New Boutique Open in Over-the-Rhine

You might say I have champagne taste and a Schlitz budget.

While Nordstrom makes my heart flutter, it elicits a direct opposite reaction where my wallet is concerned. Thankfully, a new vintage boutique has opened its doors on Vine Street, complete with designer pieces.

Mannequin Boutique at 1405 Vine (open Friday and Saturday) is chock full of brands you'll recognize. Prada. Georgio Armani. Kasper. Stuart Weitzman. Coach. Gucci. Boutique owner Moe Rouse has worked to fill its shelves and racks with quality, brand name designs - most with classic lines, but also several over-the-top pieces that are sure to make an impression.

The store, right next to Rohs Hardware, also has an excellent collection of vintage pieces dating back to the 20s. Flapper-style dresses, delicate kit gloves and antique handbags are just some of the fantastic fashions that await you.

My friend Tammy and I decided to take a spin through the store during its grand opening weekend and oohed and ahhed at the spectacular collection of vintage clothing. Stunning ball gowns, amazing handbags, hats, business wear and just about everything else to make your heart go pitter-patter.

All of the sales go to support several local non-profit organizations including Stop AIDS, Lighthouse Youth Services, Tender Mercies and City Gospel Mission - organizations that do a great job of serving the OtR community.

Moe told me most of the clothing are local donations, though she says she will make monthly trips to New York City to bring back jewelry and other pieces for the store.

The boutique has a great collection of shoes - they're all in great shape and affordably priced (where else will you find Ferragamos for less than $40 a pair?)

Mannequin staff volunteer their time to run the store, which takes up two storefonts in the Parvis Lofts on Vine. Developers have donated the space to Moe, rent-free.

I am a big fan of vintage fur. I absolutely detest new fur, but I think it's appropriate to wear older pieces and revere them for the animal they are. With that out of the way, I'll mention that Mannequin has a spectacular collection of vintage stoles, jackets and full length coats, many with tags from local furriers that closed their doors long, long ago. The stole above was priced at around $150.

If hats are more your style, then you will find that Mannequin carries style in spades. The boutique has dozens of classic hats with features including feathers, fur, and netting.

Next time you find yourself struggling with the task of dressing to the nines on a dime, head to Mannequin and find a classic piece that will wow a crowd.


Kate's Random Musings by Kate the Great is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.