Hidden Treasures

Photo By: Michael T. Regan

Want a unique accessory? Vintage finds are Lisa Miroslaw's specialty.

by Karen Williams

When it comes to secondhand fashion, it’s all about love. You have to love to shop and you have to love clothes, because, let’s face it, some thrift hunts can be hit or miss. It stinks to waste a weekend afternoon, rummaging through bin after bin of flattened frumpy maroon leather granny purses, only to come home with nothing. So why put yourself through the agony of the search? There’s only one answer for fashion hounds: to find something truly unique. For that, searching is half the fun. And we must admit, it’s pretty rare to come home with nothing.

For Decades Vintage storeowner Lisa Miroslaw, vintage fashion is definitely a labor of love. Miroslaw has been buying secondhand since her high school days in the Midwest and eventually made it her career. "I learned I could get really great quality clothes that I couldn't afford otherwise by buying secondhand. I also loved wearing stuff that nobody else had," she says. Her love of thrift turned into a business when she accumulated too many clothes that weren't her size but that she hadn't been able to resist buying. "I couldn't pass [them] up because they were so fabulous. Then I found out that many fashion designers buy vintage clothing for inspiration, so I spent several years selling in New York City and still have clients that I send boxes to now that I'm back in Philly."

For 10 years, Miroslaw had been living in Philly and traveling to New York City every weekend to peddle at the Chelsea flea market. At the same time, she gathered sources who would sell her slightly used high-quality fashion and accessories. The commute, however, soon became a hassle, and Miroslaw began pricing real estate on Bainbridge Street -- in June she opened Decades Vintage, a quaint secondhand boutique, just a brief stroll from Fabric Row.

Upon entering Decades Vintage, the first thing you notice is the wide palette of color. At the front door, a rack of floral, paisley and striped tops ($12-$55) in pink and green (the two biggest hues this spring) introduces Miroslaw's collection. A mannequin, wrapped in gold metallic circle-plated belts, gazes over the bangles, chunky bracelets, clips and clasps ($6-$75) neatly yet playfully arranged on display shelves. A midnight-colored turban ($40) adorned with an ostrich's feather rests on its head. Toward the back lies a half-wall of shoes, including a pair of vintage 1950s shiny cobalt pointed-toe pumps ($30) and black-and-white snakeskin stilettos ($20). It's gets harder and harder to resist making a purchase, and by the time you spot the crimson-and-white hand-stitched handbag with a tassel-adorned drawstring ($12), you're hooked.

When selecting merchandise for her store from her sources, Miroslaw says she looks for quality, detail and wearability. "I don't really look for "names' because an ugly designer dress is still an ugly dress," she says. "I go for the look first, and if happens to have a designer label, that's just a bonus."

The highest-end items in Decades are Japanese haoris ($125), hip-length silk jackets that would traditionally be worn over kimonos. Miroslaw's selection, which are from the '50s, '60s and '70s, are embroidered with distinct motifs over black backgrounds.

Just as thrift buffs must dissect racks of ragtag, Miroslaw also has to scour to find merchandise for her store, and even she has had her legendary days. One of her greatest finds came when she entered the home of a Main Line source and fellow hoarder of fashion. What she came upon was the vintage equivalent of a gold rush. The source owns a four-bedroom house with multiple closets, an attic and extra racks set up in all the rooms for clothing storage, says Miroslaw. Her stockpile included bags, jewelry and scarves, all from high-end stores, and her collection spanned multiple decades. "She is a very stylish woman, and her clothes run the gamut from classic, demure and vampy '50s, to mod '60s, to swingin' '70s to outrageous '80s," she says. To Miroslaw's delight, the woman had 80 pairs of shoes, mostly styles of the 1970s, in just one closet. "I was happiest about the shoes, because I'm a shoe freak."

When it comes down to it, Miroslaw's finds are her customer's finds. When it comes to fashion, it's all about sharing the love.

Decades Vintage, 615 Bainbridge St., 215-923-3135.