Here are some of the best finds:
I decided to stick to the basics. And the basics are the countless boutiques and thrifts stores on Queen West. Somewhere around Queen West and Ossington, I found this gem:
Vintage 69:
Vintage 69 is one of those stores that make going thrift shopping look like the epitome of cool. Anyone who is cool thrift shops. They have a wide array of vintage T-shirts, scraves and belts. They had a wide selections of everything actually, although, it might have just been a downer day for me wherein I could not really find anything to my liking. I really like the way this store is set up though, and its always fun looking at outrageous outfits. I would definatley go here again.
Walking down Queen Street is probably one of the most soul lifting things you can do for yourself on a hot summers day. Even if you have the artistic personality of a goldfish, there is something about summers in Toronto that inspires you to want to get out and create something. Even if its just a castle in the air of creating something.
There are tons of boutiques down on Queen West but don't let them fool you. One of the aspects of vintage shopping is great finds on a budget. Most of these shops have enticing display windows that draw you into heart attacks when you flip over to see the price tag. When you find a dress that costs the same as half your monthly rent, there is no shame in jetting out of there like you just saw the devil.
Another one of my favorites is CTS on Queen and Spadina.
Canadian Thrift Stores (CTS):
There is always something for everyone at CTS. From funky hats for $5.00 to gorgeous purses below $10.00. You know how sometimes you've been shopping all day and you find nothing and then you walk into a store and you see a below average scarf and you buy it because its cheap and you don't want to feel like the entire day has been a waste?
Yeh, you will probably not have that experience at CTS. Like one of reviews for this place so eloquently stated "its like someone scoured all the Value Villages and Vintage Stores from the GTA for the best finds and brought them over to CTS"
At this point after an hour or so of walking on Queen Street, it is always a good idea to stop for a bathroom break and a $2.00 double scoop ice-cream cone. Once we are have sufficiently hydrated and fueled up, its time to kick up the pace by hopping on a streetcar and moving up to the mother of all vintage: Kensington Market.
Kensington Market:
Kensington Market in my opinion is one of the most interesting place in Toronto. You have everything from vegetable markets to vintage clothing stores to pot stores. Most of which have a sketchtastic, new agey feel to it. And I love it!Where else would you find Victorian style teapots, earings from Mrs. Hubbard's jewellery box and 50's vinyl records. Not that you need any of this garbage, but really, to me Kensimgton Market is more like a museum of all the interesting phases of clothes, music and lifestyle of the past decades.
Probably one of my favorite store in Kensington Market is Vintage Depot.
Vintage Depot:
Vintage Depot is store with gorgeous $5 scraves and color cordianted clothes racks. Not feeling gray this summer? No problem. Skip on over to the pink, or the reds sections (which will somewhat be arranged according to sizes too). They have leather jackets and blazers galore with price ranges galore. Cute dresses and even sports jerseys. Yes, this is the one exceptional time when you can take your boyfriend shopping without having to worry about him looking like he'd rather have a bullet in his face.
Funky Junky:
Funky Junky is a store that will invariably side track you. It is honestly the coolest little store that looks more like a polished version of your grandmother's attic. It has everything from old school telephones to $3.00 comic books from 1974. I'm still dreaming about a cute little 60's looking set of tea cups and saucers. So dangerous if you are a weak willed shopper with a penchant for cute antique-esqe items.Definately more of a museum than store seeing as how there is very little in there that would actually be worth buying. But every once in a while, you can afford to splurge on a brightly colored 2 dollar mug.
And that's what I did on this hot beautiful Victoria Day weekend. Perfect for hours of walking and bargain hunting. And if bargain hunting is not your thing, walking in downtown Toronto in the summer is sure to be just as fulfilling. There's really nothing like seeing the world without heavy jackets and mittens. Smiles are wider, walking is lighter and the streets are sunnier.
Until next time...Happy Hunting. Or sunshine shopping! ;)
And don't forget to check out Flats and a Starbucks Coffee this week!
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