Finding myself back in Boston for a couple days before I head out to Cape Cod, I decided to enjoy my short time exploring one of my favorite cities. Catching wind of a thrift store that sells clothes by the pound from my friend Adam, I decided to hit up Google and find out where this supposed hipster haven was located. To my surprise, it was only a hop, skip and jump away from my Aunt’s spot in Cambridge. Now that I think about it,I wouldn’t expect to find such a place anywhere else. Cambridge is one of the most progressive and alternative neighborhoods in the whole world. Every ethnicity, every gender, every sexual orientation, and everyone from nerds to Neanderthals thrive there; it truly is an intriguing place.
Well, the thrift store is called “The Garment District” and describes itself as an “alternative department store”. They boast the best costume selection in the city as well as thrift and new articles. The first floor houses the “buy” window where you can sell all of your old digs in the hopes of earning a few pennies towards someone else’s Member’s Only vintage leather jacket (my Dad wore one of these until 2 years ago!). In the back you can see a heaping pile of 5th hand clothes all mixed together from your grandma’s old cotton underwear to that prize find Nixon era propaganda T-shirt. All items pulled from this pile are $1.50/lb. Another good way to find clothes at a discount is to use coupon codes from great retailors like American Eagle. Upstairs has new clothes, selected higher quality thrift items and the immense costume selection. The costumes are organized by decade (1960’s, 1970’s, etc.) as well as by theme. If I lived in Boston, or still needed costumes for ridiculously themed frat parties (in another life) I would definitely make my way to The Garment District for a truly unique getup.