Vintage Shopping 101
One shopper’s castoffs are another’s treasures—and a great way to help save the planet.
Buying vintage clothing isn’t a novel concept. Like many people, when I started shopping for used clothes during my high school years in Minnesota, I was simply adding an affordable splash of style to my wardrobe. Since then it’s become my passion, and I hunt down cool secondhand shops wherever I travel. Over the years, vintage has become serious business. Christie’s and Sotheby’s auction off designer collections. Supermodel Karen Elson is opening a boutique in Nashville this fall. And Oxfam has brought on fashion whiz Jane Shepherdson—former brand director of London’s trendy Topshop—to remake the company’s dreary charity stores and to shine a spotlight on the sustainability factor of vintage. “Initially people were drawn to vintage because it was one of a kind,” says Cameron Silver, king of the trade and owner of Decades, in Los Angeles. “Now it’s extra chic because it’s green.” A justification for my obsession at last. Here, a short list of my favorite boutiques worldwide.
New York
Rare Vintage
Owner Juliana Cairone sources big names (Chanel, Dior) and styles celebrities for the red carpet.
Cherry
The West Village boutique carries groovy clothes and shoes from across the decades. The real gems are on the second floor.
Massachusetts
Calico
Worth the detour to this former whaling town, Calico specializes in chic disco dresses.
Connecticut
Grape in the Shade
Jazz music sets a retro tone for antique handbags, costume jewelry, and more in stylish Litchfield County.
Portland, Maine
Encore
Wooden pharmacy cabinets line the walls, and the stock includes outfits used in films.
Atlanta
Stefan’s Vintage Clothing
In the fashionable Little Five Points area, Stefan’s is a flashback to another time.
Nashville
Venus and Mars The Showroom
Karen Elson’s new shop should have as much style as the model herself.
Miami
C. Madeleine’s
A veritable department store of vintage.
New Orleans
Lili Vintage Boutique
Taking a cue from A Streetcar Named Desire, the focus here is on chic slips to wear out and about.
Minneapolis
Via’s Vintage
The place where I started thrifting is chock-full of Midcentury designs.
Los Angeles
Decades
Owner Cameron Silver was named one of Time’s 25 Most Influential Names and Faces in Fashion.
Flounce Vintage
In up-and-coming Echo Park, Flounce carries sweet printed dresses from the 50’s.
London
Rellik
A tiny hideaway near Portobello Market with a mod 70’s vibe.
Oxfam
The first of the new stores from Jane Shepherdson also sells green and fair-trade clothes.
Milan
Cavalli e Nastri
A treasure trove for vintage Gucci bags and other Italian designer goods, in the trendy Porta Ticinese district.
Buenos Aires
Gil Antigüedades
Adjoining the famed San Telmo flea market, this packed shop is like a museum of fashion.