Her Campus Rutgers was invited to visit the new vintage shop in downtown New Brunswick, By The By. Located at 9 Elm Row, a five-minute walk from campus, By The By has a variety of colorful and affordable clothing. Yes, affordable! Scarves for $6 and jewelry starting at $2 – it’s definitely worth a browse.
I went into the store to check out the clothing and put together some outfits, and as I said, I was impressed with the variety of colors, textures, and affordability of the vintage items. When I walked in, my eyes first went to the black pom pom purse with the colored front ($22). I think it’s such a statement bag that would make an outfit pop. I found that the rust colored skirt ($24) brought out the orange colors in the bag but kept it a sophisticated orange look. I added a neutral white top ($22) to tie the outfit together, something that I think would look best tucked in. If you’re going for a very vintage vibe, I’d add the brown heels too ($16).
I was also a HUGE fan of this jumpsuit ($35), especially the collar and the sleeves. I paired it with the embossed black slippers ($20) (also a great piece on their own) and a black clutch ($18) for a full outfit.
Another set of outfits I really liked were these pastels: the pale blue outer blouse with either coral pants or the floral skirt. I think both looked really incredible when paired with this embroidered pastel bag; the clothes highlight the bright colors in the purse but the purse gives the clothes a more polished overall look. Unfortunately, we forgot to take pictures of the set, however, if you recognize these pieces when you visit the store you’ll know how much we love them!
Beyond women’s clothing, By the By also carries men’s clothing and accessories! Here’s a few of the most dynamic and gorgeous accessory items I loved and also a men’s outfit:
(Sunglasses: $5; Bracelet: $3; Earrings: $7; Brooch: $2
While I found it fun to put outfits together, there were so many individual items that were stunning, like the black floral shoes or the pom pom purse. When I put together an outfit, from a store or my closet, I tend to find at least two articles of clothing with either different pattern or different texture; this keeps it interesting for me! Or I try and find two colors that aren’t “too matchy;” in fact, they might not match at all. Sometimes, they simply go together.
I would recommend putting some colors you wouldn’t typically wear together. An outfit I was proud of recently was a light peach halter top with white flowers and red accents that I wore with dark red velvet bell bottom pants. I loved it because it was a mix of texture, but also because I usually wouldn’t put the colors light peach and red together. An alternative to this, if you’re not quite as comfortable with being bold, is perhaps try creating a monochromatic outfit. An example: today I wore a tight, baby pink, off-the-shoulder top, black maxi skirt, and suede slippers that are a lighter shade of pink (mix of texture! Super intentional!).
Try these tips out when shopping for the upcoming fall season or even just experimenting with the clothes in your closet! My favorite colors to wear right now are rust orange and mustard yellow. What are yours?