Vintage Shopping, Florida

Florida's estate sales and thrift stores have long been a secret shopping resource for vintage store owners from New York and Los Angeles. The Sunshine State's wealthy retirees often shed their collections of vintage clothing and furniture, from '50s Dior gowns to Saarinen side tables to Chanel handbags. To score the goods before the big city markup, get ready to scour thrift stores like the warehouse-size Red White & Blue five miles northwest of Miami in Hialeah. The shop is one of a half dozen thrift stores filled with funky buys, such as cast-off Pucci minidresses or Hollywood Regency side tables, that make up the Flamingo Plaza strip mall. And if you tire of having to dig for treasure, check out the impeccably curated 5,000-square-foot space at Miami Twice (pictured), in South Miami. You'll pay more, but if you're willing to forgo big-name labels, you can score swingy sundresses and sixties sunglasses for $10 and up, because one woman's trash is another's sartorial treasure.

Red White & Blue Thrift Stores
901 E. 10th Avenue
Tel: 305 887 5351

Miami Twice
6562 Bird Road
Tel: 305 666 0127

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Photo: Courtesy of garageowns, Flickr