(Lyn) Some of you may know that I am lucky enough to spend a fair amount of time in the USA, mainly Arizona and I am able to bring back various vintage items from my shopping trips to consignment stores, thrift shops, antique malls and the like.
What I have found is that whilst the vintage community seems not to be quite as vibrant as in the UK, there are pockets dotted around such as a small area of Phoenix where 5 or 6 shops are clustered together including Pearly Mae’s Resale, Retro Ranch and Zinnia’s at Melrose. The first two are what I would call mid range vintage with an emphasis on 60s and 70s and I haven’t managed to get to the last one yet.
There are other places which are very high end – Fashion by Robert Black in Old Town Scottsdale which is heaven for any lover of designer and good quality vintage outfits, jewellery and handbags They do have some things in larger sizes which is nice for us curvier ladies.
Various antique malls (of which there are many) have the odd piece of clothing and some jewellery and accessories – I can normally pick up quite a lot at places like this. What I have found however, is that since I started buying in 2010, the prices have shot right up. A 60s coat in nice condition with a fur collar would have been around $30-45 a few years ago – now you are looking at $90 upwards. Vintage costume jewellery is also much more expensive so it’s become much harder to find a bargain. It doesn’t stop me from looking though even though some great local shops have closed.
But…. I have hardly ever seen anyone wearing vintage in my usual day to day life and I often get compliments on my vintage dress, shoes, handbag, jewellery in whichever combination I am wearing them. Now that’s not to say that there aren’t any in my corner of Arizona and I know that other areas of the USA have quite a lot going on.
Something new for me to try on my next trip here later in the year is a big vintage and flea market at the local exhibition centre. I have been to a couple of antique and vintage fairs but quite frankly, the last one I went to wasn’t a patch on Ruby’s or any of the other well known and loved events in the UK. Perhaps I could open the first overseas branch of Ruby’s…..
