Those who have grown weary of window shopping in Santana Row and are tired of buying new clothes that “look” vintage should be happy to know that there are reasonably priced alternatives in the San Jose area.

Moon Zooom
The employees here are vintage experts. They only buy and sell genuine vintage clothing from the 1940s to 1990s and are very picky with what they accept, so naturally there’s a good selection in the store. The quirky shop is packed with everything from Members Only outerwear to flapper dresses to Pink Ladies jackets. The collection of hats is very respectable, and the lingerie section is larger than that of the typical thrift store. Don’t forget to check out the clothes upstairs.

Black & Brown
Most of the clothing at Black & Brown is practical and for daily use, but the boutique also has a section that is themed and perfect for costume parties. Most of the customers are young women in their 20s, but half of the store is actually designated for men (mainly flannel). Of all the local thrift stores, this one is the cleanest. Black & Brown organizes by style, not just by color, and It’s also very spacey so customers don’t have to rub up against each other while browsing through London Fog trenchcoats, leather boots, patterned sweaters and Native American handbags. The staff is hip, young, and well-dressed, and, best of all, they don’t get annoyed if you try on 50 outfits. In addition to vintage items, modern and mainstream clothes are on the racks as well. It’s not uncommon to find an Urban Outfitters dress for half the original price. Pro: Black & Brown just moved to a larger location. Con: they still don’t have a parking lot.

Savers
Savers is dirt cheap, but patience is absolutely necessary in order to sift through hundreds of old and sometimes pungent clothing. It’s a great place to find costumes and one-time-wear outfits that aren’t worth going broke. There isn’t a great shoe or purse selection, but there are definitely lots of clothes. A separate housewares section is in the back, cluttered with picture frames, candles, house decorations and other miscellaneous items. Savers is the only one on this list with prices comparable to Goodwill.

23 Skidoo
Most of the clothing at Skidoo is vintage and retro from the ‘60s to the ‘80s. It’s filled with little accessories that you can mix and match. There is also some furniture as well as rare makeup and pin-up bikinis. However, all sales are final, and the fitting rooms aren’t exactly the nicest in town.

Time Zone Vintage
Old-fashioned prom dresses, red cowboy boots and diner booths. This shop has everything that customers don’t know they want until they see it. Time Zone is more expensive than the other four stores on this list, but all the clothes are high quality. Most of the clothes are pretty far-out and unique, so the shoppers are usually confident and curious. Unfortunately, Time Zone is a pop-up store, and it just left its location in downtown. It will be back soon, so interested customers should keep a lookout on the calendar page of the Time Zone website.