Find yourself a second-hand steal at these fashionable treasure troves
For unique style without the credit card bills, hit Paris’s vintage boutiques. Rockabilly leather, ’50s glamour dresses, retro sunglasses and much more will get you a slew of afforable new looks in no time, or you can simply lose happy hours rummaging through the racks, rails, baskets and piles of clothes, accessories and knick-knacks. These are all of Time Out Paris’s pre-loved pleasure palaces…
Finding well-presented vintage clothes that have been washed, ironed and don’t smell like dirty underpants is possible – GoldyMama is the proof. This small boutique in the heights of the 20th has retro treasures aplenty and makes an original spot for gift hunting. 1950s skirts, 40s suits, empire dresses, wacky 70s tops and multi-era accessories line the walls. The choice is as vast as the shop assistants are helpful.
The Etienne Marcel neighbourhood isn’t exactly known for its good value boutiques – rather, it’s full of hip designers and specialist addresses, to the great displeasure of penniless fashionistas, who still come here for window-shopping and better inspiration than you can get from the department stores. The opening of the so-called friperie Kiliwatch a few years ago rubbed it in rather by selling second hand garb at vastly inflated prices. Nevertheless, the rue Tiquetonne is where the Dutch chain Episode chose to open its Parisian branch in 2009.