November Visiting Vintage: Mama Moon Vintage

I was raised in Pittsburgh by my Lebanese Single Mama. Growing up we did a lot of thrifting, and therefore my love for thrifting vintage (treasure hunting as I like to call it) started at a young age. Well, flash forward to my high school days as a plus size babe in the 90s… shopping in regular stores really sucked..  there were DEF not many options for plus size bodies and I always felt awkward and judged shopping in malls knowing nothing was made for my body. So, I re-found my love for thrift stores and soon realized that I didn't have to be boxed in by sizes. I could look at a funky piece that I loved and make it work with my body and feel sexy and confident! After seeing my style transformation my friends started coming with me thrifting and I started helping them find pieces to make them feel sexy and BOOM my love for vintage and styling people especially larger bodies was born. I remember in college putting on a full blown plus size fashion show using all thrifted vintage pieces for my senior project. At that time that was unheard of. 

I started  MamaMoon Vintage shortly after my daughter was born in 2014 because I needed to fall in love with something that was only for me. So I thought about what I really loved and it was there all along... thrifting, hoarding amazing vintage and styling people to make them feel like a rock star no matter what size they are. I started buying pieces and selling them at small flea markets and it all took off from there. 

* Who are your biggest influences, style inspos, fav musicians 

Style Inspo: I have to say looking back now my very first style influence has to be my mom. She never left the house without bright red lipstick, a black leather fabulous bag, big hair and animal prints. Which now, as an adult, is a look I love! Now as far as biggest style inspos Id def have to say David Bowie,Prince, Dolly Parton, Cher, Chaka Khan, Mama Cass, Betty Davis -(THE funk icon of a generation) any 70s/80s gender bender rock stars, glam rockers, Divine, Drag Queens, Hedwig, Frank N Furter (Rocky Horror) over the top misfits, 70s/80s punk rockers, Studio 54 fashion, Disco fashion, Rodeo Queens

Fav Music: I'm really into Funk so top of the list has to be Betty Davis. Then I'd have to say Neil Young, David Bowie, Shuggie Otis, Lyn Collins, Trex, Thin Lizzy, Pj Harvy, John Prine, Dolly Parton, Rolling Stones, 

I really love rock n roll, funk, glam rock, 70s country & 90s hip hop. 

It was pretty damn fun! Lots of hard work and lots of ridiculous stories from the road! A part of my business is styling musicians for shows, photo-shoots and music videos. So I met the band (Heavy Temple) initially to style them for a show. We hit it off and they invited me to go on tour selling Merch, styling and doing behind the scenes work for them. I really love life on the road (as I designed my business) so it’s such a good fit. And seeing my pieces come to life on stage while they rock out so fabulously really is a dream come true!

* What's next for you?  

Great question- as a traveling vintage slinger I am booked almost every weekend until January touring all over the East Coast from New York, Pittsburgh, Baltimore & Philly of course (to name a few)  doing vintage markets and popups. I'm also going back on tour with the band at the end of Oct. 

A favorite David Bowie quote pretty much sums up my business... "I don't know where I'm going from here, but I promise it won't be boring!" 

Please follow along my journey and where I'm popping up next on my IG @MamaMoon.Vintage