All Over Albany

Twilight Vintage in Troy

A while back, when I did the AOA vintage round-up, LQ suggested taking a gander at Twilight, a vintage store at 44 4th Street in Troy.

Now, generally a trip into Troy will keep me around River Street, peeking into antique stores but rarely buying. Not anymore.

Thanks to LQ, I've definitely found a new favorite just a few blocks away.

If you miss the fantastic window display (the current one features faux-food and a vintage soiree), a large 'Open' flag and sign will point you to Twilight's entrance.

Inside the door you'll find a little slice of vintage heaven. A few umbrellas and parasols in a stand greet you first, followed by jewelry cases, vintage glasses and sunglasses, hats, classic movie-star pictures, and racks upon racks of clothing. The proprietress is friendly--something I sometimes find lacking in antique or vintage stores -- and helpful.

The store is quite well organized and you'll find a nice selection of items for men and women. There is some digging to be done, but no more than in a regular retail store. All items are neatly hung (most even appear to have been pressed or ironed -- nothing I perused was wrinkled or unappealing) and organized into their respective categories.

In the front room you'll find dresses, skirts and pants for women, as well as men's items (pants, shirts, and an intriguing pair of overalls) unlike any I've seen locally.

Hats -- both men's and women's -- are displayed on hat racks throughout the store, or stowed on the walls near the ceiling and propped on their boxes. A cabinet of vintage smoking accouterments and a few small wardrobes filled with PJ sets for men and women sit near the entrance to the back room.

This back features more sweaters and blouses, but it's also where you'll find racks of vintage slips, crinolines, and coats.

The wall of shoes is something to make grabby hands over -- though many of my favorite pairs aren't anywhere near my size -- with dainty heels from the 40s and a few colorful pairs of chucks lining the shelves.

The sink full of light-bulbs is whimsical, sitting under a shelf of clocks.

The selection of items themselves is one of the best I've found locally. Nothing I checked out or tried on was crumpled or wrinkled, seams are intact and buttons are in place, and a few deadstock (never worn) pieces can be found among the racks. Prices vary, but they are certainly fair -- skirts and shorts seem to run between $12-$20, as do pants and sweaters, while dresses will set you back a bit more (a 60s navy wiggle dress with sailor collar ran about $55, which seemed to be at the higher end of the dress prices). It's not over-priced, but you're probably not going to find dirt-cheap here--most of these items are going to be more special anyway (and you can try them on in a changing room to make sure they're perfect for you).

Another favorite feature? The hours! Often, vintage and antique stores close in the later-afternoon so after-work jaunts during the week are few and far between. Twilight Vintage, as its name suggests, opens at 3 pm and stays open until 8pm Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (Saturday 10-6).