Vintage Women's Clothing: Reviewed & Rated
Vintage Women's Clothing...
Hello, I'm Deb. If you're like me you LOVE vintage women's clothing! Some like to collect it, but personally I love to buy it to actually wear. Either way, it can be a chore to search through second-hand stores, garage sales, newspaper classifieds, etc.
That's why I've created this page -- to provide you with some great tips on how to find vintage women's clothing easily, and for the best price possible! Enjoy.
Who would have thought that bygone fashions would make a comeback as vintage women's clothing? Even Twiggy, the hottest model of the 1960s, wouldn't have dreamed that her mini skirt and elfin look would be the rage 50 years later? During her time, the fashionable ladies wouldn't be caught dead wearing their mom's 1940s sporty suits. These days, anything goes - vintage is in with a modern twist. A few touches here and there and some pieces of modern jewelry or accessories revive an old dress' charm just like what Drew Barrymore or Winona Ryder do with their great vintage finds.
When it's about vintage women's clothing, it's about the real deal, not modern day fabrics cut out into vintage styles. You should be looking at clothing that has been used during their heydays. Luckily, some of the expensive vintage dressers, cashmere sweaters, and ice-cream pastel evening dresses have been carefully preserved and which are still in mint condition. Some of these are still stored in their original boxes. A number may need some minor repairs or refurbishing. Designer labels are pricier but there are affordable good ëold' dresses that are equally stunning as their haute couture cousins when dressed up with silk scarves, also vintage.
Since vintage women's clothing were previously worn, it is important to check every detail of the dress, blouse, and suit - inside and out. Pore over every inch and look for stains, worn spots, rips, and fraying. The armpits, collar, and stress areas are vulnerable to fading and thinning out. If the stains can't be removed, don't buy the dress. A tiny stain can ruin the overall look of the dress. Look at the seams to make sure the fabric is not going to fall apart when you wear it. Try on the dress to see if the garment holds up with your natural movements. Bend over and sideways, and raise your arms. If it is comfortable, it fits and can hold up.
Get the better quality vintage women's clothing in vintage stores specializing in apparel. If you hear about estate sale, you can find great vintage pieces there, including crockery and furniture. Be wary of outrageously priced vintage dresses and suits if the sales staff can't give any further information. Real vintage apparel stores note down the following information for each dress - the designer's name, the date of purchase, and the condition of the garment. If you are lucky, you might come across the white dress Marilyn Monroe wore over the breezy subway grate for the movie, The Seven Year Itch.
Astonishing finds can be had in thrift shops. Be ready to spend time poring over each dress or pants. Perhaps you'll come across lacy sun dress you can't find anywhere else. But since this is never easy, check out the vintage shops online. The clothing sold online is neatly categorized according to period. Flapper dresses, sheath dresses, hippie fashions, skirts, shorts, pants, and suits are labeled and described. Orders are paid online via Visa Debit, PayPal, WorldPay, Maestro, and Solo. When shopping for vintage women's clothing, the trick to getting the best buys is patience. It is no joke going through scores of vintage selections dating back as far to the Victorian period. But once you chance on something truly remarkable, you win.
The celebrities started it all. Vintage fashion got wild media attention when Barbra Streisand and Julia Roberts hit the red carpet in exquisite vintage gowns. But unknown to modern-day fashionistas, celebrities have been hitting high end vintage shops and thrift stores for vintage women's clothing. The vintage dresses or gowns are reinvented with eye-popping accessories and paired with top of the line Italian leather. If it hadn't been publicized, no one would have had the idea that going vintage was to step out in something old with style. It's a style that can't be copied if you know how to spice up your get up.
The trick is to find the vintage women's clothing or apparel that suits your personal taste. If you want to experiment with electric pleated skirts or sheath dresses and Betty Boop fashions, try it and add your personal style. The created look is eclectic and chic, and never before tried by others. For outdoor fun, step out in a sleeveless sun dress circa 1950s and accessorize. If Grace Kelly looked all woman and innocent in her sundress, you can surely recreate that image. Adding a pert retro hat adds zest to the outfit. Avoid over accessorizing though because the look is meant to be simple, yet elegant not artificial. Just watch the celebs and examine how they wear their vintage.
Get off that little black dress mode. Every babe is wearing black or gray red. Break the color code with an ice-cream pastel sleeveless number. Come summer get away from white and dare to wear vintage floral prints and colorful shorts. Better yet, put on a gypsy or hippie look or jumpers. Complement the look with vintage accessories and you're a throwback to the greatest fashion era, the 1960s. Experiment with the 1970s vintage women's clothing, shirtdresses and boots, bangles and earrings. Add your own quirky or stylish stuff to make your very own fashion statement. It would be nice if you can find vintage hair accessories to complete your vintage look.
If you are wondering how other do their vintage with style, check the old magazines or browse online for the big names in fashion. Their creations will be listed and described and you can get more ideas reading about the fashion of bygone eras. If it's the ë80s look that captivates you, google Princess Diana. She wore smart dresses to parties and public functions. With the dress idea in mind, narrow the search to the 1908s vintage women's clothing. Some shops date their dresses and can show you ë80s day and evening dresses and suits.
Checkout where celebrities are buying their vintage women's clothing just to get an idea what is being sold there. Most of the stuff would probably be Dior and Valentino creations and these would cost a pretty penny. That should not stop you from going retro. Vintage apparel is sold online and the selections are varied. You can get bargain pieces, too. The best way to shop though is to see the dresses firsthand so you can inspect these for stains, rips, and other flaws. Vintage dresses, bags, shoes and accessories should be in good condition so these can be worn with confidence and style. Take the cue from your favorite celebrities who are into the vintage look.
