A lot has changed since I lived in Cambridge, including the vintage scene-- one of the best stores around closed, and another one went the route of modern clothing consignment-- so I was relieved when I arrived at Oona's Experienced Clothing.
Circa 2010, Oona's was a small shop packed to the gills with clothing that ran the gamut, in terms of quality, and the experience bordered on overwhelming. Since then, the owner's given Oona a complete makeover: it's spacious, beautifully decorated, and features a much more carefully curated selection of clothing, from vintage to modern. The prices are beyond reasonable--my finds, below, put me back about $50 total!
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Beautiful mural outside the store's entrance |
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Accessories and perfume |
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Dresses and HATS! |
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Oona's has a huge men's collection. |
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I will now be on the lookout for one of these glove stands, as my gloves are currently housed in a shoe organizer. Not very ladylike. |
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My finds! Two hats--a 60s turban-esque pillbox, an equestrian-themed topper, and a really pretty Italian mosaic brooch. |
One store I never actually visited while I lived in Cambridge was the Garment District. It's a two-story affair, with clothing by the pound in the lower level, and sorted modern and vintage above. I have never been brave enough to wade into a by-the-pound store, so I went right upstairs. Though there was a very large selection of clothes, I was a little disappointed by how damaged a lot of the stock was-- dresses rarely came with their belts, and were often threadbare--but I will say there were definitely beautiful items to be found. Case in point: a Ship 'n Shore blouse I found, with tags!
In fact, the tag is the only reason I'm making a point of posting this blouse, and you'll see why below:
It's a bubble tag! Finding New Old Stock with tags attached is always such a thrill, and I'm really happy to have found a Ship 'n Shore in particular. I've had one of their blouses for about three years now, and I can attest, it is indeed unconditionally washable!
What's the best NOS item you've found, or hope to find one day?
Fun! I've been to Oona's a couple times with decent luck (a black 40s rayon dress for me & a fantastic grey wool blazer for Doug) but I've never gotten a chance to check out Garment District. I suppose I should do that...
ReplyDeleteOh my god! I lived in Boston for 4 years around 2010 and I only saw Oona's as the chaotic, cramped store you mentioned. So nice to see it streamlined and organized.
ReplyDeleteNo kidding, I was shocked when I walked in. It's so much more organized, but I will say, the downside is they've vastly decreased their inventory. I kind of wish they'd found a happy medium--organized and heavily-stocked--but it is nice to be able to find things.
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