seeking edgier territory and isn’t really known for its sensitivity to class issues. So was this shoot just another instance of editors feverishly trying to keep their magazine interesting, disregarding the sentiments of their readers in the process? Perhaps, however implausibly, the team responsible for the photos was unaware of their racially charged implications. It’s just as possible, though, that the motivation behind the photos is much more troubling.

Maybe the shoot was a perverse way for the editors to use models “of color” without legitimizing non-white forms of beauty. In a recent interview on CNN, former model and current fashion blogger Jenna Sauers spoke eloquently about the pervasive racism in the modeling industry. She talked about attending castings where signs blatantly declared “no black girls today,” and talked about hearing casting directors criticize girls who looked too “ethnic.” Maybe the shoot exemplifies the fashion industry’s discomfort with actual non-white bodies.

If they wanted to play with the idea of painting skin without weighty racial issues, the editors could have experimented with texture. Another photo from the issue features Stone painted to look like marble. The photo plays on artistic conceptions of feminine beauty and the Pygmalion myth of the sculptor whose beloved ivory creation comes to life. This photo was edgy and evoked relevant societal issues without entering offensive racial territory.

The spread is one of a number of recent fashion faux pas. This past September, Harper’s Bazaar referenced the trope of the wild, animalistic black woman when they dressed Naomi Campbell in heavy furs and photographed her jumping rope with monkeys. The colonial safari-themed spread, shot by photographer Jean-Paul Goude, resurrected stereotypical, primitive constructions of black femininity.

The same issue of Harper’s Bazaar also featured a 14-page Harlem Renaissance-inspired pictorial of models Chanel Iman and Arlenis Sosa. The shoot, photographed by Peter Lindbergh, was aesthetically beautiful: The soft, ethereal quality of the images contrasted beautifully with the highly textured tweeds and wools. Yet, while the pictures were lovely, the combined message of the two spreads was pretty ugly—instead of focusing on the contemporary experiences of African-American women, the magazine mined stereotypes and played-out historical tropes. But in an era where there’s a dearth of black models, the question is, are stereotypical portrayals really preferable to no portrayals at all?

All of these mishaps are evidence that, despite the age of Obama, we truly don’t live in a post-racial society. Fashion editors and photographers need to realize that their images, however aesthetically pleasing, don’t exist in a vacuum devoid of cultural and historical meanings. Racism should not be the hot accessory for this fall.

(Photo credits: French Vouge, Harper's Bazaar)

"Penn's Photographic Legacy" (10/13/09)

A lot goes into a fashion spread. Designers dream up clothes, which are then sewn by a team of nimble seamstresses. Art directors concoct fantastical concepts, like the Alice in Wonderland themed editorial created for Vogue in December 2003. Stylists then craft enviable ensembles from a massive closet full of covetable clothes. Glamorously gangly models perfect the hunch-and-pout, splaying their lanky limbs at sharp angles, while teams of hair and make-up gurus are on hand to perform touch-ups and transform the model from ordinary to otherworldly. All this chaos rages behind the scenes, but it all boils down to one thing: the final image. Ultimately, it’s what the photographer frames and shoots that makes it into the magazine, and timeless fashion photographs are more than the sum of their parts.

The work of photographer Irving Penn is a case in point. Penn, who died on October 7 at age 92, left behind a legacy of stunning photographs that blur the line between still-life, portraiture, and documentary photography, all while emphasizing the elegant construction of well-made clothes.

Penn studied painting at the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art before arriving at Vogue in 1943, where he worked under art director Alexander Liberman. When Penn grew disenchanted by the images photographers submitted, Liberman suggested that he take his own. Despite his distaste for the fashion industry, Penn did just that, and with the aplomb that solidified his position as one of the preeminent fashion photographers of the 20th century.

Penn’s first Vogue cover, shot for the October 1943 issue, featured a sumptuous leather satchel and gloves surrounded by textiles and a large print of lemons and oranges on a wood table introducing readers to the his unique use of still-life in fashion photography. Because it lacked the superfluous, decorative adornments so frequently seen in fashion magazines, Penn’s austere cover seemed meticulous and even shockingly clinical. This famous first photograph also reveals Penn’s early education as a painter, playing with depth and scale in a way that references Cubist collage.

When he returned to the magazine after two years of volunteering for the war effort with the American Field Service, Penn turned his attention to portraiture. The photographer snapped images of nearly all of the celebrities of the day, from music greats like Louis Armstrong to literati such as Truman Capote. Penn photographed his subjects in what was affectionately referred to as “Penn’s Corner,” a set of two gray, converging walls; a scene that was bare, save for a textured carpet, wooden chair, or footstool. This monochromatic background, however, allowed the sitters’ faces to take center stage.

Penn seamlessly applied the same strategy to his fashion photography. In 1950, Penn documented the fall couture collections in Paris with a pared-down approach that emphasized the clothes’ craftsmanship and detailing. Penn shot the outfits against a matte gray curtain in his studio, and the juxtaposition of this flat fabric with the heavy, woven textiles and rich fabrics of the garments resulted in a precise, nearly architectural presentation.

Though they appear carefullycrafted, many of Penn’s most famous images are testaments to the power of serendipity. His lovely 1949 photo of model Jean Patchett sitting at a table, dazedly sucking on her necklace and kicking off her shoes, was a candid moment captured on film. For Penn, patience was paramount: After a week with Patchett on location in Peru, the photographer had still not snapped a single photograph—this iconic image was the first photograph of the trip. Penn said it best in the Vogue Book of Fashion Photography: “I was a young man with no knowledge of style, but I knew when an image had guts.” His oeuvre is reassurance that one just needs conviction, not elaborate circumstances, to create great art with serious gusto.