Iconic Jackie O was the 1960s fashion belle; her style had a classic statement copied by women who wanted a byte of the Jackie fashion flair. But this is 2010! Could the Jackie fashion magic work? Yes, definitely it would, and you would look better than good with none the wiser that you're wearing vintage dug out from the bottom of a pile of used dresses in a garage sale. Jazzed up with the right vintage accessories, vintage women's clothing helps you create a style of your own - with apologies to Jackie O. You also double your fashion satisfaction if you find dresses with their designer labels still sticking to them.
If you are lucky, you can copy the Coco Channel look - much envied by the fashionista wannabes in the 1930s. The long slim skirt, the ruffled flares, sports jackets and ties, and the use of everyman's materials for her fashion line such as jersey, which was during those time, the fabric used for men's underpants. Frankly, Coco could not afford the fashionable clothes of the period and she rebelled, creating a definitive style that bore her rebellious stamp. She created a ripple in the fashion world and established her reputation solidly. Chancing upon Coco-styled vintage women's clothing is like getting your hands on buried treasure.
Vintage women's clothing of the ë30s, ë40s, ë50s and ë60s can be worn with pizzazz. Toss in appropriate accessories and you recreate the look of the era but if you wear your hair in the latest style or slip your feet into glittery Loboutins, the retro style is uniquely yours. Ah, the hippie look of the '60 - peasant blouses, large flower prints, faded denim jeans, and colorful gypsy skirts overturned the space age look. The hippie look can be used to advantage for informal outings and outdoor activities. Make a splash when you arrive in a tie-dyed loose flowing dress. Hippie or not, stay glamorous. That's the vintage advantage.
Where can you find vintage women's clothing? Flea markets, garage sales, and used clothing stores have a wealth of vintage treasures. All it takes is stamina to sift through the piles or go through each racks - pants, skirts, blouses, jackets, dresses, and shorts. The assortment can be dizzying but with persistence and a trained eye, you can spot a dress that shows promise. Once laundered and altered or embellished, the dress won't recognize itself nor will your friends. If you look hard enough, you can find a $12 dress with the looks of $150 dress. That is a fashionable bargain that gives you the stylish edge.
The Internet is an exhaustible source of vintage women's clothing. The clothing is still in good condition or was never used. The same online stores also carry hair accessories, carryalls, belts, and other retro and kitschy pieces. Vintage clothing stores get their stuff from individuals. These are quality vintage because before these are purchased and inspected carefully. Try your bargain skills and get discounted prices for an Escada or Channel original. Some may show some signs of wear and tear but if these can be salvaged, that's a bonus. When shopping for vintage clothing, avoid stuff with exposed faded collars. Make sure that you get a perfect fit so you won't waste time altering and destroying its look.
Some women do have flair with clothes while the rest are content copying styles. Even with vintage women's clothing, these fashion adventurers can create a look that mixes the old and the new into unique fashion statements that get praises and admiring glances. All told, there is no need to spend money on expensive fashionable clothes to be stylish. It takes creativity and daring to create a sensational look with vintage dresses without looking like a specimen from the past. The dated look of vintage apparel is the crux of the matter, so how vintage can you get and fuse it into the current fashion sense?
There are different approaches in wearing vintage women's clothing. While some would go all out for the vintage mania and wear their 1950s dress with 1950s purses and shoes, others would take the opposite route. They would match their vintage dress with the latest fashion in shoes and accessories. Others would step up further or a degree higher by adding bits and pieces to create a stylish fusion. The last are the Madonnas of the Vintage Look. If you are comfortable being totally different yet chic, go ahead and experiment. If you want to play it safe, follow the second group who wear their vintage outfits with latest in shoes and bags. The first group, which wear vintage from head to foot can fearlessly wear vintage flapper dresses to parties with matching vintage accessories.
The correct hippie look was faded denims, peasant skirts and dresses, and long hair. The hippies didn't wear make-up, instead they wore flowers in their hair. This might not be your type but you can go hippie with a loose peasant embroidered blouse over your favorite denims and adorn your ears with big silver or gold hoops. This is a pseudo hippie look, but then it's your own hippie style. The elegance of the roaring forties vintage women's clothing can be copied but with a twist. Copy the hairstyle and accessories, shorten the dress and wear sexy boots. Now that's style.
Out of the ë80s, you might chance upon a little black strapless dress made of shiny fabric and stitched with silver and gold embroidery. Be inventive. Wear it over black leggings or stockings and choose a pair of party shoes to go with it. Wear your hair circa ë80s and create a stir when you join your friends. Vintage women's clothing is versatile, you can create a new look or recreate a look. You can also create a new style out of an ëold' dress without even altering it. A little inventiveness and some fashion sense will go a long way with vintage apparel.
Next time you shop for clothes, check out vintage women's clothing. If you are looking for the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s and 1970s apparel, you can find these online. Buying online gives you more options. You can see how the dress looks. Dress sizes are also posted and the origin of the dress is included; this is true in high-end vintage shops. A nice 1980s little black dress can cost you $120. If don't mind plowing over piles of vintage clothes in flea markets and thrift shops, you might find a similar dress for $50. Wearing vintage dresses shouldn't be about the price, it's about your style.