Discovering Vintage Souls
And Appreciating Life’s Luxuries
I wrote this Sunday en route home after celebrating a beautiful wedding weekend in Chicago. The most extraordinary everything. The bride. The venue. The food. The music. The family. The friends—new and old. It was truly magical.
Even more magical were the moments in between. Sharing conversation with new acquaintances who suddenly felt like long-lost friends. You know those moments of instant connection when the conversation shifts from the surface into the space beneath and you immediately exhale, thinking oh yay, I don’t have to pretend here. Honesty. Truth. And the thoughts you’re thinking that you can actually reveal—safely—out loud. That’s where I find joy.
The conversation started with vintage jewelry and quickly turned from our recent favorite finds to why authenticity feels so comforting—and why, in a world of AI, we are each gravitating toward parts of the past that feel real. And I love that. It makes sense that vintage jewelry—objects that have survived the test of time and retained their soul—could become the gateway to a conversation about authenticity in a digital age.
Suddenly, I felt like I was no longer at a wedding but at a masterclass in human connection. And the breath I had been quietly holding until that moment released—an audible exhale, actually—the sound of my nervous system relaxing when I realized I no longer had to perform.
I am at that stage of life where my “social barometer” is calibrated for depth; anything shallow feels like a waste of oxygen. While I used to think depth of self simply comes with age—I can assure you that is not the case. I had just sat witness to the opposite. So when I magically land in a deep dive with another, it feels like arriving home.
The relief of being able to speak your “out-loud thoughts” without a filter is a luxury that costs nothing but yields everything. It’s clearly what crave, having spent the early part of the day chatting with an old friend—the kind that requires no backstory.
The topic of conversation in the hours leading up to the wedding was about graduating out of an old relationship—one that no longer held the same weight. And rather than feeling sad over the loss of what once was, it became about the revelation of what is. No blame. No villainizing another. Just the recognition that the version of me that once fit no longer exists. And the guilt I had been carrying—that I walked past her, an old friend I had not seen in years, randomly on a busy Chicago street, ducking my head to avoid a surface conversation—vanished.
Once that realization comes to life, there is also a release—a very specific kind of exhaustion that comes from pretending. I think we can all relate to the unspoken labor involved in maintaining a social veneer: keeping conversations polite, polished, and ultimately shallow and hollow.
So to my new friend—thank you for the opportunity to move from a counterfeit conversation to something that lands like exquisite estate jewelry. Just as we cherish a ring with the patina of time and history, I truly cherish relationships that offer truth over performance.
Being “too old to pretend” isn’t a limitation—it’s a superpower.
I’m going to wear that like my new favorite vintage finds.
With Patina,
Leslie
A few of my favorite pieces:
Vintage jewelry is generally defined as pieces that are at least 20 to 100 years old. While not everything here falls neatly within that timeline, each piece was curated over years and from around the world—often through deep dives online. I chose them for their dramatically simple aesthetics, their negotiated prices, their signs of wear, and the joy they bring me.
Whether I keep them for a lifetime or not, I consider them like any investment—looking at the arbitrage opportunity before finalizing a purchase. The beautiful thing about vintage jewelry is that the resale market and value are already defined. This firmly falls in the realm of Girl Math.
My sources range from auction houses to vintage shops, both in person and online. Favorites include LiveAuctioneers (their app is excellent and inventory turns quickly), Vintage Voyage (based in Moscow—patience required, as customs delays from the former Soviet Union are real), Ward Vintage (New Jersey–based, discovered through a friend, with a strong Instagram presence), Audrey’s of Naples (a local standout), and trusted marketplaces such as 1stDibs and Poshmark.
Chanel, Fall 2018 (also known as 18A collection). CC logo cuff bracelet in gold-tone metal with multi-colored resin or poured glass stones.
Christian Dior, c. 2010s. Resin, enamel, and crystal flower cuff bracelet.
Chanel, Spring 1999. Clear resin (lucite) cross necklace with large oval beads, gold-tone fittings, and Maltese cross-style pendant.
Chanel, c. 1984. Gripoix necklace with triple Maltese/Byzantine-style cross pendants in green and red poured glass enamel, centered with faux pearls. Produced by Goossens Atelier for Chanel to emulate the look of stained-glass windows.
Catwalk Jon, not quite - but on the cusp of vintage. Statement earrings; runway-inspired costume jewelry. The brand has been creating dramatic pieces for over 26 years.
Scour hard. And when you find what you love, play Let’s Make a Deal.
Share your favorite pieces back—I’d love to see what inspires you.
Being seen, valued, and heard for your authentic self is true intimacy. #pricelessjewlery
Love this!!