Does Screaming Mimi's Suck or am I missing something?

[134]

I paid $78 for a vintage Memebers Only jacket. The salespeople explained it as a unique but popular jacket from the late 70s / early 80s.

As far as I can tell this jacket is the exact same thing except that it is new:

http://www.karmaloop.com/products.asp?ProductID=8542&VendorCode=MEM

but there it only costs $59.

Am I missing something?

Edit: I just found the exact same jacket in the exact same color:

http://www.revolveclothing.com/productpages/MEMB-WO9.jsp

The measurements listed on karmaloop.com are identical to the Members Only jacket I purchased at Screaming Mimi's.

I'm just really pissed off that I spent about 2 hours looking through their store and ended up paying more for a used version of something that I could buy new for cheaper. Even worse is the fact that these jackets are massively available at places like Urban Outfitters.

Their receipt says "No returns".... I'm really pissed off. Do you think there is any way I can get my money back?

Edited by 134 on Nov 5, 2005 at 10:13 PM

[shoegal]

haha.. well, you definitely got ripped off. you can find "vintage" members only jackets easily on ebay for under 20 bucks. the whole concept of vintage clothing is kind of weird to me, because they basically just have buyers that go to thrift stores in the boondocks, bring them back to cities, and mark them up ridiculously... but to each his own. some people like the worn in feeling, or original production of certain items, rather than a lower quality repro done a decade or two later

Edited by shoegal on Nov 5, 2005 at 11:09 PM

[134]

I guess that is how the store would justify that...

I feel so ripped off. $200 ($68 Vintage Jacket similar to Members Only, $78 Members Only Jacket, $45 Sweater Vest) down the drain and I am on an incredbly small budget. Oh well, at least I learned?

From now on I'm sticking to the $500 vintage t-shirts at Jeffrey.

Edited by 134 on Nov 5, 2005 at 11:26 PM

[r_mutt]

wow i literally saw 4 or more members only jackets today at the thrift store here in chicago.

[vinz]

Does your tag on the jacket have the old rainbow logo? At least if it has that it makes it more worth it. I normally see tons of members only jackets at thrift stores, I have 4 and they all cost me about $4-6 each.

www.youngestincharge.com

www.opticalweapons.com

[mouko]

Screaming mimi's is a huge huge huge huge HUGE rip off. They're whats known as a Vintage Boutique, a place most people looking for vintage clothes throw around money because they can afford to have someone else look for "finds". I mean, honestly I drop by there every so often because its near my gym and I live pretty close to there and I am shocked by prices people pay for this stuff. The problem is NY doesn't have many good vintage clothing / thrift stores like San Francisco did. In san francisco I purchased Members only jackets in almost every color, in leather as well, for less than 15.00.

The only good thing about screamin mimi's is some of the workers are cute, other than that, I would avoid it at all costs and leave the store to Japanese tourists and Marc Jacob's staff members (who routinely go in there to rip off designs)

[savage]

Screaming mimi's diffenently a RIP! Better off going to Brooklyn and checking out the vintage store there.

[Shorty Long]

yeah...stay away from 'what comes around goes around' as well...they have some really intersting stuff, but you'll PAY...those stores cater to the rich and famous who can't bother (and don't need to bother) rummaging through more sensible vintage/thrift shops

i think shopping for vintage clothing in NYC is mostly a drag and pointless (and expensive), but i suppose there are some stores that are worth visiting...i'm just not aware of them

[dnnsmanace]

Hit up Beacon's Closet in williamsburg. Bunch of members only jackets for <$20.

[My Pal the Crook]

Am I alone in thinking this is the single funniest thread to EVER be posted here?

If you don't, read it again.

[134]

I have to admit I am an idiot and that this is pretty funny.

I went to Beacon's Closet first but I became really exhausted after looking through half a rack of clothes because of how tightly they were packed. It was very difficult to take things off the rack to get a look at them and even more difficult to put them back on. Screaming Mimi's on the other hand was very well organized and much more spacious.

I am fine with the black jacket that cost $58 and has a similar look to the Memebers Only jacket and the $45 cotton argyle vest. The fits are extremly slim and for me @ 5'11'' and 130 pounds it hard to find stuff that fits like that. It's a bit pricy, but to me it is worth it for those two items.

The only item that I am upset about is the "Members Only" jacket. I would be fine paying $78 for it, if Urban Outfitters was not massively reproducing the exact same jacket... I do not think Screaming Mimi's should carry any "Members Only" items considering they are still in massive production. I would not want it even if it was offered to me for free. Unfortunately I am stuck with it..... [to be continued].

Edited by 134 on Nov 6, 2005 at 08:47 PM

[breakfasteatre]

my two members only jackets from value village were like 5 bucks each ....

[134]

You guys have to rub it in, don't you?

[crisis]

got my vintage member's only at a thirft store for $6 + 8.25% CA tax. sorry man, it's just one of those times in your life where you have to realize you screwed up

[haptronic]

134

Those prices sound like consignment prices, i.e.$78= $35 for the shop $35 for the person who owns the jacket + sales tax [it's 12.5% in NZ].

$45 = $20 and $68 = $30.

Don't know the shop your talking about but.

EDIT: my maths was bung.

Edited by haptronic on Nov 6, 2005 at 10:44 PM

[Yakboy Equals Nurturer]

Quote: I went to Beacon's Closet first but I became really exhausted after looking through half a rack of clothes because of how tightly they were packed. It was very difficult to take things off the rack to get a look at them and even more difficult to put them back on. Screaming Mimi's on the other hand was very well organized and much more spacious.

That's what you pay for. You got the jacket you were looking in decent condition and you didn't have to spend hours digging through piles of stuff for it. Would've been nice to find it for $10 or $20, but you might not have found anything either. (That said, the markup they put on stuff at places like Screaming Mimi's or Andy's Chee Pees is fucking rediculous.)

[darkanimal]

Quote:

Screaming mimi's is a huge huge huge huge HUGE rip off. They're whats known as a Vintage Boutique, a place most people looking for vintage clothes throw around money because they can afford to have someone else look for "finds". I mean, honestly I drop by there every so often because its near my gym and I live pretty close to there and I am shocked by prices people pay for this stuff. The problem is NY doesn't have many good vintage clothing / thrift stores like San Francisco did. In san francisco I purchased Members only jackets in almost every color, in leather as well, for less than 15.00.

The only good thing about screamin mimi's is some of the workers are cute, other than that, I would avoid it at all costs and leave the store to Japanese tourists and Marc Jacob's staff members (who routinely go in there to rip off designs)

--- Original message by mouko on Nov 6, 2005 07:02 AM

Yeah, love the salesladies here. Pretty and very helpful. They like dressing boys up, would give you recommendation and would not feel bad if you don't buy anything. I've really never bought anything there. This place is sort of my last resort for vintage stuff.