Rebecca Ravenna of @foundthebestthing is a Chicago-based fashion influencer and stylist who left the real estate world to pursue her sartorial passions. Last month, she popped into our New York offices to talk shop— and show off the latest pieces from her impressive vintage t-shirt collection. Read on for the secret to authentic style on Instagram, the hardest-to-find vintage band tees, and the coolest fashion influencers you haven’t heard of yet.
#chicagostyle #alittlehighlittlelow #vintageconcerttees
What’s your personal approach to Instagram?
I’m showing people how I dress. There’s no room to be self-deprecating. You have to be confident because that’s how people listen and respond to you. I’m not too pretty, but I’m cute. I’m not young, so I don’t alienate an older demographic. You can’t appeal to everyone. So I think that’s my deal. Microinfluencers are an interesting component of social media right now, because when you have the @somethingnavy’s who appeal to everybody, but that’s not what I’m interested in. Things also changed when I met my business partner. I went into his store and we casually met when I bought something from there. I must have tagged him when I wore it six months later after I styled a shoot for Soho House, and we became friends, and ultimately built our love of band tees into a business together.
What are your favorite brands to follow on Instagram?
@ashleywilliamslondon feels more like a cool person’s closet than a singular collection. @1920_ny makes my favorite t-shirts— their founder was at Calvin Klein [as Vice President of Design]. I love @antisocialsocialclub. And then @moussyofficial for jeans— they’re eye-waveringly expensive but they’re really good.
What about Instagram creatives you follow?
I mostly follow microinfluencers and fashion bloggers who do a mix of selfies and lifestyle shots. When it comes to anything sponsored, it seems like they have a very genuine business relationship when they’re wearing it: @alwaysjudging, @klinkerbelll, @spooky.city, @summer.dawn, @malebitch. There’s so many.
What’s the secret to being an authentic creative on the internet?
I find that influencers aren’t just one thing anymore. My business partner, for example, is an insane photographer and graffiti artist, but also sells clothes. I think a creative mind is looking for a million ways to put their creativity out there. When it’s not financially driven and it’s coming from such a genuine place, the rest comes later. If I’m wanting something, then other people are going to want it, too, and so far that’s been a successful approach when it comes to fashion.
How have you been able to monetize your account thus far?
I style, and I also sell tons of t-shirts. I like the confidence people have in me in not only looking at what I’m wearing, but asking me for what they’re looking for and trusting me to find it. And I also have the music knowledge to back it up. My partner has the artistic background. But we have very different approaches to what makes a good t-shirt.
What does make a good vintage t-shirt?
The wear and the hang, and the way that the collar’s worn. Part of what makes a good t-shirt and adds value is single-stitching, because it means the piece is older. Not all of them, but a lot of the good t-shirts that were made in the ’80s and ’90s. And when it comes to band tees, I have to respect the music in some way shape or form.
What are the hardest bands to find when it comes to vintage tees?
Nirvana’s really difficult to find because there’s are so expensive. Soundgarden is the holy grail. Rolling Stones, Def Leppard— bands that tour a lot— are easier to get because there’s so many tours and it’s constant. But when you have a band that’s short-lived, it gets tougher. Temple of the Dog— two of the best voices in rock history [from Soundgarden and Pearl Jam]— those t-shirts are impossible to come by. I’ve never found one. And that’s saying something.
You can check out more of Rebecca’s favorite band tees on our Instagram story.