Back to Fashion

Sometimes trendy is just too trendy. “Sex and the City” successfully homogenized the masses and, in some cases, the stores. (When was the last time you didn’t see an oversized flower lapel pin?) When fashion trends start making everyone look the same, it’s time to go into the past.

Shopping vintage is one surefire way to snag a look that is both stylish and unique. It means rediscovering classic shapes, intricate detail and garments that have already proved they’ll stand the test of time. For starters, time-travel to these vintage hot spots:

Inga’s Once Is Not Enough is very exclusive: The store is only for women; it only carries high-end designer merchandise; and, if left up to owner Inga Guen, customers must only leave with a smile. Located in Georgetown, Inga’s specializes in formal wear from the 1970s and ‘80s, with labels such as Chanel, Prada, Gucci and Valentino. Prices range from $200 to $500. The store also carries Manolo Blahnik shoes and fashion jewelry. Popular pieces include evening gowns (often worn to Washington’s many fundraisers) and designer pantsuits.

Though Deja Blue in Georgetown primarily carries men’s clothing, women make up the majority of its customers, often buying T-shirts and jackets. “I think women look even better in men’s clothing,” says owner Ned Fuller, who takes pride in offering American-made vintage apparel. The store mostly carries old jeans in different styles from various decades. Ski jackets and Izod shirts from the 1980s are popular, as are U.S. Navy peacoats and Hawaiian-print shirts from the ‘60s. Prices range between $30 and $100.

Georgetown’s Rage Clothing offers a little bit of everything from the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s. Both men and women can find something to wear here: jeans and polyester shirts from the 1970s, leather and corduroy outerwear from the ‘80s. Accessories include belts, sunglasses, scarves and ties, and prices start around $19.

True vintage collectors may find a haven in Polly Sue’s Vintage Shop. The Takoma Park boutique carries clothes from before World War I. Owner Susan Collings calls the shop “part store, part museum.” Historical pieces include 1860s Victorian dresses and intricately beaded flapper dresses. Everyday clothes-lovers can find frocks (and the feminine hats and gloves to go with them) from the 1950s and bell-bottom jeans and polyester shirts from the 1970s. Men are offered jackets, pants, hats, and even bowling shirts from the 1940s and ‘50s. High-end garments include pieces from Halston, Yves St. Laurent and Christian Dior. Depending on the find, a customer can spend anywhere from $10 to $400.

Funk and Junk owner Jeff Elmendorf says the store specializes in “wearable vintage.” The Alexandria store offers a wealth of quirky clothes and accessories, from bright 1950s Hawaiian dresses to Rocky and Bullwinkle baseball caps from the late ‘80s. Many pieces feature pop culture icons from years gone by. Popular now are 1970s rock-and-roll T-shirts. There’s some serious platform action in the shoe department, which also offers metallic sandals and white go-go boots. Other off-beat finds include poodle lapel pins and bowling ball cufflinks. Prices can range anywhere from a few dollars to a few thousand bucks.

Bright and certainly un-boring, the selection of clothes at The Remix is fun yet refined. Suits from the 1940s and ‘50s, 1960s cocktail dresses and 1970s outerwear come in vibrant colors. Fur and fur-trimmed coats are popular. The store, located in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood, also offers rhinestone jewelry and embellished handbags. More-luxurious items include brocade coats, sequined tops and velvet outerwear from different eras. Shoppers can spend as little as $30 or as much as $300.