Vintage Clothing & Accessories
Church Sale Shopping
with the
Honorary Christian
Thrift and consignment shops offer great deals for good causes.
BY NANCY KIRSCH
GIVEN MY REGULAR PURCHASES FROM AND OCCASIONAL
Annie Schisler’s
Favorite Vintage Finds
In her own words, the owner of Top Shelf Vintage Co.
in Pawtucket shares the best piece in her collection.
T H E S E J E A N S A R E B Y FA R M Y FAV O R I T E P I E C E I O W N
in my entire collection. They are a pair of denim jeans from
1990 that are 100 percent hand-painted by the original owner,
Michelle; she even signed and dated them like a real artist.
I actually got them from a customer at my brick and mortar
in downtown Pawtucket who was looking around our space
in awe until we started talking about all her daughter’s clothes
from the late ’80s, early ’90s that reminded her of the things
she saw in my shop. She was going on and on about her style
and talent until I finally joked and asked if she happened to
have any clothes left from back then hanging around the
attic/basement and she said YES! I made a house call that
next week and we picked up about twenty-five different
pieces of painted denim like the ones pictured, that were all
incredibly detailed and completely one of a kind.
Michelle used her favorite cartoons as her muses and
even customized some of the characters, clothes like Bart
Simpson’s Boston Northside tracksuit and Adidas shoes or
Elmer Fudd characters with a Hawaiian shirt on! They are
important in my eye because it shows how unique vintage
is and how much self-expression | | CONTINUED ON PAGE 99
54 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l
MARCH 2020
donations to Thrifty Goose, in particular, I jokingly call myself “an
honorary Christian.” Although I’m Jewish, I’m happy to be among
the shoppers at Episcopal church-based venues (among several
statewide) that contribute proceeds to the church and/or community
outreach. Call for hours and payment options.
Thrifty Goose (St. Martin’s, Providence, 751-2141) sells men’s,
women’s and children’s clothes, china, glassware, jewelry and books.
“Hipsters love our quirky stuff,” says Brigit Timpson, store manager.
“[We have] items from $1 to $350 designer [pieces]…with a lot of
vintage and nostalgia.” East Side shoppers might purchase their
neighbors’ donated wool, leather, suede or fur apparel, jewelry or
designer shoes. The store hosts occasional estate sales.
MY BEST FINDS: A $17 red satin black-tie dress and a set of six gor-
geously decorative heavy glass bowls for $10.
Encore (St. John’s, Barrington, 245-4065) presents as a well-curated
women’s boutique. The consignment shop sells high-end clothes,
furs, shoes and accessories. Sixty percent of donated items’ revenue
goes to the consignor, the balance to Encore. “We are not a thrift
shop; Talbots [clothing] and high-end handbags sell very well,” says
Charlotte Tracy, one of two store managers. “Encore is a happy
place.”
MY BEST FINDS: Like-new Dansko clogs for $14 and a funky Art Deco
dress for $20.
The Thrift Shop (St. Matthew’s, Jamestown, 423-1762) is a tradi-
tional thrift shop, offering women’s, men’s and children’s clothes,
jewelry, shoes, books, housewares and grandma’s tchotchkes. “Women’s
clothing sells best. Our prices are low; most items sell for around
$4,” says Suzanne Fay, the Thrift Shop director, who finds satisfaction
knowing the store is supporting the church and the community.
MY BEST FINDS: For $18, three pairs of Talbots pants, a chunky necklace
and a hardback cookbook.