I love this honest perspective on travel. I felt the same way when I went to Aix En Provence many years ago, but my fantasies were about food and French markets a la “A Year In Provence”. I learnt very quickly that travel was ultimately less rewarding when I “demanded” a specific experience, and social media is really the worst when it comes to misleading expectations.
I travel within the US and like to go to thrift stores in new cities. It’s hit or miss just like regular thrifting, but it is fun that the items I do find are like souvenirs. I also totally relate to wanting to pretend to be a local, which is pretentious but I’ll own it. I try to see it as “what do I like to do normally? How can I do that here?” So it might be like just reading in a park or eating at a diner.
I totally experienced this in Japan last month too! Was so hoping for the unicorn vintage finds and didn’t find any. Ended up buying a few items I love, but new from local brands.
This was so interesting! What we're seeing globally is the result of the 'bulk-store-ification' of vintage. The small shops that source locally are gone (or extremely hard to find). Most vintage shops order their inventory from the US or the UK, so there's no local stamp, no mood, no sense of the treasure hunt.
I went to Japan in April and I packed half full thinking I would fill it with vintage gems and I was sooo disappointed. I bought one t shirt the whole trip and it was a new item.
Girl I felt the exact same way!!!! I was going to 5+ kindal/2nd streets trying to find my $30 issey miyake and ultimately caved on my second to last day out of desperation and bought a $50 issey shirt that fits slightly too big lol 🤪
I found that the thrift stores in Japan had a bunch of nice sweaters though! And I had a lovely experience buying pairing of selvedge denim that hemmed for free at Japan Blue Jeans
I was there this past fall and had the same exact experience. So confused how everyone else on TikTok found all these grails! The inventory was so disappointing. Really interesting to reflect on why we’re so keen to shop when we travel - spot on!
the closest I have ever come to shopping on vacation was when we were going to Maine and stopping overnight in Boston and there was a TJMaxx inches from our hotel that I hit TWICE, scoring stuff I'm still living in years later. TJMaxx! You outclass me in so many ways, Viv.
Marx also recently wrote a book called Status and Culture about how people use their clothes to signal status that you might enjoy/I would love to read your thoughts on! I didn’t agree with everything in it (eg him harping on how Gen Z is uncreative) but I’ve been pondering the ideas for months and it explained a lot of why my friends in their early 30’s style is becoming more boring lol
This is so real!! I relate completely to the desperation of wanting to find *something* to bring home from a trip--it can feel really special to add an item to your closet and know that you brought it halfway around the world with you. But it can also feel so frustrating to buy something under pressure, get it home, and look at it and say WTF was I thinking?
On the subject of Japan + US fashion, did you listen to the Articles of Interest mini-series on American Ivy? So good and fascinating!!
Spot. On. 👏🏻 👏🏻👏🏻 Thankfully my goal in Japan was to get one Japanese designer item, and I was willing to pay (which ended up being necessary for my very normally priced brown Issey cardigan) but my husband had this exact frustration. Found a few cute things at Kinji but they were pretty American. So insightful, and loved the history background as well we’re wondering the whole time. And 1000% feel this way about shopping abroad. The way I feel so cool when I can say I thrifted something in XYZ… 🙄 you nailed it. ❤️
This was illuminating, thank you! I have a trip planned to Japan in September and I was excited for the vintage shops - good to know I should lower my expectations.
I loved reading your view on vintage shopping in Japan. I travelled there 14 years ago, and I must say that it is difficult not to be lost. One thing I'd say though is that it is great to go with a local who has the same interests as you. They'll be sure to bring to places that are NOT the places where that xyz Youtube or TikTok influencer found that vintage Miu Miu or Prada (no offense to them) you were dying to find. They might show you this run-down shop that actually have gems from Japan and all over the world. That's why I enjoyed couchsurfing so much as it allowed to meet locals and vice versa. I think they also make you live like a local rather than showing you the places to go for what you want. At least, that was my experience. While travelling there I scored a haori in a kimonoya that had been family-run for 90 years. I was fortunate enough to have a good chat and lesson about the art of kimono and where to find good clothes.
