Are you tired of your boring clothes? Would you like to try on something new, something that you never tried before? Are you looking for wicked, one-of-a-kind accessories and crazy retro stuff? If yes, then you should probably check out the coolest vintage shops around the city. We did the same as we were looking for real bargains and antique treasures in Budapest.
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Old suitcases, designer clothes and accessories, vinyl records, interior design items and a bunch of creepy toys – these were just a few things that we came across in these shops throughout our journey. We also bumped into unusual goodies such as killer high heels, hip fur coats and quite a few ridiculous clothes. So whether you are on a real a treasure hunt or you’d just like to take a good look around and have some fun you should visit these shops. The big city treasure hunt is also a great alternative if you would like to get away from the rush of Sziget Festival and discover the hidden places of Budapest.
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Antifactory – A little bit of Berlin in Budapest
You can easily find Antifactory Vintage Home Shop on Nagymező Street – after you got inside the huge building at No. 8 you just need to look for the musk deer. We are not joking, just look for the deer! While we were checking out the available pieces at the home shop we found some cool stuff including a pair of vintage Versace leather trousers with gilded safety pins. Its price was surprisingly reasonable by the way; we could’ve got it for ourselves for only 6000 forints. If you are looking for one of a kind items to wear for Sziget you should pay this place a visit. On one hand you can find custom-made T-shirts with the musk deer logo, on the other hand you can get studded clothes and last but not least you can find real bargains and friendly prices. The most expensive things are the fur coats by the way for 8000 forints, but you can find items for two, three and four thousand forints on average.
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Iguana Retro – Vintage bicycle, retro vacuum cleaners and vinyl records
The shop of Iguana Retro managed to impress us way before we had a chance to pass the entrance. The reasons for this were the two gorgeous old-fashioned bicycles right in front of the boutique. Of course we were surprised inside the shop as well – we bumped into all sorts of stuff including vintage vacuum cleaners, old’s kool leather jackets and we even saw a plastic figurine of the official mascot of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. Good old times, right? Pieces of clothing and bags are in the limelight in Iguana Retro though. Costumers sometimes have very specific ideas of what they want – most of them are still going for the vintage Converse trainers for example. Guests from different age groups starting from teenagers to the elderly are all welcome and of course foreigners will also receive a warm welcome.
Iguana Retro Fashion (closed)
Address: 1088 Budapest, 9 Krúdy Gyula Street
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Jajcica – A real underground surprise
Jajcica was a real surprise for us – we had no idea that beyond one of the small doors on Dohány Street there is such a huge underground vintage realm. As we carefully made our way through the steep steps we found ourselves in a vintage heaven that was literally full of goodies. The shop, that has a rather rock-like edge, offers leather jackets and trousers, there are all sorts of bags and accessories, but we also found wedding gowns, insane shoes and pieces of old-fashioned lace lingerie. There are quite a few hidden rooms and areas in the shop where fur coats, suits and shoes are lying around. We only spent a few minutes in the shop, though a whole day wouldn’t be enough to check all the things inside. If we’ll have some more free time on our hands we will come back for sure!
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Lovebug Vintage – Antiques online and offline
The name of Lovebug Vintage will most probably ring a bell for the real vintage lovers of Budapest. About two and a half years ago Lovebug was one of the very first places that offered old-fashioned pieces, retro stuff and cool pieces of clothing. The small showroom was soon accompanied by a webshop as well. The collection got bigger and bigger and now the lovely pieces fill up a whole flat in one of Martgit körút’s old tenement houses. Look for the pink Lovebug Vintage sign at number 62 and get ready for the coolest and most old-fashioned experience ever. The owner, a very friendly and helpful girl called Violetta Kertész will be your fashionable guide throughout the vintage journey.
Foreigners are welcome too but please note that an appointment needs to be made. Have a great time while you hunt for the best vintage pieces!
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Ómama – The treasure chest of Buda
Ómama and its shop window looked very promising at first sight as we made our way through one of Buda’s friendly little streets. We soon found out that the small and lovely boutique is the home of real treasures. We spotted a pair of vintage Nina Ricci earrings in one of the cabinets and they were just the beginning! We also found Chanel, Guerlain, Escada, Dior, Givenchy and Oscar de La Renta goodies inside. This place can easily become the favourite of collectors – they can choose from the wide range of jewelleries, accessories, perfume bottles and all sorts of small collector’s items.
The gentleman who runs the shop is a real expert. He definitely knows what’s going on with the antiques and he also knows the story of each and every little piece. Don’t be afraid to ask him about the items, we are more than sure that he’ll be glad to help.
