Meet Casey O’Rourke of Blue Suede Vintage

Casey O’Rourke has always loved vintage fashion. Her high school prom dress was thrifted, and living in Austin deepened her passion for sustainable style. After returning to Memphis in 2017, she founded Blue Suede Vintage, blending her love for fashion with her hometown’s musical roots.

What began as an online side gig is now a thriving boutique offering clothing, accessories, and home goods from the 1920s to the 2000s. Casey’s mission is to curate unique styles while promoting conscious shopping and reducing waste. Get to know this visionary FACE of Memphis!

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What sparked your passion for all things vintage?

I’ve thrifted and shopped secondhand since middle school, but I fell in love with vintage when I lived in Austin while I was getting my MBA at the University of Texas. Austin has some incredible vintage shops, and there, I finally felt comfortable pushing my personal style a little further. I love that vintage is so unique, and it allows you to wear what everyone else isn’t wearing, but my business is based on the fact that buying secondhand is just more sustainable.

Tell us about the journey to launching Blue Suede Vintage. What inspired your decision to open a storefront?

I started Blue Suede Vintage as a side hustle in 2018, but it wasn’t until I lost my corporate marketing job in mid-2022 that I decided to take it full-time. My husband, who also owns his own business, pushed me to do it. We live in the Vollintine Evergreen (VECA) area, and my running route took me by an open storefront near Crosstown Concourse. I snapped a picture of the phone number, called when I got home, and opened a shop there a few months later.

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What can customers expect when they visit your shop?

I love connecting with and getting to know my customers. I want to learn their style and preferences and help curate a tailored experience each time they enter the store. We’re getting more and more specific product requests — everything from a green silk wedding guest dress to a floral brooch to a solid wool cardigan. I’m working on a more formalized way to track these in our new location. It’s going to be our own custom Blue Suede Vintage CRM (Customer Relationship Management)!

How do you source your clothing and accessories?

I started out thrifting and regularly attending estate sales. I still love to do both of those, but buying a few things at a time can be challenging when keeping up with the volume needed for the shop. I prefer to take buying trips, knocking out lots of sourcing all at once. I’ve developed relationships with individuals across the South, whom I guess you could consider wholesalers. With a storefront, more and more people are bringing things to me to sell. I  love that the most because I get to hear personal stories behind individual pieces.

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What is your favorite fashion era, and why?

As a collector, I’ve been leaning into the 1920s and 1930s lately. I recently purchased a lavender beaded 1920s drop-waist dress that I adore. Never in a million years will I be able to wear it, but it’s so gorgeous. The elegance and craftsmanship of pieces from the earlier part of the 20th century are just unmatched.

What is the biggest misconception people have about wearing vintage? Can you share any tips for shopping for or styling vintage outfits?

I’ve had customers say, “Oh wow, it doesn’t smell weird in here!” That’s because reputable vintage dealers launder just about everything first — often by hand — which can be a lot of work! I have plenty of tricks to remove stubborn smells and musty odors. A vinegar rinse or vodka spray (yes, really!) can work wonders.

Many think vintage is too costumey. Not everyone wants to wear wild polyester prints, and I get that. I strive to offer a mix of flashier, showstopper styles and more basic pieces that can be incorporated into everyday wardrobes—like denim, blazers, silk blouses, etc. If you’re just dipping your toe into vintage, we have great “entry” pieces.

I recommend that customers find an era that works for them based on what silhouettes were most popular at the time. For example, I’m petite, so many oversized, exaggerated 1980s styles don’t work as well on my frame. I love 1970s pants, but they’re often narrow in the hips. Dresses from the 1950s and early 1960s usually fit me pretty well, but I know the size on the tag needs to be three to four dress sizes larger than my modern size!

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Tell us about events you’ve hosted at Blue Suede Vintage. Why is community engagement important to you?

We’ve hosted a few community clothing swaps, which have progressively gotten bigger. They’re a great outlet for evangelizing the benefits of secondhand clothing. I also hosted a couple of shopping nights last year to benefit local nonprofit organizations. They were so much fun that I’ve been inspired to make those a more regular occurrence in 2025.

Why did you decide to relocate to the Broad Avenue Arts District?

We outgrew our first shop in the Crosstown area pretty quickly. My husband and I also shared that space. He owns an event business and had an office and storage downstairs. We found adjoining spaces on North Hollywood Street, so we can stay close to one another but have separate addresses. Blue Suede Vintage will have its grand reopening at 486 North Hollywood on February 8!

How do you hope to grow Blue Suede Vintage in the future?

The new location is almost double the size of the old one, so we’ll be expanding our offerings. I’m building out the men’s and kid’s vintage sections and starting to add in more furniture and home goods.

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Who or what is inspiring you at the moment?

I’ve learned so much from every episode of the Articles of Interest podcast. It’s about fashion and fashion history; who knew that 20 minutes about pockets could be so fascinating? My best friend also gifted me a Vivienne Westwood coffee-table book that I’m excited to dig into.

Where can we find you when you aren’t working? 

Running on the Vollintine-Evergreen Greenline or soaking up time with my daughter.

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What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Fail early and often. I tend to be a perfectionist and would rather wait to do something until I know I can do it really well. That doesn’t always work in entrepreneurship, and it’s usually better to make moves even if they’re wrong. It’s a continual challenge for me.

Outside of faith, family, and friends, what are three things you can’t live without?

Coffee, my rescue dogs, and running shoes!

LIGHTNING ROUND!

Last delicious local meal? A BLT from Mad Grocer. I’m not sure how they manage to make a simple BLT so good, but they do!
Bucket-list vacation? Japan
Best “hidden gem” in Memphis? Wild Bills. If you know, you know. If you don’t, I’ll be your guide!
Your go-to birthday gift (to give), and where to get it? I source vintage gifts all year long! I love to find vintage books for the niche interests of my friends and family.

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