Noah Lowrey / The Mossy Log
Melissa Halvorson, the co-owner of Poubelle and Marshall, a charming vintage and antique store in downtown Portland says, “There’s nothing important about vintage … It’s not ending wars.” She said this in response to a question I asked about what brought her to vintage clothes. She went on. “But it is really important for my life, to have been doing this for 30 years, to see broad masses stepping into this world.”
I noticed Halvorson immediately when I stepped into the store. She sported a wide shouldered blazer, the cream lining peeking out through its rolled sleeves. It was a chilly afternoon, the sky threatening rain. It was the type of day that could have been slow for retail in the city. Poubelle and Marshall, however, was brimming with life. Halvorson commanded the space, talking to friends and welcoming customers. I was greeted by the store’s colorful ambiance, Scandinavian furniture surrounded by 70’s button-downs and bright outerwear. As I shopped, I noticed Halvorson’s organic interactions with customers. Her style was conversational, natural, and inviting. It was as if you were merely a guest in her home, your host identifying each treasured item, each precious object. When I told her that I was writing an article about vintage shopping in Portland, and that I was from Lewis & Clark, she instantly lit up. She told me how she had just sold a vintage coat from the school, complete with the LC insignia. I thought about who might have owned the jacket before. What was it like to be a student at that time? What would it have been like to live on campus, to go to class and walk past the same manor house that I do every morning?
In recent years, vintage shopping has become a popular alternative to buying new, partly as a reaction to the harm that fast fashion causes. Young people specifically have become more aware of the environmental impact of plastic textiles and garment waste, as well as the fast fashion industry’s treatment of factory workers. To combat this, many are moving to more sustainable options, including thrift shopping and consignment-based retail. Beyond its beneficial environmental impacts, shopping secondhand has become something maybe even more powerful — a trend.
The popularity of vintage has skyrocketed in such an extreme way partly because it has become cool to dress uniquely, to have a “personal style.” This idea is about curating a distinct vibe to the way you dress, a cohesive vision that influences everything you wear. For them, personal style is not something you instinctually have, but something you find. In addition, social media has allowed “thrifting” to reach a wider audience, making the act of shopping second hand more than just an activity, but a hobby.
For Halvorson, vintage shopping has been constant in her life. She grew up in Portland, and remembers visiting vintage stores when she was younger. “There were many fabulous stores in the area, like record stores, and vintage stores and Powell’s of course.” She described how Portland acts as a hub for curated vintage stores like Poubelle and Marshall, among a very small second hand shopping population. She placed her store as distinct in its own right, however.
“A lot of times people are impressed with how colorful everything is.” She went on to explain that many times people think of a vintage shop as a dark, crowded store, but Poubelle and Marshall is different in the way it presents each item with care and intention. In discussing this, she mentioned the decision to include only natural fiber pieces in the shop, especially with the popularity of online fast fashion retailers such as Shein and Temu.
“We didn’t know how lucky we were to have Forever 21 as the fast fashion outlet, because that’s a high quality garment compared to what they ship to people now.” Although Halvorson agreed that there is an intention to switch to more sustainable alternatives, she was not quite sure it was happening. “They want to want something different. If they actually feel that way, I don’t know.” Although she wishes things have changed for the better, she is not sure they have. “At least there’s an awareness when people are shopping on Shein, I think they know they’re doing something bad,” she continued. “And why should clothing be connected to shame? It should be the opposite.”
Halvorson’s point is exactly right. Although many of the values of the consumer have changed with the times, whether real action is following those values is less clear. The idea that vintage shopping is a “trend” is concerning in its own right, as it implies that second hand will eventually go out of style, and that the popularity of vintage is merely part of a cycle.
A few blocks away, I visited Kissing Booth & Co, and spoke to Farah Alkayed, an associate at the store. Like Halvorson, her connection to vintage was not merely a passing fad. “I think it comes from all my life experiences, and having immigrant parents,” she spoke about going to thrift stores as a kid, as well as her current experience working at a vintage store. She also mentioned that working at Kissing Booth & Co has helped her become more adventurous with her fashion by exploring men’s clothing.
I relate significantly to Alkayed’s perspective. Growing up, I often visited thrift stores with my Grandma. Back then, I was mostly there to observe, perhaps give my opinion on the chance she asked. My wardrobe then consisted of a mix of vintage pieces and new items. That bit has not changed. Alkayed also expressed mixing new and used clothing to create a unique stylistic blend.
What makes both Alkayed and Halvorson’s perspectives so important is partly because they are deeply personal. Both shared a connection to second hand, but also a recognition that although fast fashion remains prevalent, for them, vintage will never go out of style.
At the end of our conversation, Halvorson said something that I think gets to the heart of why vintage is meaningful. “Each item has been selected to tell this sort of autobiographical story of our lives here.” For stores like Kissing Booth & Co and Poubelle and Marshall, each item holds significance, but it is the collection of items together that tells its own story. Mapped out among the racks are the memories and lives of others.
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