RAGS TO RICHES

FEATURE VINTAGE SHOPPING

I bought my first article of vintage clothing—a perilously short plaid kilt—when I was 16 years old and a clueless neophyte when it came to style. Due to some merciful act of the fashion gods, I’d been adopted by a group of über-sophisticated girls in my high-school art class. These girls smoked clove cigarettes, shunned chart music for bands like The Smiths and Bauhaus and dyed blue streaks in their hair—wildly exotic for a working-class Detroit suburb, circa 1986. They also wore lots of chic vintage clothes (mostly black) and set out to help me improve my hopelessly mall-centric wardrobe.

Their vintage shop of choice was called Penny Pincher, an unassuming, boxy little building that shared dreary street-side real estate with strip malls, fast food restaurants and auto repair garages. But on the inside, the environment felt enchanted and otherworldly. Sweet, musky incense mingled with the slightly stale odor of clothes excavated from ancient trunks and the attics of strangers. The music of defiant and disenfranchised youth—punk, new wave, early goth— howled through the speakers as customers browsed the cramped racks. Artfully made-up employees of both sexes slouched haughtily behind the counter and intimidated us with their world-weary hipness.

Penny Pincher’s atmosphere seemed tinged with mystery, danger and romance, along with seemingly infinite possibility. On a good day, you might unearth anything from a flawless ’60s cocktail dress or a scandalously sheer Jayne Mansfield-esque nightie to a sapphire velvet coat with three-quarter sleeves. There were also intricately beaded cashmere cardigans from the ’50s, sleeveless sequined tops and countless little black dresses. In the back room, an intoxicating panorama of antique costume jewelry sparkled beneath a glass counter—jeweled brooches and chokers, sculpted medallions on chunky chains, strands of iridescent crystals. Once, I scored the perfect pair of chandelier earrings—they had little gold coins in the center and were hung with multi-colored metallic cylinders. A perfect union of industrial chic and unchecked ’80s gaudiness, they were worth every cent of the 25 dollars I shelled out.

These days, vintage garb isn’t limited to Robert Smith-obsessed teens, John Waters’ characters and rockabilly fans. In recent years, a growing number of celebrities have yielded to the charms of vintage silhouettes and timelessly gorgeous fabrics. Now, it’s considered a mark of fashion ingenuity when a starlet dons second-hand threads for the red carpet. Vintage has gone from sub-cultural phenomenon to celebrity status symbol.

Here’s a coast-to-coast selection of a few of the most promising vintage shops, plus some top shopping tips from the staff.

THE WAY WE WORE

Los Angeles

www.thewaywewore.com If you’ve ever wondered where Hollywood “It” girls score those fabulous one-of-a-kind gowns and adorably retro dresses, look no further than LA’s The Way We Wore.

This high-end treasure trove supplies its A-list clientele with the crème de la crème of vintage finds. According to staff, almost onefifth of the customers are actual celebs, while another third are inspiration-seeking fashion designers and stylists.

“So much of [the increased interest in vintage] is celebrity-driven,” says owner Doris Raymond. “Now you read ‘so-and-so was wearing a vintage garment.’ It used to be seen as second-hand stuff, but now it’s about buying quality at an affordable price.” She points out that if you compare vintage pieces to new clothing of equal quality and craftsmanship, “a great ’40s tailored gabardine jacket is still a bargain.”

With two floors totaling 3,500 square feet, there’s plenty of inventory to sort through. The downstairs features clothing and accessories from the entire 20th century, with a price range from $20 to $700. Upstairs, you’ll find haute couture collectibles and designs from the late 1800s to the 1970s, mostly flawless couture pieces from the likes of Chanel, Pucci and Azzedine Alaïa. Among the big sellers right now are Edwardian white blouses and ’20s sheer lacy dresses. A testament to the eagle-eyed vigilance of the store’s staff, about 95% of stock is barely used and in “like-new” condition. All clothing is restored to original condition before it hits the floor and shoes are all “dead stock,” meaning they’ve never been worn.

TIPS

Focus on what looks good on you as opposed to what’s trendy. Develop a sense of classic silhouettes. It’s all about proportion. Look for quality, not just a cheap price.

