This summer, step away from the shopping strip and get lost in the world of vintage. Often located on the outskirts of major downtown cores, a trip to the past is only a few blocks away.

High power casting director and rising blogger Natalie Joos shares with us her tips when shopping vintage as she celebrates the one year anniversary of Tales of Endearment (her old site lives here), a site which brings together the world of vintage fashion and a string of fashion notables like Susie Bubble, Emily Weiss and Julia Restoin-Roitfeld.

The Belgium-born image-maker, who moved to New York in 1997, has casted shows for Adam, Yigal Azrouël, Lacoste, Hugo Boss and Canada's own Mark Fast, as well as set the blogosphere a buzz with modern twist to old world designs. With a fresh new redesign, launched today, Joos' is adding motion to the mix with a series of fashion videos that highlight her great finds and muses she chooses to don her edited looks. With summer in full swing, we chatted with Joos' on how to shop vintage and her number one must-buy this season:

What are three tips you have when shopping vintage?
1. "Find a vintage store that has your sensibility. Every vintage store has  [a] different taste and specializes in different eras or price points. [My] favourite vintage spot in Canada is Shrimpton Couture and 69 Vintage in Toronto. I shot there for my blog last year with Mark Fast."
2. "Choose items that are unusual or classic. I buy vintage because it makes me feel unique. No one else (or very few people) will own the same pieces so I make sure the piece stands out. So shop for classic pieces or collector's pieces that have value. To me that is the true spirit of vintage."
3. "Try to buy pieces that fit when you buy them. I rarely buy and rework clothes. I forget or lose patience and by the time you finally have them taken in or altered the moment has passed and you won't wear it anyways. Best to look for the perfect fit so you can wear it right away and enjoy your new find!"

What's the one piece you should buy vintage this summer?
"The one piece people should be shopping for now are pyjama pants, soft, silk, flowy, long, lean pants. Wear them with platform[s] or a really high stacked heel so the pants cover them and your legs look miles long."

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