Recently, I’ve been seeing more and more articles, content creation, and general chatter about shopping secondhand. Of course, I’m thrilled that the past 10 years has brought on a deeper desire across generations to pull from the past not only for inspiration but to actually acquire pieces for our homes and wallets. An article by The Times caused me to pause, however, with the take that Millennials are just chasing the same OLD things instead of the new. The article focuses on vintage and antiques in the home (though I much prefer their more positive take on secondhand fashion). This prompted me to poll my own corner of the internet to ask why THEY shop secondhand. The answers all came down to 5 main reasons: sustainability, cost, uniqueness, thrill of the hunt, quality, and enjoying items with a story. Most people couldn’t narrow it down to one reason, but it was clear that for the majority, shopping secondhand started as a budget need and developed into a greater love and appreciation.

So while The Times article posits that Millennials may currently be drawn to secondhand items for the trend of it all, I think the likelihood of people *continuing* to seek out secondhand for their wardrobes and homes is nearly inevitable. With tariff talk, the decline of quality regardless of price, and the pendulum swing of people craving meaning in the things they own, 2025 might just have even the most reluctant of secondhand shoppers heading towards their local antique malls or scouring eBay.

Creating your own Heirlooms

One way families have found to honor their family name and pass down items over generations is to monogram pieces in their homes (and closets!). From linens, printed crests, painted wedding chests, china, and more, monograms can come in nearly endless forms and styles. For some, a monogram may conjure up visions of stuffy traditionalists or even gaudy bright swirly scripts. Now, however, you can find monograms that match your style, no matter how you define it.

I’m amazed at both the vintage and antique monograms you can find, as well as the modern takes on it. My friend, Ryan Dennis of Grey Street Creative, both sells antique monogrammed bangles in her shop at Artifacts and has a framed printednmonogram as decor in her home. Last month’s featured Savvy Friend, Marquin Campbell, uses her own modern monogrammed china to accessorize her walls.

Inspired by vintage monogrammed linens, next week, I’m debuting a one-time collection of 10 white linen blouses in sizes XS-2X that each buyer will be able to personalize with their own initials in a matching white font. If interested, they will be available on my Instagram stories at 8pm EST *next* Thursday evening (4/17).

Savvy Friends: A chat with children’s heirloom portrait photographer, Allie Roepe

I have met so many incredible women thanks to Instagram over the years. I hope to share a chat with some of them each month for them to share a bit more about some of the things we love and ways in which they are savvy.

Allie is a children’s heirloom photographer based in the Raleigh, North Carolina area. When she’s not sharing helpful advice about children’s photography sessions and what to expect, she is often sharing her fun finds from thrift stores and antique malls. If you live near the Raleigh area and are interested in heirloom photographs of your children, her June sessions are now available.


Your home is so light and bright, yet filled with collected treasures. Do you have any tips on how to collect while keeping this aesthetic?
I love collecting, but I also LOVE my clean and carefully curated home! I have to be very intentional about not creating clutter, which means cleaning out my collections frequently (either to donate or re-sell) and also rotating my secondhand treasures. I have a beautifully organized closet where I keep items that are "out of rotation", yet I don't want to part with them just yet. I am often switching up my vignettes & bookshelves, and I have no problem cleaning out an item if it's brought me joy for a season.

You also enjoy secondhand shopping in your wardrobe. Where do you have most success in finding the items you like for your wardrobe secondhand?
I am a HUGE devotee of ThredUp.com. Many find this website overwhelming, but if you apply your size filters & search specific brands you love, it's very easy to use. I tend to order 1-2 boxes per season, try on a bunch of items at home and then return what doesn't work. In addition, I love both buying and selling at my local boutique consignment store. I will often take gently used items there to consign, and use my consignor funds to purchase a few new things.

I think that your career as an heirloom photographer naturally gives you an appreciation for tradition and things that hold importance for many years to come. How does this translate to the items you buy for your family and for your home?
I love this observation so much! My inspiration for my heirloom studio was my father's vignetted portrait photograph from 1957. It is so special to me that I can display his photograph alongside one I took of my son in the same timeless style, 55 years later. During the pandemic, when I opened my photography studio, was coincidentally the same time I began collecting & desiring items for my home that stood the test of time. I began to pursue the uniqueness, quality & timelessness that can only come from an item that has a story. I have always loved history, the past & bygone eras, and as I've grown older I've started to translate that to my home and family's lifestyle.

Is there any certain type of item you keep an eye out for the most when shopping secondhand?
My most frequently brought home items that I love to find secondhand are: blue & white chinoiserie, picture frames, anything sterling silver, decorative glassware & china, cute upscale office decor items & candles/candle holders.

What’s your favorite way to display heirloom portraits? Has there ever been a client that shared their framed photos and the style stood out to you?
So many ways! I shared earlier that my original inspiration for my heirloom studio was my father's portrait. This was handed down to me in a wallet size, and I've had fun framing his and my own children's portraits wallet-sized in mini 2 x 3 frames. I also love a double hinged brass or silver frame that allows you to display 2 portraits together - very vintage. I also love the new oval mats that I'm offering my clients for the most timeless heirloom look.

Can you share a savvy shopping tip?
My savviest shopping tip for shopping secondhand is to go often and never underestimate the quick pop in! Thrift store and antique mall inventory changes daily, and you simply never know what you might find. But you have to be there often to find the most treasures in my experience. And along with that comes accepting that there might be many days you hunt only to find nothing! That's the thrill of the hunt - you just never know what you might see on any given day. So my best advice would be to be consistent in visiting your favorite spots.

Follow Allie on Instagram

Book an heirloom session with Allie

Thank you so much, Allie!! I had all but given up on ThredUp until Allie sold me on trying it again a few years ago, and she was right. So many gems if you take the time!

Lately:

Watching:
I can rarely say no to a who-done-it. Throw in Uzo Aduba as the quirky detective set at a fictional version of the White House and drop all the episodes at once? I binged in less than a week. It took me an episode and a half to really settle into the tone but overall, I loved it.

Reading:
Though I did not enjoy it’s last prequel iteration, thanks to my Hoopla app with the library, the new Hunger Games book, Sunrise on the Reaping was free with ho holds and I decided to give it a shot. While I definitely enjoyed it more than Songbirds and Snakes, I think reading any of these books as an “real adult” (vs college me reading through a teenage lens) makes them much more difficult to take in as entertainment. As a friend recently mentioned, it feels necessary to not read these books in isolation. Is this book any tougher than the original Hunger Games? Probably not, but it definitely hits differently at this point in my life.

Listening:
I’ve joined a new book club and this month’s pick is Dinner for Vampires (Life on a Cult TV Show While Also in An Actual Cult) by Bethany Joy Lenz. It was highly recommended to listen to on audiobook, so you know the library had me covered and my hold was ready with 2 weeks to spare. So far, it has me thinking about the subtle ways people can be manipulated and fall prey to cults and cult-like leaders (but not in a way that leaves me feeling heavy about life in general…which at the moment is definitely a plus).