My Quest for Genuine 70s Threads
It all began last Thursday when my niece asked me for authentic 70s outfits for her theater project. I promised her real bell-bottoms, not that cheap Halloween costume junk. First stop? The Goodwill downtown. Spent two hours digging through smelly polyester blouses, only found one paisley scarf that might’ve been late 80s. Felt totally defeated dragging my sore feet back to the car.
Switching Tactics
Next morning I brewed extra strong coffee and hit Google. Typed “vintage stores near me” – duh! That Salvation Army place popped up again but reviews said mostly modern donations. Then remembered Becky from yoga mentioning some hole-in-the-wall spot behind the old cinema. Drove across town zigzagging through construction zones.
Three key lessons from day one:
- Don’t trust online photos – saw a gorgeous maxi dress online that turned out stained
- Thrift stores organize by color, not decade – wasted 40 minutes in “orange section”
- Wear comfortable shoes – my pinky toe developed its own heartbeat
The Miracle Find
Parked illegally behind a dumpster (oops) and pushed through beads instead of a door. Place smelled like mothballs and cedar – good sign! Old lady named Ethel guarded the jeans section like a hawk. Showed her my Pinterest board with flared jeans examples. Her eyes lit up. “Follow me sugar,” she croaked, shuffling to some hidden racks behind a psychedelic curtain.
There they were: Honest-to-God 1975 Levi’s with that worn-in knee fade you can’t fake. Tried three pairs while Ethel criticized my posture (“Stand straight child! Bell-bottoms need posture!”). Found matching halter tops too – still had original tags from JC Penny! Snagged everything while sweating from trying clothes in that airless backroom.
What finally worked:
- Chatting up staff instead of blind searching – Ethel knew every stitch
- Asking for original zippers/flatlock stitches – modern stuff has different hardware
- Checking underarms for wear patterns – tells you how much an outfit was loved
Secrets of the Pros
Took my loot to a vintage fair over weekend. Saw serious collectors doing things like sniffing seams (natural fibers absorb smells differently?) and rubbing hems between fingers. Learned about dead stock from one dealer – that’s untouched clothes still in packaging from the 70s. Almost cried seeing prices at her booth though – my whole haul cost less than one of her purses!
Final stash? Got two pairs of jeans, three tops, and those giant round sunglasses that make you look like a confused fly. Niece hugged me so hard I almost dropped the clothes. Ethel called me yesterday – she’s holding some platform boots for me. Gotta run!
