Vinyl miniskirts, polyester disco shirts and elegant ’40s suits are fashion fair-game and available for a steal at East Bay boutiques.
It started with a beaded sweater; a pink wool cardigan, decorated with undulating flowers hand sewn out of tiny beads. My 16-year-old daughter, Lila, held it up from the shop rack adoringly.
“You like that?” I asked, incredulous.
“Oh yes,” she gushed. “Why didn’t you save these for me?”
The fact that Lila overshot my age (the sweater in question hails from the mid-1950s, a time when I was still in rompers) did not surprise me. What intrigued me was the idea that my teenager had dropped her pursuit of the latest thing and was now exploring her own sense of style, which favored both new and old.
The East Bay is rich in vintage stores, with at least a dozen shops to choose from. Lila and I launched our 2008 vintage tour in Berkeley, on San Pablo Avenue near Dwight Way, where a cluster of vintage stores has sprung up, not in competition, but in supportive camaraderie.
“We’re good friends,” says Heidi June Spanier, of Twisters Vintage, about the owners of the other stores in the same block, Dolled Up and Icon Vintage. “Since we each have one-of-a-kind merchandise, we can send people back and forth, without taking sales away from each other.” Spanier describes the variety of customers who make up her clientele as shoppers from age 15 to 85. “Some dress head-to-toe in vintage,” she says, “but most mix eras and look to fashion trends.”
Entering Twisters is a trip in a time machine; you can revisit your own past or try on an alternate era. The walls display a visual timeline: elegant burgundy velvet gowns from the ’30s, frothy chiffon prom dresses from the ’50s, vinyl mini-dresses from the ’60s. On the men’s side are ’50s leather bomber jackets, brocade kimonos from the ’60s and polyester picture shirts from the disco ’70s. Spanier has capes and jackets that go back to the Victorian era, but says most shoppers gravitate to the 1960s and 1970s.
Victorian flapper: Animal prints and lace-up boots come together at Twisters Vintage in Berkeley. Photographer: Pat Mazzera; Model: Fauna Gates.
Anni Chapman of Alameda sifted through the racks at Twisters to find something to wear to her sister’s 40th birthday party, where the instructions were to dress in anything from the last four decades, when she spotted a familiar item. “Mom had this dress!” she exclaimed, plucking out a polyester dress with a bright red faux-knit bodice and large blue and white rectangles on the sleeves and skirt. Moments later, Chapman found just the thing to make a striking entrance to the party: a ’70s shirtwaist dress with Day-Glo pink and yellow flowers. Her face lit up. “I’ll wear this with go-go boots,” she declared.
What exactly qualifies as vintage? Beckie Pelkey of nearby Icon Vintage says, “Vintage is anything that’s between 25 and 99 years old. If it’s less than 25 years old, it’s retro and if it’s 100 years old or more, it’s technically an antique.” Those 70-odd years encompass a lot: from corsets, girdles and petticoats through classic suits from the ’40s and ’50s, to Izod shirts and ruffled jumpsuits from the ’80s with detours through Hawaiian shirts, fur coats, feathered hats, rhinestone jewelry and much more.
Icon Vintage (which also houses Retro Diva, another vintage vendor whose collection is “Tiki-friendly”) even has a rare rack of vintage children’s clothing, such as petite pinafores and little lederhosen. Pelkey says, “Most children’s clothing didn’t survive the play they were subjected to, but those that did are super-soft from all the washings. Grandmothers love to buy them.”
Party Like It’s 1959
The Bay Area is host to many period parties from the annual Gatsby Afternoon at Dunsmuir House sponsored by the Art Deco Society to book-club events where members like to dress up in the styles of their book selections to private affairs set in any era that strikes the host’s fancy. Vintage clothing stores are communal closets for locating the authentic outfit.
On a recent Saturday afternoon at Icon Vintage, cheered on by his wife and son, Paul La Vigne of El Cerrito scanned the racks for appropriate attire for a friend’s disco-theme party. After trying on a series of garishly patterned shirts, he finally decided on a large faux-quilt paisley print in shades of brown and orange—polyester, of course. “I might actually wear this one again,” he admitted. “Now all I need is the gold chain.”
Abraham Rice, of Berkeley, found authentic, pleated Cuban guayabera shirts at half the price he would pay for them new. He bought two and an unusual zip-up Hawaiian bark-cloth shirt with an angular green and yellow design. “This is interesting—perfect for a reggae festival,” Rice said.
Oakland resident Shayla Dopp searched for that special something to wear for her 27th birthday. “I like the quality of designer fabrics—they last longer, but I can’t afford the prices,” she says, explaining why she chooses vintage. “Plus, I like clothes with a history.” Vintage vendors usually get their merchandise from estate sales, vintage shows and individuals. Sometimes a family member will bring in stories or photos along with great-aunt Freida’s fabulous frocks.
