Shop owner Abigail Barth models a one-of-a-kind Cashmere Sally coat.
The relationship between a woman and her clothes is very personal. And Abigail Barth, owner of ReFind Style, a consignment boutique that opened on Monroe Street last November, knows that better than most. “Every customer that comes in has a story about the sweater, hat or pair of shoes I’m helping her to rehome,” says Barth. She thinks of it this way: “By opening this store, I ensure these pieces will continue to create new stories.”
ReFind Style’s 900-square-foot space, for years home to Walters’ Swim N’ Sun, is fully stocked with equal parts modern and vintage fashion, but it’s with the latter that Barth’s sartorial passions truly lie. “I want people to discover that they don’t need to treat vintage with kid gloves, either figuratively or literally,” says Barth. She regularly mixes retro pieces with unique modern items in her displays. “Not only can you pair a 1960s beaded wool jacket with jeans you bought last week at Target, you absolutely should,” she says.
Do the time warp among hats, shoes, bags and more.
It’s important to Barth that everything in the store be affordable, even the designer items — of which ReFind Style has many. A palm tree-themed Diane von Furstenberg dress circa 1973 goes for $125, while a 2015 leaf print version from the same label is $68. A red St. John sweater dress is $85. A pair of silvery Ferragamo heels, one of footwear’s priciest brands, sells for a mere $45. The majority of items in the store are under $50; the consignment split on all items is 60/40 (with 60 percent going to the retailer). Inventory changes daily.
Look, it’s a Diane von Furstenberg dress just like Mummy used to wear in the ’70s!
Not everything in store is “used” in the traditional sense of the word. ReFind Style also sells locally made upcycled items inspired by the store’s “everything old is new again” mantra. Lux & Lace by JLP’s colorful aprons, crafted from vintage sheets, make a great hostess gift for $25. And a fun and funky line of one-of-a-kind coats called Cashmere Sally, fashioned from reclaimed fabrics, are in the $100 range.
“I’m so inspired being on Monroe Street,” says Barth. “With its long history of successful stores, so many run by women, I’m confident I’ve found the place where I belong.” She feels the location, with its strong neighborhood feel and proximity to Edgewood College as well as UW-Madison campus, will be a boon. “You’d be surprised how many college women are into vintage consignment. They are the generation inheriting Aunt Dorothy’s party dresses and furs and want her stuff to go to someone who will fully appreciate it.”
It’s clearly this chance to broker exchanges among fashion enthusiasts that excites Barth the most about her new venture. “A few weeks back, a customer dropped off the dress she wore to her husband’s law school graduation in 1974,” says Barth. “It’s my calling to find the right person for this meaningful piece to go home with.”
ReFind Style
1639 Monroe St., facebook.com/refindstylemadison, 608-571-5763
Noon-5 pm Mon., 10 am-6 pm Tues.-Sat.
