There’s a certain type of person who loves consignment, thrift and vintage stores. It’s the Law of the Black Cocktail Dress: some things just never go out of style. We walk into these places with the intention of unearthing gems, of stumbling upon a piece of jewelry or a scarf that reminds us of our mother or our grandmother. We get the feeling that we’ve excavated some long lost item of preciousness and we wear it with pride, no matter that it’s not “new.” It’s better than new; it’s new to us. We salvaged it.
On tree-lined Brook Street, venerable vintage store Foreign Affair has set up shop in Fox Point after years on Thayer Street. “I absolutely love all things old and with a history,” says Foreign Affair’s owner Marsha Taylor. “I love the find, working on each piece [she launders and repairs items if necessary], displaying the piece. I sometimes even feel a little sad when I sell it, I guess I get a little attached.”
The store has a large enough space that Marsha has divided it, giving men and ladies each their own half. The clothing is displayed by decades, one rack specifically for 1950s cocktail dresses, another for 1960s-1970s print maxi dresses and rompers, another for sport coats and leather jackets.
She notes that one of the reasons she loves vintage is the quality of the clothes, “Things were superbly made and have survived the passing of time, in most cases in excellent condition. Think about it. These pieces are decades old,” she says. She also loves vintage because she finds it to be an exercise in individuality; you’re not likely to run into someone on the sidewalk wearing the same dress or shirt that you have on when you’re wearing vintage. This is also why Marsha advises, “If you find something you like, buy it, because there’s only one and it probably won’t be there when you return.” 140 Brook St; 274-1484.
Hidden above South Main Street’s L’Elizabeth Cafe lies a treasure trove of vintage clothing and jewelry known only as The Vault. For most of the time, The Vault remains closed to public eyes, used primarily as a “co-operative work space between four different vintage dealers in Providence,” says Ruth Meteer, owner of Gypsy and Vault member. “It’s basically just a workspace and studio, but once per month we open it to the public. We give people a first look at our items before we take them to market.”
Attendance at a Vault opening requires an invite, but “right now the invite list is open and available to anyone.” As attendance grows, however, invites will be sent out on a limited basis, because, argues Meteer, “It’s a small space and we can’t fit everyone. But anyone with an invite can bring their friends.” For information regarding The Vault’s next public opening, sign up for an invite at their website.
Ana-Lia’s is a new Cranston consignment boutique with pink walls, old hardwood floors and an original tin ceiling. The one-room store carries a diverse display of merchandise, everything organized by size, color and style. “One of the most important insider tips on how to make a good find while consignment shopping is that you should take the time to look through all of the merchandise and try on pieces you like, even if they aren’t your size,” says Karen Calabro who co-owns Ana Lia’s with Jean Ranallo. “Vintage pieces and various labels run differently. Whether you’re purchasing a one-of-a-kind vintage piece, high-end designer item or something from Ann Taylor Loft, a good find is one that is your style and that you feel great wearing.”
Karen highlights some of the more notable merchandise currently for sale at Ana-Lia’s: an Ungara piqued dress, a Nicole Miller silk blazer (limited edition 1993), vintage Gucci bags and evening wear such as suits and cocktail gowns. “The most memorable sale we made at Ana-Lia’s was a vintage Salvatore Ferragamo silk printed dress. The feeling of seeing something vintage come to life again on the customer was amazing,” says Karen. “It was a timeless piece and looked magnificent on her. She was thrilled to be wearing a piece of fashion history.” 991 Oaklawn Ave., Cranston. 595-3211, find them on Facebook.
“I like oddities,” says Mary Ellen of Hall’s on Broadway. An eclectic vintage consignment store, Hall’s has an abundance of everything from stained-glass windows to a retro living room set. Perusing through, one room contains fashion accessories, jewelry, men’s clothing, china, artwork and instruments; another is brimming with fabrics and curtains, lamps, pottery and things for the kitchen. A third room has furniture, rugs, books and a vintage typewriter.
Having owned a store in Warren for 12 years before opening Hall’s four years ago, she is well-seasoned in the art of consignment. Looking for something specific? Mary Ellen has a storage room in the back and an excellent memory of what’s inside. She frequently matches clothing with jewelry kept in storage, knowing just where every piece is. “I want to socialize, otherwise I would sell online,” she says, feeling as though consignment is a “people business.” She likes to talk with customers, helping them find the perfect accessory, picture frame or designer item. “I enjoy the store more than anything. It was my hobby and now it’s my living,” says Mary Ellen. 145 Broadway. 272-0000. Sign up for email notifications about sales and Hall’s on Broadway’s annual outdoor sale.
Virginina Hopkins and Crystal Gantz are co-owners of hope returns, a one-room gallery store specializing in gently used children’s retail, such as clothing, toys and gear for both boys and girls, newborn to size ten. “Virginia and I like to shop and we both love a good deal. We realized that shopping for children’s clothing and toys can become expensive and children use these items for such a short time,” says Crystal. “So we thought, why not let someone else enjoy it all over again?” Hope returns also carries locally made, handcrafted items such as wooden toys, hand-knitted sweaters, doll 
clothing and artwork. They believe that thoughtful resale stores such as theirs not only give back to the environment by selling second-hand items, they can also give back to their community and local economy.
The ladies at hope returns love the idea that at resale stores, customers can happen upon items from all over the country and all over the world for fair prices. “We’ve sold big purple and pink bird marionettes, amazing beaded moccasins from Morocco, the sweetest apron dress from South Carolina and a funky dress from Korean designer Andre Kim,” says Crystal. “We love it when we are surprised!” hope returns is currently having a 40% off sale on all their summer resale clothing. 746 Hope St., 453-2222.
Ask anyone who’s passionate about vintage, and they’ll tell you that you have to drive to get the best finds – and that there’s a hidden gem in northern Rhode Island that’s worth the trip. In historic Scituate Village, Sacha Hummel runs Glitz, a consignment store specializing in antiques and vintage. Sacha began working in the industry 35 years ago, designing and restyling pre-owned items. He has a love for vintage and vintage-inspired items, which is reflected in the inventory at Glitz.
“We specialize in the extraordinary and in furs,” says Sacha, “Recently, I attended an estate sale where I picked up three Vegas-style headdresses and a gown that a showgirl would love. These items will sell for Halloween.” The most memorable item Sacha has ever seen come in and out of the doors of Glitz was a Lanvin couture fur. He likes to see designer pre-owned merchandise come into the store because he is reminded of a time when the designer’s items were new in stores. Sacha also carries new merchandise intermingled with his vintage items. Glitz is stocked with clothing, shoes, handbags, furs and jewelry. 134 Danielson Pike, Scituate. 647-7788.
Jackie Murrant of Blackbird’s knows her consignment store is a small but mighty, one room of merchandise organized by category of clothing with a popular “high end” rack. “I sell a little bit of everything, not just high end. I have jeans from Saks and t-shirts
from Target, because that’s how we shop,” says Jackie. After having been in the retail business for over 20 years, she advises serious consignment shoppers to make friends with shop owners and ask them to call you when the items you’re looking for come in. “Most people don’t realize that we get new items every single day,” she says.
Blackbird’s is all about “reduce, re-wear, recycle,” putting emphasis on the idea that to buy secondhand is to buy with environmental thoughtfulness. “I’ve always shopped in resale, consignment and second hand stores; I hate waste, I hate that we throw good clothes away,” says Jackie. “My customers pretty much rock. I love that we are recycling so much clothing daily and I love giving the leftovers to people that need it. It’s an awesome business and I feel very lucky to be here.” 1800 Mineral Spring Ave., North Providence. 353-2028.

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