I recently interviewed Kerry Ciardelli, owner of Linden Hills specialty boutique Victory, for an article about her fabulous closet for our upcoming Shops magazine (Watch for it in September.). She gave me a great little piece of advice about building a wardrobe that is true to style and never leaves you saying, "I have nothing to wear."

"Building a wardrobe is like building a great wine cellar—you have to collect and gather. You don't want to have to go to the store every time you need wine or every time you need a dress. You want a wardrobe that is a balance of basics and wonderful special items that stand the test of time."

I have been thinking about this a lot lately. I swore off shopping under pressure about this time last year when I was trying to find a dress for Glamorama an hour before the show. Whenever I speed shop, I end up with something that isn't exactly my style, not exactly a perfect fit, and something I can't return—I had to wear it that night.

The only problem with Ciardelli's ethos is that sometimes I go through a shopping jag in which I only buy one thing, either because it represents a trend that is speaking to me or because that item is all I am finding. Lately I've amassed plenty of pants and skirts but am in short supply of blouses.

So yesterday, when I had to make a few stops in St. Paul, I decided I would stop into Grand Avenue consignment shop My Sister's Closet to see if I could find some great summer shirts.

Before I get to the goods, let me just say I was blown away by the merchandise in this store. Sure it is packed and there are a lot of things that one can quickly pass over, but the nuggets of vintage and designer items were so impressive that this will be one of my new monthly haunts.

Of course, I didn't leave with anything I came for (no blouses), but I did get two killer skirts, an adorable day dress, a black leather frame bag, and a fabulous pair of shoes.

One of the best things about shopping consignment is that things often cost less than what is on the price tag. This is because after a certain number of days on the rack, the item becomes discounted. This vintage gray suede skirt by Anne Klein was ticketed at $36 (a MAJOR bargain in my book) but was marked 75 percent off. So I took it home for $9, which is pretty much free considering the quality of the craftsmanship and the perfection of the suede.

Couture? In St. Paul? That's right, my friends. I picked up an Escada Couture pencil skirt in the perfect shade of pink. I can't wait to pair it with a vintage beaded cardigan to achieve the ladylike look that was so big on fall's runways. This skirt was marked at $48, but I took it home for $36.

I love day dresses, but I often have trouble buying vintage ones because although they fit my waist perfectly, the chest is too long (I chalk it up to the fact that undergarments today are much less structured than they used to be.). The diaphanous fabric of this vintage style worked better than some of the more structured styles I tried on. $22.

I've been after a black frame bag for a few months now, but I find that most of the vintage ones I come across are too small. This Italian-leather style by Monsac is big enough to fit a magazine but has all the structure I want. Priced at $68, I took it home for $61.20.

These shoes were not my size, but when you see mint-condition vintage Ferragamo, you don't pass it up. I picked them up anyway and gave them to Jayne—they fit her perfectly. And at $34.20, it is a fashionable gift I can afford.

My Sister's Closet, 1136 Grand Ave., St Paul, 651-222-2819