In early November, 216 Read Street was abuzz on the western edge of Mount Vernon. People from across the city were browsing through color-coded shelves of clothing at the new Tall Grass boutique. They hugged friends, sipped wine, danced to DJ Pangelica, and admired the beautifully decorated cake at the center of the opening-night celebrations.

Saba McCoy wasn’t quite sure how the night would go, but the packed room was confirmation of her decision to open her first store, which had been a dream of hers for years.

Inspired by the self-help book The Artist’s Way, she finally said those words out loud during a dinner party last February with friends. Serendipitously, Mo Rothman, who was thinking about closing the brick-and-mortar for her beloved Bottle of Bread vintage shop, was there. It suddenly became clear that this was where McCoy’s new business should be. After Rothman made her last sale that summer, McCoy moved in.

“I felt like I would always regret it if I didn’t just take that opportunity,” says McCoy, who also works as a full-time brand strategist.

Part of the allure was that she’d been working from home and wanted to better connect with her community, having returned to her childhood home of Baltimore from New York a few years earlier. She felt eager to contribute something meaningful to her hometown. “I wanted to do a thing where I felt really out in the world.”

That spark, combined with her careful eye and intentional curation, is now a reality in a bright, airy shop with white walls, eclectic accent furniture, and a sophisticated mix of vintage finds and contemporary designer pieces. Everything she sells is stuff she loves or wears herself. And her eye for detail is everywhere.

The opening party also hinted at McCoy’s deeper vision. More than just clothes, the space feels part gallery, part showroom, part creative incubator.

Contemporary artworks, many sourced by her mother—an Eritrean native and lifelong appreciator and collector of the arts—line the interior, celebrating both her individual style and her East African heritage. She plans to activate the outdoor area with intimate performances and collaborate with Therefore, a nearby creative space, for pop-ups.

Located halfway between Park Avenue and Chase Street, Tall Grass sits on a block experiencing a quiet renaissance. Nearby, Black-owned independent businesses such as Mt. Vernon Records, Bluestone Goldsmithing, and a Cakes In The City have also opened, creating a corridor of creativity and design-forward retail.

For McCoy, the goal of Tall Grass is simple: create a space where people feel welcome, connect with objects and each other, and leave inspired. The shop is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“Come in and say hello,” she says.

We’re all about spreading the love, offering sweet messages and thoughtful gestures to all the special people in our lives. But this year, we wanted to make sure we spread some love to, well, ourselves! Sometimes we all need a little nudge to remember to carve out some “me time,” so for this Valentine’s Day, we urge you to treat yourself to these much-needed self-care gifts.

Tucked in the corners of many of our favorite stores are designs and handmade products—hidden charms, one may call them—from makers living right next door.

Halloween is our annual opportunity to step outside of our normal selves and embody someone (or something) else for a night of revelry. Whether you’re aiming for spooky, silly, or sexy, we’re of the mindset that the best place to source your best festive look isn’t Amazon or Party City. If you’re willing to dig a little deeper, vintage shops are a treasure trove of inspiration and unique pieces that will bring any look to life. We asked local vintage mavens to put together costumes pulled from their racks and give us hot tips on shopping used for a memorable look.

“A costume doesn’t have to be blatantly obvious—explaining the gist of your idea to people can be half the fun,” says Sara Autrey of new Charles Village vintage mecca Get Shredded Vintage. Autrey’s “Eccentric Yacht Couple” couples’ costume, is the perfect example of that sentiment. On their own, each of the pieces can be worn in normal life for an on-trend nautical look or worn all together, with a sprinkle of wanderlust attitude, the costume comes to life.

Looking to party hard this All Hallows Eve? The Halloween queens at Milk and Ice Vintage have you covered. “Don’t hesitate to ask the owners at a vintage store if they have any ‘wounded birds,’ meaning cool vintage that’s not for sale because it’s flawed in some way,” says Kate Thomas, who co-owns the store with Angie Gavin. “You can often get super rare and more interesting one-of-a-kind pieces at a discount, and you don’t have to worry about damaging them if you’re out partying!”

