Savvy Vintage Shopping
Saturday, May 21, 2011
They just don’t make them like they used to.
In admiration of the elegance, style, and quality of old clothes, vintage shopping has been a popular sport since the late 1980s, when celebrities first started to wear vintage gowns on the red carpet. The sport of vintage shopping can be competitive and complicated—you have to know where to shop, what to buy, and how to wear it. To shine some light on the subject, RISD instructor Susan Mullins lead a course in RISD’s Continuing Education program called “The Art of Vintage Shopping.” She shared some (vintage) pearls of wisdom.
Retro robes
‘Vintage’ comes from the connection to vintage wine—it’s something that gets better with age. Vintage clothes actually fall into a fairly narrow range—including only clothes made from 1920 to 1989. Anything before that is ‘antique,’ anything after that is contemporary.
People go to great lengths to pursue vintage clothes. Some are attracted to the quality of older, handmade garments. Others cherish the connection to a movement in history. Some vintage pieces, especially designer items function as a status symbol. Perhaps the most convincing reason to shop vintage is the originality. Chances are you will be the only girl at the party in a 1957 Yves Saint Laurent full skirt.
An eye for eyelet
There is a certain amount of skill required. If you know the most popular designers from your favorite time period, you search for their moniker. For quality control, make sure the seams line up and the patterns match where the seams join. Hand-sewn buttons and shirt-labels also convey excellent craftsmanship. Beadwork, beautiful fabrics and flattering cuts make pieces more valuable.
The clothes will be, by virtue of their vintage status, dated. Therefore, it’s crucial to think about where they will fit in your wardrobe. Are you going to wear your flapper dress with the latest heels, or will you be try to find some 1920s pumps and handbags to match a theme?
Their age also poses problems in terms of their condition. If the item is dirty remember that vintage pieces are delicate and often finicky to clean. Look for moth-holes—are they in a location where you could cover them with a well-placed scarf?
The thrill of the hunt
Susan Mullins warns about shopping vintage online; photographs can’t display the accurate color and texture. You certainly can’t try on pieces virtually.
Keep yourself to the real world and off the beaten path. Peruse estate sales, flea markets, and yard sales. Wealthier neighborhoods also tend to have more designer gear.
For some vintage boutiques in Providence head to the East Side, where several stores are condensed in a radius of a few blocks. First try Foreign Affair on Brook Street, and then across the street at Into the Wardrobe at 117 Brook Street. Make your way over to Thayer and try Second Time Around on 294 Thayer and then NAVA farther down the street at 281 Thayer.
If these stores don’t suit your fancy, remember that many a grandmother’s attic has a beautiful garment crumpled under photographs and report cards—it just takes a bit of searching.
For more information about RISD’s Continuing Education program browse their upcoming courses, here.
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