I love this honest perspective on travel. I felt the same way when I went to Aix En Provence many years ago, but my fantasies were about food and French markets a la “A Year In Provence”. I learnt very quickly that travel was ultimately less rewarding when I “demanded” a specific experience, and social media is really the worst when it comes to misleading expectations.
I travel within the US and like to go to thrift stores in new cities. It’s hit or miss just like regular thrifting, but it is fun that the items I do find are like souvenirs. I also totally relate to wanting to pretend to be a local, which is pretentious but I’ll own it. I try to see it as “what do I like to do normally? How can I do that here?” So it might be like just reading in a park or eating at a diner.
I totally experienced this in Japan last month too! Was so hoping for the unicorn vintage finds and didn’t find any. Ended up buying a few items I love, but new from local brands.
This was so interesting! What we're seeing globally is the result of the 'bulk-store-ification' of vintage. The small shops that source locally are gone (or extremely hard to find). Most vintage shops order their inventory from the US or the UK, so there's no local stamp, no mood, no sense of the treasure hunt.
I went to Japan in April and I packed half full thinking I would fill it with vintage gems and I was sooo disappointed. I bought one t shirt the whole trip and it was a new item.
Girl I felt the exact same way!!!! I was going to 5+ kindal/2nd streets trying to find my $30 issey miyake and ultimately caved on my second to last day out of desperation and bought a $50 issey shirt that fits slightly too big lol 🤪
I found that the thrift stores in Japan had a bunch of nice sweaters though! And I had a lovely experience buying pairing of selvedge denim that hemmed for free at Japan Blue Jeans
I was there this past fall and had the same exact experience. So confused how everyone else on TikTok found all these grails! The inventory was so disappointing. Really interesting to reflect on why we’re so keen to shop when we travel - spot on!
the closest I have ever come to shopping on vacation was when we were going to Maine and stopping overnight in Boston and there was a TJMaxx inches from our hotel that I hit TWICE, scoring stuff I'm still living in years later. TJMaxx! You outclass me in so many ways, Viv.
Marx also recently wrote a book called Status and Culture about how people use their clothes to signal status that you might enjoy/I would love to read your thoughts on! I didn’t agree with everything in it (eg him harping on how Gen Z is uncreative) but I’ve been pondering the ideas for months and it explained a lot of why my friends in their early 30’s style is becoming more boring lol
This is so real!! I relate completely to the desperation of wanting to find *something* to bring home from a trip--it can feel really special to add an item to your closet and know that you brought it halfway around the world with you. But it can also feel so frustrating to buy something under pressure, get it home, and look at it and say WTF was I thinking?
On the subject of Japan + US fashion, did you listen to the Articles of Interest mini-series on American Ivy? So good and fascinating!!
i love how honest this is i'm obsessed w this
Spot. On. 👏🏻 👏🏻👏🏻 Thankfully my goal in Japan was to get one Japanese designer item, and I was willing to pay (which ended up being necessary for my very normally priced brown Issey cardigan) but my husband had this exact frustration. Found a few cute things at Kinji but they were pretty American. So insightful, and loved the history background as well we’re wondering the whole time. And 1000% feel this way about shopping abroad. The way I feel so cool when I can say I thrifted something in XYZ… 🙄 you nailed it. ❤️
This was illuminating, thank you! I have a trip planned to Japan in September and I was excited for the vintage shops - good to know I should lower my expectations.
I loved reading your view on vintage shopping in Japan. I travelled there 14 years ago, and I must say that it is difficult not to be lost. One thing I'd say though is that it is great to go with a local who has the same interests as you. They'll be sure to bring to places that are NOT the places where that xyz Youtube or TikTok influencer found that vintage Miu Miu or Prada (no offense to them) you were dying to find. They might show you this run-down shop that actually have gems from Japan and all over the world. That's why I enjoyed couchsurfing so much as it allowed to meet locals and vice versa. I think they also make you live like a local rather than showing you the places to go for what you want. At least, that was my experience. While travelling there I scored a haori in a kimonoya that had been family-run for 90 years. I was fortunate enough to have a good chat and lesson about the art of kimono and where to find good clothes.
Good thoughts. Thank u!