How To Buy Vintage Clothing: A Complete Guide

Sunday, May 1, 2022

Elisa Zanetti 1 comment :

There are so many benefits to buying vintage clothing. One of the most important reasons to shop vintage, at least for a portion of your closet, is because it helps reduce fast fashion waste — which is a massive contributor to global warming and overall waste production on a global scale. Not only that, but it's also a great way to add more unique pieces to your closet. If you're looking to up your style game and help save the planet, shopping vintage is a great option.

So, what is vintage clothing?

Technically, vintage means anything from the past, but it's a little bit more specific in terms of clothing. Clothing is generally considered vintage if it is 20 years old or older. It's also usually found secondhand. It's unlikely that you would find clothing items from that long ago that is completely unworn. Any wholesale clothing that's never been worn is referred to as deadstock, and it is usually much newer.

Where do you find vintage clothing?

There are multiple great places to find vintage clothes. Here are a few of the most comon:

● Thrift stores: Thrift stores are a great place to find vintage clothing, although they can be more tricky. Thrift stores sell all types of secondhand clothing, so it might require some time and patience to sift through all the items. Sometimes, you’ll get lucky and find a thrift store that has already separated its vintage items!

● Consignment stores: Consignment stores are similar to thrift stores, but there are two significant differences. The first is that these are stores where people resell their items, which means higher prices. The other is that they specialize in higher-end items, raising prices. So this may not be the best option if you're on a budget.

● Flea markets: Flea markets and swap meets are excellent places to find vintage clothing items. They will typically have vendors from all over the area who curate their collections very precisely, so you'll be able to find some unique items without doing all that heavy lifting.

● Online stores: If you're looking for a specific piece, or you'd just instead shop from the comfort of your home, you can find a ton of vintage clothing online.

Things to keep in mind

● Try everything on. Vintage clothing sizes are usually not the same as modern clothing sizes. And even if they were, sizing varies so much between brands, it's hard to know what size you are — or if you'll like how the style looks on you. Also, since you're buying this clothing secondhand, it's unlikely that the store will have a lenient return policy (if they have one at all). So try to make sure you're only walking out with pieces you know you love.

● Don’t get discouraged. Thrifting, especially for vintage clothing, isn't for the weak. It can be time-consuming, and it's easy to get discouraged when you don't find anything you like after hours of sifting through clothes. But there are diamonds out there just waiting to be found. All you have to do is keep going.

● Don’t forget to search for flaws. Since all of this clothing has been worn before, make sure that you check for any stains, rips, holes, snags in the fabric, or other imperfections that would impact the item's quality.

Vintage clothing is a great way to set yourself and your wardrobe apart from those whose closets are full of wholesale boutique clothing. So if you can afford it and want to add some flair to your style, give it a shot!