The Muse Diaries: #3 Busy Philipps
From Freaks and Geeks to effortlessly chic, actress and podcaster Busy Philipps shares her favourite vintage spots and love of thrifting in our latest edition of the Queens of archive Muse Diaries.
How did you discover Queens of archive, and what was it about our pieces that initially caught your attention?
I first discovered Queens of Archive at my friend Carrie Byalick's 50th birthday. A woman was wearing a fantastic dress, and I absolutely had to know where she got it and who made it - and from that moment on I was hooked!
Queens of Archive celebrates trailblazing women—rebels, innovators, and icons who carve their own paths. We think your journey has been one of reinvention and resilience, using your voice to inspire and empower. Looking back, what’s one unexpected twist that turned out to be exactly what you needed?
I've had so many different iterations of my career, but definitely the jump from being an actor to hire, to my Instagram becoming so popular that I became somewhat of an influencer - I guess in my own way really was something no one saw coming, and afforded me so many different opportunities work-wise, including my book deal and my short-lived late night talk show on E! And even now the talk show that I'm doing for QVC plus.
As a mega talent—acting, writing, hosting, podcasting—always evolving and staying true to yourself. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to women navigating change and uncertainty?
My advice is the hardest one to take, but that's to make sure that you're going easy on yourself.
I find that sometimes I'm so much harder on myself than I would ever be on a close friend who was telling me about the things that she was going through - and so sometimes I have to trick myself when I find myself being really hard on myself, into thinking, what would I say if this was a close friend of mine and not me? and it works.
We think fashion is a form of storytelling. How does what you wear reflect who you are?
I have also always viewed fashion as a form of storytelling, and more than that, my clothes have always been a way that I've really expressed my personality and who I want to be that day and how I want to meet the world. Even when I was a teenager, I would put together different styles of outfits, and I was always vintage shopping and finding cool things at thrift stores. My personal style is always evolving, because I am always evolving.
The collections are inspired by our dream thrift stores—where every piece feels like a rare discovery. Do you have a vintage find that holds a special story?
Oh that's so funny I wasn't even reading the questions, and I brought up my vintage store obsession that started in high school. I have dresses that I bought in high school still, vintage dresses, I wore one last year to a Christmas party - I still wear them and my daughter wears them, my 16-year-old, I also have a pieces of gorgeous vintage clothing from my mother and my grandmothers.
We love finding treasures in markets and thrift stores wherever we travel. Where is your favourite vintage/thrift store, and why?
I have so many! I love a bunch here in New York City on the lower east side, but also I like going to things like Manhattan Vintage or A Current Affair, because you get a lot of different vintage vendors from around the country in one place.
Busy wears the AM Daisy in the Jan 2024 issue of The Bare Magazine © Photography / Makeup: Tina Turnbow.