Vintage Clothing Buying Guide

What exactly defines fantastic vintage?  That's a matter of personal taste, of course. However, what defines "vintage" is another story.

• It is usually classified by decade, ranging from the Victorian era to the 90's depending on your take of vintage.
• Classic vintage usually spans out at around the 60's where the term "retro"  takes over and carries into 70's fashion.
• Purists will claim that anything newer than 1960's is not even vintage at all, while less stringent fashionistas will dare to say that 80's and 90's fashions still count as vintage.
• Things over 100 years old usually become antiques. 
• An article of just plain "old" clothes will not fit the criteria for being coined as vintage.
• Vintage clothes are particularly representative of the period in which they were created.
• Vintage may also include any clothes created during a particular time that completely counters the common dress of the times.
• Vintage clothing spans across both gender pools as well as into the accessories category, including but not limited to jewelry,  hats,  bags,  shoes,  and other accessories. 

Vintage by Era

Turn of the Century

La Belle Epoque: Late 1800's and Early 1900's
	Corsets  were worn always, giving women an S-shaped silhouette. The idea was to look completely rich and curvy in all the right places. Lace  was extremely popular, as were parasols.  Elaborate Merry Widow hats  were abundant.

1920s

The Roaring Twenties
	Shorter hemlines showed a bit of knee and a lot of controversy. Fashion was meant for all classes. Young, thin, flat-chested silhouettes became the ideal. Girdles  replaced corsets. Beige, nude-colored clothing and stockings  became popular. Coco Chanel  was the biggest fashion designer of the era and created the little black dress.  Cloche hats  were very fashionable.

1940s

World War II and Beyond
	During WWII, clothing was rationed. Utility clothing  designs had square shoulders and short skirts.  Patriotic clothing  was in style. The kangaroo coat  was popular because of its oversized pockets. Head scarves  kept hair from tangling in factory machines. Christian Dior  created "the New Look" in 1947, using yards and yards of fabric to end to rationing era.

1950s

Rebels Without a Cause

A teenage counter-culture first starts to develop; this influences fashion in a new way. A well-defined waistline was the most universal concept of 1950s fashion. The A-line skirt  (made popular by Dior ) and the H-line skirt  were hugely popular. Teenagers loved empire line dresses,  which came to be known as the baby doll dress.  Dior and Chanel  had totally different concepts of the silhouette. Dior's New Look showed full skirts, while Chanel made boxy women's suits  and collarless jackets.  Rock and roll styles were popular with teens. Blue jeans  became extremely popular.

1960s

Hippies and Mods
	Pleated skirts  were popular in the early 1960s. The mini skirt  became an enormous trend. Tights  replaced the more sheer stockings  and provided better protection when wearing a mini. Tunics  and trousers  were also very popular. Geometric patterns on dresses  epitomized modern art. Black, white, and primary colours made up the bulk of the mod  trend.

1970s

Peasant Tops and Hot Pants
	Halter tops  on shirts and dresses  were extremely popular. Hot pants  were big at the disco.  Flared trousers,  bell bottoms,  and trouser suits  were the trousers  to wear. The peasant top  and tank top  could be seen on every street. Platform shoes.  Sky-high platform shoes. Friendship bracelets  first became popular for children and teens.

Condition and Value of Vintage Items

It's important to know what you are buying and what value the clothing has, especially if you are a collector.

Terms used range from:

• Mint (perfect condition)
• Near mint
• Excellent (average wear and tear)
• Very good (wearable with possible stains)
• Good (wearable but not repairable)
• Anything less than good is not really worth buying or selling.
• Regardless of brand names, if a product doesn't meet the quality mentioned within these categories it is not worth buying.
• Remember that repairing of vintage items is difficult and pricey. Usually, it's not worth it.
• Sizes were smaller "then" than they are now. Keep that in mind when shopping as well as any variations in sizes from brand to brand.

Trying to value vintage clothes can be daunting if you don't know enough about what you are buying. It is thus crucial that you take the time to research the products that you are interested in, either through books about vintage clothes,  or through the Internet.

• Check for the tag. Clothes lose their value without it.
• Keep the items clean! Don't store them in musty closets without cedar or mothballs, smoky homes, near animals, or in bright lights where they can fade.
• Avoid storing clothes on metal hangers, in plastic,
• Take extra special care if you are sending anything to the dry cleaner, but make sure that the clothes are clean before storing.

External Links

• Fashion-Era.com-- All the eras of fashion are explained in detail.
• Wikipedia.org-- A great era by era account of the history of western fashion.