Scroungers, Northcote

Scroungers is a few doors up from that familiar Northcote band-room and watering-hole, the Northcote social club. The Thornbury side of high street is a pretty desolate strip with lots of closed store-fronts and sun beaten buildings, Northcote is like it's colourful, slightly careworn other half. Scroungers is owned by the same couple who own and run Scavengers in Brunswick. Both shops cater for a slightly different brand of second-hand shopper.

It's a big barn-like space, with heavy wooden beams and burnt yellow walls. There is an open space at the back surrounded by racks of long taffeta dresses and mirrors draped with fabrics and scarfs. It was kind of fabulous, like Bette Midlers forbidden wardrobe.

Despite an excellent display, big old-fashioned counter and a huge collection of clothes, I was a little disappointed with the collection. It lacked the inventiveness of Scavengers. The clothes were a little older and everyday, there really weren't any great cuts or fabrics. Though a pile of 80's leather clutches and long and short lace and pearly gloves improved the selection of vintage items.

There were some good basics amongst the cardigans and shirts. Some with interesting variations, like a cardigan with sheer sleeves with ripples like an oriental fan. It was boosted by some sweeping long dresses and colourful 'dynasty' jackets with big shoulders. I also considered a denim one-piece and a spotty, shift top with this amazing shimmery texture. The good pieces were interesting at scroungers, if a little unwearable.

The collection of men's clothes is small, but dressy. Sharp suits and jackets juxtaposed with a mixture of long leather belts and pointed boots.


FINAL WORD: The prices are reasonable, you'll pay slightly more than an op-shop, though not the dizzying, Mt Everest high prices some Vintage stores charge. It's definitely a collection for a more low-key vintage shopper, with cheapish items and a few well-placed vintage finds.

** Make sure you check-out the fantastic collection of second-hand books. It's a highlight

where is it? 245 High St Northcote
how do i get there? No. 86 tram to Bundoora RMIT
will i have to wait for a change room? there are 2
whats on the stereo? Tony Bennett
i'm hungry? The Northcote social club at 301 Hight street has a decent kitchen at the back (looking over the carpark) Dips, tapas, burgers and big stuff

Eurotrash, Prahran

I’m strangely terrified by the woman who manages Eurotrash, the slightly eccentric vintage clothes shop on Chapel St. With her alarming red hair, heavy make-up and Ivana Trump accent, her and the collection of clothes seemed to have escaped over the wall from East Berlin only yesterday.

It’s an amazing collection, luxurious, if slightly edgy and definitely not prim and proper. There are some beautiful recycled clothes from labels like Chanel, Miu Miu and Versace amongst the leather, fur coats and spandex – plastic gold pants.

The best items are not featured on the walls or in cabinets they are amongst the crowded racks of clothes and shoes in the narrow shop. Beautiful faux (and some real) fur coats stood out from a predominately dark collection. Thigh length and heavy with fibres, they are coloured in deep chestnuts and black. I loved the inventive selection of leather items, especially this smock jacket made from pieces of fine, thin leather studded and layered together with a final piece draped from around the neck. There were some great little vests, leather skirts and a baby-blue leather mid - rift top with elbow-length sleeves.

Circular racks bursting with tops and pants obscured the narrow walkways, there is definitely a theme of black, lace and leopard print and there were a few items held together by studs and layers of fabric. There were some lovely long dresses, made from a mixture of fluffy white tulle and heavy stretchy fabric around the bust and some fantastic mini-skirts and shorts.

There was a beautiful purple coat with feathery embroidery on each breast pocket, on closer inspection it turned out to be Miu Miu and had been reduced from $1200 to $300. Shoes were in an elevated cabinet, there were some delicate and white heels with think straps and sandals, the feature being a pair of Chanel sling-backs. In the crowded, glittery window a black Chanel purse/bag flashed at me devilishly, though I'm not 100% sure of its authenticity.

There were some amazing pieces, and some trashy ones, which made the collection really diverse. Studded, flared jeans, red latex hot pants and a sequined vest made from long, fringy tendrils were interesting additions to an eclectic mix of vintage clothes

FINAL WORD: There are some serious European brands and quality items at Eurotrash. It’s expensive, but unique second hand shopping.


