Supporting sustainable luxury can be done in many ways: buying from designers committed to eco-friendly fashion – even “trashion.” You can shop designer resale sites like the RealReal. And you can also shop vintage. Our ace correspondent Julie Chang Murphy has curated an inside guide to the best vintage shopping in America right now, both online and retail, including fashion, home décor and more.
vintage shopping for fashion and home décor is the insider’s secret to standout luxury
Some might assume that the height of luxury is buying a new wardrobe straight off the runways every season. But, for fashion industry insiders and sartorial geniuses on the street, the secret ingredient to any memorable outfit has always been vintage.
Here’s where to find the best vintage shopping in America, whether for fashion or home décor, online or at retail.
One-of-a-kind garments with superior construction that have withstood the test of time paradoxically add something completely fresh to one’s personal style. There’s a source of pride to finding and rocking the perfect vintage smoking jacket with your favorite pair of Reformation jeans.
[white_box]Join our community
For access to insider ideas and information on the world of luxury, sign up for our Dandelion Chandelier newsletter. And see luxury in a new light.
sign up now >
[/white_box]
forget all your assumptions about shopping vintage
One of the biggest misconceptions about vintage is that it’s going to be too much like a costume.
Sure, there are some stores that go all-in on a certain look – pastel 1950s cotillion dresses, 1970’s psychedelic printed shirts in polyester or rows of grungy, ripped vintage tees. However, the best vintage stores are not like this.
Here’s where to find the best vintage shopping in America, whether for fashion or home décor, online or at retail.
Instead, the owners are passionate treasure hunters and the selection is well-curated with the best representations from various decades, mixed in with designer pieces and one-offs.
just remember: vintage shopping takes patience and an adventurous mindset
I will confess that while I’ve always admired vintage fashion, I did not have the patience to sort through racks and racks of clothing in random sizing until the past couple of years. It does require a reset of the mind as there is not the immediate gratification that you receive when going into your favorite retailer and finding your size in stock in the looks you love.
However, the slower pace, joy of discovery (and bragging rights) is worth it. And with the slow fashion movement growing each day, shopping vintage is part of being environmentally and socially conscious.
[white_box]Related Post
the new brands at the forefront of the trashion movement
read more >
[/white_box]
Another cool thing about vintage clothing is that some of the best collections are not in the major metropolitan cities like you’d expect. When I worked in fashion, concept teams and designers would regularly take shopping trips to rural areas in the Midwest and the South and come back with suitcases full of inspiration.
Some of the best vintage shopping in America is in Marfa, Texas.
Well, it’s a secret no more! Here are some of the 12 best vintage stores throughout the country. Anyone up for a road trip once social distancing is over?
The Inside Guide to the Best Vintage Shopping in America
As a New Yorker, I visit the first two shops listed here on the regular, because browsing their collections is like a vacation for the eyes. My career in fashion has taken me to many of the others on this list – and I cannot wait to hit the road and visit them again once we’re all free to roam again.
1. Nomad Village, New York
Nomad Vintage in the East Village is a small jewel box of a store. But it is not lacking in an impressive selection of garments that reflect the artistry and handiwork of cultures worldwide. For lovers of bohemian stylings, print, texture, and color, this store is a dream.
2. Edith Machinist, New York
On the Lower East Side, another favorite of vintage fashion enthusiasts is Edith Machinist. The spacious store is impeccably organized and features fashions from the 70’s and 80’s. It has a an expansive selection of handbags and shoes, which is a particular passion of the owner. Overall, the items in the store look like they can be seamlessly incorporated with today’s fashions – which makes shopping easy and fun.
[white_box]Related Post
top sustainable luxury brands you need to know
read more >
[/white_box]
3. 40 South Street, Boston
40 South Street is run by local rock legend Hilken Mancini in Jamaica Plain. There is inexhaustible collection of vintage Levis to high-quality and clean clothing-era representation from the ‘50’s to the ‘90’s.
We love the unpretentious vibe and eclectic selection here that Mancini sources “from a mish mash of a million different ways,” including house calls and drive-by Vermont yard sales.
Here’s where to find the best vintage shopping in America, whether for fashion or home décor.
