SecondSkinWilmington
Announcement
Ladies and gents, welcome to Second Skin Vintage, located at 615 Castle Street in downtown Wilmington. Curated vintage style for women and men, specializing in pieces from the 1950s, '60s, and '70- along with iconic vintage spanning 100 years of fashion history.
This is just a tiny sample of our 1,200 square foot store, so visit us in person! We're open Monday through Saturday 11am-6pm, Sundays 11-5. Stop by or message us and we'll get back to you during regular store hours. Thanks for visiting!
Items
Featured items
All Items
Reviews
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Cherylynn A Boyd on Nov 20, 2022
5 out of 5 starsI love this vintage sweater. Especially the snowmen .Size med . will fit nicely over blouses. Great quality and I love it. And it’s not the ugly Christmas type either.,
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Melanie on Nov 15, 2022
5 out of 5 starsEasy to work with, item as described, clear instructions and return policy. Thank you.
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Taylor on Oct 26, 2022
5 out of 5 starsSo many compliments on this sweater. It’s great and came super quick!
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Louise on Oct 12, 2022
4 out of 5 starsgreat purchase! only thing was that the measurements were a bit off so the dress was too big on me, though i do know that they take measurements flat so that might be why
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row8ton on Oct 6, 2022
5 out of 5 starsWhat a gorgeous jumpsuit! Glad to have found this seller and this shop. Fast shipping, and looks just like the photos/description. Thank you!
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Madison on Sep 9, 2022
5 out of 5 starsReally fast communication and shipping! Dress is just gorgeous and as described! 🥰
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Michelle on Jul 23, 2022
5 out of 5 starsAbsolutely fantastic mod artifact! I simply adore it! Quick shipping 🚢 and friendly seller! LOVE & LIGHT 🤗💯♒️💚❤️🔥🐅
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Nicole on Jun 19, 2022
5 out of 5 starsMy favorite vintage store in Wilmy! Never disappoints and is affordable!! The shop owner is super friendly and even helped one of my students with a “fast fashion” research project one time!!! SUPPORT THIS AWESOME LOCAL STORE! ❤️🧡🧡💚💙💜
About SecondSkinWilmington
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Our pieces have been featured in photo shoots in around Wilmington and beyond. (Kevin Titus Photo, Wilmington, NC) -
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Check our our curated rack of party dresses, spanning all decades. (Photo, Ben Minor, Wilmington, NC) -
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1970s boho spirit in a Mr John hat. Model, Haley from The Wonder Shop; Photo by Waverly Leonard of Second Skin. -
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The very first photoshoot Waverly did for SSV!!! (Photo, Waverly Leonard, Wilmington, NC).
Welcome to Second Skin Vintage in Wilmington, NC, located at 615 Castle Street.
We are a men's and women's vintage clothing store, located in downtown Wilmington. Our vintage collection comes from sources around the country, and is carefully curated to represent both current fashion trends and iconic styles from from the past 100 years, with a focus on pieces from the 1950s, '60s, and '70s.
The store is a labor of love for Shop Owner, Karyn, who has been selling and styling vintage professionally for over 12 years. She is also the host of Wilmington's "I Love Vintage!" Social Club, a unique monthly meet up for vintage enthusiasts. The group meets at the store on the first Tuesday of each month to socialize and learn about different vintage topics. Please visit our Facebook page for more information about these meetings.
Our staff is dedicated to providing body-positive customer service and a unique approach to fashion and styling. If you think "I can't pull off vintage," try a visit to our store! We have something for every body and every style. We also enthusiastically cater to Wilmington's philanthropic dress-up crowd, providing civic-minded citizens with era-appropriate attire for the city’s many themed fundraising events.
All items sold by SSV are carefully researched for authenticity, lovingly laundered (when possible), and carefully examined for damage. When necessary, items are professionally restored by our Shop Seamstress, with every effort made to restore garments to their original beauty using era-appropriate techniques. Additionally, in our shop "Polices" section, we have provided a guide for how to launder your vintage garment.
Our Etsy site is only a very small sampling of our inventory, so please contact us if you're looking for something specific. We may have similar items in another size or color. Our inventory is restocked daily--faster than we could possibly post on Etsy. Stay on top of new arrivals by following the shop on Instagram @secondskinvintage. You can purchase from our IG feed safely and securely online.
Stop by and see us! We're located in downtown Wilmington's Castle Street Arts and Antiques district. Store hours are 11am-6pm, Monday through Saturday; 11am-5pm Sundays.
Shop members
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Karyn Oetting
Owner, Boss Lady
Karyn has been professionally selling vintage clothing in Wilmington since 2002. She owns Second Skin Vintage in downtown Wilmington, and hosts the city's "I Love Vintage!" Social Club, a monthly meet-up for vintage lovers.
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Henry
Shop Assistant, Window Displayer
Henry is responsible for our creative, ever changing window displays. His killer sense of style and humor make him a fan favorite. If you stop by on Fridays when he's working, let him pull pieces and style you! He's really good.