Besides good prices and durability, there are other motivations for buying vintage. The five stores profiled here are all woman-owned local businesses. Most of the clothes they sell were made in the United States and sport union labels.
Reused and Reloved
Heidi Spanier of Twisters explains that a big reason vintage is so popular these days is that it is completely green. “Every item in the store is recycled, rescued from ending up in a landfill,” she says. Vintage shoppers take a stand against the disposable fashion trend of many contemporary clothing stores, whose focus on the quick turnover of cheap chic results in clothing designed to last through only a few washings and a “wear it and toss it” mentality.
Durability is important to Ona Ziegler who checked out Bay Area vintage stores on a trip from Jerome, Ariz. Ziegler admits to being adamant about “buying clothing and shoes that will last for generations—not a month and a half! These are clothes you can pass on to your kids; clothes that you can feel good about.”
The eco-friendly nature of this kind of shopping is matched by the economic benefits, say shoppers and store owners. Some vintage-lovers see a chance to buy designer clothes without a designer bank account.
Karen Anderson of Dolled Up, the third in the trio of shops on San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley, says, “Vintage is a way to get designer clothes at a fraction of the cost. This is top quality that has lasted and is still fashionable, using high-end fabrics from France and Italy that are not made any more.” Forward-looking fashion designers also rely on ideas from the past. “Some leading designers send their assistants to buy vintage clothes and bring them back for inspiration,” says Anderson, whose store carries exclusively women’s fashions. She has become something of a clothing detective while trying to date her merchandise and often consults period reference books, where she discovered, for instance, that metal zippers were introduced in the ’30s, while nylon zippers came on the scene in the ’60s.
Delving into fashion history reveals more than just what was hanging in our forebears’ closets; it holds up a mirror to their lives, as well. For example, although zippers were invented in the 19th century they did not become widespread until the 20th, first in boots during World War I, next in children’s clothes in the ’30s to encourage their independence in dressing, then in men’s pants. Women’s clothing was the last to adopt slide fasteners because religious leaders warned that zippers made it too easy to remove clothing quickly.
Old Is New Again
On another day of exploring with my daughter, Lila was thrilled to discover ’70s ethnic blouses with hand-embroidered flowers at Pretty Penny on College Avenue. The former home of Saturn Records, the shop is a cozy spot where shoppers can relax on soft pink and black leather sofas from the ’50s and get into the mood with retro-inspired art on the walls. “I buy about 15 fashion magazines a month from all over: France, Italy, Sweden and Germany because the U.S. gets the new styles about six to nine months after the Europeans,” says owner Sarah Dunbar, explaining how she figures out which styles are coming into vogue again. Then she can feature the originals that inspired these “new” styles at much lower prices. She adds, “Fashion totally recycles itself.” She sometimes clips magazine pictures onto her clothing items, showing customers how to match a pair of velvet shorts, for example, with high tight boots and a flowing white blouse. When Lila spotted a hand-tooled leather purse, popular in the ’60s and ’70s, she crowed triumphantly, “It’s exactly what I have been looking for!”
Down College Avenue from Pretty Penny is Recapture, housed in the space formerly occupied by the vintage store Soirée for 10 years. “I’ve always loved vintage textiles, handmade laces, crochet and tatting,” says owner Robin Densten. “Many people just keep Grandma’s hankies in a drawer, but a lot of work and craftsmanship went into them.”
Recapture focuses on special-occasion and bridal wear and offers “restyled vintage,” which is using vintage material to fabricate new items, such as a blouse fashioned out of an old lace tablecloth. Restyled vintage bridal gowns are popular for brides who want a gorgeous dress but don’t want to order from a book. Darci Andresen of Oakland knew she wanted something “fairy-like” and “nature-based” for her wedding in the woods. Densten found the perfect piece of old lace, sheer with tiny pink and green flowers, which she layered over an embroidered ivory underskirt.
Densten makes appointments with the brides-to-be, helping them try on a few vintage dresses—very carefully—as the lace can be fragile. “We see what style suits them,” she says, “and if it doesn’t fit, we have a lot of options to modify the dress.” She can even satisfy the fashion trend of 21st-century brides who tend to show a lot more skin than their 19th-century counterparts.
Recapture also carries bridal accessories such as pearl-strewn clamshell headpieces, or wispy bird-cage netting adorned with feathers or flowers. Gazing at the laces and pearls at Recapture, Lila decided on the spot to have a vintage wedding. “But maybe first could I get a vintage prom dress, so it will be really different and special?” she asked.
