#425: BIG ASH

👑 Joan Rivers, 💆‍♀️ Christine Chin, 🧦 Sock Man, and more.

Perfectly Imperfect is a newsletter offering “A Taste of Someone’s Taste” from guests like Charli XCX, John Cale, Julian Casablancas, Lena Dunham, Mac Demarco, Dasha Nekrasova, Tim Heidecker, Ayo Edebiri, Michael Imperioli, Rayne Fisher-Quann, Mel Ottenberg, Chloe Cherry, Matty Matheson, Anna Delvey, The Dare, Caroline Calloway, Snail Mail, and more. Check out our full archive here.

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Cool people like cool things, which is why we asked Ashley “Ash” Williams to share a taste of her taste on Perfectly Imperfect.

Ashley “Ash” Williams is a New York City-based stylist and the founder of Big Ash, a one of a kind vintage shop on Delancey Street. Since opening in April of 2022, her store has become the go-to spot for anyone seeking out mega rare archival grails and deadstock designer classics from brands such as John Galliano, Prada, Hysteric Glamour, Alaïa, PunkyFish, and Dsquared². Big Ash is true neighborhood spot and a favorite of former Perfectly Imperfect guests like Alana Champion, Talia Ryder, Blaketheman1000, and Manon Macasaet, who like many others, drop in whenever they’re nearby. Check out these gems for yourself at 47 Delancey St, or on their website. Lucky for us, Ashley is here to tell us what she’s been into.

Without further ado

Ashley Williams (instagram)

👑 Joan Rivers

Recently, I’ve been listening to or watching Joan Rivers standup and red carpet demolitions. She is so damn funny. I love her shockingly harsh comedic approach and roasting. My brain seems to be wired similarly to hers; mostly in her blatant honesty. She used to really speak her mind on red carpet critiques…Today everyone treads around on eggshells, it’s all so celebratory, confirming, and inclusive when it comes to fashion critiques. She was so real and hysterical as a commentator and told it like it is. I don’t think it will ever be the same again and hasn’t been since she died. I recently found a reality show she did with her daughter Melissa, called ‘Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best’ from 2005 on the E network, and it's just phenomenal.

💆‍♀️ Christine Chin

Located smack dab in the middle of a newfound trendy block that is: Orchard and Broome...Betwixt natural wine bars, and Australian restaurants...lies Christine Chin Spa. Be that as it may, Christine Chin has been there for nearly 25 years. The head honcho and namesake is known for her matter of factness and being one of the best facialists in town. She waits for nobody, and is dubbed "Mean Christine"..It’s no frills yet chic in the sense that it’s very clean and precisely everything you’d want when you go for a skincare treatment experience. The ladies at reception are old school and will say “pay cash, tax waived” with a wink, which helps because it’s certainly not cheap, but well worth it for an excellent facial.

🧦 Sock Man

Working in my field I just love a funky sock. I get my socks from one man, and one man only…That man is Sock Man on St. Marks. It’s a classic East Village staple - When you get there, don’t rush, comb the entirety of their selection and keep an open mind. In my early years in New York as an intern and stylist assistant I always picked up socks for my bosses there, and then when I had days off I would go and get socks for myself. I never leave without a minimum of 10 new pairs of socks and at least a 5 minute conversation with owner Marty, who is a cool, village grunge who loves Japanese socks.

🧇 Waffle House

I grew up in the South and so it’s no real shocker that I have a soft spot for Waffle House. As soon as my husband and I land in Atlanta, the aux plays Bankroll Fresh and our first stop is Waffle House. Jack Irv (my husband) and his boys, especially Tommy Malekoff, love Waffle House, so much so that at our wedding this past November we had Waffle House cater for the late night food.

🎨Villa Magdalena

Gallerist and curator Cy Schnabel started his first gallery in the Basque Country in Northern coastal Spain. Whenever I want to draw inspiration from art I turn to Cy. I also find it both bold and important that he chose to bring art and artists from all over the world to the basque Country in Spain. This part of the country has vied for its independence since the Spanish Civil War. I respect Cy for doing it there rather than somewhere with the Catholic right-wing rigor entrenching the rest of Spain. His curation is always so different and the way he presents his exhibition’s in a one of a kind space is unlike any other gallery. 

🦆 Quail Hunting in Georgia

My family loves the great outdoors and one of my fondest memories and activities that we do together come fall is quail hunting..If ever given the opportunity to go- you must. It's exhilarating. Quail’s move in small covey’s and hide low in brambles in thicket. The bird dogs are muscular English Pointers, English Setters, and English Cocker Spaniels that can smell the birds and are trained to lift their tail to the heavens in a “point” when they have identified a group. On the command, they pursue the birds rapidly causing them to fly in the air with grace giving you a split second to try and hit your target.

Bonus recommendation for paid subs from Big Ash below! 🤝 ???