Melbourne Vintage
May 12th, 2010
Fancy Pants
What do you do when your love for all things vintage starts to take over your life and your wardrobe space? Simple, you open your own vintage store of course. Well that’s exactly what Jeff Baker and Tracey Morrison, owners of vintage clothing stores Frocks and Slacks and Fancy Pants did.
Established just over 10 years ago by Tracey, Frocks and Slacks in St Kilda has established itself as one of the best vintage clothing stores in Melbourne. Offering both male and female clothing, not only does Tracey endeavour to find the best vintage pieces for formal and casual wear, but she can boast that all the store’s items are hand chosen, cleaned and presented to provide a wonderful shopping experience for the wearer.
And sister store Fancy Pants is just as determined to offer its vintage lovers a wonderful and unique shopping experience. Opened in 2009 and run by Jeff, a fine dresser of vintage clothing himself, the store is able to offer a specialised service to its male clients. Call it ‘Vintage Styling’ if you will, but for the shy or unsure male vintage aspirer who may not know how to wear a vintage item, Jeff is able to assist them with finding the right items that will suit them or explain how a vintage look should be created – and all of that from a male point of view.
"But there are so many vintage clothing stores", I hear you cry, "How can we tell if Fancy Pants is one that stands apart from the rest?" Well to satisfy your unique vintage shopping experience, Jeff and Tracey make it appoint to travel to the USA every year to hand pick the best range of clothing, including a generous size range just so that you can wear your one of a kind H Bar C western shirt, Levi’s Panatela range pants or rare find Givenchy blouse to your next party.
But wait, there’s more. While Fancy Pants also stocks a wonderful selection of vintage ball gowns, mint condition pants, tops and skirts, as well as three piece suits, dresses, hats, handbags, jewelery and a great range of colourful cashmere jumpers, they also just happened to stock the most wonderful array of vintage football gear that I have eve seen. And I am not even a football fan!
So do yourself a favour, next time you are passing to or from work, pop into Fancy Pants or Frocks and Slacks and have a chat with Jeff or Tracey. You never know what vintage treasures you might find.
Frocks and Slacks is located at 188e Barkly Street, St Kilda Ph: 9537 2337
Fancy Pants is located at Shop 1, 133-135 Fitzroy Street,
St Kilda Ph: 9534 5888
Fancy Pants window display
Circa Vintage Clothing
Now don’t just think St Kilda is the only groovy Melbourne suburb teeming with vintage clothing stores. On the other side of town, in the heart of Fitzroy, lives a special little vintage boutique called Circa Vintage Clothing.
Established in 2004 by vintage aficionado Nicole Jenkins, Circa Vintage Clothing specialises in clothing and accessories from the 1930’s to the 1950’s.
With a love of 2nd hand clothes from bygone era’s and a background in costume design and construction, Nicole has created a niche for herself right in the midst of the vintage clothing revival.
Originally managing vintage store Albert and Gladys in Sydney, when the opportunity arose, Nicole bought it lock, stock and barrel and had it shipped to Melbourne. And while her new store now has a particular Melbourne feel to it, it also happens to contain pieces of furniture form 10 vintage clothing shops all around Australia. Talk about eclectic.
Not only does Circa Vintage Clothing stock an impressive range of men’s and women’s clothing items - such as stunning evening gowns, gloves, woman’s and men’s hats, day dresses, men’s suits, vests, pants, and shirts - but they also stock a wide range of accessories to complete each outfit. If you are a man you can buy new braces with an original feel or a vintage tie, and if you are a woman you can buy suspender belts, girdles, underwear and seamed stockings.
Oh and don’t forget Nicole’s beautiful selection of costume jewellery and vintage belt buckles.
But perhaps best of all, Nicole is another great vintage store owner who hand picks all of her stock so that you can be satisfied in knowing that you are wearing an authentic and original piece from history’s closet. In addition to this, Nicole also makes sure that there is a good range of sizes for the modern woman or man and even goes to the trouble of cleaning, altering and mending each garment by hand.
And while the name Circa might conjure up images of elegance, it is also a name that transcends eras, and that is exactly why Nicole chose it. Not only does it represent Nicole’s own personal taste, but it also represents the feeling that her store is trying to convey.
So next time you are hunting for an exclusive item of clothing from Edwardian times up to the 70’s, swing by Circa Vintage Clothing and pick yourself up a touch of glamour.
On a final Note:
Circa Vintage Clothing has a very impressive blog and includes items like vintage markets, fashion parades and exhibitions that Nicole is involved in. Not only is Nicole a member of the Vintage Fashion Guild , but she also has a book called Love Vintage for sale (published through Carters).
By the way if you want to know how to be a real 40’s or 50’s gal, then you can always contact the lovely ladies at the Lindy Charm School – an academy that teaches ladies how to incorporate the whole look including how to dress, hair and makeup.
Circa Vintage Clothing – 102 Gertrude Street Fitzroy,
Ph: 9419 8899
Circa InteriorOther Vintage clothing stores: Linda Black - 151 Chapel St, Windsor Ph: 9510 3948 Eurotrash - 228 Chapel St, Prahran Ph: 9510 4080 Dreaming Gypsy - Shop 3/166 Greville St Prahran Ph: 0411 898 145 Shappere Vintage Clothing - 64 Chapel St Windsor Ph: 9533 2006
191 Smith St Fitzroy Ph: 9419 0738
Moustache Vintage Clothing - 124 Gertrude St Fitzroy Ph: 9417 7637
Velour - 184 Barkly Street St Kilda Ph:9534 4300 El Segundo (Sister store) - 2/381 Hampton Street Hampton Ph: 9537 2337 Lost and Found Market 12 Smith Street, Collingwood Ph: 94194477 Bam Bams Vintage Store - 120 Douglas Pde Williamstown Ph: 9397 6841 | 0414 998 036
Chapel St Bazaar - 217 Chapel St, Prahran
American Rag - Southgate Complex, 3 Southgate Avenue Southbank Ph: 9699 2978 Anonymous Posh - Shop 43 Royal Arcade, Melbourne Ph: 9650 4263 Cellardoor - 82 Elgin Street, Carlton Ph: 9347 5261 Episode - 311 Swanston Street, Melbourne Ph: 9662 2800 Memoirs - 502 Victoria Street, North Melbourne Ph: 9328 8131 Muff Clothing Consignment - Vic Markets 111-113 Victoria Street, Melbourne Ph:9326 8119 Shop 1 Campbell Arcade, Melbourne Ph:9671 3630
Vintage Markets & Fairs:
Round she Goes
Blackbird Market
Hello Sailor & Sunday Best (both on Facebook)
Vintage Tours:
http://www.hiddensecretstours.com
http://www.melbourneopshoptours.com.au
Some interesting Vintage Blogs:
http://circavintageclothing.com.au
http://www.queensofvintage.com
