If individuality is your thing and you can’t take any more of dressing like many others, vintage is the way to go! While you do need the confidence to match vintage outfits, if you pick the right clothes, you won’t have much to worry about.
Here are 4 tips to make your first vintage shopping spree a success.
Locate the Best Spots
If you know someone who dresses flawlessly in cool vintage pieces, consider yourself lucky and ask them right away where they buy their stuff from. If they frequent vintage garment dealers in your locality, you know where to head! In case they purchase items from abroad, ask them if they know any local dealers.
If you don’t know anyone you can turn to for help, try looking for local vintage dealers online. Additionally, do make it a point to visit estate sales, auctions, and flea markets.
Do ask your family members if they have any clothing items from the bygone years stashed away in their closets. Who knows, you may end up with some really amazing stuff!
Research Well
When you see something that interests you, take a look at labels and see what era it belongs to. If you want something from the 1920s, you don’t want to come back home with something from the 1960s.
If there aren’t any labels, ask the dealers for more information on the item you wish to purchase. Spending some time online to learn about different dressing styles before you go shopping will be a great help.
When shopping online, make sure you only browse and shop from reputed websites. Websites run by vintage experts can also be trusted. Check user ratings and feedback, and always read the terms and conditions before you splurge. A website with a secure payment system is an added bonus!
Don’t forget to check the measurements of items you wish to purchase. Further to this, don’t buy items with stock images; real images give you a clearer picture. If pictures aren’t clear but you’re keen on buying something, you may want to request the seller to upload better ones or e-mail them to you.
Be Wise with Your Purchases
You’re sure to find some outrageous stuff when looking for vintage pieces and you might get carried away and buy things you will never wear. So be wise when making purchases; sticking to classic cuts is advisable.
Furthermore, buy items in the style that you regularly wear. If you intend to purchase something offbeat, consider how you’ll wear it or what you’ll pair it with so that it doesn’t rot away in your closet. For example, a brightly colored vintage tie will go well with tailored suits, and a vintage t-shirt will pair well with a pencil skirt and a pair of heels.
Most importantly, buy items that fit you well. Of course, you might not find a perfect fit, but you can always get your vintage finds altered by your tailor! Even if you’re buying oversized items, make sure that they’ll look good on you when worn.
Refrain from buying items that require a lot of restoration work. Check the fit, and also examine garments and accessories thoroughly for tears, smells, and stains. Keep in mind that getting a good fit around the shoulders is a tough job even for experienced tailors, and that the best drycleaners may not always be able to rid your vintage finds of stains!
Do remember to pay attention to the condition of your vintage finds- you don’t want to purchase something that is too fragile. In addition to this, never purchase materials that you’re not comfortable wearing. As mentioned, read labels or ask dealers to help you make the right choices.
Don’t Get Duped
Not everything you see online or at auctions and flea markets will be authentic vintage. Don’t let this dishearten you though; just keep the following in mind.
- Ask lots of questions! If the item is genuine, you’ll get satisfactory answers. When buying from a physical shop, you can also pay attention to the dealer’s expressions and tell if they’re bluffing.
- Check care labels- these were introduced in 1971 so if the item you’re eyeing has one, it couldn’t be older than that. Knowing when other items like belt loops, zippers, and Velcro were invented can also help you narrow down the age of garments.
- Crepe was a 40s’ classic, nylon wasn’t used for clothing until the 50s, and polyester was widely used in the 70s.
- Measurements in the 40s and 50s used to be a lot smaller. Also, armholes used to be narrower and hemlines didn’t rise above the knee until the 60s.
Conclusion
Vintage shopping may seem like hard work considering there’s a huge possibility of picking the wrong things or things that you’ll never use. But now that you’ve read these tips on going about your first vintage shopping spree, you’ve got nothing to worry about.
With help from here, you’re sure to enjoy shopping for vintage clothing. What’s more, you’ll definitely choose the right things!
Happy shopping!
About the Author
Nicola Reynor is a passionate blogger who loves to blog about fashion, beauty, travel, health, fitness, wedding and lifestyle trends. When in leisure time, she prefers to spend time in traveling with friends and family. You can find more about her at Nicola+
