Clothing resale shops are booming

Boutiques offer vintage styles

Some entrepreneurs are putting a boutique spin on second-hand clothing shops.

From vintage threads to brand-new styles, used clothes are getting the highend treatment at small stores around Metro Orlando.

The new wave of retro and vintage stores look more like Park Avenue boutiques than traditional second-hand shops.

Store owners say customers don’t have time to sort through thousands of pieces at thrift shops and are instead seeking carefully curated collections of older, designer brands. Styles vary wildly too, from loud 1990s fashions to classy ’50s dresses.

And social media plays a growing role as pieces are posted and sold via platforms such as Instagram.

“Many of these resale boutiques are more selective about the pieces that they have in their shop,” said Maria Wyatt-Uhl, a local fashion blogger and public relations professional. “You can get great deals and unique vintage finds.”

It’s an evolution from the days of shopping at Goodwill or even pickier shops such as Plato’s Closet and Style Encore.

For instance, Horizons Vintage on Orange Avenue has about 100 pieces of merchandise at a time. Most come in just one size.

Store owners says it’s a labor-intensive business, requiring an eye for style and a deep understanding of fits and fashion.

JOE BURBANK/STAFF PHOTO Retromended recently moved to a larger space.