Amelia’s Retro-Vogue and Relics

Danger zone! This shop is too good to be true. The owner has a killer sense of style, and not only guided me through her shop but gave me a little history lesson about quite a few pieces I had my eye on. Not surprised in the least she has been open for 30 years! Ended up purchasing a gorgeous cashmere sweater and a handful of costume jewelry before I forced myself to leave the shop. If I had stayed any longer, who knows how much I could have spent! Favorite Austin vintage shop by far.

Jane, the owner, does a phenomenal job curating this unique Austin landmark. She has THE best, most gorgeous pre-60’s clothing and LOTS of it. There is no one more knowledgeable about vintage clothing and the trends of the day than her. If you’re looking for one-​of-​a-​kind, beautiful kept pieces, this is the place!

Amelia is super nice, beautiful and full of energy. Love the collection of vintage pieces she has for both men and women!

Holy cow I love this store. I didn’t even buy anything but I love this store. The owner si super sweet, freindly and beyond helpful!
I have visited many vintage shops this week looking for something for the Unilocal’s Gold Age party but have yet to find anything. Talking to the owner she told me to fins a simple dress or suit and come back. She could dress it up with accesories to make it look awesome. I believe her!
There is so much to look at and try on. I was on my lunch hour so couldn’t do that but I will be back.
Rember to enter in the back. And that one way driveway kind of through me for a loop, but other than that I highly recommend Amelia’s!

Awesome vintage store. One of the best that I have ever shopped at. Her prices are fair for what you get and the quality is supreme. You can tell she is knowledgable about each item and is extremely helpful when asked about care and keeping of your vintage pieces. If I lived in Austin I’d be here every week, but for now it’s is just the first place I’ll hit up when I visit.

One of the better vintage stores I’ve been to anywhere. Beautiful backyard with outdoor items and the store is in a charming old house. Really great selection with plenty from the 30s on up. Nicely curated and really friendly shop keeper.

Whoa, what a place. This shop is packed with beautiful clothing and accessories, stuff you just won’t find elsewhere. It’s all very clean, in perfect condition, and top quality, so don’t expect to pay thrift-​shop prices. However, every item I’ve bought has been priced quite reasonably for what it is, and I always feel like I’ve gotten a fair deal. I love, love, love the hat selection!
The best thing about Amelia’s, though, is the owner, Austin fashion icon Jane Clarke. She is the most impossibly stylish person I’ve ever seen, she has an encyclopedic knowledge of clothing, and is an all around sweet person. It’s because of her that Amelia’s is on the top of my to-​do list every time I visit Austin.

I have been a consistent shopper at Amelia’s since I moved to Austin in 1996. The shop is easily Austin’s finest vintage clothing and accessories store for pre-​late 1960s fashion. They have a great selection of men’s clothing for me, but a huge collection for the women. I have bought a number of top notch things that I have an impossible time finding in other stores I shop at around the country. The owner and her staff are always very helpful and über knowledgeable. Don’t miss this place on your Austin vintage tour.

I’ve been shopping at Amelia’s since they were in their location on S Lamar. I have purchased SO many lovely things to complete several special outfits — one of my favorites was when I found the most perfect hat, one for my mother’s 50^th birthday — it was the cutest black straw hat with a veil, just the thing to mourn the loss of her youth! I have a beautiful floor length silk night gown from the 50’s. To list a few things that stand out (and that I still wear!) I have several gorgeous jackets, a floor length beaded 30’s evening gown and a couple of shirt dresses that I adore.

If you’re serious about vintage clothing and costumery, rejoice!
Amelia’s is top of the line when it comes to curated, authentic vintage clothing. Her period pieces are exquisite — «period» in this case running from the 1890s through the early 1960s, with a lot of attention to the the early 20^th century. Women’s sizing tends to run small/​medium, but I have seen gorgeous large size dresses come through. And best of all… it’s not just women’s clothing. I’ve bought my partner three beautiful vintage suits here, including a vintage 1960s Bond-​era tuxedo/​dinner suit, a nubbly wool suit from the 30s that had been restored to modern wearability, and a 50s band leader jacket in red and black sequins that, well, you’d have to see it, but it’s at the other end of the spectrum. Think of it as the holy triangle of 20^th century men’s upstyle. She has lingerie, an astounding collection of jewelry, and the prices? Extremely reasonable, considering what it is you’re buying. Authentic vintage clothing, in excellent if not perfect repair. Prepare to be delighted!

Amelia’s is one of the best, if not the best place for really vintage clothing. The owner is generally on site and is extremely knowledgeable, and very welcoming.
I have had the pleasure of purchasing dresses, hats and jewelry for numerous vintage themed events around Austin.
The shop has a small men’s section as well. My husband stumbled across a gorgeous 1940’s tuxedo which he has enjoyed numerous times since.
There is also a lovely little courtyard behind the shop where they host special little events every now and then sometimes including music, but always good company drawing all sorts of creative inspiring and fun types from around Austin.
Definitely worth checking out!!!

