Let us have a moment of silence and mourn this tragic fact:
will be closing soon. The date is not absolutely set, but rumor on the street says halfway through March one of the coolest vintage shop on the block will close forever. No more will that cheerful pink building evoke an irresistible itching in my wallet area. No more will my strolls down Bardstown inevitably end with me ogling dresses straight out of Mad Men and sunglasses too cool for even the hippest hipster.
According to the shop's facebook page, the proprietress of the Bardstown Road thrift and vintage shop has decided (in light of a bad economy for independent business) to close The Queen of Rags. This boutique specializes in kitsch and kook--big sparkly prom dresses and ball gowns line one wall like Southern belles waiting to powder their noses. A swathe of metallic gold is visible here, a pouf of pink tulle there, spangles and sparkles and bedazzled folds of turqoise and lavender fabric everywhere. There are shorter cocktail dresses on the opposite wall, a rack of furs, and frothy tutus. The wall of old yellowed wedding dresses at the back add an extra dash of antique to this fluffy ensemble. The Queen is a great place to find Halloween costumes, fancy dresses, ball gowns, prom wear, and decades of sequins.
The Queen of Rags also has a fantastic collection of handbags, clutches, vintage and locally made jewelry, hat pins and of course shoes. It's always been a pleasure to see the cute decorations and outfits in their oh-so-girly window displays. With prom season coming up, it may be the last opportunity to snag a super unique gown from this establishment. The Queen of Rags should be offering some great going out of business deals over the past few weeks; you really ought to go before it's too late and the Queen of Rags has left the building.
Photos: Elizabeth Orrick
