Shopping for a dress on Bloor Street is almost too easy given the surfeit of designer boutiques. And showing up at a party to find someone else wearing the same $2,000 frock is enough to make you quit the big labels. For roughly the same amount of money, you can travel back in time and emerge with a truly original showstopper. Since 1972, Carmelita Blondet has been the proprietress of this high-end vintage treasure trove. Art deco–era dresses (gold lace, $1,100–$4,000) are in impeccable condition, as are feather- or fur-trimmed hats (from $399), and jewellery. Blondet can restyle garments or alter them to within three sizes up or down.