Sorry for being such a patchy blogger, but I'm very excited about today's post. A little while back Peggy from Imagine Vintage approached me about being a sponsor for Retro Reporter! I jumped at the chance, since I love Peggy's shop and want to promote more local and vintage shopping, especially here in Camrose. It's so nice to have a vintage shop just down the street, especially one that is a hidden gem, unlike some of the shops in the city that are fairly well picked over. Peggy is always so quick to help, has so many resources and is always suggesting outfits or accessories.

Peggy and Imagine Vintage. As you can see, the store is bursting with fabulous vintage fashions!

Peggy sources about a third of her wares from people in Camrose - with a high senior population, there's always people downsizing, retiring or settling estates - while also heading out to garage sales and on buying trips. She said she stays away from buying vintage online, as she likes to get a good look at the item to check the condition first hand. Almost everything on the racks has been cleaned, repaired and checked-over by Peggy's watchful eye so she knows she can give her customers quality.

Peggy got into starting Imagine Vintage in a roundabout way. She remembers her days as a teenager in Red Deer, hopping the bus after school to hunt for new treasures at the thrift store. After a year of interior design training, she moved to Camrose and started working as a window dresser at local stores. After setting up a table in a local shop, Peggy decided to expand and move into her current location at Imagine Vintage, just one block south from Main Street in Camrose.

I first found Peggy about a year ago when I moved to Camrose. My newspaper office used to be across the street from Imagine, and I think one of the first things I said when I got out of my car was "A vintage shop next door? How perfect!" I've always had a great experience there, whether it was just browsing or if I was really on the hunt for something special.

Here's what I picked up on my latest trip, so you can get a feel for the type of things Peggy has in store for you:




While it may be a little too warm to think about three-piece suits, I couldn't let this 1960s set sit on the racks for some other lucky duck to snatch up. I love sets because they work so well together, but I love to mix and match vintage and modern and balance my outfit out.

I wore this tunic the other day with a simple white tank top and black capris and loved it! The bold, bright print needs to be pared with some neutrals, and I chose to wear a tank top underneath so I could leave it partway open and break up some of the pattern.

This is another great 70s-does-40 look. I could see this sweater pairing great with the 1960s suit, high-waisted jeans or even a circle skirt. The colours are neutral but the texture and detailing pop what some would otherwise consider a very boring sweater.

I love this purse! I'm unsure of the year, but I love the saddle bag look it has to it. Best of all, it fits my tablet perfectly, which will make carrying around so much easier. I hate hocking around big bags because the bigger my bag is, the more I fill it with stuff, so this is the perfect size for me.

Scarves! Like most vintage ladies I love me some scarves. I chose a bright yellow one, a green bandanna for watching sporting events and a lovely white floral.

I love this bracelet. It has such gorgeous details, fantastic bright colours and it in excellent shape. I also love the little 'Made in Canada' stamp on the back, because I wish more and more things were made in our home countries instead of importing from others because it's cheaper.

If you too fancy a great haul like mine and are able to come to Camrose, visit Imagine Vintage at 4904-49 ave. Mention my blog and you will receive a 10% discount! For those of you who can't make the trek out here, Peggy tells me she hopes to get an online shop up and running soon, as she has more fabulous stock than she has room for!