For those eager to follow the latest trends and keep their wardrobes contemporary, constant buying can be expensive. In addition, fears over the impact of “fast fashion” have caused clothes lovers and the fashion industry to consider ways to be more sustainable. With one truck load of clothing being burned or sent to a landfill every minute, it is easy to see why people are looking for new ways to shop. However, vintage shopping offers a fun and environmentally-friendly alternative.
An item is classed as “vintage” if it’s more than 20 years old, which means the Spiceworld Tour t-shirt crumpled at the bottom of your wardrobe makes the cut. If you’re new to the experience, vintage shopping can sometimes feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. To help you, this guide provides tips on how to shop and the best places to visit to get distinctive and quirky clothing.
Top tips
Use the Vintage Fashion Guild label resource
This is an excellent way to learn about major designers and what styles they are famous for through snappy summaries. The Vintage Fashion Guild also includes picture guides to help shoppers identify which era products were created in.
Understand your size by taking measurements
Whether you’re buying new or vintage, sizing is always an issue. Whilst you might comfortably fit in a size 10 in one store, it might look like you’re sporting a tent in another. Sizing is different across all brands and this is the same when shopping for vintage items.
It is worth taking measurements of your bust, hips and waist before starting your search. Most online vintage stores will have a sizing guide and any reputable seller will be able to give you a guide on what size you should be looking for.
Check the condition of an item
Most stores will perform repair work on items they hold in store, so if you see evidence of this, don’t be surprised. Obviously, as you are not buying new, clothes are likely to be a bit worn and may have had alterations made to them.
Be wary of unpleasant odours on an item, though can expect a slightly musty scent as anything that’s over 20 years old is likely to have a smell on it!
Get some prior inspiration
Before you venture out, spend some time looking at various online vintage blogs. If you’re interested in a particular era, find writers that write about them; there’s an abundance of them out there!
You can also consider what modern day styles you like and what suits your body type. Lots of clothing nowadays is based on older styles. For example, “mom jeans” that have come back into trend recently, were a staple of any teenager’s 1980s wardrobe. Consider the colours and patterns you like and try to envision an item that can be worn with what you currently own.
Where to shop
Sellers will often know the stories behind classic items or at a minimum, they’ll be able to advise where they came from. That’s why the best way to shop vintage is by visiting stores and boutiques. Below are just some of the stores offering classic items:
Beyond Retro – staff at this chain search through £93 million worth of clothing each year to find classic items that align with current trends. With a large collection of pre-loved items anywhere from the swinging 60s through to the 90s, buyers don’t have to spend long searching before they find something unique.
Mero Retro – along with being a great spot for buying vintage clothing, Mero Retro donates money to projects in its local area (Dalston, London) as well as in Nepal. Your purchases not only help reduce fashion waste but also contribute to new projects that help those in need. This cool store specialises in kimonos many of which have striking colours and intricate patterns.
Portobello Vintage Market – this was once one of London’s best kept vintage secrets but in recent years it has become something of a vintage hotspot. The best time to visit is on a Friday – as early as possible – as stock runs out by the time the market’s due to close (4:30pm). Portobello Vintage Market is excellent for those wanting old designer garments. Celebrities such as Kate Moss are famed for picking up outfits from this cool and stylish area.
However, if you’re someone who prefers to shop from the comfort of your sofa, there are now lots of websites offering good deals on vintage items. A good place to look is ASOS Vintage Marketplace. ASOS has provided a platform for lots of vintage sellers to advertise their products which is not only good for those selling but also for you. Rather than having 50 websites open in search of the perfect Chanel “little black dress”, you can look through a large quantity of designers in one place.
Lastly, the best advice is to give yourself time to look around vintage stores. It is often easy to walk into high street stores and find things you like immediately as similar styles will be arranged together. However, as all items are unique in vintage stores, you can feel overwhelmed looking at the variety on offer. Take some time to look through a particular rail and enjoy the experience!
If you’ve felt inspired by this blog or have an interest in fashion, LCCA offers specialist creative courses to help you achieve your career ambitions. Visit our website here to find out more about what we offer.
Emma Chadwick currently works at Global University Systems as a copywriter. She has an undergraduate degree in English and History along with a master’s degree in History. Emma has previously had articles published in Grand Designs Magazine
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