Back at Twisters, I was drawn to a black blouse from the ’40s with shoulder pads, sparkly rhinestone buttons and a little flare at the bottom. I brought it home, put it on and asked for Lila’s opinion. “That’s cute,” she said. “You look cool. Can I borrow it sometime?”
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Anna Mindess is a freelance writer specializing in contemporary culture and food. She is also a sign-language interpreter. Find her work at www.annamindess.com.
Fashion Flashbacks
VINTAGE STORES
For more information about vintage shops in the East Bay, see page 19.
Dolled Up Vintage, 2505 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley, (510) 540-5599
Down at Lulu’s, 6603 Telegraph Ave., Oakland, (510) 601-0964
Icon Vintage, 2521 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley, (510) 848-4266
Mars Mercantile, 2398 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley, (510) 843-6711
Pretty Penny, 5488 College Ave., Oakland, (510) 594-9219; www.prettypennyclothing.com
Recapture, 5405 College Ave., Oakland, (510) 530-5828; www.recapturedesigns.com
Sharks, 2505 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley, (510) 841-8736
Twisters Vintage, 2445 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley, (510) 548-9478; www.twistersvintage.com
CONTEMPORARY CONSIGNMENT
If you like the idea of recycled fashion but don’t picture yourself in a paisley disco shirt, here are some consignment and resale stores that offer reused contemporary fashion:
Buffalo Exchange, 2585 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley, (510) 644-9202; buffaloexchange.com
Buffalo Exchange on Telegraph Avenue may seem like an indie store particular to Berkeley, but it’s actually part of an Arizona-based company that owns 33 stores and 3 franchises in 13 states. The store’s “new and recycled” items are priced for students, but appeal to anyone with a desire to look hip. Buffalo Exchange offers basic wardrobe items (like jeans and T-shirts), unusual pieces and some vintage.
Crossroads Trading Co., 2338 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, (510) 843-7600; 5636 College Ave., Oakland, (510) 420-1952; www.crossroadstrading.com
Racks of denim and rows of shoes are always available at Crossroads Trading Company, headquartered in Berkeley. The Shattuck Avenue store caters to students from Berkeley High School and Cal, and the College Avenue store next to the Rockridge BART station attracts daily commuters and moms with kids in tow. Aimed at the 18 to 35 crowd, Crossroads has new items, recent vintage and lightly worn resale. You can find Prada or Gap in the eclectic, yet stylish mix.
Rockridge Rags, 5711 College Ave., Oakland, (510) 655-2289
An institution in Rockridge for 27 years, Rockridge Rags sells modern clothes for both business and casual that are always in good condition. “I feel like we’re one of the original ‘green’ stores,” says co-owner Joyce Suess. “And you can find some wonderful bargains on beautiful clothes that have been worn once or not at all.” The shop, next to the new Trader Joe’s, is newly remodeled. Suess and co-owner Lynn Brown consider clothes for consignment (the seller receives 50 percent of the sale price) between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays; 25 items (clean, pressed and in good condition) or fewer can be considered each time.
Sola Lucy, 803 Delaware St., Berkeley, (510) 526-8611
Sola Lucy has been a part of the Fourth Street neighborhood for 14 years and like a good neighbor, owner Lucy Ross knows the tastes of her cohorts: playful prints and whimsical styles, designer jeans that fly out the door. She carries weekend-casual, fun clothes and jewelry. “Anything but stuffy,” says Ross.
Sophisticated Lady, 4020 Piedmont Ave., (510) 654-1718
Located on Piedmont Avenue, Sophisticated Lady sells business chic and upscale items for after-hours events. The shop has some vintage treasures and many basic, contemporary fashions. Designer labels like Coach and Louis Vuitton are in the mix.
Urbanity, 1887 Solano Ave., Berkeley, (510) 524-7467
Urbanity just opened in July, and brings a fresh, young, fashion-forward feeling to Solano Ave. Owner Angela Cadogan sees her store as a consignment boutique for the “environmentally savvy” shopper. Clothes are two years old at most, with an emphasis on designer labels and local jewelry artisans.
UnabUSED, 2980 College Ave., Berkeley, (510) 848-8160
Just opened in July, UnabUSED sells designer labels—such as Marc Jacobs and Diane von Furstenberg—staples for working women from shops like Banana Republic and everyday items such as Seven jeans. “Some of the things you’ll find here, you won’t find anywhere else,” says owner Quynh Luu. “I like to be an individual. I like to be original instead of just buying the things everyone else has.” Stop by for the store’s Grand Opening party on Sunday, Sept. 28, 3 to 7 p.m.