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Dorothy
Shop Assistant
Dorothy runs the show when the boss is away. Tagging and steaming new arrivals, merchandising, cleaning the store, listing items on etsy, and helping our customers!
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Rachel
Seamstress
Rachel is our store seamstress, responsible for maintaining our inventory, and who we refer customers to when they need alterations. Rachel is available by appointment, or once a month at our Pop Up Seamstress Shop events.
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Katie Allen
Seamstress, Milliner
Katie is a seamstress specializing in historic restoration, responsible for maintaining the oldest SSV inventory. She's also the owner, designer and milliner at Lifted: Vintage Inspired Millinery, a line of hand sewn hats carried at the store.
Shop policies
Additional photos and information are always available, and questions will be answered during normal store hours (11am-6pm, Mon-Sat and 11am -5pm Sun EST). When in town, please visit the store in person at 615 Castle Street, downtown Wilmington, NC.
We're active on IG @SecondSkinVintage
Accepted payment methods
Returns & exchanges
Cancellations
Cancellations: not accepted
Please contact the seller if you have any problems with your order.
Payment
Shipping
US customers: Expect to receive your package in 4-5 business days.
If you need your item sooner, choose a Priority Shipping upgrade in check out. To see your options, place item in cart. View your cart to see the available shipping options and estimated delivery dates.
Additional policies and FAQs
More information
Frequently asked questions
About Clothing Measurements
The following are measured across the garment while flat, and are DOUBLED:
Bust/Chest: taken across widest part of chest, usually directly under the arms.
Waist: the smallest part
Hips: the widest part
The following are measured while the garment is flat and are NOT DOUBLED:
Shoulder: measured across, from shoulder seam to shoulder seam
Inseam: Along the inside seam of pants/shorts
Rise: On shorts or pants, this is the length from the "crotch seam" to the waist band.
The following are measured while the garment is hanging and are NOT DOUBLED:
Length: taken from collar seam to bottom hem
Sleeve: taken from center of neck to cuff hem
Torso Length: from collar seam to "crotch" seam (in rompers/bathing suits) or natural waist (in dresses)
Sizing details
Each listing provides an estimate of modern sizing (small, medium, large, etc). This information is meant to help narrow your search. Please use the measurements provided in each listing to ensure best fit.
Women's numeric dress sizing has changed many sizes over the past 60+ years, and continues to vary among contemporary brands. Your contemporary size is not the same as your vintage size.
When we provide a Vintage Label Size, it is a resource for individuals who know their vintage size, which has changed dramatically over the years (sometimes as much as 6 sizes). Please refer to your own measurements when shopping vintage, not an arbitrary dress size. Even better, compare our measurements to a similar garment that fits you well.
Care instructions
All Second Skin Vintage garments are lovingly hand washed (when possible) before going out for sale.
How To Care For Your Vintage Garment
Believe it or not, your vintage garment is actually pretty sturdy.
1) Almost all fabrics can get wet and therefore can be washed
(Some exceptions, like 1920s/30s rayon)
2) Use Delicate/Handwash cycle and cold water
2) Hang or lay flat to dry. Do not use dryer. (Laying flat is best for heavier garments or sweaters).
3) Colorful cotton garments from '60s and 70s: prevent color bleed by washing separately by hand with a tablespoon of vinegar and detergent
4) We use regular laundry detergent
Please do not hesitate to ask if you have questions, we want to help preserve sartorial history!
Vintage Condition Guidelines
Second Skin Vintage uses the following guidelines, based on standards set by the Vintage Fashion Guild:
Mint: An item is as perfect and pristine as when it was originally made and shows no sign of wear (mint condition is rare for vintage clothing).
Near mint: An item shows only the slightest signs of wear.
Excellent: An item shows typical signs of wear due to occasional use.
Very good: An item is considered wearable but has some surface flaws (staining or soiling, for example).
Good: An item is wearable but cannot be returned to excellent condition even if repairs are made.
Shipping Info
All items ship in 1 business day. Expect to receive your package within 5-7 days, if not sooner.
You can upgrade to 1-3 Day Priority Shipping (if not the default option.) Simply place item in your cart, then choose the shipping method you want at checkout .
Returns and Refunds
Second Skin Vintage gladly accepts returns of items in same condition as sold, with attached tags, within 30 days of purchase.
Refund will not include cost we spent on shipping.
Buyer responsible for return shipping.
Please message the shop before returning item.
Second Skin Vintage must receive the item and ascertain its condition before issuing a refund. We will not return item if it fails to meet our return requirements.
Signs of wear beyond fitting will be grounds for refusal of refund, including: tags that have been removed and reattached (we can tell), odors, damage, soiling, etc.
Do We Buy Clothing??
We buy and restore true vintage clothing and accessories in any condition. We look for in-season items from the 1950s, ‘60s, ‘70s and older. We are not a consignment shop; instead we pay competitive, estate sale prices.
If you are interested in letting go, please drop off your clothing during store hours. Your clothing needs to be off the hanger and folded in a shopping bag. We will contact you in 2 business days to let you know if we’re interested in buying any of your pieces. Afterwards, you have two weeks to pick up your check and/or your remaining items.