There are those who shop—and then there are those who hunt. Jenny Walton has long belonged to the latter camp, the kind of vintage collectsor who remembers not just what she bought, but where she found it, what she was wearing when she stumbled upon it, and—crucially—why it mattered. In her debut book, Jenny Sais Quoi (out April 29), Walton invites readers into that deeply personal process: part scrapbook, part sketchbook, part sartorial manifesto—though, as she writes, “this book is in no way a guide.”
Walton didn’t simply write the book—she illustrated it, photographed it, and pieced it together like a visual diary of her own life. Loose, gestural ink drawings sit alongside still lifes of treasured objects, flea market finds are arranged like miniature stage sets, and candid snapshots of her Milan existence are collaged with painterly abandon. Even the cover—rendered in a playful, trompe-l’oeil style with hand-drawn lettering—feels delightfully Beaton-esque, as though it might have been dashed off in the margins of a particularly chic sketchbook. The effect is intimate rather than polished, tactile rather than glossy—a fashion book that feels, refreshingly, like something made by hand.
Instead of offering rules, Walton offers permission. “A wardrobe that is a true reflection of its owner cannot be bought overnight,” she writes, framing style not as something to acquire, but something to uncover—slowly, instinctively, and often irrationally. It is, in her words, a journey into “the messy, magical world of self-expression.”
To celebrate Vogue’s Vintage Week (with our Replica Handbag Store Vintage Market sale just around the corner), Walton is doing what she does best: looking back. Here, she spotlights a selection of pieces that have defined her wardrobe—and, in many ways, her worldview. A long-sought-after Marc Jacobs Spring 2008 collectsion dress discovered in the depths of a late-night resale scroll; a hay-strewn circle skirt given extra drama with a crinoline; a silk Hermès scarf endlessly reimagined. These are not just clothes, but companions—objects imbued with memory, patience, and a touch of serendipity.
This might be my favorite dress of all time, simply because of how long I waited for it. I first saw it on Style.com when it walked down the Marc Jacobs runway in September 2007. I was a freshman studying fashion design at Parsons, and Marc Jacobs was my obsession. I never dreamt I could own this dress (Look 41 to be exact), let alone anything from this collectsion. However, two years ago (15 years after it walked the runway), while scrolling a resale site late at night, I stumbled upon someone selling it out of Rouen, France. I paid 100 Euros for it (I already had the matching backwards heels). Spring 2008 Marc Jacobs remains one of my most coveted search terms.
This is an incredible vintage circle skirt featuring horses made out of hay. It’s from one of my favorite shops, the very aptly named, VintageVavavoom. I paired it with an old Prada sweater and let the floor of the Galleria in Milan do the rest of the talking. I also added a vintage crinoline under the skirt to give it that extra oomph.
By far my favorite vintage Hermès scarf is this one, “fleurs de fuchsia.” I set myself a challenge last summer to discover as many ways as possible to wear a silk scarf, and the 90 cm (35.4 inches) Hermés scarf is perfect. I realized I could tie it around this Sophie Buhai blue Lapis necklace to create the perfect summer top, and thread it through this silver Miu Miu brooch to wear as a scarf in the fall.
There is no more iconic print than the Prada lipstick print from spring 2000. The pleated version was famously worn by Charlotte on Sex and the City, and because of its fame and iconography, nothing makes me happier than wearing it to the post office on an average weekday.
This is a favorite outfit of mine, simply because I’ve realized I’m a huge fan of any color palette that could be considered in the “sherbet family.” The pink sweater is from the 1950s, and the orange silk skirt I bought several years ago at the Dries Van Noten store in Paris after a glass of wine at lunch between fashion shows (and I have no regrets about this).
I absolutely adore this vintage gold dress, although I know very little about its origin. I was on my way from New York to Milan for fashion week, when I found it on Etsy and became completely spellbound (those 3D flowers along the dropped waistline!) I messaged the seller (Forever Again), who happened to live in Brooklyn, and I popped into his home on the way to the airport and scooped it up! A few days later, I wore it to the Prada show in Milan. As they say, when you know, you know, and I knew with this one.
This is a gorgeous 1960s vintage daisy-printed jacket from Emanuel Ungaro. It’s one of my favorite pieces because of that absolutely delicious mango color (not to mention, it color-palletted so well in my book next to those big blocks of jellied meat from Peck in Milan). I imagined a current-day sciura wearing a jacket like this in the 1960s, so I thought it only fitting to follow my essay, “Sciuramente,” which is all about my love for the Milanese sciure and her overflowing sense of style.
I adore this old pair of feathered flats from Prada. I found them on a resale site, and some days, even with no intent of actually wearing them, I enjoy leaving them out on the floor of my Milan apartment just to watch them interact with that gorgeous pink terrazzo flooring. What can I say, I’m a sucker for color-palette-ing (and a good Italian floor).
Mark your calendars: The Replica Handbag Store Vintage Market is back for round two. With thanks to eBay, there will be an impeccable curation of vintage and pre-loved pieces ready to find a new home in your wardrobe. If you haven’t already—now is the time to secure your tickets, simply RSVP and make a donation here.
