Vintage is not the right word to use on these clothes but the Japanese prefer that word over "used" clothing. I on the other hand like to use the term "pre-owned" clothing. I love clothes not fashion but clothes especially the real vintage stuff like Barbra Streisand's mink coat or leather pants. Or even Cher's see through outfit just perfect for my wall.....I can spend hours in this kind of shop, its amazing, the story each and every item of clothing carry with them. * I'm an expert, i refer to all my clothes on my financial circumstances when I bought them for example, the 200 dollar shoes i bought with my last 200 dollars for the month.....hehehhe*
Anyway shimokitazawa is well known for its vintage fashion scene, youths who are in the RE-MAKING MYSELF FOR HIGH SCHOOL process try out looking like Danny's *from grease* date to be. Older ladies trying to recapture their youth by taking on a bolder 80s look and the young men who went along with the bossy girlfriend. But whatever their excuses and reasons might be, it did keep this funky little areas vintage heritage alive.
What is my reason?? I just love fashion and Vintage clothes or Pre-owned clothing inspires my "Malynda Original" clothing line. And after a whole month re-screening Beverly hills TV show of the 90s I just got caught in 80s retro fashion...why not!....baggy clothes, bandannas, boots and brightly colored jackets....Oh and bring on the mini dress, Olivia Newton John style.
One of the best things about moving to shimokitazawa is that I have 24 hour surveillance on whats new, whats hot and whats happening in the Vintage fashion world. I keep tabs on all the sales, the drama * theres a lot of melo-drama associated with this fashion sense*wink*wink* and who's selling what and when.
My first week in Shimokitazawa I just hang around exploring the area, keeping the best for last I decided not to check out the Vintage shops yet. When I was ready to take on the Vintage shops I hit the first vintage clothing shop i could find, I wasn't prepared to see clothes priced beyond 2000yen. I was disappointed the clothes were so expensive for something that is neither vintage nor new.....just used...compared to another fashion shop 2 minutes away, the new clothing are way cheaper than this pre-owned, pre-used clothes, pre-torn, pre-ragged, pre-whatever clothes. Theres nothing from the 80s just used clothes from Uniqlo and other unknown brand clothing shops around Tokyo.
The only thing that comes close to retro fashion are the over sized dresses and colorful jackets made from left over material, I assume. There are more than a dozen Vintage shops in Shimokitazawa some of them are listed below.
Yap! hard to believe but everything in this tiny shop is 500yen, bear in mind that its just used clothes. Some of them are from the cheap supermarkets. Id be surprise if you find anything fashionable here, but its worth checking it out. The clothes seem new enough and the shop owner is a cool young guy he helps you find the fitting room which believe me is invisible til he points it out . Its usually closed til after lunch and not hard to find.
A meter away on the 2nd floor is another recycle clothing shop with a red Indian fashion theme. Boots, Jackets and jeans with Red Indian imprints all over them. The ladies fashion is no different, hand stitched and embroider designs in bright colors. The shop is managed by a young man with potential Red Indian heritage, or just another imposer. The shop is very expensive, the goods are however too bold to be worn in public except on Halloween.
Grand Bazaar
I always thought grand bazaar is actually a brand itself, I will have to google that up. Anyway this has to be the most expensive used clothing shop around here. The clothes are a bit old but most of them are middle class brand names like GAP, ZARA and LEVIS. That explains the state in which the clothes are in, the previous owner wore them to get their moneys worth before passing it on. They occasionally have their little sale but still in the 1000yen range.
Stick out
This is my favourite shop, they sell everything here for 700yen. Its one of those one price shops and is ideal for men. The men's clothing are new especially the T-shirts, they sell hand bags, hats, scarfs and even shades all for 700yen. The women's section is a bit malnourished but still on a lucky day one might find something cool to wear around the house. I recommend this shop for young men who are into the hip hop fashion trend because they have a wide selection of jeans and T-shirts *that could pass for a dress* with those "I'm gangster baby" -like writings all over them.
Flamingo
This is the closest thing to a real Vintage clothing but pricey, the shop does have a great atmosphere *feels like diving into my grandmothers wardrobe* . A lovely shop that caters for both women and men's fashion needs. They have clothes, accessories, shoes and bags and other complimentary goods as well.
New York Joe
I accidentally discovered this the other day. A really cool shop, the design looks great and its frequent by foreigners. I guessed it has something to do with the name. The clothes are also expensive for used clothing, most of the goods come from HM, Levis, Zara and other everyday brands. The quality of the clothes are not that good, some of them have seen better days. The shop is designed like a warehouse with a flea market atmosphere. If you are just out exploring its entertaining enough and its good to drop by and check it out.
Retro
This is a very intimidating vintage shop, the clothes scream EUROPE!!! but so does the price tag. If Heidi is your favourite and inspiring story as a kid you will love this shop. They have a whole selection of dresses most of them in beige shade always with a lace or frilly hem. They have strong and good quality leather bags and heels however the heels are too small in size.
Located on the second floor of an apartment building, a tiny vintage shop filled with only expensive clothes and accessories. Half the goods are well known brands like Louis vuitton, Gucci and Prada, the rest are just cheap clothing. But the owner was wise enough to mix them all up in one tiny room and price them in the same price range. If you have no eye for these things you might buy a cheap dress for the price of a Gucci original. Even the accessories are misleading, some handmade ethnic bracelets with expensive price tags. The customers are mainly working females looking for brands at a quarter of the original price.
In the south exit alone there are more than 10 used clothing shops all with different themes and fashion sense. On the west exit there are some that are more precise and aiming for a certain kind of crowd. The most amazing thing about having these shops nearby is the people who come here just to look for their style while wearing their previous purchases. The long heavy skirts and dresses, the polka dots and red bandannas, the men in their 80s outfit. And for them its just another day wearing what they feel comfortable in, their fashion sense gives them their identity. In it they find who they are in relation to whatever social scene they wanna be part of.....for me its more about the stories behind every item of clothing, every theme and scene.............
No comments:
Post a Comment