Lining the stairs are cowboy boots.  Hanging over the balcony are scarves knitted or lace, hats floppy or small, and dresses frilly or fitting.  Against the walls are cases of jewelry with shining jewels or bright acrylic paint and purses suited for a ball or a trip into town.  Retropolis, voted Best Vintage Store 2012 by CitySearch, creates an overwhelming atmosphere of curiosity and wonder from the first moment you approach the striking rainbow and deceivingly narrow building to the the time spent searching through racks of used clothing from all decades.  The vintage clothing store prides itself in providing Houstonians with new opportunities of creative inspiration in old fashion.

Located in the Heights on 19^th Street, Retropolis is neatly situated between other vintage clothing stores and boutiques.  Suited for a walk, 19^th Street is a combination of bustling shoppers and laid back store owners ready to assist you on your shopping venture.  Sophomore Ilana Inselbuch was equally entertained by the location as the store itself when on her first trip to the area and Retropolis.

“I’ve personally never been to the Heights,” Inselbuch said.  “So just walking around and being in the area was a new experience since everything felt so artsy.”

The atmosphere of the shop can be overbearing for the average shopper because of its organized chaos, but that only makes the trip more of an adventure.  Searching through the infinite number of racks makes eventually finding the perfect clothing item even more of a success.

The store was way less organized than I thought and that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing,” Inselbuch said.  “The whole store was packed with random clothes and everything was so different and quirky.  You had to search through every single piece of clothing which made it feel like a treasure hunt.”

The authenticity of the clothing in the store makes it very attractive to people looking for vintage clothes at a reasonable price.  Placed in corners according to the decade they were made, each piece is unique whether it is from the 20s or the 80s.

“[The clothes] aren’t replicas meant to look like they’re from a certain time,” Inselbuch said.  “That’s pretty cool because it gives the articles of clothing a sort of story behind them.”

A treasure within the Heights, Retropolis gives the average Houtson shopper the chance to go out of their comfort zone and discover a new sense of style from old things.  The store gives you the opportunity to wear something a little out of the ordinary.