Ahead of Their Time
You enter a clothing store and suddenly you’re surrounded by velvet bell-bottoms, double-knit plaid leisure suits and big-collared psychedelic shirts. Is it a ‘70s flashback? A fashion psychosis induced by watching too many old sitcoms on Nick at Night?
Naw.
You probably just wandered into one of today’s stores that feature a punishing mix of polyester--new and old.
At Stateside, a ‘60s and ‘70s used-clothing store with two Costa Mesa locations (one at the Lab and the other on Newport Boulevard, the styles resemble many of the new styles selling at nearby Urban Outfitters and other trendy clothing stores.
And, we might add, at thrift and secondhand stores.
Retro has strongly influenced many fashion designers, including the local talent at Orange County clothing companies such as Roxy, World Jungle and 26 Red. Stateside simply carries the originals that inspire the new designs.
“I’m not vintage,” says Stateside owner Josh Speyer. “Vintage is period pieces--gabardine pants from the ‘30s, sequined hats. That’s not my gig.
“I’m into mirroring the trends but with used clothes. I’m into beating the retailers to the punch. I’m interested in what’s hip now.”
Speyer buys any old clothes--usually long-stored items from personal closets and old warehouse leftovers from manufacturers--that he forecasts will be fodder for tomorrow’s hot looks.
“I just want to engineer the swap between closets,” he says.
Last winter he purchased every pair of Op corduroy shorts he could find after seeing that Roxy and other designers were starting to show cord shorts.
“I sell a ton of them to girls. Mine are $12, and the new ones go for $48,” Speyer says.
Speyer is now betting big on terry cloth.
“I’ve been hoarding terry cloth for a year. I think it will really rock, because a couple of [clothing] lines are doing terry.”
Stateside’s racks are crowded with “cheesy ‘70s terry cloth shirts,” the kind with piping, in two tones like rust and cream or light and dark blue.
“Let’s say you see a pair of velvet pants,” in a new clothing store, Speyer says. “I’ll search the earth for velvet pants. I’ll ask my customers if their mom or dad has any stuff like a Mr. Furley jacket. Those are it--the leisure suit jacket with the big contrast stitching and tooled buttons and big pockets. Those are sweet.”
Speyer, 25, was not exactly on the fast track to a fashion career before starting Stateside. He graduated from Corona del Mar High School and got a degree in history from UC Berkeley.
On his way to obtaining a doctorate in 18th century horological technology (the study of measuring time), he ran short of money and began selling his clothes, CDs and other possessions to make ends meet.
“I was writing my honors thesis to get into the PhD program, and I was kinda broke,” he says. “I got really good at selling things.”
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When he ran out of his own stuff to sell, he trolled thrift stores and garage sales, buying up clothing he thought was cool and selling it to friends and classmates.
Instead of pursuing his doctorate, Speyer decided to make a career out of trading used clothing. He worked as a buyer for a used-clothing store before opening Stateside about 18 months ago. The first store was such a success, he opened a second Stateside at the Lab five months ago.
“I called [it] Stateside because I want to open stores abroad, and when you’re abroad you call America ‘stateside,’ ” says Speyer, who’s always looking ahead.
Before he takes Stateside overseas, though, he hopes to add more Orange County locations and expand his existing shops.
Customers who frequent his shop are among those who bring him old clothes from their closets. He pays them up front on what he calls a 30-60 split: in exchange for a $10 T-shirt, he gives a $6 store credit or $3 in cash.
“I buy thousands of pieces,” he says.
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There’s no grand marketing strategy behind what Speyer purchases. Mostly he just buys what he likes.
“I don’t like anything from the ‘80s. What’s redeeming about the ‘80s?” he says. “Ninety percent of the [new] stuff selling in stores is inspired by the ‘60s and ‘70s.”
Among his recent finds: brown velvet bell-bottoms ($36), a brown polyester leisure jacket ($19), photo-print polyester shirts ($12), terry polos in dated colors such as brown and gray with contrasting piping ($11) and plaid double-knit jeans ($19).
“This is ‘Hawaii Five-O,’ ” says Speyer, pulling out a powder blue safari-style shirt with an oversize collar.
Used clothing appeals mostly to those who like to be different, who don’t need a store to show them how to put together a look, Speyer says. He holds up a blue polyester shirt with a tacky plaid print.
“I know I won’t see anyone else with this shirt,” he says.
