In the interest of saving time, I'm not going to beat around the bush about this place. It's fantastic and worth all five of the stars I'm attributing to it.
Under what criteria am I deciding them five star worthy you ask? I'm reviewing them on the basis of decor, selection, service, and price.
Dovetail inhabits a an open, airy space, with a big picture window, and carefully edited racks of clothing along the left and right walls and well preserved mid-century furniture and accessories bisecting the room. The decor is visually interesting and provides multiple anchor areas full of color and pattern that coincide with the arrangement of merchandise. That's a plus and a nuance that I've see in few boutiques in Chicago. And if it's neglected in high end boutiques to say it's been overlooked in most vintage stores is an understatement. Dovetail operates in a rarefied strata on their decor.
Onward. Dovetails is again rarefied in its careful attention to selecting pieces that won't be found just anywhere. In this respect, it's in the company of Silver Moon, which is another place where you just know, you have the only piece still extant and in good condition. Unlike Silver Moon, you have a larger selection of unique pieces that are actually wearable in different situations. Believe me I'm still wearing the cream knee length halter dress with gold embroidery that I bought from Dovetail, but not the periwinkle petticoat I got from SM.
Now I have to admit here, that I'm not the hippest, coolest, super tiny hipster to ever to exist. In fact, I'm a documented non hipster; I mock mercilessly. I've never been to Pitchfork. I don't wear odd pieces layered on one another and no I've never lived in Wicker Park. I hold down a job in Internet Sales, am a solid size 8, and know I have some of the lamest, friends around since we drink non ironic labels of beer, host dinner parties, garden, and watch baseball games. The reason you must know all of this, is not that I'm missing out on my therapy sessions, but because the people I've encountered at Dovetail have been some of the nicest shopkeepers I've encountered anywhere (and I travel a bit). I love vintage clothing and always have. What I've become accustomed to is going into a vintage store, where I wander aimlessly throughout, pulling out one by one to discern sizing and price, and pretty much not being spoken to until I make it to the counter three hours later with one item to buy. At Dovetail, I was immediately greeted, allowed to wander for a few minutes, then asked if I needed help or had "anything specific in mind I was looking for" (and yes that's a direct quote I remembered since it was the first time anyone in a vintage store or boutique ever asked it to me), then when I answered I needed help I received it. Simple as that. Because surviving vintage pieces always tend to be skinny minnie size, the owner?/sales associate, looked me over, walked to a rack (color arranged), sifted instinctively passed all the colors that with suck with my mocha choca latte skin tone and brought out the aforementioned cream and gold halter dress and a fabulous peachy sheath that makes me want to shake my booty just thinking about it. I tried on both, the halter was an off label and only $30 and the peachy sheath w/ hand stitching was a label and $165; the owner/sales associate looked me over in them both and said the cream halter was a better fit from my skin tone and body build and would be more versatile and gently weened me away from the too snug sheath . That girl (what a cutie) saved me $130 and the embarrassment of looking like a mottled sausage or going on that diet. Because I paid with cash, she even gave me a discount. Seriously.
As for price, Dovetail is the most fairly priced vintage I've encountered in Chicago. Somehow non serious vintage shoppers have gotten it into their heads that vintage should always mean cheap and it's my belief (handed down from my grandmother and great aunts) that if you want cheap old clothes then you can head to the resale shops or Am Vets or the Salvation Army (all of which I do) and when you want quality vintage pieces that will anchor your wardrobe or be your statement piece for years to come, you pay for it. I have a vintage dress I bought five years ago at $185, it needs some work but I plan on wearing it on my wedding day. Vintage is about commitment not some cheap score (though it's nice when it happens). It's possible to find both a cheap score and a piece for years to come at Dovetail. For that I'm appreciative. read more
