Vintage fashion has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years, and Jena Kingsley is bringing the best of it to Park City with the opening of her boutique, Blueprints Vintage.

“I’ve always loved vintage clothing,” says Kingsley, who was born and raised in Manhattan and now splits her time between New York and Park City. “My mom was a fashion designer, and she always encouraged me to take fashion risks.” 
Growing up, Kingsley spent her days scouring vintage stores in search of special pieces; ironically, many of the same styles from that time are trending today thanks to the current craze for Y2K- and ’90s-era fashion à la Caroline Bessette Kennedy. Along with a career in comedy writing and stand-up—as well as penning the book Darcy Dates, a humorous memoir based on Kingsley’s popular blog about dating as a single mom—she began hosting trunk shows at private homes in New York featuring her one-of-a-kind finds.

Over the years, she would visit Park City to ski, but she officially claimed it as her part-time home after meeting her now husband, who’s lived in the area for nearly a decade. Once established, she started hosting local trunk shows at places such as DistriktF and JW Bennett.

“I love Park City and the people I’ve met,” she says. “The trunk shows here were popular and doing well, but I didn’t want to keep moving around, so I started looking for a [permanent] space.” She eventually found an office space on Main Street and converted it into a boutique in just three days—scrambling to open in January before the crowds arrived for the Sundance Film Festival’s last Park City hurrah.

Blueprints opened to enthusiasm from both locals and visitors, who admired the racks of vintage fur coats and fringe jackets in suede and leather—which have become trendy the past few seasons, although Kingsley says they’re always in style. “I was recently in Paris, where people are walking around in fringe suede jackets even at the nicest restaurants,” she says, adding, “I have an addiction to buying coats. Some people buy shoes, some people buy bags, but coats? There’s no such thing as too many.”

On the topic of fur, Kingsley stresses that she doesn’t buy new fur (or faux fur, which is often made of plastic). “I only wear and sell vintage fur,” she says, also noting that she’s an animal lover who has four rescue dogs and she doesn’t eat red meat.

Since its debut, the store’s inventory has expanded beyond coats to include blazers, dresses, cowboy boots, accessories, skiwear, and a men’s section (popular with both guys and gals), all hand-picked and vetted by Kingsley. “I am the buyer and the curator,” she explains. “I travel all over the world to bring things into the shop. I’ve also been fortunate to work with some great high-end consignors. We’ve done the hard work for you, so you don’t have to dig.” 

For summer, she’s sourced beautiful vintage Western pieces and an array of vintage silk slip dresses—an ideal ensemble for sipping a cocktail on the patio at Le Depot or checking out a Deer Valley concert, two of her favorite local summertime activities, as well as hiking. “I’m an avid collector of vintage slip dresses, and we have an amazing selection in the shop,” she says. “When I go to events, I only wear vintage dresses because I want to show up in something that no one else is wearing.”

Kingsley attributes the current popularity of vintage fashion to customers’ desire for unique pieces, as well as factors such as quality, price fatigue, and sustainability. “People don’t want to pay a lot for garbage; they’re realizing that clothes used to be made better—better materials, better techniques,” she says. “Customers are tired of paying a lot of money for a polyester dress that everyone is going to have.”

Kingsley acknowledges that curated, designer vintage items aren’t necessarily less expensive than non-vintage items (“There’s a big difference between thrifting and vintage curation,” she notes), but they often have a better cost-per-wear ratio. “I recently bought new boots and wore them four times before all the leather peeled off. By contrast, I have boots from the ’70s that have held up great.” Proof that (vintage) style is eternal.  

SHOP TO IT

Whether you’re a vintage-shopping newbie or a seasoned pro, Kingsley shares her top tips for finding the best goods. 

There are no rules. “Some people get intimidated because they feel like they don’t know how to shop vintage,” says Kingsley. “You should buy what speaks to you.” Spot a leather jacket with a horse painted on the back with rhinestone eyes, and it’s calling your name? Buy it. “I know people like to look at labels because that’s how we shop, but when I shop for vintage for myself, I just buy what appeals to me.” 

Try things on. Kingsley says you can’t rely on vintage sizing. “It doesn’t make sense. There’s no rhyme or reason to it.” She encourages customers to try multiple sizes and consider how you feel in it. “You can’t go by size. You just have to try things on.”

If you love it, don’t leave it. Unlike traditional retailers, there is no distinction between seasons when it comes to sourcing vintage. “If you find something you love, get it even if it’s not currently in season; you have to take advantage while you can.”