A couple days ago, my mom and I were able to escape our house and go to an amazing vintage shop in Somerville. I had been waiting, rather impatiently, to go to this store for so long (but hey, quarantine). I was excited to finally get the chance to browse its selection of clothes, shoes, vinyls, cassettes, and other odd tidbits, dating back to the 1960s. Walking into the store was like walking through a whirlwind of the past. The blur of odd items was a bit overwhelming for me, but so fun for my mom, who was thoroughly engrossed in the records the moment we entered.
The front of the store was mostly dedicated to records and old cassette tapes, which I found really interesting (even though I’d never actually seen a cassette player before this). Next came a crazy mix of shirts, sweaters, and jackets: tweed, leather, bomber, you name it. The selection of different styles and eras was incredible, and more than once I found myself completely absorbed by a piece I knew I would never buy, but nevertheless enjoyed looking at.
I loved watching my mom’s eyes light up whenever she came across some article of clothing that reminded her of her childhood. One bomber in particular caught my eye. It was color blocked in neons and bright purples. As I lifted it off the rack she scoffed and said, “Not cute then, not cute now.” I couldn’t help but laugh at the look on her face, one of utter disgust at past fashions.
On the back wall, past the crazy tops and suede calf-length skirts, was the most elaborate collection of vintage dresses I had ever seen. I wish I could have tried some of them on, but the dressing room was closed due to COVID-19 regulations. Some of the dresses were heavily embroidered with glittery beads while others were covered top to bottom in frills. A few reminded me of things I had seen Marilyn Monroe wear, while others I couldn’t imagine a person wearing at all!
After a much, much shorter time than I would have liked, my mom ushered me out saying that we couldn’t spend too much time inside. I ended up purchasing a record by Simon and Garfunkel, a favorite of both mine and my mom’s, a navy blue sweater from an old brand even she didn’t recognize, and a purple leather skirt (a very bold choice, as I was informed at the cash register). I spent less than thirty minutes in the store, but it was a captivating blast from the past. I will most definitely be returning, hopefully soon, to see if I can find any more rare gems in this treasure trove of a store.