retro-stage.com

Pros definitely outweigh cons

I've had a few hits and a few misses with Retro Stage, and I've learned to navigate them. If you want to purchase from them but you hesitate about the fit and quality, my review might be useful, and I'll tell you how to make sure you love your items. The majority of Retro Stage pieces are synthetic fibers, like polyester or nylon. But!! In certain cases it is exactly what you want! Like, it's perfect for swimsuits — when my mom saw the designs she thought they were authentic vintage therefore cotton, so she was worried they would become see-through once wet. But they don't, because they're made of the right material. Same for playsuits — I wear mine to a splash pad with my child, and I'm happy to know my playsuit won't be see-through, and will stretch nicely while we're running around and playing. So these two categories, swimsuits and play suits — I'd order them at Retro Stage without a second thought. With polyester dresses look at the style. My dress meant for work throughout the year clings to my nylons with static electricity, and it's quite uncomfortable. I'd say if you plan to wear it with nylons/tights, also wear an underskirt/petticoat/slip. The other dress that I got is a summer dress meant to be worn with bare legs, so there's no problem of clinging at all. It flows around and has a beautiful twirl to it. The sizes are all fine, you just need to check them for each item. They are different from other brands, AND sometimes even different from item to item in Retro Stage. Just go off of the measurement chart for your specific garment, and it will fit perfectly. The waistline is usually higher than the natural waist. So I just usually go for designs where there's no distinct waistline in the pattern. Then it's easy to just throw the belt on where you need it. The customer service is the best that I've ever had to experience. I bought a swimsuit with a cover up, and the swimsuit arrived alone, without the little skirt. Turns out they had been sold out. I reached out and got a response already the next day. Someone in another review said they have "extremely limited business hours", which is ridiculous. DUDE, THEY'RE IN CHINA. They have perfectly normal business hours, you just live on the other side of the planet and have no concept of time zones. I always got replies the following morning, which means they replied as soon as they came to work and saw my emails. Yomi from the Customer Service Team offered a partial refund or an exchange for a different item. I thought the exchange would imply me sending back the swimsuit, and I really didn't want to do any extra footwork. But!!! They said I don't have to send anything back, I keep the swimsuit and just choose another "bonus" item on the website. That's it, that's the exchange. I'm so shocked and so pleased, I couldn't even believe that. Got my bonus item within two weeks. The team was extremely fast, helpful, and polite. So... Are there other vintage-inspired companies out there? Yes. But are their prices competitive? Not for me, because I'm not ready to spend hundreds of dollars on one item of clothing. If you've checked websites of the most popular reproduction brands, you know those prices. And I would understand those prices if the companies used natural fabrics, but c'mon, it's all polyester!! Exactly the same fabrics, just 10-20 times more expensive than Retro Stage!That said, I would absolutely recommend Retro Stage to anyone who's still thinking about it. Just assume some of your own responsibility — keep in mind the sizes and styles, and think of where and how you're going to wear them.

Date of experience: Feb 02, 2025