In an effort to find out about events in and around the Seattle area I’ve been paying closer than normal attention to the events page on Facebook. So When I stumbled on an event stating Pinup Girl Clothing was doing it’s a version of it’s (semi?) annual Yard Sale in Seattle, I knew I had to check it out.
I’m obviously a big fan of all things retro, but most of my retro pieces are home decor specific even though I love vintage and vintage style clothes. Part of the problem is it’s hard to find real vintage items that fit me, vintage style new clothes are pretty expensive and are often just a bit too cutesy or too sexy for my everyday wear.
Don’t get me wrong I love Unique Vintage, Pinup Girl Clothing, Tatyana, Steady clothing, and the like. I just have a hard time justifying the high price tag for items I’m not sure I’ll get much wear out of. I’m constantly trying to find pieces that I love and that I’ll wear regularly or are such a good deal that the price negates its limited utility in my wardrobe. I generally like unpractical things or super expensive things and thus only have a few pieces. But if a store I’ve always wanted to try has a sale near me? Of course I’m going!
The Sale
The event was in a conference/ ballroom type space at the Motif Hotel in downtown Seattle. I got there at about 10/10:15 so there was no line and honestly not as many people as I expected (which was super nice). It opened at 9 so I assume all the craziness happened before I got there. Anyway it was set up as you’d imagine with racks of clothes all arranged by size (xs-4x), a curtained off area for changing, registers, and an area with bins of lingerie/swim suits and tables of shoes and accessories. Prices ( that I remember ) were as follows:
Dresses: $60
Bottoms: $40
Tops: $20
The prices were good especially compared to Pinup Girl Clothing’s regular prices which are closer to $200 a dress regularly. The prices were also cheaper than or along the same lines as the sale section of the website. Pin Up Girl Clothing definitely has the best quality of the few vintage style retailers I’ve gotten before. The fabrics were nice, things were lined, and I was definitely impressed with the level of quality in the garments. I get why they charge so much regularly, they’re not cheaply made.
I wasn’t 100% sure what size I was in their range, but I looked online at their size chart (and measured myself) and thought I was somewhere between a 2x and 3x. When I got there and saw the clothes I was pretty sure I was more a 2x and when I tried things on that was generally the case. Some of the more body-con silhouettes I maybe could have gone up a size in. I’d say in general PUGC is pretty true to size.
Each size’s section had skirts, pants, tops, dresses and gowns. I tried on a good amount of stuff, some that I immediately liked and some that weren’t 100% my style but worth a try on. I can’t say enough how nice it was to try stuff on that I’ve eyed online forever! While the prices were good they weren’t super cheap so I whittled down my pile to two things: A pink “Beat it Creep” Tracie Lords shirt and Las Vegas print Ginger dress. Yes I bought a novelty print dress. I have this whole fantasy of going to Vegas (and Cuba) and rocking mostly 50’s/60’s inspired lewks. SO when I tried the dress on and it fit and was super cute I just couldn’t pass it up. Plus although i’m not a huge novelty print fan I do like the print and it’s pretty easy dress to wear casually or to the office.
What I Got:
1. Pinup Couture Ginger Dress in Vegas Print (not currently on sale)
2. Traci Lords for Couture for Every Body “Beat it Creep” tee (unavailable)
Tips:
If you plan to hit up the Pin Up Girl Yard Sale at anytime in the future here are a few tips:
- Come early. I do wish I’d gotten there a bit earlier because I imagine a lot of the best pieces went pretty fast. But you also have to deal with a bigger crowd, so honestly it depends which is more important to you.
- Bring a Friend. Since I still don’t really know anyone here I went to the sale alone. But I would definitely recommend bringing along a good girlfriend or two. Obviously sales can be fun girl-time activities but your friend can also help you zip up items in the fitting room. I did get help with zippers a few times and you can always asks the other girls in the fitting room but it’s just easier with a friend. Honestly, a group of three or four would be ideal as you can only bring 5 items into the fitting room so with extra friends you could grab as many things as you like and have your friends hold the extra while you try on 5.
- Wear something comfortable that’s easy to take on and off. I would advise wearing separates as it makes it easier to try on different items.
ON SALE NOW!
Anyway if you missed the sale or there isn’t one near you Pin Up Girl Clothing is having a massive 60% off site wide Black Friday in July sale going on right now! The company is rebranding and decided the best way to get rid of their inventory before their re-launch in August is to pass the saving on to us! There is no discount code, if the item is on sale the sale price is shown on the site in red next to the original price.
The sale started Tuesday, but there are still a bunch of items available in every size. I’d say the easiest and most efficient way to shop the sale is by size, since it eliminates a lot of the guessing. The sizing is pretty true to size but I’d get some fresh measurements and check the size chart if you aren’t and avid PUGC shopper. Anyway check it out and shop away!
