Wooden Sleepers

OUR ARTICLE

Many would and do argue that NYC and Brooklyn have become a mecca for fashion-forward cultures, always proving to be one step ahead. And walking the hundreds of miles of concrete sidewalks you’re bound to see outfits you’ve never seen nor will again – because by the time you turn the corner they’re already dated. But thanks to Wooden Sleepers, dated is the new new, rebirthed and continuing the stories of once permanently closeted clothing.

Planted in what looks like the living room of an old BK two story, the shop is quaint and pleasantly stocked with tweed jackets, plaids, well-wrinkled motor jackets, camo and letterman jackets thats even got Kelly Kapowski cheering rah, rah, shish boom bah. There are only so many times you can go rifling through your parents or grandparents basements looking for some choice clothing, that even if you find, will fit. Thankfully, Wooden Sleepers’ vintage appeal stretches further back in time with a collection outdoor, workwear, and traditional “Ivy” style clothing, along with vintage accessories, leather and canvas goods, and relevant antiques for your home. You just may find that coveted purple Williams College sweater that gives a big eph you to anyone questioning your style… or academics.

But the beauty of exploration comes from being lost and as Wooden Sleepers takes you on a journey to a time well before you were a twinkle in your parent’s eyes, notice the intricacies of the tailored past and gear up with some the finest vintage wear in all the land.

Wooden Sleepers continues its rustic appeal with a collection of tattered books, near first generation copies of Fur, Fish and Game and old framed Ivy sports team photos fill bookcase and empty shelves. It’s so much more than walking into a typical vintage retailer as the whole shop is curated towards the classics. Everything from the decor to clothing and knick-knacks scattered around the space has a had a previous life. The jackets, shirts and pants are rumpled and wrinkled in all the right places because their previous owners hit the concrete, explored the woods and maybe, flew with the Tuskegee Airmen. And ever conscious of the neighborhood, branded nautical flags wave as a way to pay homage to Red Hook’s seafaring history.

Even with neighboring IKEA, this is the last bit of Brooklyn preserved from the grasp of over gentrification because…there is no train. And once you’re in Red Hook you might never find your way out, unless you call an Uber. But the beauty of exploration comes from being lost and as Wooden Sleepers takes you on a journey to a time well before you were a twinkle in your parent’s eyes, notice the intricacies of the tailored past and gear up with some the finest vintage wear in all the land.

“There’s a vintage which comes with age and experience.” – Jon Bon Jovi