Top 10 tips to vintage style your wardrobe

Vintage Fashion

If personal style and a touch of class are important to you and, at the same time, you want your buying decisions to be good for the planet, then you probably already have some beautiful vintage items in your wardrobe. If not, it may be time to start.

Buying vintage ticks a lot of boxes. As well as allowing you to express yourself individually (think beautiful and one-off items) you are ensuring the continued use of perfectly usable items and, as a bonus, you will probably spend less.

How to vintage style your wardrobe
Although it’s a very personal activity with no rights or wrongs, here’s our top ten vintage tips from the experts:

One – get out there and have a look
Locate vintage stores in your area (or wherever you’re shopping): try googling ‘vintage’, ‘opportunity’ or ‘charity’ shops, ‘secondhand stalls’ or ‘markets’.
Browse – you need to have a bit of time on your hands and enjoy hunting through the eclectic selection you’ll find in most shops.
If it’s your local area, you’ll soon find your favourite destinations that seem to have those quirky little items that match your own quirky style.

Two – be open to opportunity, with a twist of practicality
Don’t be too fussy. If you find something you really like, but it’s not quite perfect, ask yourself whether – with a little effort – you can fix it or have it professionally cleaned. If you want to clean an item yourself using a natural cleaner, white vinegar is excellent on many stains (test it first on a part of the fabric you can’t see). Do be realistic and discerning though. You don’t want to buy something that just sits in one of your drawers, unworn for the rest of time because the thought of fixing it is just too much. Look out for stains that can’t be removed (eg make-up or deodorant), grubby or frayed cuffs and collars that will not clean or repair.

Three – pick a style, theme or era
This is one approach. It may be that you’re just nuts about the 1950s or Katherine Hepburn’s eponymous style. You may only want to wear black and red. Sometimes a theme helps focus the mind – although beware of going over the top and looking like you are on your way to a fancy dress party.

Four – be creative and eclectic
This is the opposite approach to number three. Go for a new interpretation and combine items in novel ways. Have fun! Try things and buy things you have never considered before. You may find a cut that absolutely suits your shape and personal style, not to mention the fabrics you can find. Having an eclectic wardrobe allows you to put an unlimited combination of items together, to suit any mood or occasion.

Five – Accessorise
There are some absolutely fantastic accessories from bygone days out there – bakelite brooches, hats, gloves and scarves from just about every era, as well as belts, shoes and a wonderful selection of costume jewellery. Sometimes less is more and a small statement piece can make an outfit.

Six – Modern Twist
Supplement with current items – give it a modern interpretation and give it your own interpretation. (Another way to ensure you avoid that carnival costume look.) For example, you could mix a 1950s twinset with a sexy contemporary tailored skirt and add stylish and one-off accessories for that final touch. Authentic 1950s ‘cardigan clips’ complete with chain might just finish the outfit perfectly.

Seven – A nostalgic item from a particular period, designer or fashion icon
Josephine’s empire line, Coco Chanel’s knitted suit, Yves St Laurent’s black tie trouser suit, bell-bottom trousers and fair isle skinny knits, wonderful Victorian cotton nighties updated as dresses. Hipster mini skirts worn with suede boots, vintage scarves and belts, a wealth of vintage denim. If you come across a 1930s pink satin knee length petticoat with lace bodice and you have the figure – knockout.

Eight – Be inspired
If you are lucky enough to live in a decent sized city or town, look out for any retrospective fashion exhibitions. If the curator has done their job well, apart from the delight of seeing beautiful fabrics and prints, you can research a look or an era.

Nine – Read up on fashion history
Apart from the inspiration you can get from fashion photography and illustration (which themselves are representative of different eras), like me, you might enjoy learning about the diverse and interesting circumstances that have influenced and shaped the way we have dressed over the years. The internet, libraries and the fashion section of good bookshops are all full of fantastic reference material.

Ten – Back to basics: hair and make-up
A great haircut or bright red lipstick will make you look intentional. As long as you look like you mean it, you will avoid vintage clothing looking like you’ve just raided your grandmother’s closet – or the local clothing bank. Your look can be from a particular period (if you want to go the whole hog) or contemporary. Set off that outfit you’ve created!