The vintage shopper likes her dress with history and her wallet with change
LATELY I'VE COME OVER all Joan from Mad Men. . . those fabulous up-dos and cinched waists of the fifties and early sixties that make curves feel like a positive and feminine feature, at long last. And there has never been a better time to replicate the look – OK, except perhaps the 1950s themselves. And who wants to go back there? For dresses these days, it's all about vintage. After all, these are frocks that have stood the test of time, made of sterner stuff than your throwaway fripperies of modern-day consumerism. They were built to last, carefully stitched without skimping on materials, and well minded by ladies who knew that they'd have to get more than one night out from their gúna.
Apart from the fact that they’re environmentally friendly – they are recycled after all – and their one-off nature is proof against the dreaded same-dress syndrome, they’re just so winningly pretty, all tulles and satins, and the kind of intricate bead work and elaborate lace that makes for gaze-turning gorgeousness.
You’ve got an array of eras and styles to suit any figure or fancy. Dropped waist your thing? Get thee to the twenties rail. Shift dress and short skirts? You’ll be after something sixties. Glamorama with bouldering shoulders and serious statement? Off to the eighties for you. There are shops cropping up all over to cater to the vintage shopper, the woman who likes her dress with history, and her wallet with change.
The Goddess Room
Walk into the Goddess Room and I dare you to come out feeling anything less than Aphrodite. This newly opened boutique in Greystones’ new Theatre complex is all vintage and couture, packed full of all manner of timeless goodies. Here Oscar de la Renta rubs satin shoulders with Pierre Balmain, while Lilly Diamond sways next to Victor Costa. Proprietor Marie-Therese Duggan knows her dresses, and will give you a little of each frock’s history and vintage as you parade before the enormous gilt mirror. She also has plenty of patience, and will disappear into the back to rummage for something more on spec, if you don’t find what you’re after on the shop rails. There’s plenty in the cocktail and casual range, and the bridal options are worth a twirl. Prices range with the styles, so don’t take fright at a four-figure price tag: there are plenty of affordable options, too.
Unit 5, behind the Eco Shop, Greystones,
Co Wicklow. Open Tues–Sat 11am-6pm, Sunday 2-6pm (087-2553710) www.thegoddessroom.net
Dirty Fabulous
The name of this Baggott Street treasure trove is enough to send even the most fashion-fatigued shopper into paroxysms of delight. Fabulous? Definitely. Dirty? Anything but. It’s run by sisters Caroline Quinn and Kathy Sherry, two savvy seamstresses with an eye for the exquisite. The shop itself is a tribute to their taste, with its red carpet, gilded mirror, Victorian armchair, and display cabinets replete with vintage baubles and sequinned handbags. And then there are the dresses, sourced in New York, Paris and Berlin and all originals from the thirties, forties, fifties and sixties. The Dirty Fabulous experience is all about glamour, and the sisters are always impeccably dressed. They’re also on hand for advice on accessorising and altering, as well as providing tea and tasty treats for hungry clientele; a voucher is a great idea for a birthday. Prices vary, with vintage jewellery starting at €40, and dresses going all the way up to €950. It’s mainly occasion dresses, though clients have been known to take home dresses for Sterling Cooper-style office wear as well. Viewings are by appointment only (telephone or email info@dirtyfabulous.com) though new additions are featured on dirtyfabulous.blogspot.com before being snapped up by canny clients. Get there fast.
97 Lwr Baggot Street (01-6624249), www.dirtyfabulous.com