Annie Creamcheese 3279 M Street Monday - Wednesday, 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. Thursday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Sunday, 12 p.m. - 6 p.m. www.anniecreamcheese.com
The words "vintage clothing store" may bring to mind an image of the dimly lit thrift shop down the street that somehow always smelled distinctly of "old." The clothes were often missing several buttons, mysteriously stained or just plain ugly. No one in his or her right mind would shop there.
Not so with Annie Creamcheese, a hip new vintage boutique located on M Street in Georgetown. Perhaps one of the reasons it is so loved by its patrons is the fun, bohemian atmosphere it provides for shopping. Upon first entering the store, customers are hit with the shocking pink and purple hues of the walls and the beautiful Bollywood-style hanging lanterns. Music plays on the speakers overhead, ranging from the Black Eyed Peas to smooth French Jazz to anything in between.
The clothing racks are well organized and vary by color and clothing type, i.e. pants, shirts and dresses. Along the right wall is a $10 bin filled with brightly colored fabrics and some hidden treasures, like a $9 Ralph Lauren silk blue mini-dress. But clothes are not the only things sold - not by far. The walls are lined with shelves displaying beautiful vintage handbags, made from snakeskin, leather, even glass. There are several display cases holding jewelry of all sorts: chunky bangles, glittering brooches, long beaded necklaces and more.
The merchandise alone is not what separates Annie Creamcheese from other vintage stores. Each article of clothing is handpicked by Garrett Bauman and Annie Lee, the managers and founders of the store, who travel to fashion galleries and shows all around the world. Requests for particular items can be made by shoppers, which Garrett and Annie will keep in mind on their next spree. However, this is not the only source of their fabulous stock. They will also buy from individuals, even from such ordinary mortals as students.
Vintage shopping can be daunting, especially when all the clothes seem to be too small. Happily, Annie Creamcheese has solved this problem. Starting soon, they will be buying from a vintage clothing reproduction company, which sells products in plus sizes.
Not into vintage? Not a problem. Though predominantly a vintage clothing store, Annie and Garrett also buy and sell some secondhand modern clothing. Most of these are from high-end clothing lines, such as BCBG, Juicy and Bebe. But don't worry - they'll also sell from more affordable lines like H&M.
"Basically, if it's cute and in good condition, we'll sell it," Bauman says. Lee, after whom the store was named, agrees. "We just want clothes that will make women feel happy and sexy."
This is all well and good for the ladies, but what about the men? Annie Creamcheese has got it covered. Toward the back is the men's section, which holds jeans, cowboy shirts (which are so in style now) and even old bowling shirts. As for the poor boyfriend who is dragged along on a shopping expedition, he can sit back on a leopard-print couch and relax in what Bauman calls his "chill lounge." There's also a coffee table laden with books to keep him occupied, on subjects such as palmistry and, of course, cars.
