Out of the Closet, Into the Square

Showing up to a party and seeing three other girls wearing the same backless jersey dress from Urban Outfitters can really crimp your style and ruin an otherwise excellent night. Those hoping to avoid a twin fiasco at the next House formal now have a new option just down Mass. Ave.—Vintage Revenge. “Our society is very disposable, and vintage is not,” said owner Denise Goldhagen, who opened her shop in mid-August after closing her previous vintage store in Montana. “It’s all been brought back because it’s so classic and gorgeous.”

After moving to Boston in June, Goldhagen originally wanted to set up shop on Newbury Street, but found that the environment clashed with her vision of a subtle, modest refinement. “It was just all so snobby,” she said. “Every store has the word vintage in it. There’s no character to anything.” Instead, she found atmosphere around Harvard more appropriate for Vintage Revenge. “There’s a lot of energy and a lot of people milling around,” she said.

With chiffon-decked mannequins in the front window, shoppers get a bold first glance before strolling in to check out the clothes, jewelry, and accessories inside, dating from the nineteenth century to the ‘80s. Among the racks packed with tweed jackets, three-piece suits, and poodle skirts, customers can also peruse high-end items, such as luxurious furs, Gucci shoes, and Dior handbags.

“There was so much to look at, I felt like I was poking around in an old trunk,” said Kimberly B. Harshbarger ’10. Harshbarger, along with roommate Sara C. Gallant ’10, immediately thought of Vintage Revenge on the hunt for their outfits for a ‘70s-themed show.

In addition to dry-cleaning all her products before putting them on sale, Goldhagen only carries original pieces, such as costume jewelry from the 1920s. “This is not just junk from Taiwan that breaks instantly,” Goldhagen asserted.

As the sole person running the store seven days a week, Goldhagen also promises one thing to all her customers: leave looking fabulous. “I do not want someone leaving this store looking bad, because one dress can destroy my income,” she said. “It’s not just customer service. It’s called caring.” Call it what you want, we just want to look good.