If you enjoy vintage shopping or have been trying to purchase more clothing secondhand, I am sure you understand the struggle of the limits of thrifting in Bloomington. Furthermore, it can be difficult to find inspiration in some of the local thrift stores, and some days maybe the Goodwill bins don’t hit. However, I recently came across a high-end vintage reseller in Bloomington, Office Clothier on Kirkwood.Â
Personalized Shopping Experience
Office Clothier creates a unique and personal customer shopping experience compared to other vintage clothing stores. They offer a curated selection of items ranging in styles from the late 1950s to the early 2000s. What I appreciate most is they organize their clothing based on style and era of fashion as opposed to color or gender. Generally, when shopping for vintage items, most people are looking to expand their wardrobe and dabble a bit outside of their comfort zone, which this system of organization caters to. Pretty genius.
High-Quality Product Offerings
As mentioned before, Office Clothier may differ in product offerings and prices compared to other stores in Bloomington because they sell high-quality name brands like Ralph Lauren, Eddie Bauer, and Coach. These were just some of the names I came across in my fifteen minute expenditure, and I typically support investments in high-end brands such as these because they are timeless and maintain good quality. If you are not as interested in name brands, Office Clothier supports strong product diversification and are keen on offering mostly basics. Vintage clothing in itself may be a leap for some because of styling differences, so leaning into wardrobe staples is very attractive for most of us consumers. And anyway, basics are so in, so how could you not be obsessed with all they have to offer?
Positive Shopping Experience
Regardless of your interest and opinions on vintage clothing, I highly recommend checking the store out. I consider it a “hidden gem”, even though it is on Kirkwood, because the store is located on the second floor of a retail complex. The experience of walking up the quaint hardwood steps amidst the appearance of exposed brick along the walls is more emblematic of a shop in a major city like New York, but also definitely feels special. I absolutely was not the first person to walk up those stairs and find the door cracked open just around the corner, but it for sure felt like it. They further personalize the customer experience by offering personal styling services and private bookings for shopping, which I also find to be unique.Â
Office Clothier is funky and upbeat, and highly catered to those interested in vintage shopping. Their spring offerings have started to occupy most of the store space by now, and I recommend stopping in soon to win on a few big pieces. Â