Ever since I was in middle school, I have had an affinity for thrift stores and vintage stores. Yes, many people only view thrift stores as great places to buy Halloween costumes and to donate their old clothing, yet I have found over the years that, if you look hard enough, you can find some really great quality clothing and even shoes at such stores.
Since I arrived in D.C., I have been deprived of my ritual-like thrift and vintage shopping experiences. However, I have slowly been discovering great secondhand shops that satisfy my craving for cute (sometimes eccentric) and usually cheap clothing.
One of my initial secondhand shopping experiences in D.C. took place at Annie Creamcheese. Located on M Street in Georgetown, the store is known for its unconventional selection of clothing. The store filled with items from the 1920s to the 1990s, with most of the products either silly or high-end.
While I did fully expect that Annie Creamcheese would be of a higher caliber than say, your typical Goodwill store, I was still under the impression that since the clothing was secondhand, it would be cheaper. However, this was not always the case.
The store advertises that it has clothing from such brands as Christian Dior, Chanel and Missoni, and I did notice that all the items that were of that quality were still quite pricey. I even found a new Herve Leger dress at the shop for $550; but this was still a significant markdown from department stores, where the designer’s dresses can cost almost $2,000.
I was disappointed by the fact that clothing that wasn’t “designer,” especially interesting or quite as “vintage” was still expensive. I happened to try on a dress from a brand I had never heard of, and I realized that I could buy a similar dress that was brand new from the H&M down the street for cheaper than the used one. There were even a few pieces from brands such as J.Crew and Arden B. that looked like it could have been in stores last season. I didn’t think these were vintage.
I was intrigued and delighted by the accessories and the many sequined items in the store, yet I now know that I would have to go to this store with more than a few small bills in my wallet. I really enjoyed my experience at Annie Creamcheese, but I will probably not return here for my basic thrift shopping, seeing that it is not a “thrifty” store but rather a fun vintage shop.