** Note – Eurotrash is a unique place for vintage fashion and a haircut ...
there is a small hairdressing salon at the rear of the shop.

Emils Shoe Repairs, Windsor

Yes, I know it's an unlikely title for a vintage shop, but Emils shoes at the Windsor end of Chapel St has an impressive display of second hand boots and shoes.

Doc Martens are being embraced again as fashion from the nineties is coming back. An older, worn pair of docs has more appeal than a shiny new pair. In it's sidewalk collection, Emils' have docs with covered in craft glitter, coloured laces, scuff and texta marks and blue and snakeskin material.

There are chunky ankle boots and blundstones (for men and women) with and without laces, and cowboy boots with reinforced toes and elaborate carved patterns from the foot to calf.

Emils does have a substantial collection of new shoes, which are displayed inside the store. The rows are vintage shoes are on tiered racks on the sidewalk and are a worthy, but expensive (a pair of second-hand docs will set you back $95 minimum.

In the window were a pair of Bally pumps with a white leather around the side and heel of the foot, bleeding into a beige material around the toe. There were also a pair of little leather ankle boots, the leather was so soft it looked like felt.

FINAL WORD: excellent range of vintage footwear, but it will hurt price wise!

where is it? 153 Chapel St, Windsor
how do I get there? catch the Sandringham train to Windsor station, walk on the same side as the station, down chapel street towards High St rd.

hardrubbish and nana vintage

Essentially, I'm not sure if you can classify things you find in hard rubbish or items given to you by your Nana as "vintage," but there is certainly a generous dosage of secondhand somewhere.

Someone stacked some old stereos near the wheelie bins at the back of my flat, this was my favourite:



The screen has been removed and the speakers have been exposed. There is no cord and it doesn't work or connect to anything. But I like the circular patterns around the speakers, and it often doubles as a stand for my towel, bike helmet and glass of water.

**************

These items below were given to me by my Nana when I went for dinner and a game of cards. Nana's and relatives are an untapped source of great old clothes and vintage pieces.



I love the sheer top with a white pattern overlay (on the left) and violently colourful bomber jacket with the MC hammer feel.

197 Greville St, Prahran

This is the vintage store with no name (well ... apparently no name). There are beautiful things in the cluttered oval windows and the store has some handsome, handmade pieces inspired by the 1950s.

The store is marked only by 197 on the glass pane above the doorway, its small and crowded, and was once most likely a living room. But all the furniture has been cleared away and the store is now populated by glorious jackets, dresses, shoes and embroidered creations.

There are heavy real fur jackets and mink round hats, but also a big selection of soft faux fur jackets. 197 actually has one of the most extensive and varied (in colour and style) collections of real and faux fur coats I've seen in a vintage store. The selection of vintage items overall has been well-crafted. With dapper lace-up shoes, small brown ankle boots, 50s dresses with layers of embroidered and sheer material, the store has this "old world European" feel.

I loved these soft round caps that could be clipped onto the hair and this little white hat with lace trimmings and pearl finishing. There was a beautiful white shift dress with pearls embroidered into the collar. The dresses were a mixture of fitted embroidered dresses, floaty crepe dresses with floor-length hems and colourful and pastel shift dresses.

A highlight was this deep plum, form-fitted dress (that gathered at the waist and puffed out at the hips) with a patterned layer over the bust and hips. It made me a little giddy. I also loved a black felt jacket with a heavy crushed velvet collar that "popped out"like a heavy scarf.

There were a couple of tartan pants and pointed cowboy boots and some obscure gold chains and big rings with opaque green centers. There were some lovely tuxedo and casual jackets for men and some of those pointed leather "tap shoe" style shoes, that were flat and lace-up. 197 has a fantastic selection of handmade leather jackets in black (with faded silver studs and ties), blue and "snakeskin" pattern.

It's vintage, and the items are expensive. Expect to pay between $100-$200 for leather, fur and faux fur jackets. $50 for dresses (up to $80 for the more delicate and embroidered styles.) The handmade leather shoes are around $145, but are beautifully crafted.

The store was museum-like when I walked in, it felt as if I came too close to the clothes, I'd be ordered to step back or struck with a taser. I felt awkward walking around under the watchful eyes of the store owner, who was pleasant, but a little edgy around customers. I was relieved she turned on a CD of 90s love and power ballads.