THE WASTELANDS

San Francisco, Santa Monica, Los Angeles

Not quite ready for the deep (pockets) end? The Wastelands, with three California locations, boasts a massive inventory of affordably priced clothing and accessories, both new and used, from the 1900s to the present. With an eclectic, ever-changing selection, it’s a great place to stock up on fun and trendy items, like vintage Levis, rock shirts from the ’80s, cute dresses and wooden jewelry.

Ali Hayes, a manager in the San Francisco store, gives her take on why fashion from past eras is so appealing. “It’s a different look—not everyone’s going to have a shirt from the ’70s or a shirt with E.T. on it.” She cites the power of imagination when it comes to personal style. “I find what people wear is who they are, or who they want to be.”

For true vintage devotees, an amazing find can take on the significance of a trophy or discovered treasure. Hayes waxes nostalgic at the recollection of a particularly good score. “I remember one time I was at Salvation Army and found a fur wrap from the ’40s that was in perfect condition. I wore that every day.”

TIPS

If you like it, wear it!

SCREAMING MIMI’S

New York

www.screamingmimis.com
If a single store could embody the fun, creativity and exuberance of vintage shopping, it would have to be Screaming Mimi’s in New York City. This funky vintage Valhalla opened its doors in 1978 and later added a second location in Tokyo, where it has inspired a near-rabid cult following.

The always colorful inventory boasts vintage finds from the ’40s to the late ’80s, including sportswear, shoes, women’s dresses and men’s clothes, plus a mammoth accessories selection. Best of all, the young, hip and hyper-fashionable employees are always happy to give advice. “Our store kids are very attuned to fashion. We’re service-oriented here, so they will advise customers,” says owner Laura Wills. “The girls know what’s on the runway and what the European designers are doing. Most fashion today is inspired by vintage, anyway.”

Thanks to its wildly diverse, fast-rotating stock, the store attracts customers from a variety of age groups and walks of life. “We get everyone from the Teen Vogue crowd to readers of More,” asserts Wills. “There’s something for everyone who is passionate about vintage.” And Wills’ personal passion? “It’s always going to be Pucci. I collect as much as I can find!”

TIPS

Don’t be thrown off by sizes. A size 12 in the ’50s is closer to a size six or eight now.

In our store, everything is edited and carefully chosen. But, as a rule, in other stores you want to inspect items carefully. A moth never makes a mistake. When you are buying cashmere, hold it up to the light to look for little moth holes that will get larger after you buy it.

Don’t be afraid to get creative. Wear something in unexpected ways. Lots of times you mix vintage with something current and create an eclectic, individual style.

WACKY CATS

Chicago

www.wackycats.com Chicago’s Wacky Cats dubs itself a true vintage shop. “That means I don’t do ’80s,” explains owner Karen (who goes by first name only). Instead, the Midwest boutique’s favored eras lie between the late ’30s through to the ’50s, with a few vintage-inspired items thrown in to round out the size range. Wacky Cats serves up mostly dresses—from casual to formal—along with a plethora of accessories, including a huge selection of handbags.

Ironically, Karen traces her vintage roots to the ’80s. “Vintage clothing just seemed more interesting and drew my eye. Now, the ’80s is what the young kids want,” she muses. But her store’s current ’80s ban hasn’t hurt the customer base—she sells to everyone from trend-mongering teens to 50-something vintage aficionados.

TIPS

Don’t be shy to ask for assistance. I size things in my shop by bust/waist etc, but the best thing to do is say ‘Hey, I need help.’ Staff members can help narrow things down.

Liking something doesn’t make it right for your body type.

I love the ’20s, but they don’t work for me.

Don’t be thrown by appearances on the rack. Try stuff on.

Some of the dresses will look wide on the hanger when they’re actually not that wide.

OTHER AVENUES

For diehard treasure-hunters, there’s always the Saturday morning excitement of estate sales and flea markets. In addition, thrift stores like Salvation Army, Value World and St. Vincent De Paul yield cheap thrills and occasionally amazing finds, although they require digging and persistence. Indeed, it turns out that vintage shopping—like most pursuits in life—offers the best results when combined with a little diligence, imagination and an eye for spotting gems in any setting.

VINTAGE-SHOPPING TIPS

Take risks! Make like a stylist and experiment to come up with interesting new looks and combinations.

Examine for flaws before you buy. Some stores don’t offer returns. Try out-of-the-way shops for less picked-over inventory.

If you really love it, buy it. It might be gone in an hour!

WORDS BY CHRISTINA KALLERY ILLUSTRATION BY LEEPETERS.COM

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