Shopping vintage in Toronto is not an easy task; it requires a lot of energy and hours of searching, which more often than not results in a wasted day with little more to show than aching feet, frazzled hair, and empty arms. But fear not - there are scores of great places to shop vintage in Toronto. The trick is just knowing how to search, where to shop, and what to look for. Even before hitting the shops, it’s a good idea to flip through a few magazines and to tear out a few looks that appeal to you. Or, make a list of key items to search for so that you have something to fall back on when feeling overwhelmed in a vintage shop. When searching for fabulous finds, it’s also important to think outside the box; dresses in larger sizes can be altered easily, jeans and dress pants can be shortened, and just about anything can be dry cleaned.
If it’s strictly designer labels you’re after, Act Two (596 Mount Pleasant Road) has sold their share of Armani, Chanel, Prada and Yves Saint Laurent. Their women’s eveningwear starts at around $200, and they carry many reasonably priced designer accessories as well as men’s tuxedos and wool and cashmere pieces. Print Fine Vintage (834 A College Street) carries Pierre Cardin, Yves Saint Laurent, Chloé, and Pucci as well as cashmere cardigans from $85 to $120, leather pumps for $45 and up, and dresses for around $75. Be sure to check out the sale racks as stock that has been on the floor for more than a month goes down to $5 and $10.
Stella Luna (1627 Queen Street West) carries designer labels, from Yves Saint Laurent to Halston and Miu Miu. The Paper Bag Princess (287 Davenport) carries Chanel, Dior, and Prada and is frequented by fashion-forward celebrities like Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and Kim Catrall.
Cabaret (672 Queen Street West) is the place to go for vintage cufflinks (1920s to 1960s), cravats, cocktail hats, and sequins. This is a hot spot for celebrity trendsetters including Andre 3000, The Killers, and costume stylists for films including Chicago and Hollywoodland. Expect dresses from the 40s to the 60s ranging in price from $30 to $200, men’s suits from $125 to $325, and smoking jackets from $38 to $225. Courage My Love (14 Kensington Avenue) is known for reworked cashmere sweaters starting at $30, vintage cufflinks for $4.50, vintage scarves, 1950s sunglasses, and an extensive jewelry collection.
Divine Decadence (136 Cumberland Street) sells strictly high-end vintage couture from all over the world and is frequented by the rich and famous when in Toronto. All items for sale are purchased in mint condition from their original owners. The Cat’s Meow (180 Avenue Road) also offers exclusive vintage couture, with labels like Oleg Cassini (cocktail dresses for $995), Courrèges (wool knit jumper for $1,295), Vivienne Westwood, Christian Lacroix, D&G, Dior, Cavalli, Gucci, and Hermes. All items have been collected from estate sales, antique markets, and private collections, and customers may shop in-store as well as online.
Unlike many of the aforementioned shops, Value Village is one of the best places to grab designer merch for outrageously low prices. Marc Memieras, manager of the Queen Street (924 Queen Street East) location, explains that Value Village puts 3,000 to 5,000 new items out on the floor each day. Although the Queen Street site is the third smallest location, they often get some of the best items. “We have a lot of movie shoots that take product and then return things when they are done with them,” explains Memieras. “One time we received high-end haute couture fashion items that were donated. It was mostly dresses and a few different outfits. The pieces looked like they were right off Fashion Television and were worth thousands. But were selling them from around $99 to $400 per item. We usually sell items for only 10-50% of what they were originally worth, but no one is going to pay $1,000 for a dress [at Value Village].”
Goodwill, another well-known second hand shop, offers similar deals. Kristin Germain, Marketing and Community Development Coordinator of Goodwill, explains that “you’ll always find good variety as fresh merchandise is brought into the stores on a daily and sometimes hourly basis. Every day brings new treasures to discover, designer labels, and rare fashion finds, all at exciting low prices.” Germain adds that there are many great labels at Goodwill including Ralph Lauren, Christian Dior, and Club Monaco, and that the flagship store (located at 345 Bloor Street East) is well-known for having very high quality merchandise. Plus, you can shop online to avoid the unpleasantness of actually searching through the racks.
It is important to remember that there is more to shopping vintage than just clothing. When finished sifting through the clothing racks, make sure to head over to the literature section to scour for some great coffee table books, hard covers, and interesting novels. The home wares section is a great place to hunt for genuine crystal, silver platters, and anything made of bone china. But above all, be patient when searching for vintage, and go often as you never know when someone will drop off a Burberry trench, a snakeskin clutch, or a pair of Ferragamos.
When Shopping Vintage, Keep Your Eyes Peeled For...
• Designer shoes
• Riding boots
• Designer or leather handbags in good condition
• Silk scarves • Retro sunglasses (think 1970s and Wayfarers)
• Costume jewelry (including strands of faux pearls, cocktail rings, and bangle bracelets)
• Cashmere sweaters
• Designer blazers
• 100% wool skirts
• Leather jackets
• Fur-trimmed coats and mink or fox stoles
• Summer dresses and cocktail gowns (excluding anything resembling fuchsia taffeta from the 80s and early 90s)
1950s Silk Dress from Divine Decadence in Toronto
