Piping Plover unifies plus-sized thrift, coastal trinkets, and native wildlife preservation

When you think of Boston, does the wildlife come to mind? For Tatiana and Domenic, the founders of “Piping Plover,” the sand-colored shorebird is a symbol of preservation, dedication to environmental consciousness, and home. Hailing from the Boston area and participating in Boston-area markets, Plover (for short) is committed to servicing queer and plus size shoppers. 

Why did you start Piping Plover? What market niche does Piping Plover serve to fill?

Tatiana (T): “Piping Plover started as a passion project. A way to celebrate and serve diverse body types. It has evolved into a message of the power of investing in our community. As the world grows more polarized by the second, basic needs and necessities have become unaffordable. Plover tries to offer a combination of both vintage and second hand at affordable prices.“

Domenic (D): “Piping Plover started after years of shopping second hand. We developed friends and community in the space and really learned to love the local market scene. We also noticed a lack of plus size clothing options which made it more difficult for us to source clothes for ourselves, although we never struggled when it came to accessories and knick knacks. We were hoping to fill a clear gap we had noticed in the market that was not only impacting us as shoppers but we imagined was affecting other people as well.“

T: “We love vintage and second hand but kept facing disappointment at the markets when we realized that we were struggling to find items in our size. It’s hard not to notice the lack of size inclusivity. As someone who has been a size sixteen and a size eight, we also recognize that our bodies are constantly changing and growing. It was important for us to make it a personal initiative to recirculate  garments we have outgrown or sized down from. We wanted to ensure that good quality plus size second hand garments ended up in the hands of those they were intended for.”

D: “It’s also a mission of ours to price fairly. We try to make sure that we price vintage at a price that reflects its quality but we also recognize these items are still second hand. We divide items into vintage or standard second hand, or more modern brands, and clothing that might be lesser quality but are still cute pieces.“

You have very strong visuals in your logos and marketing. Where did these originate?

T: “I feel lucky to have Domenic. They really are the brains behind the marketing and visuals.”

D: “Being newcomers in the industry and avid egg lovers we went with a baby plover hatching from an egg as the main logo icon. We have a wide variety of items we carry and to capture that diversity we wanted a brand that was colorful and eclectic which explains the bold colors used, mixed and matched typography, and fun little moments like the cowboy boots on the baby plover.“

Did any brand, imagery, or people inspire your business?

T: “Our community has truly shaped Plover. The people we interact with make this experience beyond worthwhile. We cannot forget the other vendors that inspired us to do this. A special shout out to Bitchy Vintage, Hootie Vintage, The Siren Collective, and Hendi’s Vintage.”

Why the Piping Plover?

D: “Truthfully the Piping Plover name came to us pretty spur of the moment. We were brainstorming name ideas to submit our application for markets and we just so happened to be walking the beach as a piping plover ran by. These birds are animals we have grown to love living by the beach and we felt was a fun symbol of our home. We are also a group of nesters who like to collect knick knacks to make a space feel like home. A bird felt like the perfect symbol.”

Tell us why you love that little bird!

T: “It represents home. It represents preservation. The piping plover is a protected species in the northeast. Their nests are protected along the Northeast coastline. Our home is a small peninsula just outside Boston. The beach is an integral part of what it means to be home. Walking the beach late at night and seeing these birds brought us so much joy. Many happy memories and conversations about Plover started on the beach. The Plover demonstrates the tradition of preserving what we care about. Protecting the ecosystem, allowing a flow reminds us of the endless exchange of clothing.  Clothing is meant to be shared and cycled and vintage clothing is meant to be both enjoyed and preserved. The piping plover is a symbol of hope that we still care for our planet and are willing to make sacrifices for it.”

In an era of rampant overconsumption, wasteful shopping habits, and environmentally catastrophic materials, it’s more critical than ever to keep items, especially those made of various plastics, out of landfills. Plover does this by repairing damaged items so that they can be re-sold and by directly procuring pieces from their own closets or that have been acquired in their community.

How are your items sourced? 

D: “Our items are sourced from our own closets and we also take donations from friends and family.“

T: “Our bodies and styles are constantly fluctuating. I selected my pieces that I love to serve my body at specific times and when I’ve outgrown that I had a hard time just getting rid of the clothing. Actually our conversations about this are partially what led us to consider sharing our clothing. This way it allows us to continuously grow and feed our love of fashion by ridding each other's closets of the clothes that no longer serve us. Parting with clothing that no longer fit is such a wonderful release and makes it easy for us to build inventory.”

How do you find markets to sell at? What is the process for being a market vendor like?

D: “Tati is a trooper when it comes to actually finding markets and applying to them. Luckily we have attended a lot of markets in the area so it is just a matter of applying to the ones we had been shopping at. We also find newer opportunities online and from other community members who share on their socials or are organizing their own markets.”

T: “It started by word of mouth. We know markets because we shopped at those markets and fell in love with these vendors. It also helps that we follow a bunch of vendor friends and are connected to the social media communities that share Boston area opportunities. So far, we have been welcomed with open arms. People have shared tips, tools, and support. The first few markets we learned so much from other vendors. It’s really heartwarming to see how many other vendors want to uplift and support one another.”

How are brand responsibilities, such as organizing inventory, posting on social media, and attending markets, divided between you?

T: “Dom is the brains behind social media. I mostly manage operations. This includes management of the financial aspect, and applying to the markets. We equally manage inventory, and market attendance. We often compliment one another. I think in small details but Dom thinks of the big picture.”

D: “I usually spearhead socials and creating content but we also share a lot of the work. We have had a couple of fun days out in the sun taking pics of our clothes before having a much needed badminton break.“

Plover’s inventory is broad, ranging from up-cycled clothing, trinkets that have been re-homed or crafted by Domenic and Tatiana themselves, books, prints, glasses, purses, and more. A Plover market stall is reminiscent of an ancient witch’s cauldron room or a mad librarian’s study. It’s filled with treasures, big and small.