4. Casablanca Vintage, Cincinatti
Known to stylists and designers in the fashion industry, Casablanca Vintage has been worth the flight from New York City for more than a decade (when I was a lowly fashion intern.)
The buyers have a keen eye and are constantly acquiring the best vintage clothing for all ages and genders with clothing ranging from the 1800’s-1990’s.
5. Fashion Avenue, Minneapolis
We didn’t want to include high-end consignment on this list of vintage stores, because it is a different category altogether. But, we made an exception for Fashion Avenue.
Its owners have unparalleled connections and networks with fashion industry insiders, country clubs and stylists. The result? Two store locations (Edina and Wayzata) that are the home to one of the largest selection of Chanel, Herms and Louis Vuitton in the Midwest. The stores also carry special vintage finds, including jewelry, and accessories.
6. Retropolis, Houston
In the historic Heights neighborhood in Houston, a must-stop-in vintage shop is Retropolis. The spacious two-story, vintage wonderland is overflowing with styles from the 60s and on. Fair warning though- this is one of those “prepare to dig” type of places but one thing is certain, you won’t leave empty-handed.
Here’s our inside guide on where to find the best vintage shopping in America, whether for fashion or home décor, online or at retail.
7. Esperanza, Marfa, Texas
In the artsy hub of Marfa, Esperanza is a standout. A small, charming shop of curated vintage clothing that focuses on natural fibers and handiwork with No polyester shirts here.
8. Miami Twice, Coral Gables, Florida
At a nondescript strip mall in Coral Gables, the family-owned and operated Miami Twice has been around since the ‘80s. The store is well laid out with a little bit of everything: vintage garments spanning the 20th century, luxury handbags, contemporary clothing, furniture and memorabilia. For the commitment-phobes, the store is willing to rent out some of its vintage collection.
9. Retromended Vintage Fashion, Orlando, Florida
In the Design District in Orlando, Retromended Vintage Fashion is dedicated to bringing unique, quality vintage clothing with the added bonus of custom reconstruction. Once a piece is selected, the shop’s in-house team will mend it by changing buttons or altering hems to make it more wearable for the everyday. The result is a truly unique piece that blends history and style together.
[white_box]Related Post
the best luxury consignment and resale sites right now
read more >
[/white_box]
10. Golyester, Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES: At Golyester on La Brea, shoppers can find a stunning selection of vintage ranging from the 1910s to the 1980s. The popular emporium prides itself on handpicked mint-condition pieces, one-of-a-kind textiles, and a robust selection of shoes. All the treasures are neatly and lovingly organized, making shopping a breeze.
Here’s our inside guide on where to find the best vintage shopping in America, whether for fashion or home décor, online or at retail.
11. Playclothes, Los Angeles
It’s hard not to fall in love with the atmosphere at Burbank’s Playclothes. The 4,500 sq foot gilded Victorian interior houses a quirky selection of vintage threads spanning the century with an overflowing assortment of hats, bags, lingerie, kitchenware and furniture in shabby chic, mid-century modern and Hollywood Regency all represented.
12. Rove Vintage, Seattle
Rove Vintage is a curated Capitol Hill store with another location in Puyallap specializing in 1940s-1990s vintage inventory. The moody, rock & roll influenced store just makes everything look cool.
The Inside Guide to the Best Vintage Shopping in America
While many of these amazing small businesses might still be closed due to COVID-19, check out their websites, etsy shops and Instagram feeds in the meantime for online shopping and feel-good outfit inspiration! And before you know it, we’ll be able to take a road trip to our favorite vintage shops. Stay safe and strong, dear reader.
join our community
For access to insider ideas and information on the world of luxury, sign up for our Dandelion Chandelier Newsletter here. And see luxury in a new light.
Crediting her training as a cultural anthropologist at Wellesley College, Julie has immersed herself in various industries in the last 15 years including fashion design, event planning, and fitness. Julie lives in New York where she loves trying every ramen and dumpling restaurant with her husband and three children. She finds joy in bold prints, biographies of fierce women, kickboxing. And spending way too long finding the perfect polish color to express her mood.
