Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Bull.
Sarah, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I have been a local five & dime duchess for as long as I can remember and I love nothing more than sharing my loot with other humans that were cut from the same cloth. When I was a little girl, I can think back on always wanting to be innovative when it came to my style. I would cut holes in overalls and stitch other material in certain areas to add character. I had a box of “junk” where I would pull fabric scraps, patches, and charms from to make things with. When I was about 20, I started selling my most prized treasures on eBay. I did fairly well, but I wanted more. I got married young and had my first daughter Nevaeh at 25. She gave breath to a whole new avenue of vintage clothing. I donned her in the dopest vintage threads that were so uniquely curated they even made some adults question their own fashion sense. This is where my love for kids railroad overalls came into play. In my opinion, there is nothing cuter than a tiny Bambi toddling around in a pair of worn-in overalls. I started collecting stacks of vintage children’s clothes to add to my collection of women’s and men’s apparel. I was a stay at home mom during this time and still selling online so I had the space to create and shop as I needed to.
In 2015, my dad was diagnosed with ALS and I became his caretaker alongside, my mom. Lou Gehrig’s disease is a beast and it sent our family into a completely different world to have to watch a man who was an actual iron horse deteriorate at warped speed right in front of our eyes. It did, however, give him the opportunity to see life through those infamous rose colored glasses and I got to bond with a side of my dad I had never experienced growing up. I had my second baby girl during this time, little Olive Mae. She brought us all so much joy. My dad passed away shortly before her second birthday and his death was extremely traumatic for us all. I witnessed and experienced things in those last days as his caretaker that I will never forget, but it was an honor to serve him in that way and I will never regret the extra time I was able to rack up with him.
Unfortunately, the following year was a series of more heartache and struggle. I became a single mother of two and started working full time at a new job. I always somehow managed to find the time to squeeze in a run or two to stock up on inventory though. When you love something, you make it work no matter how hard it may be. I had a great opportunity to arise when a longtime friend of mine made her dream a reality and opened her own storefront. Lindsey Munchrath, small business owner of Beatnik Fine Goods in Oak Cliff always appreciated my craft and asked me if I would like to put some items in her shop to sell. For the last two years, I have been the exclusive vintage buyer for her store, sprinkling her vibey curated shop with everything from pottery to denim. This opportunity gave me connections in the industry and links with other vintage sellers like myself. I watched these gals come in and do events where they would pop up shop and sell like mad women all day long. This inspired me to start going rogue and sell at Pop-Up events all around the metroplex, which is where you will catch me today.
Has it been a smooth road?
It most definitely has not been a smooth road, but adversity builds character. Life is ebb and flow. There are times where opportunity knocks on your door and presents itself with ease and there are times where you have to literally put in so much sweat equity to even get a small piece of the pie. Bottom line, you are the only one who goes to bed with the choices you made today on your shoulders. It has become so pronounced that if I am not protecting my energy and space as a woman, then I am, in turn, doing a major disservice to everyone around me that I love and care about. Although we feel as if we can pour from an empty cup, know this… you absolutely cannot serve from an abandoned vessel. You are only as sharp as your tools. Tend to yourself and watch the benefits unfold to those you love.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Penelanee Vintage – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
I sell a variety of items from housewares to jewelry, but my honey pot is denim. I source men’s vintage work jeans and market them to women by making them into cutoff shorts. Why men’s jeans? Because they just fit better. They are mostly Wranglers and Levis and organically already distressed already. I just cut them at the appropriate length where you have the option to wear them rolled up or unrolled without being too short or too long, give them a bath and they are ready to go. There are so many talented local vintage sellers in Dallas right now that it is interesting trying to navigate and figure out how to build your brand and set yourself apart from others. I think I just am a relatable woman in general. I am an open book and hold vulnerability as one of the most important character traits we can harness and possess. I try to really treat other people in a way that I would like to be treated and I have learned that listening is really the most important thing you can do while interacting with others. I also price my things fair and I think that also generates a level of trust with new customers who aren’t familiar with my aura yet.
Who have you been inspired by?
I have so many influences in my life both male and female, but honestly, right now, in this season of my life, the women who most inspire me are actually my daughters. I have a brilliant and bold six years old named Nevaeh and a hilarious and willful 3-year-old named Olive. The natural and true state of motherhood is unselfishness and those girls are the driving force in why I get up each day and move. I can not wait to show them how far a little grit can take you and how to foster their strengths and nourish their weaknesses while building their own character as they grow.
Pricing:
-
Beatnik Fine Goods- 6/16 12-4
-
Sundays at The Rustic Dallas- 11-3 All summer long
-
Elaina Kay’s Cornbread and Country Fest- 7/20 Tate Farms Rockwall, TX
Contact Info:
- Email: sarahmclarry@gmail.com
- Instagram: Penelanee
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
