Sunday, May 11, 2008

Vintage Shopping: Shoes

From time to time, I have the urge and sometimes the tendency to shop for vintage or second hand items. Most of the times, they are accessories!

Reading one entry from 'Fashionation' made me have that kind of urge again. This linked to a second hand shoe shop called 'Calypso' from Berlin, Germany. I was amazed to see (from the photographs the amount of shoes placed in the store.

Link (for the entry): http://fashionation.wordpress.com/2008/05/11/berlin-calypso/
Link to the shop website (mostly in German but easy to navigate): http://www.calypsoshoes.com/

It also made me remember some pairs of shoes I managed to get the last few years.....to be honest, the last two years!

From Liverpool, England
£10 (around S$28 or S$30)




From Florence, Italy
Versace
€140 for two pairs (around S$280 - not sure of the exact exchange rate)


I bargained my way through. The lady at the stall charged me €100 for each pair of shoes. It was either I paid €160 with credit card or €140 in cash.

I got these Versace shoes by chance when I was around Florence last year and it was a temporary space selling vintage goods.

Usually, I would get vintage items when I'm outside of Singapore. Normally, there's no particular place I would get the items. However, I've got one recommendation.

Go to 'Beyond Retro' (http://www.beyondretro.com/) when you are in London! Two lovely local girls told me about the place after purchasing one of their clothing designs at a local market. Unfortunately, I did not have enough time to explore the vintage store as I got a little lost and got to the store half an hour near closing time! At least I managed to snag a blue dress!



The blue dress (part of it....). The collar is the main reason why I got the dress and it was an impluse purchase! £14 (as I recall...)

In Singapore, I seldom get vintage items as most of the items are imported from Australia or England! However, people seem to know this website called 'Dust Bunny Vintage' (http://dustbunnyvintage.com/db/) and 'Granny's Day Out' (http://www.grannysdayout.com/) which the online shopping hasn't been lauched on the website...yet.

I've only been to 'House of Japan' which is along Haji Lane (http://www.theurbanwire.com/stories/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=372&Itemid=79 - an old blog entry but still true to what is there!). Most of the stuff are quite good (great range of kimonos!), however, I've got a little problem with dust and heat around the air (my nose starts to itch (which I doubt will happen to everyone!). Now, House of Japan would be the only reason why I would go back to Haji Lane (as I think the orginality of its vibe (mysterious and underground) is lacking these days and becoming another ordinary shopping district!)

If anyone knows a great vintage place in Singapore, please let me know (and I'm not talking about those charity shops, which I think are great actually!).

It's just all about luck, getting your hands dirty (at some cases) and how open your mind is!

...and the stuff I've shown on this entry....it's not all I have from vintage clothing shopping and shopping for it will never stop!

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Dustbunny Vintage is my favourite Singapore vintage shop. The owner, Pia, is very friendly and has a great eye for style. There're a couple of things I've bought from her which I wouldn't have bought ordinarily and they're the ones which get the most compliments whenever I wear them. If you haven't been to her showroom in Temple St yet, you really should go! Viewings by appointment only.

Besides DV and GDO, you can also try Dejavu Vintage, which is located in The Cathay (near Handy Road). There're a number of other shops in Haji Lane as well, including Suite Stuff which I haven't been to, but the web site looks quite cool.

I live quite close to Beyond Retro and Absolute Vintage (voted one of the 100 shops you should visit before you die by a London newspaper), but prefer American vintage fashion, which is what Singapore shops stock. I guess it's always a case of "the grass is greener on the other side"!

Happy shopping!

ashire said...

Hi Lisa

ah! another vintage lover!
Like you, i absolutely adore vintage as well.:)It's so unique ya? www.dylan.sg also stocks up vintage frocks and i do reconstruction as well. I have not uploaded the treasures i currently have onto the site, but feel free to make an appointment with me to view the dresses, I am at Claremont, walkable from Somerset MRT.

Elaine
elaine@dylan.sg
www.amaku-shizuka.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

ooooooo i love vintage clothing too!
i know of this really cool online shop that stock really cheap vintage apparel!! they shuttle in and out of perth and shipping is really cheap too.plus, they're pretty new shop so not many ppl know bout this hidden treasure!

http://drunktrunk.livejournal.com
check it out:)

Anonymous said...

sorry, i meant to say they shuttle in and out of perth and singapore

aly said...

Hey, i loved reading your blog. I found this Fab on-line store, its owned by a friend i just love the stuff she has i thought i share it with you. www.maisondekhera.blogspot.com Enjoy!