Glaring fluorescent lights, racks of knockoff jewelry and sunglasses, and surly-faced swing-era-garbed youths languishing behind the enormous square checkout area greet all Tatters patrons upon entry. The large, square space showcases a mixture of cheapish new duds and relatively affordable used ones. 

The women’s offerings are on the right, and the first few racks you encounter are likely to offer up trendy new items such as Derek Heart sweater dresses, blazers by Event, and jersey and silk frocks by Aryeh. Start moving toward the store’s back, and you’ll soon find slightly disorganized racks of paisley blouses, crazily embroidered suede vests, bulky ski sweaters, and silk slips in a pleasing array of subdued colors.

Dresses run about $25, and range from cute little striped cotton sundresses to flowered polyester maxis to stiff wool shifts.  Although Tatters carries virtually no women’s denim, they do offer a small selection of vintage cords and trousers, pencil and circle skirts in solids and patterns, and busy blouses in every pattern and from every era. You may hit Savers for cheap vintage workout shirts, but if you’re longing for a velvet-soft, chicly kitschy middle school basketball tee and are willing to shell out $15 for it, this is your joint.

Accessories are a strong suit, with new and vintage scarves running $8, sunnies between $10 and $20, and chic felt fedoras around $40. Oh, and before you shell out $100 for a pair of eelskin cowboy boots around the block at The Corner Store, you might want to duck into Tatters to make sure you can’t get a durned similar pair for $50. Standards might not be quite as high, but stock does overlap between these two Uptown vintage vendors.

Although the shop seems to specialize in 60’s and 70’s era garb, you’ll find clothes from every decade scattered among the racks. You’re not likely to find a specific item on your shopping list due to constantly rotating stock, but stopping by for a leisurely browse usually yields a few grin-inducing garments.