.png)
Seattle’s ever-changing landscape has created a burgeoning shopping city in the past ten years, yet far from Pacific Place and Westlake Village in the heart of Seattle’s downtown shopping district is Seattle’s strong vintage scene.
Niche vintage shops are favorites in their respective neighborhoods and with the customers they serve, who would rather keep these hidden gems hush-hush. In all reality, Seattle is home to the best vintage and indie stores scattered across several trendy neighborhoods from Capitol Hill to Queen Anne and Ballard. The best vintage finds are within reach from feminine fifties dresses to worn-in vintage Levi’s and slinky Givenchy dresses.
On the corner of Summit and Loretta Avenue in Seattle’s hip and diverse Capitol Hill Neighborhood is Pretty Parlor, a unique vintage store that offers repurposed vintage pieces under their own signature line, vintage reproductions and new vintage-inspired designs by local designers. They carry brands like Trashy Diva, Bettie Page, Quay Australia and local designer names like Frankie Four, and J. Von Stratton.
Its pink façade and frilly windows capture the eye of passersby. Upon entering you are transported into a retro paradise with ombre pink walls, a large portrait of Audrey Hepburn and greeted by the store’s Siamese cat Vincent.
Racks are categorized by era with a large rack in one corner dedicated to Gatsby style authentic flapper dresses, one rack in the other corner with Lawrence Welk era gowns and another filled with Betty Draper approved dresses.
Paper umbrellas, paper lanterns, and a large chandelier hang from the ceiling along with a kaleidoscope of vibrant petticoats near the salmon pink silk-curtained dressing rooms.
Pretty Parlor opened in 2001 by Anna Lange, better known to customers as Anna Banana who previously worked as an art director at Nordstrom.
Their motif mirrors that of Lange's own style which she classifies as, "Audrey Hepburn meets Judy Jetson.” Everything is under $250 aside from their bridal boutique behind the shop that opened in 2014. Their big sellers, according to Lange, is their “vintage lingerie, 70’s halter dresses, 60’s Jackie O’ style suits and 50’s pinup swimwear.”
In the heart of Ballard’s shopping area on a cobblestone street sits Lucky Dry Goods, an eclectic vintage store with an exposed brick interior, industrial racks and rustic wood flooring that juxtaposes its colorfully curated collection. You will even find worn-in vintage Levi’s sized to find the perfect fit easily.
The walls are festooned with color coded dresses and button downs. A shelf of vintage purses adorn the top of a vintage tee rack. Hanging from the ceiling are vintage screen-printed band tees from Seattle's very own Nirvana and Mudhoney to Tom Petty.
Caryn Cook is the owner of Lucky Dry Goods where a majority of their selection is under $100. They sell everything from the Victorian era to the late 90s with an assorted collection of menswear, children’s clothing and designer garments. “This store wouldn’t be possible without my passion for quality and my staff of vintage experts,” says Cook, “We launder and fix pieces to give them new life before they make their way to our sales floor.” The store has been going strong since 2007 and in 2014 they opened a second location in University Village near the University of Washington campus.
On Ballard’s coveted NW Market Street, you can find Trove Vintage with a reclaimed wood sign and robin egg blue trim. The store opened in 2012 by best friends Sara Leonard and Cyrena Preszler who claim to be obsessed mainly with the 50's and 60's, although they bring in items from every era that they find striking or still in fashion. "Sara and I both have a passion for vintage because of the sentimental value,” says Preszler, “We will even keep an eye out for a particular item if our customer is looking for something specific.”
The large windows bring in plenty of natural light that spotlight their eclectic array of vintage furnishings from beautifully carved wooden nightstands to a spacious pink and orange striped couch. Two large mason jar chandeliers hang from the high ceiling leading you towards the back of the store which features white and yellow striped walls draped in vintage dresses starting at $50. You will even find vintage Chanel, Givenchy and Pucci pieces if you look hard enough.
Vintage stores have been a mainstay of Seattle since the grunge era. Unfortunately, we have seen many Seattle vintage hot spots fade due to the mass of construction happening in old historic neighborhoods to build new condominiums, expand commercial tech offices and recreate the infrastructure of transportation. However, these tried and true vintage shops are here to stay and are the heart and soul of their neighborhoods.
Follow on Instagram: @limelight_magazine
Comments