Walk us through your market stall set-up. What is going through your mind when you’re displaying items?

D: “When it comes to putting items out I feel like it’s about finding a balance between having as much as we can on display while also maintaining aesthetics and a cohesive brand image. We have a pretty eclectic inventory so we usually just set everything up and then tinker with things and move things around before the market opens. We will usually restock through the markets as items get sold to keep the racks full and reorganize things as needed. Setting up and breaking down has gotten much easier since the first couple markets. We have a pretty steady flow and idea of how we want things now. When we first started we did some mock setups at home to make sure we would be able to fit everything in our tent space and make it look nice. I will say no preparation can make the setting up and breaking down in the rain an enjoyable experience but the markets are always worth it because we really enjoy getting to talk to people who come up to our booth even if they don’t decide to buy something. “

Vintage clothing enjoyers that are plus-size (such as myself) know the frustrations of lack of size inclusivity in thrift spaces all too well. Having had the privilege of shopping at Plover, what’s especially refreshing about their racks is that shoppers can trust that there will be a wide variety of items that will fit, no matter their size.

What’s the hardest part about running a shop dedicated to vintage plus-size and queer-centric fashion?

D: “I think it’s important we make sure to source items that don’t just fit our bodies and being mindful that we want to build a community of all shapes and sizes and that means carrying cute pieces that fit a wide range of people. I think catering to queerness comes pretty easy since we are all expressive with how we dress and the inventory mainly comes from our own closets to begin with. We have size twelve-and-a-half heels in stock, corsets, animal print, cute purses, and lots of trinkets. It doesn’t get more gay than that.“

What’s the biggest challenge when prepping for a market?

T: “Coordination. There is so much that goes into prepping the inventory, gathering all the materials, laying out the set-up, and packing the car. Communication with one another is so important to make sure we are on the same page.”

D: “Honestly sometimes the biggest thing is just finding the time to sync up since we both work full time outside of the markets.”

How do you dedicate time to run a side business while working full-time jobs?

D: “This has become especially difficult now that my new job requires me to work weekends, especially if I want to make money since I am a server. Before I got laid off and was working a nine-to-five it was much easier because we all had weekends off. Luckily we both live close by so we can hang out at night and meet up in person if needed. We also will do things on our own and communicate it to the other person. I can be an awful texter but FaceTime and texting does come in handy.”

T: “For me it speaks to passion. This is our passion project. We knew going into this that it may be difficult at times to keep it consistent. However, we have found power in learning how to balance our needs. This past year has been a tough one and we found ourselves having to step back at times. I've learned in my career as a mental health clinician that identifying my values, and acting in alignment with those values has the power to transform our lives. Plover doesn’t quite feel like a job. It is hard work, for sure, but it also feeds so many different values. For my career values, I get to reinforce creativity, innovation, and hard work. For my mental well-being, it feeds my values for freedom, passion, authenticity, and self expression.”

If you could give advice to someone struggling to start their own clothing business, what would it be?

T: “I hope this doesn't sound silly but I do feel we are way too early on in this journey to give anyone advice on what to do. Rather, I hope they just keep going. I wish for them that they can find what is important to them and stick with it. In the end that’s all we can do. It’s not easy to do just about anything right now. It is beyond commendable to do something you care about and do it wholeheartedly.”

D: “Don’t be afraid to rely on your community. Everyone at the markets are so kind and so willing to help each other out. It is a super inclusive space, or at least it has felt that way in my experience. Use the time before the market opens after you’ve set up and check out other people's inventories and booth setups to get ideas, chat people up, and ask them for advice. There have been many times we have seen someone doing something we thought was smart and just asked what it was or where they got it.”

Despite the constraints of working full-time and running Plover on the side, Tatiana and Domenic have found success at multiple markets. To them, success isn’t just about sales — it’s about creating fond memories, building community, and learning more about queerness, fashion, and sustainability.

What are your biggest goals for piping plover?

D: “Honestly, the dream would be to have a storefront and have Piping Plover become my full-time job.”

If you could collaborate with any brand, person, or organization, who would it be?

D: “This is a great question because I haven’t put much thought into this yet. I’ve been focused on doing what we’ve been doing and perfecting what we have. It would be fun to collaborate with other vendors in the area to host our own market event. Something with live music or a DJ, some signature cocktails and mock-tails, and a group of vendors.”

Pretend you’re opening a brick and mortar storefront. Describe the visual layout to us — what textures, colors, or patterns would we see? How are items organized?

D: “This is a crazy question because I would love to go off. I definitely think there would be tons of animal print. I don’t think there would be any single texture, pattern, or color. I would want it to be an eclectic assortment of different things. Also tons of plants! Low-key would love a store kitty walking around, sorry if you’re allergic. I think in terms of organization, we would differentiate between second hand and vintage but also have space to showcase tickets, books, art and accessories since our inventory is more than just clothing.”

What’s your favorite market you’ve been a vendor at? Do you have any markets coming up?

D: “We did an indoor Valentines day market once in Salem and it was such a lovely crowd and beautiful day. I’d probably go with that one for sure.”

T: “Salem Flea. I cannot express just how much fun we get out of these markets. The environment alone is worth going for. The people are so interesting and invested in what it means to invest locally. I have memories of Dom chasing someone down just to give them a brooch they liked for free. They were so shocked but we just wanted it to end up in a good home and we can see the appreciation for our goods in Salem. The organizers are so coordinated and welcoming. They make it easy for the little guys like us to start out.”

Keep an eye out for Piping Plover at the next Boston market you attend! And you can keep track of them via their Instagram, @pipingplovervintage.