30 May, 2006
Valuable Resource for STL Cosplayers and Lolitas
Posted by: Rachel In: Cosplay| Lolita Fashion
This place isn’t online and it’s not even specifically for cosplayers or Lolitas: Rock Star Rags is a GIANT warehouse on the corner of Ninth and St. Louis in downtown St. Louis filled with every imaginable type of clothing and then some. You could absolutely thrift parts (if not the entire costume) of a cosplay (or two, or three) from here. You can also find frilly dresses, lacy shirts and velvet skirts for all sorts of Loli varieties and it would only cost you around six bucks.
Rock Star Rags has bales upon bales of vintage clothing and was until recently, fairly unknown to many St. Louisians. I’ve gotten so much clothes there it’s unbelievable and the amount of Loli worthy attire they have is impressive. BUT you’ll have to wade, literally, through piles of unwashed and musty clothes.
My hands and face are always filthy after I go there and who be unto to you who have allergies since you’re screwed when you step through those doors. I usually spend a long time sifting through the clothes since there’s so much and you have to be picky, trust me. A lot of the clothes have stains on them and must be washed repeatedly to get the mothball smell out. I’ve also gotten really good at repairing the countless ripped seams that are common with clothes that old.
Yet, I think it’s totally worth it; especially for cosplaying and unique one of kind clothes for everyday. I’ve found the frilliest dresses there that make my teeth hurt they’re so Sweet and I’ve personally bought some cute Victorian blouses and customized them when I got home. So consider Rock Star Rags first before you spend serious cash online or make due with something that doesn’t really go with your cosplay. And if you get home and you find that it doesn’t fit or it needs some extra work, cut it up, sew on that lace and don’t feel guilty; at $1.50/lb for clothes you can’t go wrong!
You have to hurry to shop there, though, since the owners are sick and tired of running the place and are trying to close by the end of the summer. You can contact Deb at Rock Star Rags at: djeyeful@aol.com to get an appointment to shop or you can try calling at (314) 621-0318. I’ve always had more luck getting a hold of Deb by e-mailing rather than by calling.
Rock Star Rags is located at:
2820 North Ninth Street
Corner of Ninth and St. Louis Ave.
St. Louis MO 63147
I’ll try and post when they’re having a sale. Happy shopping!