(Photo credit: Irving Penn, 1949)

"Posh Parisians" (10/06/09)

I spent most of the summer sequestered in the library stumbling through Sontag and by the time September rolled around, I was eager to soak up some sun and some style. I took a whirlwind tour through Europe, where I gorged my stomach on crêpes, pizza, and tapas and feasted my eyes on gorgeous coats, cropped pants, and tote bags. Though I loved sifting through luxurious goods at chic boutiques, I found the best fashion inspiration in a somewhat unexpected place: Not on the well-edited racks of high-end stores or on the bodies of lovely, lanky locals, but in the adorable ensembles of Parisian school children.

I stayed in a little hotel at the corner of Rue Cler and Avenue La Motte Picquet, which was right down the street from an elementary school. I loved watching the kids parade into their building each morning when I popped into a nearby patisserie to pick up a baguette. Despite the language barrier, the kids’ tailored, textured style didn’t get lost in translation. Their school yard staples translate perfectly to a Chicagoan’s fall wardrobe.

Paris is teeming with well-dressed youngsters; there’s even a monthly edition of French Vogue dedicated to the enfants. Their school clothes dramatically upstage the sloppy hoodie and sweats I wore to grade school. Instead, they head to class in cropped patterned trenches, leather bomber jackets, tweed suspenders, pocketed felt vests, and cable-knit cardigans with leather elbow patches.

I channeled school-kid style when I picked up a pair of monogrammed maroon-and-plaid knee socks in the Marais district at the Tabio store, the first Parisian branch of the Japanese specialty hosiery store known for highly-saturated tights, leggings, and socks. The socks will look preppy and polished sticking out above a pair of brown boots, and easy and gamine when paired with flats. I also picked up a cheeky, puppy-patterned silk handkerchief from Arnys, a high-end menswear atelier. I plan to tie it to a purse for a fun, fresh look.

You, too, can emulate the school-yard look without crossing the pond. Head to the Gap for Parisian-inspired shrunken blazers ($98) and cropped capes ($68). Their black and gray rugby peacoat ($128) also references the clean lines and muted color palate of school uniforms. Anthropologie is the place to stock up on 3/4-sleeve blazers that look like little boys’ coats. I’d splurge on the double-breasted Pietra blazer ($118) or the cute, cuffed Ponte Bleu ($98). Forever 21 has some beautiful, budget-conscious options, like the adorable Lady Capelet jacket ($34), a short-sleeved, gray pleated jacket accented with a bow.

Take a hint from French school children and earn an “A” in style when you update your fall wardrobe with Parisian-inspired fashions and a little je ne sais quoi.

(Photo credit: Vogue Enfants, 2009)

"Randolph Street Market" (9/22/09)

Once a month during the Chicago summer, the Randolph Street Market District becomes the site of an open-air market that recalls the overflowing bazaars of Paris’s Rue Cler district or London’s funky Portobello Road. Shoppers looking to score bargains on everything from vintage dresses to refurbished dressers flock to the Chicago Antique Market, where they scour for steals. Described by the staff as an “urban treasure hunt,” this market is the place to mine for vintage gems on a student’s budget.

Now in its fifth year, the Chicago Antique Market is anything but old-fashioned. In place of stodgy collectors, the market’s 175+ vendors attract a hip crowd that browses for chic, tailored trench coats and kitschy kitchen utensils. Fashionistas flock to the adjoining Indie Designer Market, which takes place in the Plumbers’ Hall building. There, up-and-coming and established independent designers sell their wares, including intricate belt buckles from Heroine Chic and the versatile 10-Way Wrap from Cuff Love, a chic shawl to help transition from balmy summer to the blistering Chicago winter.

Though some items are out of a student’s price range (like an elegant wrought-iron table and chairs reminiscent of a Parisian cafe) or over-the-top kitschy (such as giant amusement park signs), many of the sellers’ goods are as affordable as they are beautiful. I excavated some serious treasure during my trips to the Market this summer. On my first trip, I strolled from stall to stall and purchased bags of beautiful vintage buttons and handfuls of old photographs.

On my next visit, I picked up a delicate butterfly preserved under a piece of convex glass, and got an amazing deal on some pretty china dessert plates (4 for $2!).

Every month, Market visitors can also treat their taste buds to sweet or savory morsels at the accompanying outdoor Fancy Foods Market, where local restaurants and bakeries come to sell bite-sized snacks. Grab a lemonade and a cookie to fuel up for a day of intense browsing and bargaining. You’ll need some energy to spot great pieces and haggle on prices.

The last market weekend of the season will be September 26-27. Stop by to browse anytime between 10-5 on Saturday or 10-4 on Sunday. To get there, take the Green Line to the Ashland stop, or pick up a free, round-trip trolley from Water Tower Place. Trolleys leave Water Tower Place on the hour between 11-3, and depart from the Market on the half-hour. General admission is $10, and students get in for $5 with valid I.D.

Hopefully, searching for vintage treasure will become a Chicago tradition akin to music festivals and outdoor movies in Grant Park. This weekend, sail over to the Chicago Antique Market to hunt for some antique finds of your own.