There’s been a lot of press given to shopping for vintage fashions in this economy. Like Twolia’s Deanna, guest blogging at Shop It To Me, I’m not sure that all that many fashionista’s are jumping onto the vintage bandwagon… And if they are, I’m not sure they’re all finding their bliss — shopping for vintage fashions is a lot different than heading to the mall. If you’ve been thinking of giving vintage fashion shopping a try — or if you have tried, and were stymied — read Deanna’s article for some guidance regarding the realities, and then check out some of these basic tips.

1960s Polka-Dot Dress

When it comes to shopping for vintage fashion and accessories, we’re basically talking “used clothing.” (“Vintage” or “retro” sounds much better, doesn’t it? *giggle*) No matter what you call it, here are a few tips to help you when shopping for vintage fashions.

Most of these tips boil down to basic wardrobe building, judging quality pieces worthy of buying, and creativity.

Like any clothing shopping, you shouldn’t waste your money on anything you won’t really wear. So no matter how fabulous that New Look ball gown is, if you don’t ever go to a place where you can wear it, don’t get it. Even if it’s a fraction of what a new gown would cost. You don’t need a ball gown, remember? (Of course, if it’s for your “collection,” well then, all these wardrobe rules simply don’t apply!)

Look for vintage pieces which will work with what you have. As a general rule, I find it easier to purchase the basics & classic pieces, such as black pencil skirts and ivory ruffled blouses (oh and the ivory camisoles that you must wear beneath them!), from modern makers at modern stores. This makes it easier to ensure you have the basics — and then you can go crazy with colorful vintage suits, wild mod minis, cute retro dresses etc. to build your own unique wardrobe.

Groovy Hanging Poodles

If you’re just looking to add some oomph and individuality to your wardrobe, try to confine your vintage shopping to accessories. Vintage jewelry, scarves, handbags, belts, hats, and shoes can take “off the rack” to “out of this world” easily and really inexpensively. Other women may have the same YSL suit as you, but who else will have the outrageous retro poodle pins? Or vintage chocolate brown suede & carmel leather striped shoes? Nobody but you, darling!

When you find stunning pieces it’s tempting to overlook flaws; but poor fit, spots, tears and needed repairs will likely mean the purchase will just take up closet or drawer space.

When you spot an appealing vintage item, inspect it all over. You’re looking for spots & stains, holes & tears, signs of alterations & repairs, and working closures (buttons, snaps, zippers, hook and eyes, etc.). Vintage pieces & classic designer clothing were generally made with much higher quality than most of today’s off the rack pieces and have solid construction, but because they’ve typically been warn you need to look for signs of wear that may make wearing the garment improbable if not impossible. There are some cases of NOS, “New Old Stock,” and NOSWT, “New Old Stock With Tags,” but even then you want to see if the old inventory had snags or spots.

To avoid problems with fit use the fitting room whenever possible. And always know your measurements & compare them to the garment’s measurements.

Problem areas often overlooked in proper fit are across the shoulders and sleeve length. (I can’t tell you the number of times that I, as a vintage buying newbie, was so in love with a dress that I ignored the tight shoulders and short sleeves — it was fine for a fitting room experience, but in real life, the range of daily body motion was impossible &/or threatened to bust the seams.)

Unless you are an excellent seamstress, or know and can afford an experienced seamstress who specializes in vintage fashions, don’t buy pieces which require anything above button replacement, minimal hem or seam fixes, or other easy sewing fix. (And don’t kid yourself, vintage zipper replacement is not an easy fix for most of us.)

1940s Suede Shoes

There are tips on the specific issues of repairs and quality issues with vintage jewelry pieces and vintage shoes (also pretty good advice for purses too) to help you with evaluating those purchases.

When in doubt, consult with store staff (online and in physical stores) and if they can’t provide the information you seek, discount the item to have the price reflect the cost of repair, or otherwise provide a satisfactory solution, I suggest that you walk away — or risk buyer’s remorse.

OK, so what happens when you come home with that grand vintage fashion and discover that there’s a boo-boo or two that you missed?

Dealing with small spots holes: Some garments can easily be dyed a darker or deeper shade, hiding the spots. If you’ve got just one spot or small tear to deal with, a quick fix is to apply vintage jewelry to hide it. (Vintage jewelry is quite often substantial enough to hide it completely — an authentically.)

If the spot is on a skirt or someplace you wouldn’t put a pin, or you have multiple places to hide, consider cute appliqués and creative patches. (Even if there’s just one spot, multiple appliqués scattered about help disguise the repair!)

If the piece is a great find but is beyond your skills, consider having it repaired by a seamstress experienced in vintage. Many good seamstresses will give you an accurate appraisal of cost which will help you decide if it’s worth the investment.

Upcycled Slip With Appliques

Should you discover that the vintage piece is so riddled with problems that repairs will render it more new than old, don’t be blue! Consider having the skirting of the dress salvaged from the stained top of the dress, or vice versa. Maybe having the sleeves shortened to three-quarter length will save the coat — and send you shopping for opera length gloves. *wink* Removing the sleeves entirely may be the creative solution to badly worn or stained armpits & sleeves. Maybe just the fabric can be recycled (sometimes referred to as “upcycled”) into another garment altogether. It may not be cheap to do, and it might even be outside your abilities — but someone out there probably sees value in your vintage item, so don’t throw it out without consulting someone else about salvaging options. (You might just find that you can trade your “useless” vintage dress for a recycled or upcycled vintage piece!)

PS Don’t forget to enter my The Get Fab-U-Lush Eyelashes Contest!