The 'How-To' Of Vintage Shopping ~ The Art Of Mixing And Matching

O.k so I thought I would talk about the art of shopping for genuine vintage clothing and mixing and matching with your regular wardrobe. Now some people (nit-pickers) would say that clothing from the 1970's and 1980's are not vintage but actually retro. The term vintage is usually reserved for clothing from the 1960's and back. I on the other hand like to call anything that is older then myself vintage hehe. So anything from the 1980's and back are vintage enough for me!
I thought I would share some secrets to my vintage shopping experience as I have been scouring charity shops for unique beauties for quite some time now and like to think I have enough experience.
When shopping for vintage there are a few rules I always keep in mind and ALWAYS stick to. Here they are in order.
1) I always look at the era the item was made in. Some items that are too old, do not last and are usually very delicate and hard to maintain. For example I bought this 100% silk dress once and it came as brand new and with tags BUT it was about 40+ years old. It was divine and the colour was bright and perfect.. until I washed it. Most silk clothing today are perfectly fine to wash by hand at home but this was not the case 30 years ago. Silly me I didn't read the label and never knew I needed to dry clean ONLY!! Arrghhh the colours ran and the dress was ruined..
2) Always check the condition of the item. Don't bother buying an item with damage as its usually not worth the fix.
3) Check the quality of fabric and craftsmanship. Why bother buying something that looks cheap just because it is "vintage". Trust me you will not look too cool for school.. Just cheap

OK so we have the 3 big rules out of the way so you are ready to rock and roll on your next vintage expedition. Now to the next important step in rocking vintage ~ the art of mixing and matching! I have seen some girls who are into vintage  and realllllyyyyyyy wear vintage.. and that's pretty much it. For me, top to toe vintage is not a good look. You want to look cool and edgy, not like you rolled around in a pile of your nan's clothing. I love to mix my vintage dress with something new and 'today'. I also like to mix and match my expensive buys with my cheap and vintage buys. This guarantees originality and individuality. I don't want to look like I walked into Witchery or H&M and walked back out decked in their latest collection. That's bloody boring shmoring and freekin predictable! I want to leave people guessing and wondering where I got my unique bag or my ruffle maxi dress from.
Don't be a brand snob and think you are too good for pre-loved clothing. It will only leave you looking dull and average as you and about a million other people will be walking around looking exactly the same.
So next time you go shopping I think you should seriously consider trying something old with something new. Not only will you be helping the environment but you will also look FAB!
xoxo
Seyma
T