Vintage inspiration in the South End
Photos by Bill Politis
“Buy everything vintage except your underwear” was not what I was expecting to hear during an interview with Bobby Garnet, owner of Bobby from Boston, a vintage boutique on Thayer Street in the South End.
But Garnett was being serious, and he’s also serious about making this a realistic option for vintage-savvy male Bostonians looking to complete their retro wardrobes. “You go to a shop and there will be 20 racks of womenswear and one disheveled rack of men’s they get left out in the world of vintage,” said Garnett.
And so Garnett reversed this trend when he opened shop in 1995, offering a plentiful assortment of menswear accompanied by a significantly smaller, yet impressive selection of womenswear.
Regardless of your gender, as you enter the front doors, prepare to embark on a time warp back to military jackets, bow-ties, faded blue jeans, plaid button-downs, pea coats, and double-breasted blazers. And don’t forget to take a peek in the back—you’ll find a walk-in closet filled floor to ceiling with glossy leather boots, loafers, and shoehorns.
Although small, the quality of his womenswear collection keeps customers coming back for more. Silk and linen dresses, cozy cardigans, delicate silver watches, and soft velvet hats fit seamlessly in the back corner of the store. This small gem of feminine fashion also houses leather boots, woven flats, and dainty heels.
Garnett’s love for vintage began as a child watching Humphrey Bogart and other rising movie stars of the 1930s and 1940s.
“I was inspired by vintage clothing from movies and old television programs, and began rummaging through flea markets and thrift stores.”
Garnett started to build his very own vintage collection, and began wholesaling to Boston storeowners in 1969. As the years passed and he gained more experience, Garnett opened retail vintage shops in Brookline, Provincetown, Newbury Street, Montreal, and across seas to London.
Today, Garnett still sells wholesale in his spare time when he’s not running his shop in the old factory on Thayer Street. Located just 15 miles north in Lynn, Garnett’s wholesale warehouse offers a large collection of womenswear, childrenswear, and historic apparel unfit to shelve in his retail store.
Filmmakers, artists, business owners, and fashion-forward Bostonians are drawn to both the warehouse and retail shop. High fashion clientele, including designers from L.L. Bean, Ralph Lauren, J. Crew, Gap, Armani, Marc Jacobs, and Tom Ford have also made their way to visit Garnett’s impressive collections.
Although he has more than 40 years of experience in the vintage fashion industry, Garnett makes it clear that he does not consider himself a trendsetter.
Instead he is interested in seeing what becomes popular after exposing customers to a unique assortment of merchandise. “I’m not concerned about trends, I just want to provide inspiration to the people,” said Garnett.
Garnett was kind enough to let us use his merchandise for an in-store photo shoot. In true Bobby fashion, we dressed our models to the nines in all 1950s and 1960s vintage, except their underwear, of course.
Before leaving, I ask Garnett where the Dig should explore next. “Have you heard of Ball and Buck?” he said softly.
We’re more than ready to find out.
BOBBY FROM BOSTON
19 THAYER ST.,
BOSTON.
617.423.9299