Part of scouring a vintage shop is the thrill of the hunt: You never know what precious gems you will stumble upon, or where that magical piece might stem from. Shopping secondhand is the equivalent of solving a fun fashion mystery.
A few weeks ago, I was doing my usual vintage crawl around New York City, when I spotted the perfect piece—a white top with an oversized collar and billowy sleeves. Slightly bohemian and romantic, it tapped into the boho-chic trend without being too overt. And the best part was, it was only $20. A steal, considering the fabric felt nice enough.
It was only when I got home and looked closer at the label, that I realized: The shirt was actually part of a Halloween pirate costume. Arrr!
It’s not the first time that I’ve accidentally mistaken a Halloween costume for high-fashion. On more than one occasion, I have purchased seemingly-cool looking pieces that were originally sold as a spooky costume. In New Orleans last year, I found myself in one of their (many) eclectic thrift stores, and found a witchy black top that had sheer paneling and subtle black beading on it. Very Comme des Garçons, at a fraction of the price! I loved it. . . then I looked up the “designer” and found that it literally was once part of a witch costume, courtesy of HalloweenCostumes.com.
Now, should it matter if these cool finds were originally intended to scare little children, or delight trick-or-treaters? I would argue, no. Sure, fashion can often revolve around glamorizing designer labels, but true style revolves around taking virtually any item, even the most unlikely, and making it work. And so, I have. Case in point: I proudly wore my witch blouse on a night out recently, and I even got an “Is that Versace?” inquiry from a friend. Forget Versace—I was serving full-on Elphaba realness!
This time of year (meaning, spooky season), however, I am on high-alert when scouring thrift stores now. Discarded Halloween costumes always begin to slowly creep their way into the stocks—lingering at every corner, waiting to trick me with their bizarre allure. If you think that artfully-shredded skirt or retro-looking jacket is cool, do yourself a favor: Check the tag before buying. It may be less Saint Laurent, more Spirit Halloween.
But that is not to say I avoid such pieces entirely. I still find myself drawn to the kitsch of it all. Is sporting Halloween fashion really that much worse than reviving 1980s deadstock denim? I am giving the pieces a new life, after all—a second chance! So no, I will not be shamed. If you see me in a repurposed The Matrix trench coat next month, mind your business.
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