$80 for a Polyester “Y2K” Top??
My honest review of the West Coast Craft Waves Vintage Market
My perfect Saturday? Going to San Francisco on a sunny day (very rare in July for us in the Bay Area) and (window) shopping for vintage must-haves. I went to the West Coast Craft Waves Vintage Market in Fort Mason, so you didn’t have to, and here’s my honest review.
For context, earlier this year, I started to get really bored with my closet. I was uninspired when it came to creating an outfit, which was a feeling I haven’t felt in a while. For me, getting dressed is much more than just grabbing a random top I feel comfortable in -- I’m very intentional with the pieces I choose to wear. Not to be pretentious, but when I wear pieces that make me feel good, it makes going about my day easier. So, I had cleaned out over half of my entire wardrobe. This feeling stemmed from the crazy amount of clothes I had accumulated that I no longer touched (you can read more about the importance of curating your own style here).
I’ve been slowly rebuilding my closet with quality pieces that offer longevity, timelessness, and, of course, that resonate with me. Here are some of the things I have been looking for:
Accessories. Think sterling silver and gold jewelry, eclectic satin scarves, funky sunglasses, and artisanal rings.
Purses. I have a BIG vintage purse collection (even after I downsized) and want to lean more into collecting more vintage designer, now that I have the financial means to.
Clothes. Quality, versatile basics, as well as fun, bold statement pieces.
The WCC Wave Vintage Market was in the Gateway Pavilion at Fort Mason in San Francisco, being one of the many artisanal and vintage fashion markets that have been hosted there. The market was huge, with over 100+ booths of curated vintage clothing, furniture, jewelry, and anything else you can think of. It was a little overwhelming because of how many people there were, but it was still a great time!
There were two floors to explore. The ground floor was mostly vintage fashion in mint condition (and unfortunately, way out of my price range). But I had fun sifting through the racks and putting my Anna Wintour face on. I appreciated that many of the designer-specific booths were curated with great love and care. Here were some of my personal vintage standouts:
Many of the displays and presentations were curated intentionally, and it also felt like I was walking through a museum, just as much as it was a shopping experience.
There were soooo many racks of clothing - from coats and jackets that were to die for to the funkiest silk scarves and ties! Rows and rows of the cutest heels and shoes, straight from Carrie Bradshaw’s closet. I ultimately knew I would be window shopping for the most part, as oftentimes curated vintage markets tend to be on the expensive side. My rule is that if there is an item that I absolutely cannot leave on the rack and isn’t unreasonably pricey, I can buy it. However, for me, looking at the condition of the item and fabric composition to deduce whether the pricing is fair is important because I have learned that many vintage resellers often upsell poor-quality items.
Sometimes polyester can look cute…but don’t fall for it!
There was one booth that had a huge crowd. Curious, I went over and the seller had oneof the most beautiful collections of vintage jewelry -- it was every IT girl’s dream. I was looking for accessories, specifically artisanal and handcrafted jewelry that will not tarnish over time. I was at this booth for almost 30 minutes just looking through all of the pieces; there was a section with just vintage watches and watch bracelets.
I came across the most beautiful watch bracelet, which had silver hardware with colorful gem-like jewels forming a bracelet brand. It was definitely a statement piece and would have been a wonderful addition to my jewelry collection…but I couldn’t justify the price tag. But it’s okay! Now I’m on the lookout for watch accessories –which wasn’t ever really on my radar before)--which is why I think window shopping at markets like this is important in gaining inspiration.
Overall, the WCC Vintage Market was a cool experience, and I don’t regret going. I bought two pieces of jewelry: a gold “T” initial necklace with silver jewels, a pastel jeweled gold bracelet, and a black, backless - off-the-shoulder top. Candidly speaking, the price points for many of the booths were on the higher end. For curated, high-quality vintage and handcrafted artisanal pieces, these prices are definitely justified. But in my opinion, I draw the line when sellers attempt to sell lower-grade garments at insane prices in the name of Y2K. I saw a “baby tee” that was upsold at $40 when it was definitely intended for toddlers. With that being said, would I pay $80 for a polyester Y2K top? Absolutely not! But I still walked away from the Wave Vintage Market feeling content, gained fashion inspiration, and a new wardrobe must-have: vintage watch bracelets.
