It can be tricky to find a place that qualifies as a “perfect” vintage shop. There should be an aura of mystery about it for sure, like you’re not exactly sure what kinds of treasures will be hidden around the corner, but you also want the store to be well laid-out, so you’re not just pawing through racks without a clue as to size or price. A great mix of vintage and recent thrifted garments is a definite, and even a rack or two of high-end designer duds would be appreciated. You can’t forget about accessories and shoes either, and, dare we say it? There would even be a way to shop online.
Although a store that finds this description sounds like a thrifty fashionista’s wildest daydream, we’re pleased to tell you that it’s totally real. Raspberry Beret (yep, just like “the kind you find in a second hand store” that the Prince song of the same name suggests) is a Massachusetts “contemporary consignment and vintage boutique” with locations in four areas: Cambridge, Reading, Wakefield and your own computer, as the store has their very own Poshmark closet account.
We visited the Cambridge location, a block or two away from the Porter Square T stop for all of you Boston/Cambridge locals. The shop was adorable with an assortment of ultra pretty garments (if you’re looking for oversized sweatshirts with kitschy screen-printed unicorns, this isn’t your place!) and awesome vintage accessories, including a faux ostrich skin purse that caught our eye the moment we stepped inside and knew that we had to take home. The brands they carry range from indie (like a gorgeous silky blouse we spotted from New York boutique Pookie & Sebastian) to high-end giants like Dolce and Gabbana, with super reasonable prices for quality items. When we visited, owner Rachael and sales associate Deb showed us a couple of delicate vintage seed-beaded bags from the turn of the century that they’d just received, adding some real antique charm, juxtaposed with the tear-outs of ’90s supermodels on the walls of the fitting rooms for a fun vibe.
Have you been to Raspberry Beret?
Bottom photo via Spreedia
