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Modern Vintage
Sometimes all it takes is one special garment to feel completely transformed. Taking inspiration from spy movies of old, don a pair of big sunglasses and in an instant you are a secret agent, observing your surroundings with a keen eye – a confidence in anonymity. Tie up a tailored trench and note yourself walking taller, your strides longer; on a mission that only you are privy to. Slip on a pair of fab flats and explore a different path home, taking in new sounds, new sights. Breathe in intrigue, breathe out adventure – you never know what's around the corner.
– Nina Bays Cournoyer
As seen in WILMA's March Issue!
Capulet alix dark forest BODYSUIT ($65), Dolce Vita halo black HEELS ($98), Clare V. simple camel suede TOTE ($495), and Junkie Jewelry tiger eye drop EARRINGS ($38), available at Elle Boutique; ’60s gold PANTS ($78), available at Jess James + Co.
’60s silk SCARF ($68), available at Jess James + Co.; pale pink with lace and appliqué NIGHTGOWN ($58), mint green chiffon peignoir ROBE ($36), blue and green cluster stud EARRINGS ($24), and pearl tassel NECKLACE ($35), available at Second Skin Vintage
Left: Jungle DRESS ($120), ESCADA green BELT ($95), gold chain BELT ($38),’70s black and gold carved BANGLE ($38), ’70s mop black BANGLE ($48), peach and ivory ’80s NECKLACE ($40), and gold knot EARRINGS $15), all available at Jess James + Co.
Right: Safari green SHIRT ($135) and JOA Roll Up Paper Bag khaki PANT ($70), available at Elle Boutique; cheetah MULES ($38), available at Jess James + Co.; Anne Klein amber floral SCARF ($12), available at Second Skin Vintage
’70s Etienne Aigner TRENCH ($115), cream leather GLOVES ($55), green veil HAT ($48), gold disco HOOPS ($30), and red studded HEELS ($40), available at Jess James + Co.; Clare V. foldover CLUTCH ($275), available at Elle Boutique
About the house:
The setting for this month’s shoot was the stylish, mid-century south Oleander home of the equally stylish Roberta Zimmer.
Zimmer, a longtime member of the Wilmington business and civic community, started Wilmington-based Reeds Jewelers with her husband in 1946. What started as a small store in downtown Wilmington grew into a major jewelry retailer with stores in multiple states and online.
When Roberta and Bill Zimmer bought the land for their home, near the Cape Fear Country Club, it was on a dirt road, and it would be the first house built on the block.
The home had a number of unique and modern details for its time. From terrazzo floors to Georgia marble to a chandelier they had shipped over from Venice after a trip to Italy, the house flowed with personal touches.
The Zimmers’ children grew up in the house, and Roberta Zimmer continued to play a role in Reeds, which remains a family-owned business, into her nineties. She died last year at the age of ninety-two, leaving behind her imprint on the area.