I realised a little while ago that I barely ever blog about what goes on in Adelaide so I decided to start doing reviews of some of the vintage shops around town.
I'm starting with Red Ruby Vintage, which I've mentioned quite a few times before (and wrote about
here) because it's pretty much my favourite vintage shop.
14 Peel St Adelaide, 5000
8231 0022
Opening Hours:
Tuesday - Thursday 10.30 - 4.30
Friday 11.30 - 5.30
Saturday 12.00 - 3.00
Situated just off of Hindley St, toward the west end of Adelaide, Red Ruby Vintage is my go-to place for vintage in Adelaide. I've been shopping there (and have sold a small number of items, too) for quite a few years and it's an overall great experience. Gail, the proprietor of Red Ruby, has been selling vintage for about fourteen years; before her store in Peel Street, she sold from a shop at Hahndorf and, before that, from the Orange Lane Markets (which have been closed for at least 9 or 10 years, now).
Gail has been collecting vintage for quite a number of years - she has been op-shopping clothes since the 1960s and said that she used to help her mother set up stalls to sell antique linen and lace at markets around the Adelaide Hills. This, combined with an eye and memory for line and colour is what lead Gail to start selling vintage clothing. "Fabrics, accessories and haberdashery are in my blood."
Her favourite eras are the '50s and '60s as well as the '30s and this is reflected in her stock, which ranges from the '30s to a small number of '80s pieces but the emphasis is definitely on the earlier eras.
Much like myself, and many others who collect and/or sell vintage, Gail loves the idea of keeping the clothes alive and believes that history is so important and relevant to the present. The idea that everything links together - fashion, design, music, etc. - is something that she relishes. Her love and enjoyment of the clothes she sells is well reflected in her store and makes shopping there very enjoyable.


Quite a lot of my favourite pieces are from Red Ruby...here are just a few to give you an idea of just how fabulous everything there is!
L-R: 1940s NOS crepe dress; 1930s tartan dress (aka my perfect winter dress); 1940s pant suit.
L-R: 1950s day dress (reminds me a bit of the Horrockses dresses); 1950s silver lamé dress; 1930s-40s home-made dress with rosella on shoulder.
The prices range according to era, quality (everything is clean, well presented and good-excellent vintage quality) and rarity of the individual pieces. It may not always be the best for someone on a tight budget (though you can lay-by) but I rarely find anything cheaper and of equal quality in other shops and markets and, after seeing some of the prices in Melbourne stores I realised that Adelaide prices are still, on the whole, a lot lower.
I've not really done a lot of this sort of write-up before so I hope it was useful/enjoyable. Any tips on what else to include would be appreciated! I don't think I have a lot of Adelaideans following my blog but I'd still like to put together a bit of a 'guide' as it were to vintage shopping here.
Love,
Andi B. Goode
x