Today is Bastille Day, July 14, 2026. I am getting dressed to head out for a French luncheon at la Crepe Bistro, my favorite little French haunt. I find myself where I always do. I pick up my newer jewelry but put them down and instead grab my vintage 90’s pieces. To me, they harken back to the very glamorous early years of our boutique, Mona Lisa. We traveled endlessly during the 1990’s researching brands, trends and styles. We were especially inspired by everything that was happening in Paris. I never celebrated Bastille Day in France but I always think about a time when French style seemed to be everywhere. Silk scarves tied effortlessly over a blazer. Gold jewelry was all the rage and pearls somehow worked with jeans and a t-shirt as well as they did with a little black dress. I remember vividly exiting a Valentino show at the Louvre in Paris in 1990. All the super models were leaving at the same time. One was still decked out in layers of gorgeous gold jewelry paired with a leather moto jacket and boots, jeans and a white t-shirt and four or five Chanel tote style bags hanging on her arms….absolutely stunning! I can’t remember if it was Christy Turlington or Linda Evangelista. THE era of the Supermodel!
This morning, I opened a drawer and a memories came flooding back to me - really good, happy memories of a very exciting time in my life. Jewelry and accessories have become little capsules carrying memories of Paris department stores, actual fashion magazines, afternoons browsing boutiques-a time before our lives fit inside a phone. At the time, I thought they were trendy and stylish. Now I realize that they are timeless and classic. Good design has a remarkable ability to outlast trends.
Recently I looked inside my armoire and laughed. I have enough beautiful jewelry and accessories for several lifetimes. Many pieces were never worn, or worn only once or twice. Rather than letting them sit hidden away, I've decided it's time for someone else to enjoy them.
Did you ever see “Midnight In Paris?” I am a lot like the main character, Gil Pender. He dreams of opening a ‘nostalgia shop.’ His friends tease him about selling old Shirley Temple dolls with one closed eye. The funny thing is...I actually own a Shirley Temple doll. Fortunately, both eyes still work.
But I completely understand what Gil was talking about. I suppose I'm opening my own nostalgia shop—not one filled with dusty relics, but with beautiful objects that still have stories to tell. I will be listing gorgeous vintage designer pieces for sale here on Star Evans. This is still my wardrobe, not because I am trying to dress like it’s 1991 but because some things deserve to be worn, admired and remembered again and again. I hope you will join me on this journey! Perhaps you will find a piece that reminds you of your own story too! Cheers!