Top Tips on Buying vintage Clothes

Searching through countless racks and shelves for that perfect vintage item can seem like a modern day treasure hunt. It’s thrilling to find a unique dress or suit jacket from yesteryear, knowing that you’re unlikely to run into another person nowadays wearing the same duds.

However, as exciting as your fashion expedition may be, the burgeoning popularity for ‘recycled fashion’ means shopping for those great pieces has now become more competitive.

Fortunately, the internet has responded with an increase in the number of online retail shops selling vintage clothes, allowing you to avoid the fray. Before kicking back in your bunny slippers and clicking ‘Buy Now’, take the following tips into consideration.

Ignore Size

many vintage sizes don’t correspond to today’s clothing sizes. A women’s size 16 from 1940 is less than a size 10 now. Plus, many vintage items were home-made and therefore made to specific measurements, not a general size.When shopping for vintage clothes online, it’s best to trust the measurements of the garment instead of the size label.

Ask Questions 

moth damage is hard to see when you can’t handle an item in person, so don’t be afraid to ask about any damage, repairs or heavy laundering that’s been done to the garments. The more questions you get answered, the more informed your purchasing decision will be.

Know Your Labels 

many big name designers create both small-batch garments and mass-produced ones, and the difference lies in the label itself. For instance, its signature pink label distinguishes a 1930’s couture Schiaparelli from a 1950’s mass-produced Schiaparelli. Sellers may not always know what they have or how valuable it is. Since the death of designer, Yves Saint Laurent, the popularity and value of his collections have sky rocketed.

Check for Authenticity 

Utilize the ‘zoom in’ feature and eye up the buttons, zips and stitching on desired items. If they don’t mesh with the overall garment design, it’s often a telltale sign of either bad repair work or that it’s a copy.

There’s nothing wrong with buying reproductions or vintage-inspired items, but make sure the price reflects this. Also, if the label is woven or sewn all the way around and is made of fabric rather than nylon, then you’ve most likely found yourself some original vintage wear.

Know Your Fabric 

there’s a big difference between low-viscosity rayon and low-quality polyester. Some online sellers capitalize on buyers not knowing the difference and flog cheaply made reproductions as the high-priced real deal.

Ditch cut-rate, tacky fabrics in favour of more natural fibers like cotton, silk and wool, and you’re more likely to find a valuable vintage treasure.

When your online finds end up on your doorstep, it’s important to take care of them. Dry cleaning is vintage clothing’s best friend and if using moth balls, make sure they don’t come in contact with the clothes directly.

For more information on vintage clothing designers and things to look out for when shopping online, visit VintageFashionGuild.org. There, you can research a designer’s authentic trademarks through the decades so you know exactly what you’re buying and from what era.