FINAL WORD. Amazing, expensive, crowded and a beautiful concept realised.

where is it? 197 Greville St, Prahran
how do i get there? Sandringham train to Prahran Station walk towards Chapel St, shop is on left-hand side.
will i have to wait for a change room? there are 2 change rooms
whats on the stereo? Awkward silence, then "Fields of Gold."
i'm hungry? There is great little cafe/cheap eateries and pizzeria on the otherside of the street, just on the corner (I forget the name.) It has this awesome 1980s hip-hop vibe and on weekends pizzas are $4.

Scavengers, Brunswick

Scavengers in Sydney Rd, Brunswick is like a barn styled in warm, Tuscan colours and is populated by an eclectic mix of vintage finds. It's a dark, cool place that embraces that "vintage store" attention to quirky detail and decoration.

Smelling of rich incense, the prices are displayed on old 8mm records and crocheted pictures of the Virgin Mary hang above racks of stylish and multi-coloured clothes. There is a great variety in the colours and textures of the clothes and I found some unique styles and cuts amongst the collection.

I found true love with a smock dress with small shoulder pads made from the most beautiful patterned rayon. Multi-coloured feathers swirled around upon a deep, purple and red shimmery base. It can be worn back to front and front to back and only needed a little tailoring to lift the hemline.

There were also an impressive range of colourful 80s day-dresses, made from heavy crepe material. I spent 10 minutes contemplating a navy fitted dress with gold buttons and a mid-calf hemline.

There were some lovely hats (think trilby's and 50s delicate caps) and a descent collection of handbags and leather clutches. There are also lovely old bookcases filled with self-help, fiction and fantasy second hand books.

It is a small space, and I found myself tucking my elbows in while browsing and maneuvering from rack to rack. For a vintage shop the prices are incredibly reasonable. Most dresses were around the $16-$20 mark and there were a couple of discount racks outside the store with half-priced items.

FINAL WORD: A cool space, with lots of great vintage pieces and collectibles, Scavengers is a wonderful, if temporary, respite from the real world (especially on a hot afternoon.)

where is it? 349 Sydney Rd, Brunswick
how do i get there? Tram no.19 to Coburg from Elizabeth St
will i have to wait for a change room? there is 1 changeroom
whats on the stereo? miscellaneous Indie music
i'm hungry? I'd recommend the Retreat Hotel a little further up Brunswick St. Great pub with a retro feel.

South Melbourne Night Market

The St Kilda Beach night market has become a popular staple of a balmy Thursday night through-out late spring and summer. The smattering of stalls and hippies mesh well with the busy atmosphere of Acland St. It's a warm, beachy and fragrant with food and what I like to call the distinctive "pong" of St Kilda.

I think the South Melbourne Night Market is attempting to tap into the same late-night market crowd. Little stalls attach themselves to the edges of the closed South Melbourne Market. South Melbourne market itself is housed in an ominous red brick building and the night market stalls are like a community of squatters on it's fringes. Unlike the suburbs of Carlton and Fitzroy, where the culture and the hustle of the city tend to bleed into, South Melbourne is like an isolated inner suburban pocket. When I went the night was really still and the whole place had this calm, almost secluded atmosphere despite the proximity to the city.

Around the market, huge vats of paella bubbled away and a ten year old played Lou Reed songs on the guitar. There was plenty of those knicknacks, which seem to only appear at markets - badges, light bulbs in plants, fisherman pants, hippie scarfs and headbands. - All this stuff generally ranges from the kitsch to the mildly useless. But then again, markets are fantastic places for young artists to sell their stuff to the public.

The South Melbourne Night Market did have a couple of decent vintage clothes stores. Wild Monkey - a vintage store in a container shed on the Coventry St side - had a diverse and carefully put together collection of dresses, coats, chunky knit jumpers. There were plenty of those colourful crepe dresses, with horizontal pleats, bright patterns and strange below the hip-line waists. There were some good box hats and a range of vintage sunglasses with thick rims.

