A weekend meetup with two other lovely bloggers from Kent (say hi to Laura and Kirsty) seemed like the perfect excuse to practice my poses and I have to thank Kirsty for taking these amazing photos. And the lots of direction on how not to look like a total fashion blogger fail (so thank you Kirsty!).
Vintage clothes have been a big part of my life for years now. As well as being a huge 60s/70s music fan, I adore the clothes and even spent a couple of years selling them at vintage fairs across the south east.
My current new love is this vintage faux fur jacket, which I found in a seaside charity shop for the grand sum of £14. Not only is it in great condition for something that’s 40-odd years old, it’s also seriously cosy and perfect for the freezing weather winter seems to be bringing right now.
You might recognise the dress from an old outfit post. This Zara beauty gets a lot of use from me and to be honest, I’m kind of pleased to see it still fits after all the cheese I ate over Christmas!
My Furla bag and Dior sunglasses both come from different shopping trips to Bicester Village and the shiny boots are a Primark sale bargain. I am kicking myself right now for not buying a backup pair as they are ridiculously comfy and cost me £10. £10 for leather boots. What an idiot.
If you love the look of vintage clothes but aren’t sure where to start, I thought I’d give you a few of my top tips for a successful purchase.
Ignore the size: depending on the era, you’ll find most pieces are at least one size smaller than modern day clothes, so it’s worth checking out things that are a few sizes bigger than what you’d be normally, as well as around you usual size. Don’t be put off by needing an 18 when you’re usually a 14 – measurements have got a lot more generous since the 70s! If you’re buying anything online, get the measurements instead of the size – that way you can measure yourself and make sure it will fit.
Check the condition – there are things you can easily fix (or pay someone else to if sewing isn’t your thing), like missing buttons, linings that need a few stitches or a hem taking up. Things that have stains, especially around the armpit area, often don’t come out (sweaty pit stains will literally NEVER come out), so although the piece might be a bargain, unless you’re happy with them how they are, it’s usually best to leave it behind. Suede and faux fur coats can pick up a bit of a musty ‘old’ smell to them and are a nightmare to dry clean, so a gentle bit of febreeze inside the lining and a good few hours outside on a washing line will help to refresh and remove the worst of this.
Look at the labels – if you’re unsure of how old a piece is, do a bit of investigation on the labels. The majority of things listed as ‘Made in England’ are generally vintage, as are anything that says ‘Made in West/East Germany’. St Michael is an old name for M&S clothes, Horrockses made beautiful dresses all the way back to through the 50s and beyond and there are lots of old logos online for brands that have been going for years so you can roughly date the piece you’re looking at.
Wear what you love – the best bit about vintage clothes is that you’ll normally be the only one who has one! Check in charity shops, thrift stores and vintage specialist stores. eBay has a huge amount of vintage, but you’ll need to trawl to find the best stuff that’s not at a ridiculous price. Judy’s affordable vintage fairs are always good and have great sellers, so I’d highly recommend visiting one if they come to your city.
Are you a fan of vintage clothes? Let me know if you’d like to see more fashion posts on the blog!
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