Ok. I know the 2015 World Series champion has been decided, and I (sadly–oh, so sadly) know that the champion was not the National League Champion New York Metropolitans. However, as a long-time fan of the antics of Mr. Met, I give you a forgotten Mets team booster: Lady Met.

Lady Met

First of all, why Major League Baseball is not selling short-sleeve Lady Met boleros, I WILL NEVER KNOW.

There is also an image of Lady Met crying in the rain, which feels apt after a tough end to a stellar 2015 Mets season.

Sad Lady Met

Secondly, if you can name another ball club mascot with an article in The Paris Review, please get in touch.

I discovered Lady Met (and her mysterious relationship to the Mr. and Mrs. Met family of today,) when a friend asked for costume ideas for attending a Halloween night game at Citi Field. As a vintage lover, I had to suggest Mrs. Met! (Reader: She did it!)

In theory, Lady Met was Mr. Met’s girlfriend (until they tied the knot sometime in the 1970’s and became Mr. and Mrs. Met.) However, I’ve stumbled across memories of Lady Met having a Baby Met, and the idea that the current Mr. Met is actually the son or the original Mr. Met, so let’s just say that the Met family history is complicated.

I do love, however, that in a world gone casual, even a baseball team mascot used to have style. Plus, I have a new eBay alert.

Team Lady Met FTW!

(P.S. See a wonderful slide show of Lynn Farrell as Lady Met in action here!)

It’s Friday! I encourage you all to have a Jean Harlow cocktail and find somewhere this weekend to wear a great party dress .

On Fridays in Maudetown, I’m going to feature a highlight from the shop–something special I’ve got on offer that begs a story.

Today, it’s Vera Neumann time.

Vera Neumann

If you are Vera lover, you know who you are. You might even be the one who recently snapped up this tea towel within 24 hours of its listing!

Vera Neumann Christmas Angel Tea Towel

Vera Neumann was an American artist and designer who, though best known for her boldly patterned scarves and linens, left behind a wealth of other work–from paintings to dresses, as well as her visionary entrepreneurial spirit. My favorite detail about her life is that her parents told her to find something she was passionate about and to pursue it–boldly. In turn, they supported her in her passion. (Parenting win!) Though Vera died in 1993, her designs live on in reissues at Crate and Barrel, Macy’s, Anthropologie and Target.

Her scarves and linens are VERY collectible, and I recently came across a Vera scarf I’ve never seen before!

Vera Neumann Calder “I Love You” Scarf

The artist Alexander Calder (most well known for his graphic mobiles) was her good friend, and in the 1960s, Calder gave Neumann and her husband a mobile: Constellation.

Alexander Calder installs Constellation at the Neumann home

The mobile inspired three scarves–one of which is pictured above and is now for sale in Maudetown. I’ve never seen a scarf with the original primary colors for sale! Though the scarf I have on offer is polyester, it’s highly collectible and quite rare.

Neumann’s work is so fun and bold and memorable. Who wouldn’t want an “I love you” tied around their neck to get through the day?

The scarf is in fine condition, and though ready for wear, would liven up any room if framed as a painting. Vera believed in emotional power of color, and it’s always amazing to me how fresh and happy her designs are. It’s no wonder they are still so collectible!

It’s business time.

My new business cards arrived today, and in a world that spends a lot of time trading in digital communication, having something solid to hold was the moment that this project finally felt real.

Maudetown, LLC, is one of Madison, Wisconsin’s newest small businesses, and I couldn’t be more excited to share my finds with the world. My work has always been about harnessing the power of stories, and helping those stories find their unique audiences. This new (well newish–I’ve been selling vintage online since 2010!) venture is the same sort of work. The world is full of beautiful old things–all full of tangible history, personal stories, and imaginative possibilities. My job now is about getting those stories to new homes and caretakers.

Be bold, skip the mall, and let vintage help you tell your story.

Jen on the island of Crete