Today we stopped by Antique Sugar in Midtown Phoenix to check out their lovely collection of vintage clothing and find out what Halloween-costume trends they are seeing. Owners Anna Sanchez and Sarah Bingham are close friends who have always had a passion for shopping together.
What type of vintage items do you offer?
SARAH: We buy stuff that we like, but we also carry items that we know people will want even if it’s not our taste. We want our clothing to be affordable and fun.
ANNA: We have a huge selection. We’ll hear people say things like “My mom used to wear this!” There’s this real sense of nostalgia with vintage shopping. There’s also a strong sense of community; we’re friends with a lot of the vintage-shop owners in town and we support each other.
What are some of your favorite pieces in the store right now?
ANNA: We love these dresses. The blue chiffon one is from the 60s, and the purple sparkly one is from the 80s. I pointed out the purple one to a girl looking for a 1980s costume but she actually said it looked too modern! 80s is very in right now.
What seems to be popular for Halloween this year?
ANNA: Everyone wants to be John Travolta, but that’s not a new thing. The 1920s flapper look is also really big because of The Great Gatsby, and we’re still doing a lot of Mad Men costumes.
SARAH: Mrs. Roper from Three’s Company has been pretty popular, and Lucy from I Love Lucy.
Anna and Sarah are applying for a Chase Mission Main Street Grant and need 250 votes to be considered (just type “Antique Sugar” in the box). They have a lot of ideas, ranging from opening a store in California to creating a mobile vintage shop to take to festivals around town. They also have a map/directory coming out soon that will feature their shop along with several other great vintage boutiques.
Antique Sugar gets new items every day. Their clothing is affordable, with beaded 50s cardigans around $30, 60s cocktail dresses ranging from $40 to $65, and men’s western shirts for $25. They also offer a 30% discount for local artists and musicians. Stop in every day between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., and you can also follow Antique Sugar on Facebook to see their latest finds.