The Emma Edition: Not Just A String On His Guitar

I’m almost finished reading A Freewheelin’ Time: A Memoir of Greenwich Village in the 60’s by Suze Rotolo and I can already tell it’s bound to be one of my favorite books. Though Suze is often known for being Bob Dylan’s muse, she is so much more than just that. These photographs of me below were taken on University Place in NYC because the alley reminded me a bit of the album cover of A Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (though the picture featuring a snuggly Dylan and Rotolo was actually taken on Great Jones Street). The book makes me resent Bob Dylan a lot—Team Rotolo all the way.

Thrifted crimson shift dress, Hue knit tights, La Candienne lace-up boots, American Apparel striped bodysuit

During her time spent in Greenwich Village, to make ends meet and to pursue her love of thrifty finds, Suze and her singer friend Jane started a line called Sujabaubles (a mash-up of their names). They sold awesome jewelry that they had made from unique materials like paper mache, but it never truly took off; they did however, at one point score a meeting with a buyer at Bloomingdale’s but the woman felt Sujabaubles was too edgy for the Bloomie’s target customer. THAT’S RIGHT BLOOMINGDALES. SUJABAUBLES WAS TOO EDGY FOR YOU. KEEP WALKING.
When I read that part in the book I picture Suze and Jane opening up their own little quirky shop in The Village and having it in action all the way up until 2011, so I could have shopped in it and hungout with them when Suze was still alive and they could educate me on their favorite records and I could help them collect random materials to make cool jewelry out of (of course, this is all my own selfish imagination).

Stella Dallas, 218 Thompson Street, New York, NY 10012

After eating lunch on University Place, an area which was essentially Suze’s stomping ground in the 1960’s, keeping her in mind, I headed to one of my favorite vintage stores, Stella Dallas. I was hoping to find this $30 vegetable-print shift dress that has been haunting my dreams ever since I stupidly passed it up the last time I was in the store, but of course it was already sold. Stella Dallas isn't just your run of the mill vintage shop. It's not too expensive, either and the items are unlike what I've seen in a lot of other NYC's vintage options (my friend once bought this sleeveless red button-up with a rooster print). Specifically, Stella Dallas always has the best vintage prom dresses, very Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face (I know where I’ll be buying my dress!), as well as a great selection of embroidered ethnic tops. There doesn’t really seem to be a rhythm or reason to what gets to be sold for the store, but the mix ends looking like a secret attic one might discover while visiting a very stylish and kooky aunt.

P.S. I’m on the lookout for super-cheap evil eye jewelry. So if you know of any stores in NYC that sells them or any online sites, please comment on this post or tweet me!!