Hit Up Spring Fling in the City for Unique Shopping This Weekend

With summer just around the corner, you’ve no doubt headed to the mall for a little wardrobe tune-up, especially if you have a tween or teen in tow. But when the bad lighting, unforgiving three-way mirrors, and homogenized wardrobe choices start wearing on you, it’s time to head to the great outdoors for a unique shopping experience.

On May 10, the hottest shopping spot in town will be Crown Square in North St. Louis. For one afternoon, the streets will be packed with 60 vintage vendors offering up one-of-a-kind clothing, accessories and home goods as part of the second annual Spring Fling in the City. It’s a fun and exciting way to dress up your closet and that of your teen before summer kicks in to high gear.

As one of the most recognized names in the St. Louis vintage revolution, Beth Styles has been part of the local craft scene since 2011, especially once Parsimonia, her mobile vintage store, hit the streets. While vintage has quickly become part of art and handmade shows, Styles felt there was room in the market and growing demand for a vintage-only fair focused on clothes and accessories. As she began planning Spring Fling, her fellow vendors jumped on board, excited to promote vintage to the market.

The revitalized Crown Square, which according to Styles, has “been beautifully brought back to life,” proved to be the ideal scene and perfect complement to the new fair’s time-tested garments and decor. Like gorgeous 70’s era dresses rescued from the landfill or jewelry given a second chance, North St. Louis’ retro vibe gives shoppers the chance to experience the past with an eye on the future.

“I hope shoppers leave feeling the spirit of that revitalization, and how important it is to keep incorporating our past into the present,” Styles remarked.

A distinctive shopping experience

Style mavens of all ages are going vintage, making it one of the hottest trends in fashion. Vintage stores and events are popping up all over the St. Louis area, and Spring Fling serves as a culmination, bringing the most popular vendors together for an incredible day of shopping.

In addition to fueling people’s desire for fashion, Styles is excited the event will expose more shoppers to the benefits of vintage, both from a style side and an eco-friendly side.

“My hope is that those who haven’t been exposed to vintage see what a great way it is to shop. The quality of the clothing is often much higher than what we find today at the big box stores, and when you purchase a piece, the odds are high you’ll be the only one in your circle of friends and family who have anything like it. So it’s great for those wanting to stand out a bit from the rest of the fashion pack.”

When you – or your younger shopping partners – need a break from browsing, Spring Fling offers plenty of food and fun. La Mancha Coffeehouse, Crown Candy Kitchen, The ReTrailer mobile tea shop, and the Vincent Van Doughnut food truck will be serving up great food and drinks throughout the event. In addition, even the entertainment goes vintage at the Super Nintendo game lounge where gamers can kick it old school for the afternoon.

Said Styles, “The Super Nintendo game lounge was an idea we had to give the guys (and kids) something to do, but still incorporating times past. There are some lads and little ones who enjoy shopping around at such shows, but more often I see them walking around with a glazed, overwhelmed look on their faces. So I want to make sure they know they'll have something to do if shopping isn't their forte. Everything will be hooked up and projected onto a large screen so that even if you're waiting in line, you can be part of the fun!”

The Spring Fling will also be the site of a clothing drive to support Covenant House, a homeless shelter for teens, and Almost Home, a shelter for teen moms. Clothes can be dropped off at Crown Square Market, 2600 North 14^th Street during the event. The drive is need of new and gently used men’s and women’s clothes that are suitable for teens, professional attire, plus-sized clothing, and accessories.

The Spring Fling will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 10. This free, family-friendly event starts at North 14^th and St. Louis Avenue (across from Crown Candy) and heads east to Warren Street. For directions and a list of vendors, visit www.stlspringfling.com.

_{Photo: Parsimonia Spring Fling via Flickr}