In the past few years, vintage fashion has gone from the province of artists and alternative musicians to the preferred mode of society ladies, young professionals and celebrities. Julia Roberts wore a vintage Valentino dress to the Oscars and since then, the world of vintage was reborn.
As more retail stores add vintage clothes to their inventory, it's no longer necessary to rifle through the racks of the local thrift store to find that one-of-a-kind item. The trick today is mixing your every day wardrobe with elements of vintage to create your own unique style.
Here are 8 tips on how to wisely buy and look after your Vintage Clothing:
Tip #1 - Look at mainstream fashion trends
A few seasons ago the maxi dress was ‘new and exciting’ and is still in fashion this summer, but how special when you can find a vintage maxi dress in a different print to what everyone else it is wearing?
Right now, the power shoulder is strong in blazers, so I tend to go for a 1940’s blazer still with a strong shoulder but steering away from the 1980’s look to a more refined 1940’s elegance.
Showing up on catwalks now is a 1950’s revival of full skirts and pretty prints, so I would be looking to buy yourself an original 50’s print whether it be a skirt or dress..
For me, being tall and having a rather large rib cage means that a lot of vintage pieces don’t neccessarily fit, so don’t discount anything that is too big, have them altered to fit your body shape exactly.
My trusted alteration lady’s details are: Helen, 28 Crystal Street, Waterloo, MOB: 0414 881 688. Her business is set up in the foyer of the new apartments and her billboard is out the front with bell. If you use her, tell her that Jessica from Coco Repose sent you because she looks after all my vintage customers!
Tip #3 – Buy what catches your eye and makes you feel comfortable - I do a lot of vintage fairs and in these environments and even vintage shops, it is hard not to feel overwhelmed by all the amazing pieces that are so different from today’s. But, I guarantee that if you stick by the simple advice of buying what catches your eye, and fits you well, or knowing what could be done to achieve this. I know from experience that when you take a piece home and put it into your modern wardrobe and wear alongside your modern pieces this is when it comes to life and seems so much more special than sitting on a rack of vintage clothing. If you are new to buying Vintage, then so what I started out doing - admire a vintage piece on a mannequin in your house, or wear a vintage piece of jewellery or handbag, or vintage silk scarf around your neck or handbag. It doesn’t have to be a whole outfit.
Tip #4 – Know your own measurements
Many customers look for sizes in the garments themselves, but remember these are handmade one off pieces that are not mass produced and therefore no sizing label. Even if the piece does have a size guide, we are generally 2 sizes larger today so it is best if you know your waist measurement or ask the assistant to give you a guide before trying on.
Many vintage customers carry a tape measure with them to measure the waist before trying or another good tip is to measure the waist seam around your neck as a rough guide to see whether it would be a possibility for you. The idea of this is that if you are relatively in proportion through the waist that your neck size should be roughly a quarter of the waist seam. Hold the dress at the side seams of the waist and place them around your neck. If the seams meet at the centre back then it is worth trying on because chances are it is your size. If the seams won’t come close to meeting at your neck, it is too small. And if you have extra, it may be bigger on you but still worth trying on depending on how you like your dress to fit.
Tip #5 – How to wash your Vintage clothing
Don’t discount buying lighter coloured garments with rust spots my most treasured secret is Napisan but you need to know the correct way to use it. You need a sunny day first and foremost. Then pour some Napisan into scolding hot water in your bathtub to dissolve and then once dissolved to make the temp of the bath just lukewarm, not hot. Soak your dress in the bath for ½ hour or so, it will still have some of the stains but don’t despair, this is the trick you need to know. Place your dress flat on a towel or table outside with the stains in the direct sunlight and walk away. Come back when it is dry and 9 times our of 10 the stains have completely gone. It is about the active ingredient reacting with sunlight for this to happen.
I can recommend a good drycleaner, ‘No D-lay’ in Darling Street, Rozelle who deals with vintage clothing. But also remember that unless extremely fragile in which case these pieces probably shouldn’t be worn, try a bath of lukewarm water and just laying your dress in the bath and then without wringing on a hanger and outside to drip dry. Most pieces can be ironed on a low setting.
A great way to determine the date of a vintage piece is by where it is positioned. 1940’s side seam and back neck, 1950’s CB metal, and 1960’s onwards mass produced nylon zips. If you have a metal zipper that is stiff and catching, rather than replacing a little trick is to rub a candle along the metal zipper teeth and the wax should free the zipper movement, this also works with running a graphite pencil along the teeth.
A lot of pieces are redesigned copies from later era’s passed off as originals... for example in the 1980’s a lot of design inspiration was used from the 1950’s and often unaware buyers and sometimes sellers are selling 80’s pieces as 50’s because they look from this era. A simple piece of advice is to check the inside seams for overlocking. Overlocking came in from the 1960’s/1970’s when mass production began and so if a seller is selling a piece stating it is 50’s but has overlocking and a nylon zipper it is usually a good indication that it is actually a later era. However just to confuse, sometimes metal zippers do get replaced and alterations have taken place where overlocking has been added to the seams.
Tip #7 - Larger sizes
Despite what many people think, not all vintage clothing is small sizing. A lot of it is, but I particularly source all sizes but the reality is that the larger sizes go quicker because as we are generally larger in sizing today than the past era’s, so this brings me to...
Tip #8 - My best piece of advice is ‘if you love the piece, and it fits, buy it!’
Even if you don’t have the occasion in your mind, you will find it, and let’s face it, they are not going out of fashion, they are classic pieces that have stood the test of time! I see too many customers um and ah over a piece they love which in mainstream fashion is ok because you can always re-order your size or go to the next store for the version of, but guaranteed that you walk away to ponder over a coffee and the next person who walks through the door loves it as much as you but purchases it! I have learnt my lesson as this has happened to me many times, and I am forever searching for that same piece that does not exist except for the girl in the next suburb wearing ‘my special find!’
Don’t forget that CHIC in the City offer Vintage Express experiences where are taken in a chauffeur driven car with your own Vintage stylist who will take you to the best of Sydney’s vintage stores. Click here to find out more.
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