Once you’ve got the basics of your holiday ‘fit picked out, the last piece of the puzzle to a successful costume is all in the attitude. “The key to pulling off a DIY costume is going all out,” says Morissa Rothman-Pierce of Bottle of Bread. “Go the extra mile and paint your face. Roll around in a pile of dirt if you’re being Pigpen. Just go wild, because Halloween is an excuse to be your wildest self.”

We asked our favorite vintage owners from Get Shredded, Keepers Vintage, Bottle of Bread, and Milk and Ice to style (and model!) some of the best potential Halloween looks in their stores.

While tiny frames seem to be having a moment, they are not for everyone. Stay on-trend this summer with a fun pair of colored lenses or translucent frames. Offered in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, you are sure to find the perfect pair to complement your wardrobe.

Black sunglasses ($18) at Poppy and Stella. Green sunglasses ($15) at Doubledutch Boutique. Light pink transparent sunglasses ($16) at Bottle of Bread. Retro blue sunglasses ($16) at Bottle of Bread. Quay Australia Harper gold cat eye sunglasses ($29) at South Moon Under. Navy sunglasses ($18) at Poppy and Stella. CRAP The T.V. Eye sunglasses ($60) at Brightside Boutique. Black and red sunglasses ($15) at Doubledutch Boutique.

At Bottle of Bread, Morissa Rothman-Pierce has curated a to-die-for collection. While vintage fashion for women and men takes center stage, the shop’s wares are rounded out by a thoughtful selection of handmade items for the home and body.

Whether you’re looking for a showstopping dress for your next event, classic denim for hot summer days, or the finishing pieces to pull it all together, Rothman-Pierce has got you covered.

We were able to catch up with the most stylish woman in Baltimore and talk about her origins, how far she’s come in ten years in business, and the Baltimore Vintage Expo.

What is Bottle of Bread’s origin story?
I started selling vintage when I was 16 years old. My best friend’s mother owned a vintage shop in the ’80s, so when we were kids, we’d play dress up. I’ve just always loved it. I started buying and selling on Etsy in 2008, so it’s been ten years.

I had always wanted to open up a shop, and when I graduated college, I just did it. My first shop was in Fells Point—it was super tiny, but it allowed me to grow. I moved up here to Mt. Vernon in a storefront across the street, and then moved to the current space about two years ago.

What do you love about where you are now?
I’m a freak for natural light, and this space has these two giant bay windows. Plus, I’m on the sunny side of the street, so it’s a double whammy of gorgeous light. The space is a lot larger, and it’s a really cool old building. Tin ceilings, the whole thing.

What’s the best thing about running a small business in Baltimore?
It’s really cool to be a part of a city that is up and coming in a lot of ways. There’s a lot of support, and everything is owned by young people. So many people I know own businesses, nonprofits, venues, everything. It’s empowering to be around a bunch of young people who are doing the damn thing.

What are some of your biggest style inspirations?
I love old Western wear. And I love all the androgynous style of the ’30s and ’40s, like great tailored suits worn by women. Marlene Dietrich and Patti Smith both have that masculine woman sort of style I really love.

How do you source the vintage in your shop?
I handpick everything. I do a lot of house calls, I do in-store buys, and I shop when I travel. I actually just got back from a trip to Memphis, Tennessee, and shopped along the way.

You have such a unique collection of items for the home and body, as well as vintage. What is your criteria like for adding new products to the shop?
My only criteria is that I have to like it. There’s an old school and a new school when it comes to vintage. Old school are those wild spots where you walk in and there’s clothes, ceiling to floor, all time periods and styles.

There are a lot of places around here like that, and as much as I respect that and it’s totally rad, what I do is different. It’s curated. There are plenty of things I know I could sell the heck out of, but I don’t carry them. I’m pretty specific, and I think that that shows in what I have. It’s not for everyone, but I think people enjoy that it’s not a hodgepodge.