Just around the corner was a lovely open air vintage stall. Ankle boots with zips and buttons and old doc martens spilled from suitcases with coiled-up belts and coloured scarfs. The variety of tops and jackets were really impressive too. I loved this silver creation made from a delicate, web like fabric, it had these sequin embellishments around the shoulders and a gathered-in waist.

The market is smallish and comes abruptly to an end after a store selling Belgian waffles. The overall feel of the market is enhanced by nightfall under the glow of the little coloured lamps that hang from the ceiling. If you are into your analogies, you could compare the night market to a racehorse, not quite at it's stride but showing signs of early promise.

** I have to mention that across the road from the market, a couple of stores had stayed open. One of them was a lovely French vintage and homewares store called, Gigi a la maison. It was crowded with little French artifacts from the early 20th century. I adored this lamp (pictured above), it had a porcelain base shaped like Marie Antoinette. Beautiful colour and detail despite some minor chipping.

where can I find it? South Melbourne Market; 322 Coventry St South Melbourne
how do I get there? catch the no.96 tram to the South Melbourne light rail station
when is it open? 5.30pm-9.30pm every Thursday through-out the warmer months
i'm hungry? some of the regular stores stay open just for the markets, paella, waffles, juices and sushi and just some of the food on offer.

Sally's, Fitzroy

Sally’s Retro Fashion’s in Smith St Fitzroy is a dress-up box filled with lace, hats parasols and beautiful cream nightdresses.

The collection of vintage items literally drips from the walls, as the owner has made the most of a small space by hanging clothes and hats from lattice-shaped blocks connected by wires to the ceiling.

Overall it’s a smallish collection, though the variety and quality of the womens’ and menswear is excellent. The shop is divided into two halves. The front is devoted to racks of some of the softest faux fur coats I have ever felt, beautiful 1940s caps, long black lace skirts and dresses and sweeping night gowns with some of the most delicate embroidery and pearling.

The selection of coats is really something. I indulged in a mid-calf length coat made from brown mohair (that has this wonderful textured feel) and lined with sheep’s wool around the collar ($90 reduced from $125 **) There were also some 70s style tweed and woven jackets with the most delicate gold buttons and a couple of coats made from thick, brown faux fur. Sally's has a smallish collection of dresses, pants and skirts, but there seemed to be a good range of patterns and fabrics. I found plenty of cream and black lace pieces through-out the store, which gave the selection this gothic Victorian feel. There were some beautiful floor-length cream slips with delicate lace and sequinning around the collar.

I uncovered a pair of leopard-print pumps amongst the shoe collection, (shoes hung from a lattice that rested against one of the walls) which could balance/highlight a black outfit. I thought there was a little bit of a lack of colour amongst the clothes in the womenswear section. Everything was very dark and simple (though in beautiful condition), though the colourful range of hats and caps (and bright purple wigs) lifted the mood a little. There is an incredible range of accessories (necklaces, rings, watches, earrings etc) in three tall, glass cabinets at the front of the shop. Long gold chains and a bracelet set with these tiny pearls caught my eye amongst the other jewels.

Menswear is located in the second part of the split-level shop. There is a fantastic selection of hats, bowler, pork pie and wide-brimmed hats. There we some wonderfully thick coats and jackets and a couple of floor-length trenchcoats made of a lighter material. There were plenty of slacks, suit pants, shirts and leather jackets to browse through. I knocked over a “briefcase” from the fifties that was fitted with little items like a razor, mirror and toothbrush holder, which I thought was particularly charming.

Sally’s is a vintage shop and the prices are a little higher than an op-shop. However the condition of the clothes is great and the variety of items is almost incomparable to what you may find in your local op-shop. Most items were around the $40-$90 mark.

** However if you pay cash there is a 15% discount … I also pretended to still be a student and received a further 5% off the price of my mohair coat (eventual price was $75.)

The store owner was polite and left me mostly to browse around alone. Though we did have one rather awkward moment when she snuck up behind me while I was trialling a faux fur coat, cap and leopard print pumps combination.
There were totally some items in this store I would never consider purchasing, such as a pair of vinyl black pants, a hip-length real fur mink coat and a canvas, patterned, cape held together by curtain tassles. But these unique items hinge together this wonderful collection of dress-up box worthy materials and trinkets.

