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| I ♥ Vintage's Online Shop |
After spending months backpacking around Europe, going from H&M to Zara to Bershka and Promod and back to H&M again, I was frustrated with the lack of quality shopping and the lack of anything unique (and affordable). Perhaps it's because we're a little behind the runways of France and Italy, but in Vancouver I know that if I want a certain style of clothing there's a shop I can go to get it. And because it's my hometown I also know which independent boutiques carry the brands and styles I like. But in the unfamiliar, bustling cities of Europe I could only find the same stores carrying the same trends from street to street. How profitable three of the same store in a 2 block radius can be I don't know, but they seemed to be surviving.
I soon came to the conclusion that my backpack wouldn't be overflowing with fabulous European fashion pieces by the time the journey was over, but I couldn't help looking. Luckily, after a visit to the fascinating Anne Frank Huis museum in Amsterdam, I wandered past a small shop with a rack of sweaters and items on display just outside their front door. A gray sweater caught my eye and I dragged my boyfriend in to look around. The store was called I Love Vintage, and I love it. It was unique and offered a selection of new "vintage-inspired" items in store along with a computer for browsing their large selection of vintage items, which they would bring out for you to view and try on once you'd requested them from the computer. The best news I learned as I purchased by vintage-inspired, comfy gray sweater, their shop is online and they ship internationally! With 93 pages of vintage handbags alone on their website, I know that when my year of world travel is over and I'm no longer living out of a backpack, I'll be perusing their site and hopefully adding a few of their unique pieces to my wardrobe.
I Love Vintage was my answer to the mass-produced, made in asia, sold on the street, tacky tourist shopping I'd mainly seen on my trip so far. I'm sure there are more wonderful stores all over Europe but it takes a bit of luck or some time in the city to find them. If you know any local or unique shops in your city or a city you've visited and you'd like to share post a comment! I'd love to visit them if I ever make it there - which I hope I will!
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| I love this dress/skirt! Photos from I Love Vintage website. |
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| My sweater in beige. Photos from I Love Vintage website. |
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