Apr 22 2012

Quick Tips For Vintage Shopping

Published by at 11:06 pm under Really Useful

Today’s post is by Celest. She used to work in one of my favourite shopping places, a hip little store that sold vintage and vintage-inspired dresses. It was always a pleasure to see her and she’d make sure I was able to shop in peace by looking after Layla. And, as it turned out, she knew Alf too—they’d crossed paths in school! (She was a student, he was a teacher.) Tiny world indeed. She’s since moved on but we’ve kept in touch, and she’s here today to teach me something cool.

It’s not on everyone’s radar.
It can be just around the corner.
It’s quiet, yet prominent.
And… I like it in turquoise.

Welcome to my world of vintage! I have no idea why but when I turned 18, my eyes were drawn to all things vintage and I fell deeply in love. I adore the fuzzy, cozy feeling that vintage items give me. I love that each item hides a story, or even a string of stories. The charm of everything old makes my heart race. To me, vintage is an art, a rare treasure, and these days, it is an identity—my collection subtly reveals who I am.

In recent years, the word “vintage” has been tagged onto many things, from fashion to furniture. But it’s not always used correctly, and many of these so-called vintage items are actually “vintage-inspired.” Today I’m going to share some things I know about vintage garments, to help you spot the real thing:

#1 A piece of vintage clothing is usually about 25 years or older. An “antique” is anything 75 years or older, wow!

#2 Vintage sizes are at least four sizes smaller than your typical modern sizes. That’s why original vintage is hard-to-fit at times.

#3 Many vintage apparels do not carry care labels. However, sometimes people do remove care labels from their clothes, so don’t assume that something that’s missing a label is automatically vintage. Also, clothing with care labels may date back to the early ’70s.

#4 Before the ’60s, hemlines were often below the knee. Armholes were smaller and narrower between the ’50s and ’70s, and waist measurements were much smaller in the hip and bust areas.

#5 For clothing from the ’30s to ’60s, zippers usually start under the sleeve and end at the waist or hem. A zipper in the centre of the back of a dress indicates that it is probably from the late ‘50s and after. I see many vintage dresses with zippers in the front (centre) as well. (FYI: Before the ‘30s, there were no zippers, only buttons, ties, or clasps.)

I hope these tips will help you in your vintage shopping!

Also, if I may share a little story: Many people have asked me why I love vintage, which some feel is granny attire. I’d like to say that yes, vintage is what was fashionable during my granny’s young, adventurous, and happy days. But it’s still alive today! So if you’re attracted to vintage clothing, wear it proudly. You’ll look fab and you’ll never be mainstream!

One response so far

One Response to “Quick Tips For Vintage Shopping”

  1. # Rinon 23 Apr 2012 at 1:21 am

    Great info! I really wish I’d taken more notice in my mother’s wardrobe before she threw everything out! Hey, I still have my primary school blouse from 1985 — and guess what? It still fits me perfectly! Scary, eh?

    Would love to own more vintage pieces if I could afford ‘em though. Now I have only 2 pieces: a YSL slingbag from the 1980s, and my mother’s full-length dress that she wore at her engagement party from 1975 (I wore that to my sister’s wedding nearly 3 years ago!). It’s still in immaculate condition!

    PS: Love her entire outfit!

    [Reply]

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