How to shop for vintage clothing

by Kelsie Root

Vintage clothing: A Miss Sensible guide to shopping for vintage clothing that fits, suits you and lasts yet another generation.

Love clothes with a story? Looking for unique or period pieces? Worried about the impact of large scale production and sweatshop labour? Want to stick to a budget and get great clothes? Then vintage, thrifting, charity shopping, rummaging... Whatever it's called in your quarter, buying second-hand clothing is the thing for you!

As well as finding one of kind pieces, buying second-hand helps keep your wardrobe fresh, your wallet padded and lessens the environmental impact of textiles production. So what's not to love? Here's your guide to get shopping!

Where to shop

You can buy second-hand at special vintage shops, charity shops, car boot and jumble sales. Vintage shops are great for hand selected outlandish pieces, but they can be pricey. Charity shops have constantly rotating stock and are for a good cause, but require more ground work. Jumble sales are incredibly cheap, but you can't take anything back.

Find out where things are! Get googling, go for a walk on the lookout, and check notice boards outside religious establishments and community centres. See someone wearing something you've never seen before? Ask them where they got it! You never know, you might make a new friend.

Know where to get the good stuff. Charity shops and jumble sales in affluent areas often have high quality and designer clothes. Some vintage shops have loose themes, and are great for clothing from particular eras or styles.

Quality Control

You have found a gorgeous, nay, divine dress. Simultaneously 20s Flapper girl, 50s burlesque star and ultra modern woman, it is as though someone looked deep into your soul and produced an outfit for what they saw there. You carry it into your home, slip into it and... Disaster! You realise it's missing an essential irreplaceable button! Here's how to avoid a potentially heartbreaking situation.

Check for common problems:

Try it on! Everyone's body is different, and clothes that look great on the hanger can look unflattering on. If you can identify what era the garment is, think about the prevailing figure at the time as a guide. Remember that sizing varies from year to year, brand to brand, piece to piece, so don't be fooled into thinking that the number on the label means it fits you. Solution: get to the fitting rooms!

Count the buttons. Count the button holes. Do they match? Look out for reattachments and spare buttons.

Don't forget to check zips, hooks and lacing too.

Run your fingers along seams, checking for loose and wonky stitching.

Check for tears and holes, particularly on the shoulders and underarms of tops and the back of trousers and skirts. These areas get worn and stretched the most.

Especially if it seems worn, put your hand inside the garment and stretch out your fingers. Is that fabric "suggestively sheer" or "arrestably transparent"?

And if you do buy something and find you don't like something as much as you thought, don't just throw it out. Recycle it, give it to charity, alter it or start a swap meet!

Tough choices

Within such a melting pot, it is inevitable that you will have to make some hard calls on what to hold on to and what to leave for someone else to love. Tips on sorting the wheat from the chaff:

What fabric is it made of? Wool, cotton and other natural fabrics tend to last longer and are better investments than polyester or nylon.

Is it unique? Could you find something either similar on the high street?

Is it a staple or an occasion piece? If you're only going to be able to wear it once or twice, and you don't absolutely adore it, put it back.

Make a list (mental or physical) of items you want, and think about what you already have. Think of any stylistic signatures you have: are you known for your love of leopard print? Revered for your wearing of red? If you see it, go for it!

Know what you have. Try not to buy with the idea that "I'll find things to go with it": have an outfit in your wardrobe already to complement it.

Finally, if you're really umming and aahing, buy it. You'll have something to stimulate your creative tendencies, and you'll either be supporting a charity or a friendly local vintage shop owner.

Happy rummaging!

Online sellers of vintage clothing

• vintageclothesline.com
• perkuponline.com
• melrosevintage.com
• Vintage Indie Wedding Gowns (and all-round fantastic vintage indie resource)
• etsy.com/shop/salvagelife (One can but dream)

More Burlesque and Vintage Clothing Ideas on Mookychick

See more Japanese, Vintage/Burlesque & Gothic DIY Style