I have known the owner for a long time. It is fun to meet someone so passionate about what they do and gets so much pleasure out of doing it. This is her 2^nd location since I have known her and it sure seems like they are having a fine time with live music in their courtyard. I never knew there was so much to know about clothes before I met Jane. I highly recommend this store for not only finding interesting items but also to hear interesting stories and have a good time. !

Amelia’s was one of many vintage shops I made part of my tour of vintage while hanging out in Austin while my husband attended SXSW.
While most of the «vintage» shops in Austin carried a lot of 80s and 90s clothing, Amelia’s was the epitome of vintage. She had beautiful garments from the turn-​of-​the-​century to the 1960s all in glorious condition. Her range of accessories was beautiful too, especially the hats!
There is a small selection of menswear, but the majority of the shop is dedicated to women’s fashion.
It should be said that Amelia’s is not for the average «thrifter» because her shop is by no means a thrift store. It is a high-​end vintage clothing shop and also straddles of the border of antique and archive with regards to the older items. Her prices are for those who seriously love vintage and wear it on a regular basis or are a hard-​core collector. They are not for the hipster who wants second-​hand garments to wear because they want something funky.
Amelia was very nice and knowledgeable about the garments and the business.

First off, I do enjoy to support (not bash) local businesses and am an avid «thrifter.» I had driven past Amelia’s without going in many times, but today I set out to S 1^st just to go there. I casually walk in, with my dog (whom I take everywhere), and immediately am greeted with a «Most people ask before bringing dogs into a store.» I wasn’t quite sure what to think, so I apologized and asked if I could have my dog in here. She inadvertently answered yes, so I try to stay and look around. I feel quite humiliated and unwelcome, and after about 1 minute of awkward silence decide to leave and go somewhere more friendly. I’m sure it’s a cute store… but I couldn’t keep my head held up to notice.

As basically the most all-​knowing vintage lover of all time, I’ve devised my own way of breaking down a vintage store. Behold…
Eras:
1890’s-1950’s are most prevalent, with a few stragglers in the mix.
For whom:
Women
Sizes:
Small-​medium sizes.
Prices:
Average (internet and storefront appropriate)
Condition:
Very good.
Customer service:
Sweet until I asked her about contacting me when she got one specific item in stock. Usually the shop lady will at least take down my info and seem interested (you know, in selling me very select and high priced items that I’ll pay ANYTHING for), but she literally said «If I called everyone looking for (insert my specific desire), I would be on the phone all day» and that she gets that item in all the time. She then went on to tell me that she makes a lot of money off of that item (I’m aware of the price… I like expensive stuff!!) and puts them in her Etsy shop where they sell immediately. I, ever the Etsy lover, looked into her past sales where I found none of these such items. Way to rub me the wrong way, lady. The only reason I’m not giving this place 5 stars is for this pompous treatment. I’m not entitled to her time, but sheesh, who wouldn’t want to make a quick and easy $$$???
Pros:
You will find something you like in there.
Cons:
Other than the attitude, nothing.

I had the pleasure of stepping into Amelia’s Retro-​Vogue and Relics on the South 1^st Art Walk. The selection here is fantastic (especially considering the small size of the building), and most of the clothing is supremely wear-​able (read: vintage that you can wear on days that are not Halloween). The front room that appears to be wedding themed is ridiculously cool. It brings back memories of playing dress up as a child, and there are so many beautiful white dresses, veils, and faux jewel-​encrusted tiaras. The back patio was awesome too, a small oasis on S. 1^st. You should definitely check this spot out.

Amazing vintage bridal section! I wasn’t able to find «the» dress this time around, but came pretty darn close. :-) I’ll definitely be back to look again — and can’t wait to dig into all those gorgeous bridal accessories!

Jane, the owner is the mother/​grandmother I wish I had or knew growing up. Her shop is extremely curated. Every item is looked at and carefully considered before she takes it and offers it for sale. She specicalizes on items from the later 1800s through 1950. There are some 60’s and 70’s items but not much. That is just fine with me! I just went there for my wedding jewelry and found beautiful rhinestone earrings and white gloves in an instant. She has an entire vintage bridal room that is to die for. She also has a large collection of vintage glasses frames that I always look at longingly. Go there and see if money doesn’t just fly out of your pocket.

I love this store. They have lost of vintage clothes and accessories, but also all kinds of little trinkets, books, and household items. It is in a jam-​packed little building, so be aware that you may be sharing personal space with others. It is a smaller selection than some other stores in town, so you may not find something every time you visit, but the items in this store seem very carefully selected — no junk here.
The woman at the counter was very friendly and helpful, but not overbearing or intrusive.
While the prices here seemed reasonable, I would not call this bargain shopping. If you find something you love, you’ll be paying what it is worth.
I can’t wait to go back and see what turns up next time!

this place is GREAT — usually can find something really cool to wear. especially if you are into retro. I totally love the selection of hats
she even does events in her shops new yard.
she has moved — she is now on S. 1^st just north of Oltorf. come check out her new spot.