Fashionista flashbacks

Super-hip clothing from a bygone era is making a come back!

Think of them as super-hip hand-me-downs. From the fabulous ’40s to the awesome ’80s, BACKWARD GLANCES in Red Bank (732-842-9156, www.backwardglances.com) has chic vintage duds from many a bygone era. Indeed, Cindy Ciullo’s clothing shop—in business since 1985—is now selling the threads her fellow Broad Street clothiers were peddling when she first opened.

“Eighties outfits are very big right now,” says Ciullo. “And the Woodstock anniversary brought a lot of people in for ’60s stuff like bellbottoms, tie-dyes and anything with a peace sign.” Backward Glances carries a mix of genuine vintage and new period-style clothing—an option especially appealing to folks looking for authentic looks in modern sizes, which are often more generously cut than true vintage duds. Ecoadvocates will also appreciate the shop’s snappy handbags and bracelets made from repurposed vinyl ’45 records. And if it’s a hot costume you’re looking for, BG specializes in unique Halloween attire you won’t find at big box outfitters.

“Most of our clientele tends to be younger people looking to dress up in a certain period,” Ciullo notes, “but we also get a lot of folks who want to relive a bit of their past through the fashions of the day.”