Three gems across the country to satisfy your deepest vintage cravings.

Pretty Parlor

Pretty Parlor, located in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, charms instantly with its pink ombre walls, dreamy boudoir aesthetic, and shop cat, Sophia. A rainbow of petticoats and parasols hang from the ceiling beside paper lanterns and chandeliers. It is a retro paradise with swingy flapper dresses and fifties chiffon frocks that float across racks. Beaded minaudières and tiers of costume jewelry shimmer. Owner Anna Lange takes decade dressing to a new level, curating an immaculate and extensive assortment of vintage, new, and locally designed fashions.

If you’re seeking a one-stop shop for head-to-toe vintage looks, you’ve found it. Prices for vintage pieces start at a reasonable twenty-four dollars, providing the opportunity for shoppers to guiltlessly snatch every rhinestone headpiece and dress that they desire. Browse the colorful displays of authentic clothing and accessories from the twenties onward. For a remix on old classics, look for House of Pretty Parlor, Lange’s label of repurposed garments à la Pretty in Pink. The shop sells vintage reproduction from brands like Bettie Page and Trashy Diva, and some Seattle talent, including Frankie Four and Ames Bros. There’s also a “Manland” section for dapper gentlemen, with casual printed shirts and crisp suits perfect for picnics and Gatsby parties, respectively. Getting hitched soon? Pretty Parlor’s Bridal Boutique has its own storefront right around the corner and offers vintage gowns, veils, and all the trimmings.

This year, Pretty Parlor celebrates fourteen years of glitz and glamour and to-die-for pieces, like the triple-layered silk chiffon dress that was recently scooped up by actress Catherine Keener. “It was just beautiful,” says Lange of the dress. We can only imagine.

119 Summit Ave. E., Seattle, WA 98102
prettyparlor.com

Afterlife

San Francisco’s Mission district is home to many a vintage shop, but Afterlife Boutique brings a certain je ne sais quoi to its home on the bustling Valencia Street. An old American flag hangs near the cash register by an old Evel Knievel pinball machine. Rainbow serapes for sale perch on the edges of industrial fixtures. A rusting sign reads “Prescriptions” and “Drugs.”

Afterlife is a slick hotspot for cool-kid vintage, specializing in rare, collectible t-shirts. The store sells a variety of goods for men and women, like tooled leather purses, Converse sneakers, and gently worn lace-up boots, but t-shirts are the name of the game here. The wall is adorned with the most coveted of band tees: crewnecks, raglans, and tanks sport the likes of the Grateful Dead, Nirvana, The Clash, The Beatles, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and Run DMC. Collectible tees can skyrocket into the triple digits, but much of Afterlife’s merchandise remains under the hundred-dollar mark. The shop also carries new costume jewelry, eyewear, and Cheap Monday jeans to round out their offerings.

Brother and sister team Danielle and Luke Teller opened Afterlife in 2010, after having collected rock concert tees during their school days. Their medley of low-to-high priced items allows casual shoppers to always purchase what they unearth, while vintage aficionados can consistently score lifetime pieces. Each tee is lovingly washed before it’s put out on the sales floor, proving that Afterlife goes the extra mile to ensure those flea market finds are treated with extra care. That care translates to a shop of unexpected treasures, and customers will fall in love again and again with the passion that accompanies the cult of vintage.

988 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110
afterlifeboutique.com

Worship

Look no further than Worship for the holy grail of eclectic vintage. The buy-sell-trade boutique, Worship, embodies a bohemian rocker aesthetic: you’ll find anything from patterned mohair sweaters and fringed leather jackets to nineties overalls and ethereal Victorian-era eyelet dresses. The shop offers stage-wear, everyday basics, and everything in between for a balanced mix of designer and vintage apparel. A smattering of independent designer accessories can be found here as well, including CRAP Eyewear and Adina Mills jewelry.

The rocker vibe comes honestly for owners Sara Villard and Vashti Windish; the two toured in bands together for years before manifesting their love of clothes in a full-fledged vintage venture. Founded in 2013, Worship houses exceptional attire for fashion-obsessed, well-traveled men and women. Worship’s got both coasts covered, with Villard manning their Bushwick location in Brooklyn and Windish tending shop in Los Angeles’s Echo Park. If neither store is nearby, vintage mavens jonesing for Worship’s wild wares are in luck—both stores update Instagram feeds daily with their ever-changing stock and ship worldwide.

Though both buy-sell-trade and vintage stores run the gamut in terms of cost, you won’t find any outrageous price tags at Worship. Pieces like Mongolian lamb fur coats top the list at a few hundred dollars, while super soft t-shirts can come in at around eighteen. Quality and affordability are essential for every stunner at Worship—and that’s something worth praising.

117 Wilson Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11237
1104 Mohawk Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026
shopworship.com

Text by Noelani Piters