The third wooden crate from the door. Your fingers finally stop on the album you've been hunting for months, just as the strap of your tote slides off your shoulder again. Left hand holding the record, right hand hauling the strap back up. Under the denim jacket, your back is starting to sweat.
Crate digging, it turns out, has more to do with your back than your ears. You spend a long time on your feet, leaning over the crates, while both hands keep flipping through records. So the best clothes for a record store are the ones you sort out once at the door and then forget about until you reach the counter.
A Long-Sleeved Shirt, Rolled Up Before the First Crate
You can never quite tell how warm a record store will be. Some are squeezed into a narrow shophouse with a single fan. Others sit in a mall basement, where the air-con has a real bite. A long-sleeved shirt is ready for both: sleeves up when it gets muggy, down when the chill sets in.
Rolling your sleeves up from the start also keeps the cuffs out of the dust. Secondhand covers are rarely properly clean, and fabric that keeps brushing against the edge of a crate soon turns grubby too.
If you like a white oxford shirt, go ahead and wear it. Roll the sleeves to just below the elbow before you touch the first cover. If you'd rather not think about marks at all, a striped shirt is better at hiding a fine layer of dust.
Keep the front of your shirt clear, too. An office lanyard will dangle into the crate every time you bend down, and a phone in your chest pocket can slip out and drop between the records.
Denim Jacket On for the Ride, Off in a Stuffy Shop
On the way there, a navy denim jacket is just right for keeping off the wind on the back of a motorbike taxi, or a late-afternoon drizzle. Step into a stuffy shop, though, and it's a different story. Denim holds on to body heat, and the open front of the jacket swings down towards the crate every time you lean in.
Decide at the door. If the shop is cool, keep it on and do up a few buttons so the front doesn't swing. If it's muggy, take the jacket off, fold it flat and lay it in the bottom of your tote. The jacket that had you sweating a minute ago is now soft padding for the records you're about to buy.
Before you fold it, take your wallet out of the pocket. Forget, and at the second shop you'll have to unload everything you bought at the first just to pay.
A Tote Bag That Fits Vinyl Without Bending the Corners
A tote bag is the best way to carry records home, because the two share the same wide, flat shape. The one condition is that a cover has to slide in straight, without its corners bending. Once a corner is dented, it never comes back sharp, so test the bag at home first with a record you already own.
Then look at the strap. A short strap will keep sliding off every time you bend down, just like it did at that third crate. One that's long enough can go across your body. If you're stuck with a short one, just set the bag on the floor between your feet. Both hands are free again for the fourth crate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to look like I'm in a band to fit in at a record store?
No. The customers are a mixed bunch, from uni students to middle-aged men hunting down the albums they grew up with. What people actually notice is how you hold a record: by the edges, never letting your fingers touch the grooves.
Can I bring a backpack into a record store?
Yes, but record store aisles are often narrow. Worn on your back, a backpack can easily knock into someone or a stack of records when you turn around, so move it to your front while you're inside.
Is it OK to put the cassettes I've chosen in my pocket while I keep browsing?
Better not. From behind the counter, that move looks exactly like shoplifting. Keep them in your hand, or ask whether you can leave your picks at the counter for now.
If my denim jacket gets wet in the rain, can I still fold it into the bottom of the bag?
No. Cardboard covers soak up moisture quickly and can start to ripple. Wrap a wet jacket in a plastic bag before you pack it.
Can I wear a denim jacket with jeans?
Yes, as long as the colours are different enough: a navy jacket with lighter blue jeans, for example, or a black jacket with blue jeans. If in doubt, cotton trousers in cream or brown are almost always a safe bet with a denim jacket.
How do I carry vinyl records home on a motorbike?
If you're riding pillion, hold the bag on your lap with the covers standing upright. Skip the bag hook at the front of the bike, where knees can easily dent the corners. If you stop somewhere on the way, don't leave the bag on a seat in the sun, because the heat can warp the records.