Alligators, Old Mink and New Money: One Woman's Adventures in Vintage Clothing

A completely captivating and charming book! Ms. Houtte's writing style is as refined as her vintage style! As a dabbler in the fabric arts, a student of clothing construction, and someone born with the "thrifting gene," I found her story so engaging I devoured the book in a weekend. Her total lack of snobbery and self-importance was appealing. Here's someone who made their avocation their vocation and still gets excited about working every day. I absolutely loved the stories about her modeling life, how she got into the vintage clothing and accessories business, and most of all her accounts of the people she's met and experiences she's had. It's not a how-to book (thank goodness!), but the reader can see Ms. Houtte's confidence grow in proportion to her success as a model and later as a business owner. She relates stories of her failures - both personal and professional - with as much élan as she does the stories of her successes. An interesting and refreshing book about things that in and of themselves aren't of any importance, but taken together really add up to a life well-lived.

This is the most fun I've had with a book in years! It is, quite literally, transforming my relationship to clothes, awakening in me a sense of play I have not felt since I was 16. Thanks to 'Alligators' I am looking at my closet (and myself) with new eyes and have become an official convert to vintage. Houtte's book is celebration of individuality, especially as expressed through personal style. It is a must read for anyone who has ever taken delight in playing dress-ups-- at any age--and a welcome reprieve from our culture's glorification of mass-produced, copy-cat style. (I also highly recommend cruising www.hooticouture.com to complement this unforgettable read).

Don't like vintage clothes, don't like vintage stores. But the Houtte sisters' love letter to the old and the real offers a clear understanding of why others do and makes this reader long for such a neighborhood store and hangout. Their mother and grandmother set the pace for their race to fetching and often practical pieces of the past, and they're holding their own with personality and cheer. The book's style and wit make Alligators a fast, fun read, and for those of us of a certain age, the usually loving references are still relevant to our own idea of who we were and who we are. What a nice Christmas gift this would be. Even better, a perfect hostess present, one lasting longer than a bottle of wine, whatever the vintage.

Alison Houtte's passion is vintage clothes. From her early years, she has been surrounded by people who appreciate great style and amazing deals, which influenced her career choices. After spending a few years in Europe as a model and her big adventure with high fashion, Alison comes back and opens up a vintage store called Hooti Couture. This captivating memoir puts vintage in a completely new light. Houtte's vintage is exciting, colorful, full of new ideas. Each piece of clothing has a different, interesting story. Each day is different both for Hooti's customers who never know what great piece they can find, and Alison, who meets a wide variety of people. Reading Alligators , Old Mink and New Money is an exciting journey in the world of vintage fashion. It gets your attention from the very first pages. It simply pulls you in and makes you want to get up and go to the nearest vintage store and just enjoy new and amazing finds.

This lovely little book is an absolute delight! I have never been much interested in clothing but reading this memoir made me want to leap from my couch and run to Alison's vintage boutique in Brooklyn and find some little goodie to make me feel terrifically special. I not only craved the treasures I might find but the wonderful experience of the treasure hunt itself. Athough this was not possible, I was quite content to make myself comfortable on the sofa and vicariously enjoy all the fun of vintage shopping; all the joy of finding the perfect piece of jewelry or clothing. The enthusiasm in this gem of a book is quite contagious.