How did the Baltimore Vintage Expo come to be?
The Baltimore Vintage Expo is an event I put on along with the women who own Milk & Ice Vintage, Kate and Angie. We felt there was no good, purely vintage show in Baltimore, and the idea behind it was sort of a “by the people, for the people” event. We’ve all done so many shows over the years, and there’s always some issue, like when the organizers aren’t ready for you, or the space is a foot shorter than they told you it would be.

So we decided to put together an event run by the vendors, and it’s been great. Kate and Angie and I all run the show, as well as have our own booths with our stuff for sale. We encourage our vendors to bring the best of the best, so there’s a lot of really amazing stuff. Designer vintage, cool older stuff.

Is there anything new this year to look out for at the Expo?
Last year, we had denim repair by Kristi of Fischer Clothing Company, and she’ll be back this year. You can bring your jeans that are thrashed, and she’ll fix them up on site. We also have the Bushelers of Baltimore, super professional tailors, doing onsite tailoring.

Vintage is so often a one-of-a-kind, amazing piece, but that maybe doesn’t fit so well, so you can get those pieces perfectly fit to you on the spot. Arvay Adams of This Sporting Life will be there as well, doing custom chain stitching. You can come find an amazing vintage piece, get it tailored perfectly to you, and then have it customized. It’s a one-stop shop!

Also, this year we have early bird tickets available for purchase for people who want to get in and shop 9-11 a.m., before it’s open to the public for free.

What trends do you see being big for summer 2018?
The minimalist thing has been really big recently—long, flowy linen and silk dresses. I also see psychedelic ’60s prints coming back, which is great because I love that psychedelic stuff. Denim, always, I mean cutoffs will always be in style. Also patchwork is coming back, especially that really ’60s madras patchwork plaid.

And people will be able to find all those things at the Vintage Expo on May 19?
Heck yeah, they will! Right now, all the vendors are hoarding our best stuff specifically for the Expo, so we are going to be bringing out all the spring and summer trends.

Our top picks:

Rainbow Rex pin ($10) at B. Willow. Fight like a girl pin ($10.75) at Trohv. More Coffee Please ($10) at Brightside Boutique. JTbeezwax pin ($12.50) at Trohv. Heart candy pin ($10) at daniellesylvan.etsy.com. Rainbow pin (set of 3/$18) at Wee Chic. Vibes pin ($10) at Brightside Boutique. Pizza pin ($8) at Brightside Boutique. Boring pin ($10) at Brightside Boutique. Terrarium pin ($10) at B. Willow. No pin ($10) at daniellesylvan.etsy.com. Beer pin ($8) at Brightside Boutique. Green haired girl ($10) at Doubledutch Boutique. Vintage Elvis pin ($5) at Bottle of Bread. Vintage ram ($5) at Bottle of Bread. Roses pin ($10) at Trohv. Herbivore dinosaur pin ($10) at daniellesylvan.etsy.com.

The holidays are stressful. Between cooking, cleaning, and shopping, finding the time to pick out the perfect party look can be tricky. Whether you’re attending a family brunch or a fancy office fete, we’ve got you covered with an outfit for each occasion.

Friend Function

Metallic sweater with black trim ($22) at Hunting Ground.

Blank NYC dark denim jeans ($88) at South Moon Under.

Black lucite dangle earrings ($13) at Go-Go’s Retread Threads.

Chinese Laundry black pumps ($79.95) at South Moon Under.

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Dinner Date

Ark & Co. romper ($64) at Brightside Boutique.

Gold and silver dolphin brooch ($42) at Go-Go’s Retread Threads.

Circus by Sam Edelman bond black leather boots ($98) at Poppy and Stella.

Family Feast

Everly wine dress ($38) at Sweet Elizabeth Jane.

Beaded collar ($28) at Go-Go’s Retread Threads.

Gold lamé clutch ($22) at Bottle of Bread.

Restricted New Day booties in olive ($75) at Poppy and Stella.

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Festive Formal

Laser panel dress ($88) at Hunting Ground.

Sybil metallic clutch ($38) at Poppy and Stella.

Chinese Laundry burgundy pumps ($79.95) at South Moon Under.