***As a little bit of an afterthought, try to avoid vintage clothes shopping around Gertrude St Fitzroy on a Monday. Wonderful vintage shops like Moustache and Curve are only open Tues-Sat from around 11am-6pm.


address: 203 Smith St, Fitzroy

changerooms: 3 (covered with 50s magazine cut-outs)

music: The Beatles - across the universe


Getting there:

pt: Catch the number 86 tram from Bourke St Mall

parking: a few 1p ticketed car parks up side-streets off smith st

food: The old post office on Smith Street has been transformed into this wonderfully presented cafe - its worth stopping by and having a coffee there, especially if you are waiting for your tram (the stop is right outfront!)

Fat Helens, Prahran

Fat Helen's on the Windsor end of Chapel st is one of my favourite vintage stores in Melbourne. It's an opulent, pre-Stalinist gem, a crowded but well thought out shop where you are likely to find a smurf in snow ball next to a religious icon from Belorussia.

The sea of vintage goods starts from outside with a jumble of vinyl chairs, floral luggage, old fashioned trunks, tennis racquet's and cushions on the sidewalk. Almost every inch of the space within Fat Helen's is used to store some sort of obscure, wonderful item. Cabinets are lined with collectibles, religious statues and artifacts, accessories, old make-up, cloth patches from the 1980s, vintage wrapping paper, paintings, a box full of mosaic pieces ($35 for the whole box) and vintage crucifixes ($1 each). The glove collection is impressive, a little while ago I bought a pair of brown felt gloves with the softest faux fur lining for $5. A great selection of gloves hang from the ceiling a little further back in the shop, dangle above a small rack of men's vests and shoes.

Fat Helen's is pretty active in its collection of vintage garments and items. The owner (a lovely, but brisk lady with bright hair) takes appointments with people wanting to sell clothes. Be warned though, she has an extremely critical eye and this great sense of garment quality. This well-thought out selection process was evident in quality of the clothes in the store. Most were extremely well cared for, with very little evident damage or wear to the garments. They were seasonally chosen, with lighter fabrics replacing the heavier winter ones from a couple of months ago. In the women's collection there was a good range of 60s shirt dresses with stripes, bold diagonal patterns, more abstract prints (think Jackson Pollock), floral, leopard print and a good mix of fabrics (lace, velvet, sequins etc.) Oddly there was a rack at the very back of the store lined with ankle-length tartan skirts with pleats in red, blue, tan etc.

The range of coats at Fat Helen's is something fantastic. There are softer fabrics like a cobalt blue wrap round coat, a faux fur thigh length jacket, suede jackets with fringing with an impressive selection of leather jackets ($65-$160) in black, patterned, tan and cream. A pair of roller-skates was the highlight of the shoe selection, there are plenty of mens boots and vintage shoes for women.

Because this is a privately owned and run vintage store the prices are higher than what you'd expect if you walked into your local op-shop. Though there is no substitute for the quality and uniqueness of garments, accessories and items available at Fat Helen's. Dresses and tops will put you back around $25-$70 and jackets around the $70 mark. Though, if you look carefully you are likely to pull out something magnificent and pretty reasonably priced. The crowded space makes it a little hard to browse while elbow to elbow with other customers while the store is full.

The "dressing room" is something else. I assume it once was an old, cylindrical hot water heater that has been hulled out. It's extremely difficult to get in and out of and there is no mirror! So to avoid frustration and sweatiness - you may have to try items on over your clothes.

Staff are delightful and you can purchase items on EFTPOS ($15 minimum.)

where is it? 78 Chapel St, Windsor
how do i get there? The Sandringham train to Windsor station
will i have to wait for a change room? ** see above
whats on the stereo? Think Copacabana
i'm hungry? Again its Chapel St, so there is lots of food - but I would definitely recommend Tyranny of Distance just opposite the Melbourne Bowls Club. Its open air (so you can smoke) and there is a bar. Good range of tapas and tea and other good stuff
address: 147 Union St Windsor

can I get a park? It is Chapel St, so its a bit of a nightmare. All around are permit zones and paid parking. Though if you go up the side street just before fat Helens (heading toward Dandenong Rd) and take the first right there is a little side-street with 2 hour parking most days.

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