STYLE POST: JERALYN MASON

September 29th, 2011

Contributors

Jeralyn Mason, our good friend, and co-owner of RESCUE – an amazing buy-sell-trade boutique on Newbury Street in Boston, MA – took some time out of her busy schedule to let us interview her for the second edition of our new style post series. Named one of Boston’s 25 most stylish (with her brother, and the other half of Rescue, Paul Mason), when Jeralyn isn’t selecting used designer goods and vintage rock tees for Rescue, you can catch her djying at any one of many new wave nights, both in Boston at Rescue Night (a party at one of our favorite dive bars, The Model) and in New York at Wierd (a party at another one of our favorite dives, Home Sweet Home). We think Jeralyn not only has amazing taste in clothes and music, but she is also super fun, and always knows how to take an all black outfit to the nextest level. If you can make it up to Boston, swing by Rescue’s new location 297 Newbury Street. If not, they have an equally awesome online store and blog HERE.

NAME: Jeralyn Mason

DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL STYLE: Sophisticated Goth

WHAT’S A TYPICAL DAY AT RESCUE LIKE? It really depends on the day, but typically there is a lot of waiting around for customers and then a lot of running around once the customers are there and then a lot of cleaning up when they finally leave.  If it’s a slow day, I tend to focus on display/merchandising and working on our website and blog.

HOW/WHEN DID YOU DECIDE TO OPEN YOUR OWN STORE? In the summer of 2008, I had recently quit my job at Beacon’s Closet and I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do.  My brother Paul was fed up with his job and he was inspired by Beacon’s and wanted to open up something similar in Boston.  Originally, I was just going to help out or go up to Boston every now and then but it soon became apparent that I would have to live up there to really run the business.  Although there are a lot of consignment stores and thrift stores in Boston, we felt that something which really walked the line between second-hand and boutique was missing and we wanted to fill that gap.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT RUNNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS? WHAT IS THE HARDEST PART ABOUT IT? My favorite part is seeing everything come together.  Whether it’s setting up a new location or designing the website or creating a display… just that whole process of coming up with the ideas, working really hard to get them together and then seeing it finished makes me so proud!  I also obviously love being my own boss and being able to pursue my own ideas.  The hardest part is just the actual work!  Sometimes, if I have to work a million days in a row, I start to forget that it’s my own business and I get as annoyed as anyone else would at their job.

WHAT’S THE BEST THING YOU’VE EVER BOUGHT INTO THE STORE? This is such a hard question because my taste changes so much and the quality of stuff we get in is always changing!  But we recently got in a few Rick Owens pieces which got me really excited.  He’s one of my favorite designers so I was really happy to have that in there.  We also had this really beautiful Elizabeth & James black feather vest that was just an all-around incredible piece.

WHAT’S THE BEST THING YOU’VE EVER THRIFTED OR FOUND AT A BUY/SELL/TRADE STORE (OTHER THAN RESCUE)? An amazing high-waisted Balenciaga pencil skirt that I found at Beacon’s a bunch of years ago.  It’s just the perfect staple piece and I don’t think I will ever get rid of it.

WHO OR WHAT INSPIRES YOU? Music is my number one inspiration.  I try to dress in a way that displays what I am into without looking costumey.  I have always loved looking at photos of punks and goths from the 80s and I have a huge collection of coffee table books full of photos from that time period.  I have loved Nick Cave for a LONG time and for a while, I would always think to myself, “Would I be happy if I met Nick Cave wearing this outfit?” – it was a good way to put things together.  Eventually I did get to meet Nick Cave and I was quite happy with my outfit at the time! Also lately I have been watching Mad Men and even though I do not really like the 60s style of dressing (for me, personally, I mean), I absolutely love the way that everyone is always so put together.  Everyone dresses to be seen, with perfect hair, make up, matching accessories, perfectly manicured, etc.  It’s really inpsiring to me, especially in these modern times when most people try to look as unpolished as possible.

WHAT ARE THE THREE RECORDS YOU COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT? OH MY GOD THIS IS SUCH A HARD QUESTION.  It’s almost impossible for me to pick favorites because I like so much music and different things suit whatever my needs are at that time… but I guess I would say Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – “Henry’s Dream,” Leonard Cohen – “The Songs of…” & Joy Division “Closer.”  All of these records encompass so many feelings and stories within their songs… they are each like little worlds I love living in.

IF YOU HAD TO WEAR ONE DESIGNER HEAD-TO-TOE (EXCEPT FOR YOUR JC’S OF COURSE) FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, WHO WOULD IT BE? I think I would have to say Helmut Lang.  All the recent HL stuff spans so many ideas from beautifully tailored, simple basics to pretty extravagant dresses and outerwear… I think I could easily put together outfits that would suit all of my moods and work throughout the changing seasons.

WHAT TRENDS WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN NEXT SEASON? More asymmetry and draping!  I can never get enough.  And shoes that are bigger and crazier, all the time.

FAVORITE HALLOWEEN COSTUME? On me? I was pretty into this witchy skeleton face I did last year.  No one knew who I was until I started talking, it was pretty awesome.  I always end up being something like a witch or a ghost or a ghoul… shocking, right?

Jeralyn wears Jeffrey Campbell, Helmut Lang, All Saints, Maison Martin Margiela, OAK, Alice + Olivia, Ilaria Nistri, Cheap Monday, Zara, Gentle Fawn, American Apparel and vintage.

Follow Rescue on twitter @RESCUERESCUE

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