A recent Pittsburgh blogging friend of mine, Alex of DuffyDossier is today's featured guest post as I still get settled into my new job - I'm excited to have her here today to give all of you the ins and outs of great vintage shopping in the 'burgh. Trust me, this girl knows her stuff! Hope you enjoy her post!
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DuffyDossier is Pittsburgh born and raised.
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| The lovely Miss Alex of DuffyDossier - photo provided by Alex. |
Here we go, gals. It’s time to talk about the nitty gritty
of Pittsburgh Resale Shops. DuffyDossier is going to get down and dirty with
all the epic details. I’ll give you an inside look into which Pittsburgh resale
shops to frequent and which ones to stay far away, (and on the other side of
the street) from. We’ll cover which shop owners know their way around resale,
and which ones don’t. And of course, this post will talk about the tremendous
Pittsburgh vintage selection.
Since taking on the responsibility of ‘Miss Vintage Pittsburgh’, I’ve had my
fair share of resale/consignment/vintage shopping experiences here in the
‘Burgh. My first rendezvous at a resale shop began one year ago when I stumbled
upon The Clothes Horse on Beverly Road.
Miss Judy sitting behind her glass counter full of jewels
greeted me with a smile and personal introduction! Immediately, I admitted to
her that I’d never been to a resale shop before, and that I was in need of some
assistance.
Judy began by showing me around her shop and then she gave
me the ins-and-outs of consignment. She explained how she gets her clothes, how
often she gets them, her regular consignment junkies, how she prices items,
their self life … etc.
Without that initial understanding of the ‘whats, who's,
whys, and hows’ of consignment shopping I may never have been able to grasp
what it takes to actually be a great
resale shop. Since Judy’s consignment finishing school 101, I’ve been able to
critique every resale shop in Pittsburgh on this side of the Mon River.
The
Pittsburgh South Side
We all know and love the South Side of Pittsburgh, home to
many boozy & woozy college kids after hours, but a GREAT location for
consignment, and in particular, vintage shopping!
Stores you NEED to try out in the South Side:
Luxx,
Clothing and Hair Salon. First of all, GFs, this shop is both a hair saloon and
vintage reseller … can you say #chictodeath? Second of all, the chic in charge
knows how to put on a shoe display. Luxx is by far the best consignment shop
for vintage shoes! The shoes in this shop are colorful, diverse, name-brand,
and mod. The selection Luxx has going on right now is comparative to Steve
Madden and Vince Camuot’s 2013 shoe lines.
The
Pittsburgh South Hills
Since I myself, am a PGH south hills resident, I know my
way around consigning town. Here are a few shops that are a must-see!
TheSavvy Fox of Mt. Lebanon. And, boy …is she savvy! The shop recently moved its
doors to a new location on Greentree road and also has another location in
Peters Township. I was able to find some splendid work attire. Profesh &
appropriate styles from Asos, various Macy’s brands, and Calvin Klien …just to
name a few!
GladRaggs Boutique of Upper Saint Clair. This little shop used to be an old car
garage, so it gets drafty in the winter! So, bring your duck-down coat and
prepare because you’ll want to stop in no matter the weather. They boast a petite
selection worth all your shivers!
Shady
Side, Pittsburgh
Shady side has more than just the shops on Walnut Street!
It’s one of my favorite little neighborhoods in Pittsburgh.
EonsFashion Antique. Down a ways, on Elmsworth Avenue, Eons Fashion antique is
stacked with Vintage. (I’m not kidding, they have hat boxes piled so high they
reach the ceiling) Eons appropriately dubs themselves, ‘fashion antique’ store
for good reason. The entire store boasts clothing from all vintage eras, 90s
and beyond. Their selection is stitched to perfection and made the way clothes
used to be made …with careful, nimble
fingers.
And now, a little bit about me, Alex Duffy of
DuffyDossier. Since agreeing to write for Chelsea’s ‘Chels and the City’ Pittsburgh
blog, I had to start asking myself the hard-hitting questions, why do I blog?
And, what is my favorite thing about Pittsburgh?
Why
do I blog? Hmm… that’s a question with many answers! Since I know
you don’t have all day, I will sum it up in a few words… I blog because I am
creative. It took me 23 years to realize the depth of my creativity and all of
my friends telling me I possessed style. So, I got to thinking, ‘Alex, what can
you do that encompasses both your creativity and your style?’ The answer: blog,
blog and more blogging! …blogging is always the answer.
What is my favorite thing
about Pittsburgh? Pittsburgh people. I travel a lot in my free
time. Hoping around from place to place, you begin to realize how valuable a
genuine smile and a happy ‘hello!’ from strangers. The people Pittsburgh has
are what makes Pittsburgh a happy home for me and my family.
