How to Buy Vintage Clothing
Make Money and Look Original by Investing In Retro, Antique Fashion.
Apr 6, 2008
Investing in vintage fashion is a smart move. Over the past 20 years prices paid for quality vintage clothing have risen hugely and our appetite for originality is huge. Everyone wants to look unique and buying vintage items is a way of standing out from the crowds. Over the past year in the UK, high fashion retailer Top Shop has invested in a new line by 1970s designer Celia Birtwell, and 1960s fashion mecca Biba has reopened its doors in Kensington. Celebrity followers include Sarah Jessica Parker, Maggie Gyllenhall, and Kate Moss.
Key Vintage Looks For Each Decade
Here is an overview of the key looks in 20th century fashion, and how to shop according to your shape. If you have an affinity with a particular look, celebrity or decade embrace that and spend some time learning about it. This gives you the edge when it comes to serious vintage shopping - you will know what questions to ask: -
1920s – the beginning of couture. Think flapper dresses, beads and fringing, geometrics, and dropped waists. Velvets and furs are in. This look works well if you are slim and small-breasted.
1930s – Glam it up with Coco Chanel. Take inspiration from Anne Fontaine's film Coco Before Chanel with elfin-like French acress Audrey Tautou. Bias-cut gowns and costume jewellery, Art Deco, sportswear, halter necks and flared sleeves. Skinny suits, hats, gloves and zips. Wear if you love dressing up and wearing accessories. This look is about the detail, so buy the best you can afford.
1940s – Post-War synthetic fabrics and military-style tailoring are key. Dior created a backlash with his luxurious feminine New Look in 1947. Sequins, slacks, couture dress, trench coats and jersey dresses. This look suits all – trench coats and military jackets are classic buys and always on the catwalk.
1950s – Dior, Balenciaga and Givenchy. The prom dress, oversized detailing, trapeze coats, full skirts and pedal pushers. Ballet shoes and sweater dresses à la Brigitte Bardot. This is a great look for curvy girls with waspish waists.
1960s – Yves Saint Laurent, Mary Quant, Pucci, Jean Muir, Ossie Clark and Biba. Jane Fonda in Barbarella. Twiggy’s Flower Power, mini skirts and chain mail. Big sunglasses. This look is perenially popular – oversized sunglasses are always in style. Mini skirts and boots look great on the tall and leggy.
1970s – Ossie Clark and Celia Birtwell, Zandra Rhodes, Vivienne Westwood, Missoni. Flowing skirts, parkas and jumpsuits. This is a New-Age, crafty and colourful look that brings a smile to your face. It suits all shapes and sizes and is comfortable and easy to wear.
Vintage Fashion Shopping Tips
C20 Vintage Fashion store in London supplies vintage clothing to film and TV sets and offers an online rent and buy service via their website. Owners Cleo and Mark Butterfield recommend the following: -
- See and handle vintage items rather than buying online. Go to specialist fairs and markets to meet dealers and handle different styles.
- Focus your aim and get to know designers and periods that interest you.
- Be wary of eBay – the seller is unlikely to be a vintage dealer and you can’t check the item’s condition.
- Don’t buy a stained garment. Get a description of stains, rust and mildew.
- Check it for moth holes, tears and missing beadwork.
- Buy the best you can afford if it’s an investment piece.
- Get exact measurements – older sizes were 1-2 sizes smaller than today.
- Familiarise yourself with fabrics and trimming terms.
- Ask for tips on storing and cleaning the item.
- Buy colour rather than black and white.
Scour charity shops in wealthy areas for quality finds. Antique fashion fairs and flea markets such as London's Portobello Road are great for post 1950s clothing. Keep a scrapbook of key looks, fabrics and ideas you like, and have fun exploring antique fairs, fashion exhibitions, shows and markets. If you are a little nervous about being dressed in head-to-toe vintage, sharpen your look by investing in bold accessories. Antique lace makes a beautiful wedding dress if you are looking for something original and low-key for your special day.
Online Vintage Fashion Resources
Vintage Fashion Guild - membership, forums, tips and tricks on buying vintage.
Vintage Fashion by Emma Baxter-Wright, Collins Books, 2007.
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