Times are changing. We are living in an era where everyone is becoming more and more afraid of standing out ... and that's just, well ... sad. When societal shifts happen, it can sometimes put limitations on people and our ways of living. When this happens, people start to retreat and shift to a more neutral existence. What's different in this day and age, is that the Global Pandemic taught people how to retreat and find solace in solitude and stay out of the limelight.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again...
"Neutral is beige, my friends. Beige is boring. Don't be boring. We are all alive. Stay alive. Be alive and live large."
Life, here in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, is far from boring and certainly not beige.
In fact, we don't just wear history, we're draped in it.
Vintage clothing and costuming in Eureka Springs aren’t just quirky fashion choices. "Dressing up" is a love letter to the past, a nod to resilience, and a winking rebellion against the fast-fashion churn of modernity, which as I've already stated, is starting to neutralize more and more as it shifts to boring, boring beige.
But let’s get something straight, this is not just about aesthetic nostalgia. Oh no. Vintage in Eureka is storytelling stitched into fabric. It’s about character. It’s about sustainability. It’s about that one glorious holy grail thrift find that makes you whisper under your breath as you pull it off the rack, “Oh, honey, you are coming home with me.”
Let's face it, the world is exhausted! Everyone is scrolling from the cell phone into a coma!
Well, I say, unplug your phone, park your jeep, dismount your Harley and wake up to the vibrancy of life that is right in front of you and has always made Eureka Springs ... Eureka Springs!
Welcome to the revitalization of dressing in vintage and period attire.
Eureka Springs: A Town Tailored by Time
What better way for anyone to channel the past, and embrace living (or visiting) Eureka Springs, than by putting on a brocade coat with gold buttons and a feathered hat and becoming someone different for a day. Someone, from days gone by.
Eureka Springs has always been a town that marches to the beat of its own drum and dressing for the occasion is highly encouraged as you're keeping the beat.
Founded and named in 1879 as a Victorian spa town, Eureka quickly became a haven for the unconventional. Hippies, artists, misfits, dreamers, healers and musicians and others (many of whom prefer to color outside the lines) have found refuge here and as a result ... this place has become some kind of wonderful.
Yes, it is!
Local Vintage Costumer, Michelle McDonald has returned to Eureka Springs, AR and has taken up shop on 3 Judah Street. Her shop is called Vintage Costuming, and it is filled with an array of garments, accessories, hats and more. Michelle believes that Eureka is primed for a comeback with period attire, themed clothing and vintage wear, and so she decided to open shop to set the stage by developing a costume rental business. Yep! Michelle is here to help the locals and visitors find that special something to wear when the time calls for dressing up for an event, festival, party or parade.
For those of you that know Eureka, you know, we love our events, festivals, parties and parades.
If ever there was a town primed for a "dressing up" comeback, it’s Eureka Springs and this is simply because, the spirit of vintage lives here. . .
. . . but, my friends, it needs a kick in the bustle.
In Eureka, vintage shopping is not just a transaction, it’s a treasure hunt. Whether you’re digging through a dusty attic at a roadside antique store or finding the perfect velvet blazer at a local boutique, the thrill is real.
Each year, in October, the Eureka Springs Historical Museum brings the past to life with their annual fundraising event called Voice's from Eureka's Silent City. Eureka Springs Historical Museum – Where the past springs to Life!
This event has been wildly popular each year and it is a great way to experience the “living history” of Eureka Springs. Actors in period costumes come alive in the cemetery and share stories of their unique and colorful pasts as they portray those buried in the cemetery in this unique outside theatrical experience. In spooky October, this event is a perfect way to conjure Eurekans back from the dead right in our town's cemetery.
In December, Victorian dressed carolers don their gay apparel and transform downtown into a Dicken's-like village during the holiday season as they carol through the iconic streets of Eureka Springs.
Eureka Springs, Arkansas is one of those delightful, magical destinations that glimmers during Christmas time. The winding streets of the Historic District are beautifully decorated this time of year, and the town truly comes to life with shimmering, blinking lights each evening all throughout this season.
Wearing Resilience
Let’s get real ... fashion has always been political. It’s always been a reflection of the times. When the world feels uncertain, people turn to clothing that makes them feel grounded. That’s why we’re seeing a resurgence of vintage.
On April 26, 2025, Eureka Springs welcomes GOGGLES, GEARS & SPRINGS; A Steampunk Affair. This Steampunk Festival will feature live music, special events, contests, vendors, a parade and so many people dressed in unique steampunk attire. Grab your goggles and corsets and join us in the already fantastical, Victorian landscape right here in Eureka Springs. This place is the perfect spot for this event.
Let The Good Times Roll!
Another big-time favorite time of year to "dress" in Eureka Springs is Mardi Gras!
Local residents, Dan Ellis and Al Hooks, both originating from New Orleans, were displaced from their beloved homes due to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. After finding themselves relocated here in Eureka Springs, they set out to create our very own grand celebration to be shared by all.
Not long after their arrival, it happened and the Krewe of Krazo (Krazo is Ozark spelled backwards, by the way) was formed and subsequently founded its first ever spectacular Mardi Gras celebration here in Eureka Springs, which today is affectionately known as Eureka Gras. Now, the Krewes in Eureka Springs are doing some wonderful things in the community for the community.
We’re in interesting times, my friends. You might have noticed. The world is swirling in uncertainty - climate change, economic shifts, political upheaval - and folks are looking for authenticity, for connection, for something real.
Wearing vintage in Eureka isn’t about looking “retro.” It’s about defying disposability. It’s about saying, “I will not be another cog in the throwaway culture.” It’s about draping yourself in resilience—because if that 1950s poodle skirt has survived this long, so can you.
It’s not cosplay, it’s character. And that character has history.
We are living in a moment where people crave meaning. And what we choose to wear is a declaration of that meaning. Eureka Springs understands this deeply. This town, with its history of reinvention, reminds us that clothing isn’t just fabric. It’s identity. It’s storytelling. It’s survival.
Costumed Flamboyance
Here, it is not uncommon for one to step out in a rainbow-themed costume, or a crocheted dress, a floor-length kimono and a feathered fascinator on a Tuesday afternoon and not a single soul would blink.
Nowadays, people walk around in their ‘casual’ beige streetwear, blending in like they’re extras in the background of a dystopian film.
Let’s be honest, we’ve lost the art of flair. The rise of cheap, mass-produced, trend-chasing mediocrity has given people amnesia! They’ve forgotten the joy, the mischief, and the drama of putting in a little effort and dressing up!
"And what do we do when people forget, darling? We remind them."
Be sure to visit Michelle (a.k.a. Miss Taken I. Dentity) at Vintage Costuming in Eureka Springs and become someone else for a day.
There's nothing like slipping into a vintage jacket or twirling in a secondhand dress. When you do, think about the people who wore it before you. Think about the stories embedded in its fibers. And think about making new memories simply by wearing vintage.
In a world that moves fast, let’s take a cue from our very own Eureka Springs, Arkansas—slow down, honor the past, and wear history with pride.
Fashion fades, but character? That’s forever.
Now go forth, my beautifully adorned time travelers. The runway is life, and vintage is always in style.❤️