Tucked away in a small shopping center, Blue Velvet Vintage is a cozy, cute little shop next to a local coffee shop and record store. The dresses are organized by size (not decade), and they carry both men and women's apparel. The shop clerk, a kind and super attentive gay best friend type, was very helpful. He let me try on the most incredible Sgt. Pepper jacket he was saving for a styling gig, but said he'd be willing to let it go if I REALLY wanted it (I did. But I'z also broke). I did however purchase a novelty sweater covered in hearts and two sweetheart bunnies. I'm obsessed with it. My husband and I call each other "bunny" as a term of endearment, so finding a vintage "bunny love" sweater is kind of perfect. $16.
Bitch'in Threads may not be your one-stop-shop for wearable vintage, as they specialize mostly in cocktail/evening wear. But if you're in the market for an exquisite 1940's silk kimono or a mink collar Saks Fifth Avenue coat, you're in the right place. When we visited on a Monday, the ginger-haired Australian shopkeeper said everything in the store was half off. These words pop for a vintage-a-holic, but once I saw the 3-digit price tags, I understood why. The store selection is almost exclusively evening wear (beaded, sequined, and expensive), but I was pleased to see so many '40s pieces including a vaseline sequined lime green cocktail dress (only $45. Sadly, these hips don't lie).
Big Bertha's Bargain Basement is a cramped, claustrophobic hole-in-the-wall in the same plaza as Bitch'in Threads. While I was attracted to their designer vintage pieces (a 1980's Escada boucle tweed coat for $350), I honestly had trouble shopping here. Between the aggressive salesman and the tight clothes racks, the shopping feng shui was all wrong. They did have a pair of Victorian-era lace-up boots that had me fogging the display window like a pervert. Also an entirely crocheted (uber heavy) '20s flapper dress ($400). I appreciated the older finds, but they definitely came with a price tag.
Cream Vintage (Campus) was one of the first vintage shops my husband and I checked out, and it was the perfect place to start. Right in the storefront table, they had a selection of vintage '70s Navajo cardis for $32 a piece and I tried on as many as I could carry. The store seems to closely follow vintage trends and display accordingly, which I have a huge appreciation for. Lots of amazing granny boots, and Lacoste sweaters too at great slummin' it prices. I was bewitched. Also, the sales girl offered to give me 20% off when she saw my cardigan stack.
Cheap Cheap has all the allure of a great name, with all the promise of its namesake. When we were looking for the place, we drove right past it because it's actually located behind a different vintage store called New Brohemia. No worries. We made a U-ie and parked in the small parking lot. Inside with its oscillating fans and really terrible jewelry, Cheap Cheap has the feel of a more vintage-centric Goodwill. The clothing is all $20 and under, but you're looking at lots of polyester in garish prints and colors. Yes, there were some salvageable '60s dresses, and yes, you could definitely find SOMETHING if you keep an open-mind and don't mind hemming it. Good place for treasure-hunters on a budget.
Hog Wild Texas is a must-see showroom offering gorgeous vintage furniture and home wears for really great prices. I promised myself I wouldn't look at furniture while I was out-of-town, because finding something I loved would be too depressing. However, I stumbled upon this place on my way to a different store and it caught me off-guard. If you yearn for the perfect '60s pea green couch, you must come here. If you like weird, obscure exploitation movie posters, come here. I was in awe of their unique living room pieces - just the perfect little end table, or AMAZING vinyl couch. Everything looked really high-quality too, even the artwork. Definitely worth checking out.
The last place I visited in Austin, Texas was a real highlight. Room Service Vintage is a 3,500 square foot emporium of vintage clothes, jewelry, furniture, knickknacks and splendor. There is something here for everyone here. Oddball salt and pepper shakers? You got it. Hip vintage shoes? They have their own room. One-of-a-kind costume jewelry? Yup! From a vintage choker necklace made of quills to a vintage 1965 "Barbie in Paris" lunchbox, you're sure to find something special here for cheap. Don't miss this one.
xo,
Sabrina
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